Hearst Television has been awarded its 10th consecutive USC Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism in the Station Group category.

The award recognizes the work of WYFF 4 and the other Hearst Television stations around the country in covering the 2018 campaign and election season. This latest recognition continues Hearst Television’s unbroken string of USC Cronkite honors since the award’s inception.

In supporting their choice, judges cited “wide coverage of issues” and “reliable presence on the campaign trail.” Hearst Television’s recent launch of a Washington, DC-based national investigative unit was also acknowledged by the jury as a “demonstrable and continued chain wide commitment to politics.”

Given biennially since legendary CBS anchor Walter Cronkite first presented them in 2001, the awards were announced today by the Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, which administers the award.

“We are extremely proud to be part of a company which encourages its stations to provide detailed local coverage of the issues and people who are part of the election process,” said WYFF 4 President and General Manager John Humphries. “We do this because it is an important and essential service for our viewers as they make their personal decisions before going to the polls. Our commitment is to go further, dig deeper, and to listen closely to the needs of our viewers. It’s a standard we feel defines who WYFF 4 and Hearst Television are in our communities.”

The trophies will be presented at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Friday, April 26 at an invitation-only ceremony. For more information, including the winning entry videos, visit www.cronkiteaward.org.