MSU’s Likes receives 10th prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award
STARKVILLE, Miss.— A Mississippi State department head is this year’s recipient of the regional Edward R. Murrow Award for ‘excellence in electronic journalism’ from the Radio Television Digital News Association, the world’s largest professional organization devoted exclusively to broadcast and digital journalism.
Terry Likes, professor and head of MSU’s Department of Communication, won the award in the category of ‘Excellence in Sound’ for his report, “Hello, I’m Johnny Cash: His concert and arrest in Starkville impact the legacy for both the singer and the community.” The report aired on WMSV-FM, MSU’s radio station.
“It is an honor to represent MSU in this regard and to continue to enhance my reporting skills for the benefit of our students,” said Likes, who has won this award 10 times from 2007-2023. Likes has won more than 100 awards in a radio/TV career that has spanned more than 30 years of full-time and freelance work.
“It helps in the classroom when students can see professors remain active in the industry and achieve at a high level. This aids our teaching as we encourage students to seek excellence in their own student competitions, as MSU students are doing earning 100 student media awards this year alone,” said Likes.
Among the most prestigious awards in the news industry, the RTDNA has been honoring outstanding achievements in electronic journalism with the Edward R. Murrow Awards since 1971. Murrow’s pursuit of excellence in journalism embodies the spirit of the awards that carry his name. Murrow Award recipients demonstrate the spirit of excellence that Edward R. Murrow made a standard for the broadcast news profession.
Founded as a grassroots organization in 1946, the RTDNA seeks to promote and protect responsible journalism by defending the first amendment rights of electronic journalists throughout the country, honors outstanding work in the profession through the Edward R. Murrow Awards and provides members with training to encourage ethical standards, newsroom leadership and industry innovation.
Likes competed in RTDNA Region 9 against other entries from Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Regional winners advance to the national competition in August.
The Saint Louis native has been an MSU faculty member since 2019 and holds a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky, a master’s degree from Western Kentucky University, and a bachelor’s degree from Maryville University-St. Louis.
For more details about the College of Arts and Sciences or Department of Communication, visit www.cas.msstate.edu and www.comm.msstate.edu.
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