The news teams at The E.W. Scripps Company have received two Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Awards for their investigative reporting in 2025.
These awards celebrate the top video and audio journalism in the United States. The duPont Silver Batons were awarded at a ceremony on Wednesday evening at Columbia University in New York City.
Scripps News, the national news network under Scripps, earned recognition for its coverage of Maine’s gun law shortcomings. WTVF, Scripps’ local CBS affiliate in Nashville, won for its exploration of political extremism in Tennessee. In addition, Scripps News was a finalist for investigating the water crisis in Flint, Michigan.
Dean Littleton, executive vice president of media broadcast operations at Scripps, praised the dedication of the journalists. He emphasized their crucial role in connecting with communities and keeping the public informed, often at great personal risk. He highlighted that the awards reflect the commitment of Scripps’ investigative team to telling impactful stories that uncover deeper truths.
Scripps News Investigates also garnered a duPont-Columbia Award for its work on the 2023 Maine mass shooting. This investigation showed that over two dozen law enforcement officials knew about the shooter’s threats. They were also aware of his access to guns. However, they failed to act before he killed 18 people. National investigative correspondent Lori Jane Gliha and producer Brittany Freeman devoted over a year to uncover why these failures occurred.
WTVF’s Chief Investigative Reporter Phil Williams and his team received their duPont-Columbia Award. They earned this recognition for investigating Gabrielle Hanson. She is a mayoral candidate in Franklin, Tennessee. Their reports examined her connections to white supremacists. They also looked into her criminal record. The reports uncovered a misleading social media claim about her supporters, among other troubling details. As their inquiry progressed, they revealed the questionable background of Shawn Taylor. He is a close ally of Hanson. Taylor had made bizarre conspiracy claims before becoming the assistant police chief in Millersville. This investigation resulted in over 60 stories and, last May, earned a Peabody Award. This is the fifth duPont-Columbia Award for Williams and his team.
Scripps News Investigates was also a finalist for its coverage titled “Flint: City in Contempt.” Their research highlighted that nearly ten years after a major public health crisis began, Flint residents still faced delays in replacing corroded pipes leaking lead into their water supply. Scripps News also received a national Emmy Award last September for its investigation into the Flint water crisis.