WTOP has been honored with four Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards by the Radio Television Digital News Association, including one for overall excellence. The WTOP news team was awarded the Overall Excellence award in the Large Market Radio category. It is the 10th time in the last 12 years that it has been recognized for its coverage of the D.C. area. In the Digital category, WTOP.com nabbed a regional award for coverage of 2020 news events, such as the summer racial justice protests and the coronavirus pandemic. WTOP was also recognized for coverage of the June 1, 2020 clearing of protesters from Lafayette Square WTOP’s Alejandro Alvarez — who covered dozens of protests for the station over the summer — was at the scene for the clearing of the square, and captured the moment protesters were driven away from the area with pepper balls.

Abrupt and extraordinarily aggressive dispersal of protesters at H and 16th with Trump about to speak from the Rose Garden.

In a span of about 10 minutes they’ve unleashed everything from tear gas to flashbangs sending hundreds on a frantic retreat down 16th. pic.twitter.com/35H1BQjZTw — Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) June 1, 2020

J.J. Green and Chris Core — hosts of Colors: A dialogue on Race in America — won in the Podcast category. Colors was launched as the nation came to grips with the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody and racial justice took the forefront of the national conversation. “I am so proud of what our team accomplishes everyday but to be recognized for the work we produced in 2020 is special. 2020 was a year unlike any other in the journalism profession,” said Julia Ziegler, WTOP director of News and Programming. “We are humbled to be recognized for our work across so many of our platforms — radio, web and podcasting.” WTOP will now advance to the national round of the competition, where it will be stacked up against coverage from around the U.S.