KGMB-TV has won another three regional Edward R. Murrow awards, including one for overall excellence for work aired in 2008.

The station's Web site won in the region for the second year in a row and its reports on sleeping go! pilots won the award for investigative reporting.

The awards are presented by the Radio and Television News Directors Association and bear the name of Murrow, considered the godfather of excellence in broadcast journalism.

The RTNDA breaks out regional competitions into large markets and small markets and KGMB's three awards were among 11 presented to stations in Region Two, comprising California, Guam, Hawaii and Nevada.

“;The overall excellence award is something that is coveted for sure and we really did work hard last year, not just in the news department, but stationwide,”; said News Director Chris Archer.

The station worked to “;maintain excellence in the face of a really challenging economy — not letting the quality of what we do suffer because of a tough month in sales, not being able to hire, or losing certain staff members,”; he said.

“;Everyone else is suffering ... but we can't show that we're suffering, we need to be there every day for people,”; Archer said.

Anchor Stacy Loe's reporting on the sleeping pilots “;went national very quickly,”; Archer said. “;For the (National Transportation Safety Board) to hold a news conference on pilot fatigue because of that and perhaps making a difference for the next people that get on a plane, that's huge.”;

Other local stations entered this year's contest, unlike last year when KGMB also won three awards unchallenged by local competitors.

In 2007, KITV won two Murrow awards and KHON won one, whereas KGMB did not enter.