WHQR earned a variety of honors, including Outstanding News Operation, at this year’s Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas awards ceremony on Nov. 9.

News Director Ben Schachtman stated in a news release, "I am very proud of my colleagues, who not only produced exceptional work on their own but collaborated as a newsroom on this year’s winning special report. I also want to thank RTDNAC for recognizing our team with a first-place award for Outstanding News Operation in radio for the second year in a row. The WHQR team deserves it, and I’m grateful that I get to work with them."

According to the release, in addition to Outstanding News Operation, WHQR also won:

• Series First Place: WHQR – New Hanover County Schools Turnaround Task Force – Rachel Keith
• Special Report First Place: WHQR Public Media – Special Report on the Mosley School closing – Benjamin Schachtman, Rachel Keith, Kelly Kenoyer, Camille Mojica
• Health-Medicine First Place: WHQR – How Pender County used opioid settlement money to purchase DARE-branded sheriff’s office vehicles – Nikolai Mather
• Community Impact First Place: WHQR Public Media – “The water still isn’t safe” – Nikolai Mather Second Place: WHQR Public Media – Rarely seen whale species died on Emerald Isle after swallowing mylar balloon – Rachel Keith
• Consumer/Economic Second Place: WHQR – Perspectives: An economic update for the Cape Fear area – Kelly Kenoyer
• Entertainment Second Place: WHQR Public Media – NPR’s Bobby Carter talks 2024 Tiny Desk Contest – Nikolai Mather
• General News Second Place: WHQR Public Media – One year after the Pulp Road wildfire, Green Swamp Preserve has bounced back even better – Kelly Kenoyer
• Investigative Second Place: WHQR Public Media – A closer look at NHCS parents’ groups, and the significant differences in their fundraising capacity – Rachel Keith
• Social Reform Second Place: WHQR Public Media – On the street with cops, social workers, and homeless people in a time of uncertainty – Kelly Kenoye