ALTOONA, Pa. — The public radio program "Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul" has been awarded a regional Edward R. Murrow award for best Large Market Radio News Documentary by the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA). This recognition follows the recent announcement of the documentary’s nomination for a national Peabody award.
Jerry Zolten, professor of communication arts and sciences and integrative arts at Penn State Altoona, served as an adviser, contributor, and interviewee for the program which is produced by Philadelphia public radio station WXPN and distributed by NPR. Through in-depth interviews with artists and dozens of songs, the documentary illuminates the profound impact that gospel music has made on popular music.