WLRN Public Media on Tuesday announced that Tom Hudson has been named Chief Executive Officer, following a nationwide search for the organization’s next permanent leader. Hudson, who has been serving as Interim CEO, will now officially take the helm of one of South Florida’s leading public media organizations.

Honoring the finest in journalism in the South, WLRN staffers swept multiple top spots, showcasing exceptional depth in investigative reporting, feature storytelling, and audience engagement in the 2026 Green Eyeshade Awards.

The two Miami news outlets were recognized for their joint investigative package, "Killer Train," which exposed systemic safety failures and a staggering death toll along Florida’s Brightline higher-speed rail corridor.

The Sigma Delta Chi Awards, which trace their roots back to 1932, recognize the highest tiers of journalism across print, radio, television, and online categories.

Monday's night's also honored acclaimed Miami Herald investigative reporter Julie K. Brown, who received this year’s Alberto Ibargüen Excellence in Journalism Award — a special distinction reserved for an outstanding journalist and leader.

South Florida Public Media Group interim General Manager Tom Hudson said the expansion of public radio programming resolves a long-standing gap in the region's media landscape. SFPMG manages WLRN radio and TV.

The Murrow Awards are among the most prestigious in broadcast and digital news.

Representatives from the Miami-Dade County School Board and the nonprofit South Florida Public Media Group announced Wednesday they had reached a settlement, securing the management of WLRN for at least the next seven years. A previous agreement was supposed to expire in June 2027.

The IRE award announcement comes only days after the Brightline stories were named as finalists for the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting.

The 2026 Pulitzer Prizes recognized the Miami Herald and WLRN journalists as finalists in the Local Reporting category for their joint investigation into the systemic failures that made Florida’s Brightline the deadliest major passenger train in the nation.