Award name: 08 The Edward R. Murrow Award

In the finest tradition of Edward R. Murrow, this documentary challenges everything you thought you knew about the illegal trade in kidneys and the international campaign to stop it. Through interviews with donors, recipients, go-betweens, doctors and prosecutors from North America to Israel and Eastern Europe to the Philippines, the filmmakers provide a rare look at how an illegally acquired kidney reaches a sick person and how both desperation and good will drive the trade.

Since the 9/11 attacks on the United States, the hunt for Osama bin Laden has been central to the battle against terrorism and has played continuously in the background of news coverage on the subject. While we all know the end of the tale, the details of the hunt and bin Laden’s death were not available before this first-hand account and year-long investigation.

If the first victim of war is the truth, the second is women and children. The five-part series “Women, War & Peace” chronicles, in searing fashion, the victimization of women and their struggle to fight back in the wake of the most severe violence and depredation. In Liberia, women fed up with killing and destruction join hands and bring war-makers to heel. Watch as their nonviolent protests catch on throughout the region. In Afghanistan, women insist on being part of the peace process. Watch as their courageous stand changes the equation in their war-torn land. In Colombia, they clamor to draw attention to a forgotten guerilla conflict. Watch as their years-long struggle gets the headlines it deserves. And in Bosnia, women bear witness to systematic sexual assault. Watch as awareness of rape as a tool of war spreads throughout the world. After “Women, War & Peace,” viewers will never forget women’s role in global conflict.

Powerful and evocative treatments of the two poles of the Middle East — simmering crises that represent unfinished business of these flashpoints of global conflict. In “Unfinished Business,” Lesley Stahl and producer Richard Bonin examine shattered lives that American forces left behind when they withdrew from Iraq, while uncovering the underside of the economic structures that support this would-be nation, including illicit trade in oil products with Iran. In “City of David,” Stahl teams with producer Shachar Bar-On for a microcosmic look at the issues plaguing the Israel-Palestine conflict. Vivid and insightful writing illuminates the profound tensions underlying an architectural dig to uncover a palace that may (or may not) have belonged to King David, but which today lies beneath a sprawling Palestinian neighborhood called Silwan.

“Frontline: Obama’s War” flawlessly captures a special moment in the fog of the Afghan War.

An extraordinary examination of the interconnected relationship between the United States and China. From both sides, this compelling four-hour documentary series demonstrates — with the most accomplished techniques of international reportage, inventive visual techniques and storytelling — how deeply tied together are the people, the societies and the economies of the two countries.

Ambitious in a wholly different way than war or politics — and just as courageous — “Child Brides: Stolen Lives” does what the best international broadcast reporting is supposed to do: introduce us to a world we don’t know through vivid imagery, compelling storytelling, and smart analysis.

“Sex Slaves” represents everything a winner should have: strong dramatic story, riveting characters, amazing access, good journalism, and professional execution. This portrait of modern day slavery is made possible by the most compelling use of undercover cameras in recent memory.

Best TV interpretation or documentary on international affairs AWARD YEAR: 2005 AWARD NAME: The Edward R. Murrow Award 2005 RECIPIENT: Peter van Sant, Susan Zirinsky, Peter Schweitzer, Joe Halderman, Jonathan Sanders, Michael Mchugh, Michael Vele AFFILIATION: CBS News – 48 Hours HONORED WORK: “Hostage: The Siege of Beslan” With new video and interviews, 48 Hours…

Best TV interpretation or documentary on international affairs AWARD YEAR: 2004 AWARD NAME: The Edward R. Murrow Award 2004 RECIPIENT: David Fanning, Sharon Tiller, Stephen Talbot, Ken Dornstein AFFILIATION: WGBH and KQED – Frontline/World HONORED WORK: “Stories from a Small Planet” The judges found Frontline’s commitment to coverage of overlooked international stories from all corners…