NBC 5 Investigates has uncovered significant issues in our community, exposing the truth through evidence-based reporting that has led to changes in North Texas and beyond for the past decade. The NBC 5 Investigates team works continuously, with the sole purpose of diligently and meticulously uncovering documents, records, videos, and interviews that contribute to eye-opening investigations and have led to notable discoveries, public response and push for action.
On Oct. 19, 2022, The Dallas Bar Association awarded the NBC 5 Investigates team with the Philbin Award at its annual Fellows Luncheon for the accuracy, resourcefulness and initiative in pursuing the extensive coverage over the past year uncovering widespread issues plaguing the state’s Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) temporary license plate system; identifying how criminals infiltrated the system and obtained hundreds of thousands of temporary tags illegally for profit. Some of those tags were registered to false names and addresses and then placed on vehicles involved in committing other crimes including cross-border smuggling, making the vehicles more difficult for law enforcement to trace. The reporting led to significant safety improvements at the DMV and enforcement action by police departments across North Texas.
Launched in 2012, NBC 5 Investigates was part of the station’s mission to provide meaningful and in-depth reporting for North Texas communities and has reliably served the community ever since. NBC 5 Senior Investigative Reporter Scott Friedman and NBC 5 Senior Investigative Producer Eva Parks were part of the launch team, and since then, they have investigated many issues that matter to local communities, connected the dots, exposed hidden agendas and uncovered illicit activity.
“Our investigates team is singularly focused on getting to the truth. Over the years, our team has done a lot to affect positive changes for North Texas,” said Tom Ehlmann, NBC 5 and Telemundo 39 President and General Manager. “We are proud of what Scott, Eva and our NBC 5 Investigates team have accomplished so far and look forward to seeing the impact their work will make in our communities for years to come.”
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“From the beginning, we have been given the time and the resources to dig deeper into issues that matter to our community,” said Friedman. “While we can never predict where our work might lead, it has been rewarding to see our investigations inform decision-makers, motivate action, and lead to long-term change.”
NBC 5 Investigates reporting has contributed to government policy changes locally and nationally, which has led to both local and national recognition, including:
- Driven to Distraction – National News & Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding Regional Investigative Report and National Edward R. Murrow Award winner. Series revealing how police officers using dashboard computers caused serious accidents. Reports resulted in local and national changes to police policy and training.
- Injured Heroes, Broken Promises – National Edward R. Murrow Award winner. National Sigma Delta Chi Award winner. Reporting leading to nationwide changes at special units charged with caring for injured U.S. Army soldiers.
- Big Buses, Bigger Problems – Peabody Award-winning series that uncovered corruption inside the Dallas County Schools bus agency. Reporting led to the closure of the entire agency and criminal investigations that led to six federal convictions, including one of the highest-ranking elected officials in the City of Dallas.
- The Invisibles – Peabody Award nominated documentary uncovering the stories of American-born children who face hardships in Mexico due to a Texas state system that can make it harder for them to prove their identity.
- Powerless – Documentary style series revealing how power plants that left Texas in the dark in the 2021 winter storm were plants that failed in a previous winter storm. regional Emmy Award winner.
- Paper Tag Nation – National Headliner Award-winning investigation revealing how criminal groups infiltrated the state’s temporary license plate system. Reporting led to significant safety improvements at the Texas DMV.
