Steve Eckert has been prompting change and holding the powerful accountable – locally and nationally – for nearly four decades.

He arrived in Minnesota in 1985 when he succeeded Don Shelby on the WCCO Television I-Team. Steve’s reports – including failures in child protection, airline safety, and medical care – were recognized with national Peabody, duPont-Columbia, Edward R. Murrow and IRE (Investigative Reporters and Editors) Awards.

From there, Steve began a distinguished career with NBC News as an investigative producer. While still based in Minnesota, he traveled the nation and the world for the next 20 years. His groundbreaking investigations appeared on Dateline NBC, NBC Nightly News, TODAY and NBC’s cable channels. In 2006, he used hidden cameras inside China to document how dangerous counterfeit prescription medicines were being illegally shipped to pharmacies in America, threatening patient safety. His one-hour primetime investigation was honored with national Emmy, Murrow, and IRE Awards.

Steve returned to his local TV roots eight years ago to help relaunch KARE 11’s investigative unit, quickly elevating the team’s work and earning more national awards for excellence. They include: a Polk Award – the only Polk for a television report (network or local) in 2017 – a national Murrow, two more IRE’s, and three more duPont-Columbia Silver Batons.

Here are a few recent examples of the impactful journalism by the “KARE 11 Investigates” team Steve leads:

Invisible Wounds – Revealing how local Veterans were improperly denied Traumatic Brain Injury claims by unqualified doctors. After KARE 11’s revelations, the Department of Veterans Affairs offered new TBI exams to nearly 25,000 veterans nationwide.

Double Billing the Badge – Exposing a multi-year scheme to defraud taxpayers by overcharging hundreds of Minnesota law enforcement agencies on squad cars, prompting a state audit, a criminal conviction, and refunds of more than a million dollars.

Cruel & Unusual – Documenting negligent medical care, falsified records, and skipped well-being checks leading to needless deaths behind bars. The multi-part investigation prompted sweeping statewide jail reforms.

The GAP: Failure to Treat, Failure to Protect – Revealing how repeated failures by Minnesota’s criminal and mental health systems allowed mentally ill individuals found incompetent to stand trial to be released without adequate treatment and supervision. They committed new violent crimes – including rapes and murders. This year, state lawmakers credited KARE 11’s reporting for prompting passage of major reform legislation.

Not only is Steve’s work exceptional, so too is his passion for encouraging the next generation of reporters and producers. His guidance on best practices, story construction, writing and interviewing has helped journalists at KARE and around the country through his many speaking engagements at journalism conferences.

In the last year alone, Steve’s work leading “KARE 11 Investigates” has been recognized with what would often be a broadcast journalist’s lifetime list of national honors – including Peabody, duPont-Columbia, IRE, Murrow, Scripps Howard, and National Headliner awards.