USC Annenberg School Announces
Walter Cronkite Award Winners
The Best in Broadcast TV Political Journalism
Washington, DC-Reliable Resources, a project of the Norman Lear Center at the
USC Annenberg School for Communication, today announced the USC Annenberg Walter
Cronkite Awards for Excellence in Broadcast TV Political Journalism at a morning
news conference at the National Press Club. The awards honor television networks,
local television stations and individuals for political coverage which excelled
at informing viewers about their electoral choices in 2000.
"This award recognizes broadcast political journalists who exemplify the
best in their profession," said Walter Cronkite. "By providing the
kind of coverage we're recognizing today, they are not only better serving their
audiences, but also the democratic process."
Winners were announced in the following categories:
- Local Station, Small Market: KTRV-TV, Boise, Idaho; for their creative
"Coffee with the Candidates" series of 26 candidate debates; and WGME 13,
Portland, Maine; for their set-up, structure and execution of a series
on six state referendums;
- Local Station, Medium Market: WFLA-TV, Tampa, Florida; for effective
use of 10 minute mini-debates, free airtime to candidates and fact checking
segments;
- Local Station, Medium Market, Commendation: KNXV-TV, Phoenix, Arizona;
for their commitment to carrying out candidate-centered discourse;
- Local Station, Major Market:
WCVB-TV, Boston; for their candidate
interviews, especially third-party candidates and an interview with Steve
Forbes; and WNBC-TV, New York; for their commitment
to in-depth issue pieces;
- Individual Achievement, Small Market: Michael Geeser, KTNV-TV, Las Vegas,
Nevada; for “Truth Watch 2000,” an examination of political ads, which
detailed how much the candidates were spending in the market and how much
his own station stood to take in from political campaigns;
- Individual Achievement, Medium Market: Robert Mak and Mike Cate, KING-TV,
Seattle, WA; for a series of in-depth, well-researched ad watch segments;
- Station Group: Hearst-Argyle Television; for their early commitment
to candidate-centered discourse by airing five minutes per day of coverage
in the 30 days prior to the election; and
- Network: Meet the Press, NBC News; for Tim Russert’s exemplary use
of quotes and preparation for two hour-long interviews with the presidential
candidates.
Judges gave special consideration to efforts encouraging candidate discussion
by airing debates, interviews and speeches, and innovative techniques to inform
viewers about candidates and the issues.
"The USC Annenberg Walter Cronkite Awards for Excellence in Broadcast
TV Political Journalism were created to reward networks and local stations that
place candidates and their stands on issues at the heart of their political
coverage," said Geoffrey Cowan, Dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication
and Cronkite juror. "The awards this year celebrate the work of outstanding
journalists and broadcasters who are dedicated to reporting of the highest quality
and we hope that they will help to promote even more such reporting in the years
ahead."
The awards announcement is being held in conjunction with a symposium at the
National Press Club, and a gala dinner Friday evening at the Four Seasons to
celebrate the award recipients. The symposium, "Examples of Excellence:
The Best in Broadcast TV Political Coverage," will feature a panel discussion
of television news coverage of the 2000 campaigns and offer suggestions about
how to create more informative and engaging broadcast political coverage in
the future. Linda Douglass of ABC News will moderate the panel program, which
will include award winners and members of the Cronkite jury. Douglass will also
serve as emcee for the dinner program.
The dinner program will feature Walter Cronkite; Katharine Graham, The Washington
Post Company; television pioneer and philanthropist Norman Lear; and USC Annenberg
School dean Geoffrey Cowan; as well as the award recipients. Award presenters
will include Phil Jones, CBS News Correspondent; and Paula Madison, Vice President
of Diversity, NBC, and President and General Manager of KNBC-TV Los Angeles.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Reliable Resources (www.reliableresources.org), a project of The Norman Lear Center
at the USC Annenberg School for Communication, aims to help return high-quality
TV coverage of issues and candidates - once the staple of American political campaigns
- to broadcast newsrooms. With the help of educators, journalists, TV broadcasters
and the public, Reliable Resources identifies, develops and distributes tools
to help local stations and network television provide innovative and informative
political coverage, and to recognize and reward those efforts. Reliable Resources
is funded by a grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts.
Martin Kaplan, associate dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication
and director of The Norman Lear Center, serves as Principal Investigator for
Reliable Resources. Cinny Kennard, a twenty-year veteran of television news
and a former CBS News Correspondent, serves as Executive Project Director. Sylvia
Teague, a twenty-five year veteran of television news and an award-winning producer,
serves as Project Director.
The Norman Lear Center is a multidisciplinary research and public policy center
exploring implications of the convergence of entertainment, commerce and society.
The impact of entertainment on news and politics is a principal focus of the
Lear Center.
The USC Annenberg School for Communication is one of the nation's leading institutions
devoted to the study of communication and journalism; their impact on politics,
culture, and society; and the preparation of students for professional success
in these fields
# # #