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INSIDE SPECIAL SECTION: PEABODY AWARDS ‘60 Minutes: The Killings in Haditha’ Page 24 ‘CBS News Sunday Morning: The Way Home’ Page 24 ‘Ya Es Hora’ Page 26 NewsproTHE STATE OF TV NEWS ‘Bob Woodruff Reporting: Wounds of War’ Page 26 ‘God’s Warriors’ Page 26 WSLS-TV, Roanoke, Va. Page 27 THE ‘Frontline: Cheney’s Law’ Page 28 ‘Independent Lens: Sisters in Law’ Page 28 ‘Nova: Judgment Day’ Page 28 ‘To Die in Jerusalem’ Page 29 WFAA-TV, Dallax PEABODYPEABODY Page 30 KXNV-TV, Phoenix Page 30 WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh Page 30 BBC World News America: “White Horse Village’ AWARDSAWARDS Page 31 Another Year of War Produces Compelling ‘Silence of the Bees’ Reporting, But Comedy Has Its Place at Table Page 32 By Elizabeth Jensen programs, one cable and one radio, that mtvU: Half of Us Special to TelevisionWeek sought to illuminate religious currents Page 32 67TH ANNUAL As ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghani- in Islam, Judaism and Christianity. ‘Planet Earth’ stan have continued to occupy broadcast Another will go to a documentary about Page 32 PEABODY journalists’ attention and resources, the the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. AWARDS University of Georgia continues to take In all, 35 awards will be given out, ‘Nimrod Nation’ note. When the 67th annual Peabody the same as last year, at a luncheon Page 33 Where: Waldorf-Astoria Awards are handed out June 16 at New where “NBC Nightly News” anchor and Hotel, New York ‘The Colbert Report’ York City’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, war will managing editor Brian Williams will be Page 34 When: June 16 for the second consecutive year be the the master of ceremonies. But the event Who: NBC’s Brian Williams topic of many of the winning programs. won’t be all seriousness: This year a to host ceremony Six of the honors will go to coverage number of comedy programs got the stemming from the conflicts in Iraq or nod as well, including Comedy Central’s For a complete list of winners, go to peabody.uga.edu. Afghanistan, including awards for ABC’s news sendup “The Colbert Report,” Bob Woodruff and CBS’ Kimberly Dozi- NBC’s network workplace comedy “30 LOOKING AT THE MIDDLE EAST Several of er, both injured in Iraq in the course of Rock” and National Public Radio’s irrev- the Peabody Award winners examine various reporting. Two awards will recognize Continued on Page 34 aspects of the troubled region. TW MAIN 06-16-08 A 24 TVWEEK 6/12/2008 5:42 PM Page 1

24 June 16, 2008 TELEVISIONWEEK NEWSPRO: PEABODY AWARD WINNERS

WALKING WOUNDED CBS News, ‘60 Minutes’ Juanita Wilson is one of two women profiled by Kimberly Dozier in “The Way Home,” about sol- diers injured while fight- ‘60 MINUTES: ing in Iraq. THE KILLINGS IN HADITHA’ By Elizabeth Jensen Special to TelevisionWeek For 17 months after 24 civilians were killed in the Iraqi town of Haditha, none of the U.S. Marines involved in the killing—four of whom eventually were charged with mur- der—spoke publicly about the events. That changed in March 2007 when Scott Pelley of CBS’ “60 Min- utes” interviewed Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, the 25-year-old in charge on that day: Nov. 19, 2005. Facing life in prison on charges of murdering 18 people, Staff Sgt. Wuterich told his version of how the men, women and children died after an improvised explosive device blew up one of the Marines’ vehicles, killing one of the American troops and injuring two. The Peabody judges called the CBS report a “thor- ough, open-minded investigation of the worst single killing of civilians by CBS News American troops since Vietnam” THE ACCUSED Marine that put both the incident and the Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich talks to Scott Iraq war into better perspective, illu- Pelley on “60 Minutes.” ‘CBS NEWS SUNDAY minating “the terrible choices it presents both soldier and civilian.” felt it was very, very important that Mr. Pelley and his producers, we set the scene of Haditha, that it where this terrible incident was Shawn Efran and Solly Granatstein, is a very hostile town to the Ameri- misreported at every step and every MORNING: THE WAY HOME’ first got interested in the case after can occupation.” level.” What was clear, he said, “was By Hillary Atkin Juanita, being an army sergeant, I Time magazine’s Tim McGirk report- The actual interview with Staff that the American people were get- Special to TelevisionWeek thought would be more reserved, ed that the military version of the Sgt. Wuterich, he said, took about a ting a lot of bad information. Our Kimberly Dozier was about to but she shared her whole life story. Haditha events—a Marine press day. The producers also reached out effort was designed to put it in con- conduct an interview when she Dawn, a West Point graduate and release said 15 civilians were killed by to all the squad members and hired text, to get one of the Marines for learned she had won a Peabody now a successful businesswoman, the roadside bomb—simply wasn’t Iraqi journalists to travel to Haditha, the very first time to tell the story Award for “The Way Home,” an 11- was more formal. But when both true. The appearance of a cover-up where the Americans couldn’t go, to and get a little bit closer to what minute piece that aired on “CBS described the moment of the blast, helped fuel outrage about the case. videotape interviews with witnesses. happened.” News Sunday Morning.” She they had that faraway look—like The “60 Minutes” team courted Mr. Pelley acknowledged the chal- In the aftermath of the “60 Min- quickly dashed off an e-mail to her they were there in the moment. You Staff Sgt. Wuterich and his attorneys lenge of saying with certainty what utes” story, charges against three of producer, Reid Orvedahl, who at remember the impact, the first time for many months, Mr. Pelley said. actually happened that day. “It’s very the Marines were dismissed. Mean- first did not believe it. you woke up at the scene and then The pitch: “We wanted to hear the difficult. If you have 100 witnesses, while, Staff Sgt. Wuterich has yet to “The Way Home” chronicles woke up later. All three of us had the story told for the very first time by the they saw 100 different things. Mem- go to trial, as prosecutors and CBS the stories of two soldiers, Juanita same experiences.” people who were actually there on bers of the squad disagreed,” he said. News battle over unaired footage Wilson and Dawn Halfaker, who Ms. Dozier said some of the the ground,” he said. “There had “I’ve been in combat a number of from the interview that prosecutors were seriously wounded in Iraq most insightful parts of her dis- been a lot of reporting that this had times, and it is a very confusing situa- subpoenaed, claiming it contains and the challenges they have faced cussions with the soldiers came been a massacre, that they were tion to be in.” admissions of crime in the attack. during their rehabilitation and re- when they were shooting cut- killed in cold blood. It sounded like Nonetheless, he said, “I think CBS successfully got the motion entry into the changed reality of aways and she asked questions just a venal attack on innocent civil- one of the things that our story quashed, prosecutors appealed and their daily lives. Both women lost she didn’t think of during the for- ians and children.” accomplished was, again, to pro- the case is currently before an limbs as a result of bombings, and mal part of the interview. For The team, Mr. Pelley said, “also vide the context that this was a case appellate court. ■ their recovery continues. instance, she asked Dawn whether Their experiences somewhat she would consider having chil- mirror those of Ms. Dozier herself, dren. “I wonder if anyone would who has just written a book called want me as a mother without an “Breathing the Fire.” The CBS arm,” the woman told her. “I was News correspondent was severely just stunned she would think injured in a car bombing in Bagh- that,” Ms. Dozier said. “I thought, dad on Memorial Day 2006. The you can’t think that about yourself. horrific explosion took the lives of You can’t think a kid would care. a U.S. Army captain and an Iraqi “The hard part of asking ques- interpreter, along with two of her tions is they would open up and colleagues and friends, Paul Doug- start crying. I can’t keep driving las and James Brolan, who were into their hearts with the next doing camera and sound. The CBS question,” Ms. Dozier said. “You News crew had been embedded sure didn’t want to embarrass with an army detail and was cov- someone by pushing for more. ering the story of Iraqi security Because of that, they said what forces being trained by American they wanted, and it was a conver- personnel. The blast left Ms. Do- sation, with parts I could relate to.” zier fighting for her life in a pool of Ms. Dozier has spent most of blood on the street. her career as a foreign correspon- The horrific experience also gave dent living abroad, but she is now her a special sensitivity in covering assigned to CBS’ Washington ON THE GROUND Scott stories about wounded veterans of bureau, where she covers the Pen- Pelley introduces his war and their long battle to heal. tagon, the White House, general Peabody-winning “60 “These are amazing women who assignment stories and foreign Minutes” piece, first wear their hearts on their sleeve,” policy. She returned to work nine aired March 18, 2007. said Ms. Dozier. “Each opened up. months after the explosion. ■ TW001133 6/11/0811:50AMPage1

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EMPATHY Bob Woodruff, Univision Communications right, reports on the challenges wounded sol- diers face. ‘YA ES HORA’ (IT’S TIME) By Hillary Atkin Special to TelevisionWeek With the 2008 presidential cam- paign shaping up a a watershed mo- ment in U.S. politics, Univision Com- munications is being acknowledged for outstanding public service for the role it is playing with multipronged citizenship and get-out-the-vote efforts in hundreds of Spanish-speak- ing communities throughout the U.S. The network will take home the Peabody Award for “Ya Es Hora,” translating to “It’s Time,” a national ABC News citizenship and civic engagement campaign done in collaboration with hundreds of Latino-serving organi- zations across the country. ‘BOB WOODRUFF Univision’s efforts, which began in January 2007, are part of an unprecedented national civic REPORTING: engagement campaign developed to inform, educate and motivate Latinos to participate in the Ameri- TAKE PART “Ciudada- can political dialogue. WOUNDS OF WAR’ nia,” part of Univision’s The first phase of the campaign “Ya Es Hora,” encour- By Hillary Atkin heard of traumatic brain injury, and involved getting eligible permanent ages citizenship and Special to TelevisionWeek most of the country needed to learn legal residents to apply for U.S. citi- civic engagement. For ABC News anchor Bob about it,” said Mr. Woodruff. “When zenship, and the results were stag- Woodruff, the Peabody Award he is we made the documentary, it was gering. In the first 12 months, more organizations as partners; generated taking home is exceptionally person- about what happened to us, but most than 1 million people applied to more than 40,000 calls to the toll-free ment in issues like education, al, because unlike most of the work importantly it would really concen- become American citizens. 888-Ve-Y-Vota number; driven more health care and civic engagement that is being honored, his involves his trate on the soldiers and tell how they The second phase focused on get- than 94,000 unique visits to www.ya are core to what we do in our day- own traumatic personal story. are doing—which is really more ting voters registered to vote in the eshora.info; distributed 110,000-plus to-day business.” In January 2006, just over a month important—and teach the country.” primaries; the ongoing third phase brochures; and conducted more than It may be that the most exciting after he was named co-anchor of “To Iraq and Back” marked Mr. involves voter mobilization efforts. 200 citizenship workshops. phase of the campaign lies ahead in “World News Tonight,” Mr. Woodruff Woodruff’s return to the air, nearly a “Each phase of the campaign Major organizations joining with the next few months. “We know the was in a vehicle in Iraq that was struck year after his devastating injuries and had elements woven through tele- Univision include the National Hispanic vote is the fastest-growing by a roadside bomb. Suffering severe his painful and challenging road to vision, radio and interactive,” said Council of la Raza, the National part of the U.S. electorate, and is par- brain injuries, he was raced first to an recovery. The hourlong special also Cesar Conde, chief strategy officer Association of Latino Elected and ticularly impactful in states where Iraqi hospital, then to a U.S. military looked at the experiences of other sol- and executive VP of Univision Com- Appointed Officials Educational Hispanics have an outsize influence,” hospital in Germany before being diers who have returned from war munications. “The PSAs leveraged Fund, the Service Employees Inter- said Mr. Conde. “We are grateful to returned home for his long road to with traumatic brain injuries. our talent, not only bringing infor- national Union and ImpreMedia. see that the candidates have made an recovery from the terrifying ordeal. Determined to keep the nation mation through the airwaves but “We’re all so excited to receive effort to reach out, and for our part, The Peabody is for “Bob Woodruff focused on this issue, Mr. Woodruff through grass-roots efforts in the the Peabody,” said Mr. Conde. “It is we hosted the first-ever Spanish-lan- Reporting: Wounds of War—The Long followed up the special with a series last mile, touching people through a tremendous honor and a recogni- guage debates for Democrats and Road Home of Our Nation’s Veterans,” of reports on wounded veterans. places in their daily lives. The cam- tion of our hard work, and our com- Republicans to provide candidates which includes his hourlong docu- Those reports highlighted the strug- paign was intertwined in all daily mitment to support the community. with the ability to speak directly to mentary “To Iraq and Back: Bob gles their loved ones face as they programming, promoted by To understand the impetus, Univi- the audience. That made a huge dif- Woodruff Reports” and a series of adapt to daily life with a severely celebrities and influencers.” sion has always been regarded as a ference. We believe the Hispanic reports on “World News With Charles injured family member. Since it began last year, the public champion and defender of Hispanic community will have an outsized Gibson” and “Nightline.” “One of the most moving things service campaign has secured more culture and empowerment since its ability to help elect the next president “Before this happened, I had never Continued on Page 31 than 400 local community-based inception 40 years ago. The involve- of the United States.” ■

CNN ON LOCATION CNN’s Christiane Amanpour anchors a segment of ‘CNN PRESENTS: GOD’S WARRIORS’ “God’s Warriors” in front of the Dome of the Rock By Elizabeth Jensen total viewers and the key demo- evangelicals have been trying to in Jerusalem. Special to TelevisionWeek graphics, with “God’s Warriors.” “It change U.S. politics. When Christiane Amanpour was reinforced my belief that there are Interviews included former Pres- asked by her CNN bosses in late legions of viewers out there who ident Jimmy Carter and Rev. Jerry supportive of the program. 2006 to tackle the tough topic of fun- are desperate for this stuff,” Ms. Falwell, in his last interview before Viewers worldwide continue to damentalism across three religions, Amanpour said. his death. engage Ms. Amanpour in discus- she had a twinge of doubt: “I wasn’t The documentary, which was That they were three separate sion about the program, she said, 100% sure people would watch six shot over five months and took programs was important, Ms. even though it hasn’t been released hours,” she said. more than nine months to assem- Amanpour said: “We were not cre- on DVD because rights to some of But the network’s chief interna- ble, explored the political and cul- ating a moral equivalency. We the historical footage couldn’t be tional correspondent has long tural implications worldwide in the were showing how, in different cleared. “It’s one of those things been an outspoken critic of TV rise of fundamentalist strains in and separate ways, they have that captured the zeitgeist,” she news’ increasing emphasis on Judaism, Islam and Christianity, affected our lives.” speculated. sensational and entertainment- going back three to four decades. The program about Judaism, in Ms. Amanpour has a follow-up driven topics at the expense of The first program looked at particular, generated criticism. Ms. to “God’s Warriors” airing this sum- hard news and, in particular, for- Israel’s victory in the Six-Day War in Amanpour said that was limited to mer, looking at Buddhism and the eign coverage. And, she said, “in 1967 and the settlement movement a “pro-Israel lobby group,” and said. But she defended her work as struggle for freedom in Tibet and my gut” she felt that viewers in the captured territories; the sec- that there have been plenty of pos- “about journalistic fact.” Burma. A documentary on geno- would tune in when the programs ond explored changing attitudes itive reviews, including in Israel. A phone campaign, in which cide will air later in the year, timed aired in August 2007. among young Muslims in America “There was criticism from some critics were asked to call CNN’s top to the 60th anniversary in Decem- They did, allowing CNN for and the violence in Europe perpe- American groups whose job it is to executives, failed to generate more ber of the United Nations’ conven- three nights in a row to beat the trated by Muslim extremists; and criticize the press when they per- than “a couple of dozen calls,” she tion on the prevention and punish- cable news competition, in both the third examined how American ceive it is criticizing Israel,” she added, and some of those were ment of the crime. ■ TW MAIN 06-16-08 A 27 TVWEEK 6/12/2008 5:33 PM Page 1

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DIFFICULT DAY WSLS-TV shifted major resources to cover the April 2007 WSLS-TV, Roanoke, Va. shooting at Virginia Tech. VIRGINIA TECH SHOOTINGS: THE FIRST 48 HOURS By Debra Kaufman wall coverage, which included Special to TelevisionWeek President Bush’s visit to campus, Breaking news at the local TV the on-campus convocation and a station usually translates to dis- candlelight vigil attended by thou- have to be so careful to say where crete events: a fire, a car chase, a sands of people. we’re learning the news from, that robbery. But on April 16, 2007, “The public is watching you we’re double-checking it. There NBC affiliate WSLS-TV in gather news on the air,” said Mr. was no alternative to go off the air Roanoke, Va., was faced with cov- Carlin. “We’re learning the infor- and report it all when we were sure ering the worst mass shooting in mation as it’s being handed to us, of it. We were completely transpar- United States history—while it was and it’s trickling out on the air. You ent in what we were reporting.” ■ unfolding—as well as its immedi- ate aftermath. “You have to have systems in place so that when something unprecedented happens, people know their roles and slip into them,” said John Carlin, the sta- tion’s news anchor and managing editor. “We get just enough prac- tice for it that we knew what to do.” Morning anchor Juliet Bickford was on-air when news of the shooting started to trickle in. She was quickly joined by 5:30 p.m. anchor Jay Warren, while Mr. Car- Byron Harris lin and his counterpart, Karen McNew, scrambled in from home. Bureau reporters in Blacksburg, where the campus is located, were already feeding reports. “We started responding to what it might be at first,” said Mr. Carlin. “At that point, all we knew Belo congratulates was that there was some shooting. There was a massive police response well before the real infor- Kraig Kirchem mation came out.” Station manager Warren Fiihr, the WFAA-TV News 8 newsroom executive producer Jes- sica Ross, news director Shane Moreland and then-assignment editor Jerry Caldwell all slipped into position. The news team set Investigates team in up in the newsroom and tag- teamed wall-to-wall coverage from the morning of the shootings until Brett Shipp midnight. While one team was on- air for 10 to 15 minutes, the other Dallas/Fort Worth team would catch up with the lat- est news. In the first day, Mr. Carlin said, they broke only for the first 15 minutes of “NBC Nightly News.” “Our viewers stayed on the shoot- ings the whole time,” he said. “It Mark Smith was an unbelievable set of events.” Weather conditions for cover- age also were difficult. “It was an extremely windy day, and when you’re trying to microwave shots, it was difficult to get them out,” said Mr. Carlin. Upping the tension was the fact that nearly everyone on the news team had significant ties to Virginia Tech. Mr. Warren and Mr. Carlin were adjunct professors at the university; Ms. McNew was an alumna. “We wondered, as the information started coming in slowly, is this one of our fellow fac- ulty members [who was shot]? A student we know?” said Mr. Carlin. Since 2000, Belo stations have received nine Peabody Awards -- “You’re trying to do this marathon broadcast when this unbelievably more than any other commercial station group in America. tragic information is coming in and you’ve been in the chair for four, six, eight hours.” The next day, by late morning, BELO CORP. | P. O. BOX 655237 | DALLAS, TEXAS 75265-5237 | WWW.BELO.COM the news team was back to wall-to- TW MAIN 06-16-08 A 28 TVWEEK 6/12/2008 6:02 PM Page 1

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Frontline, Kirk Documentary Group, WGBH-Boston ‘FRONTLINE: CHENEY’S LAW’ By Elizabeth Jensen Special to TelevisionWeek MYSTERY MAN Vice In some 380 interviews since Sept. President Dick Cheney is 11, 2001, Michael Kirk’s “Frontline” analyzed in the “Front- line” documentary. documentary team had been hearing tidbits about Vice President Dick Cheney. Finally, they decided it was ing, and lasted “hours and hours time to add them all up in what and hours,” Mr. Kirk said. But, he WORKING WOMEN State became “Cheney’s Law,” a film that added, “You couldn’t imagine mak- prosecutor Vera Ngassa, traces the ideological underpinnings ing the film without him.” left, and Judge Beatrice of the vice president’s decades-long Bringing life to complex legal Ntuba run their court- quest to expand presidential privilege. issues and intense battles that took room with compassion. The program became the 10th place behind closed doors was documentary in what Mr. Kirk called another challenge, Mr. Kirk said; his “an accidental miniseries” about the strategy was to “keep paring it down George W. Bush administration that and paring it down and get at its Vixen Films, Independent Television Service his Kirk Documentary Group pro- essence.” duced with WGBH’s “Frontline” for But for all the film’s talking PBS. It was also the second about Mr. heads, the Peabody judges noted ‘INDEPENDENT LENS: Cheney, following “The Dark Side,” the hour “sometimes played like a which looked at the vice president’s political thriller,” as it recounts battle with CIA Director George administration officials racing to Tenet to control the war on terror. Legal Counsel. Shortly after taking the hospital one night in a battle to SISTERS IN LAW’ “From Sept. 11 on we’d been mak- the post, he says in the film, he sway the opinion of gravely ill Attor- By Elizabeth Jensen dialogue is subtitled). ing one film after another,” Mr. Kirk began to question some of the legal ney General John Ashcroft. Special to TelevisionWeek At a screening of “The Day I Will said. In interviews for those shows, underpinnings of the White House’s One interview the film didn’t The stories of abuse—a prepubes- Never Forget,” she met Florence “We had lots of people telling us little war-on-terror policies. have was a current one with the cent girl raped and an even younger Ayisi, a Cameroonian who became things about Cheney,” he said, which Landing that interview was a vice president. Although the Bush one beaten with a coat hanger—are her co-director. The two went off on got tucked away as they pondered challenge, Mr. Kirk said. Mr. Gold- White House has always been very hard to hear in “Sisters in Law,” a doc- a three-week scouting trip to “why no one knows who this incredi- smith had left the administration for polite, Mr. Kirk said, it has “never umentary produced by Vixen Films Cameroon, Ms. Longinotto said. bly public figure is.” Eventually the Harvard Law School and was writing gone along with a single thing we’ve and the U.K.’s Film Four, acquired for On their last day, they met Ms. bits added up to the point where the a book, but was leery of the press and asked for, from the sublime to the PBS’ “Independent Lens” by the Inde- Ntuba, who had attended university team felt confident it had enough of didn’t return calls or other entreaties. ridiculous.” His programs, he said, pendent Television Service (ITVS). But with Ms. Ayisi. Ms. Ntuba and Ms. an understanding to proceed, Mr. Finally, producer Jim Gilmore, “use a lot of still photographs,” in the film itself, told from a fly-on-the- Ngassa both have “a lightness to Kirk said. “out of sheer frustration, knocked on lieu of camera footage that the pro- wall perspective in the courtroom in them,” Ms. Longinotto noted, adding, While the film relies heavily on his office door at the law school and ducers are not allowed to get. Cameroon’s Kumba Town, turns “I think that’s how they survive.” It the observations of numerous vet- Jack opened the door,” said Mr. Kirk. After “Cheney’s Law” aired, Lynne tragedy into something of a triumph, also gives the film its surprising levity. eran Washington reporters, a few When the interview—Mr. Gold- Cheney called it one-sided and “a hit as the central players, no-nonsense It took nine months to get permis- key interviews with administration smith’s first that dealt with his job” on her husband. “From my point state prosecutor Vera Ngassa and sion from the justice ministry to film officials give it insider authority. administration tenure—finally took of view,” Mr. Kirk said, “it made me judge Beatrice Ntuba, attempt to in the courts, the first time cameras One is with Jack Goldsmith, a law place, it was in an un-air-condi- very happy to know they were dis- bring justice to poor women. had been allowed, said Ms. Longinot- professor who in 2003 became head tioned spot in North Carolina, cussing the important things we were After the documentary’s British to. Those being prosecuted had to of the Justice Department’s Office of where Mr. Goldsmith was vacation- talking about in our broadcast.” ■ producer-director Kim Longinotto agree to cameras as well, and even made her acclaimed film “The Day I one of the film’s villains, a man who Will Never Forget,” about female cir- stood accused of beating his wife, ‘Nova,’ Vulcan Productions, Big Table Film Co. cumcision in Kenya, she wanted to gave permission halfway through the return to Africa, she said. She had trial, Ms. Longinotto marveled. “He been struck by “how many amazing had a great sense of entitlement,” she young women and girls there are try- said. “He was absolutely sure he was ‘JUDGMENT DAY: ing to change their lives.” But she going to win.” He didn’t, as the film wanted the new film to be in English documented the court’s first convic- (which it is, although much of the tions for spousal abuse in 17 years. INTELLIGENT DESIGN ON TRIAL’ heavily accented English and pidgin Continued on Page 29 By Elizabeth Jensen Special to TelevisionWeek FIGHTING BACK The PBS’ “Nova” tackled the subject of sides clash over the trial, culled from 3,000 pages of tran- you make sure they literally get their evolution in an eight-part series of the school board’s stance on scripts. Ms. Apsell called the process day in court? How do you make this a same name that aired in the fall of evolution in Dover, Pa. cost-effective but “tricky. You have to kind of dignified battle?” 2001. But Paula Apsell, “Nova’s” senior change words, you have to con- “Nova’s” Joseph McMaster, who executive producer, nonetheless dense.” The legal department was wrote the program and was one of its watched closely in September 2005 called in and the scientists who had producers and directors, accom- when the trial of Kitzmiller vs. Dover testified were asked about changes plished that, she said, noting, “He’s Area School District began in a federal that were made. wonderful at dealing with complicat- courthouse in Harrisburg, Pa. The dramatizations were handled ed material.” The lawsuit was brought by par- by Gary Johnstone’s Big Table Film Co. The show had numerous critics, ents of students in rural Dover, Pa., in the U.K.; Mr. Johnstone is one of including the Discovery Institute, a who alleged the school board violated the program’s producers and direc- Seattle-based organization that advo- their constitutional rights by requir- tors. Vanessa Tovell of Big Table also cates for intelligent design and had ing that teachers in high school sci- was a producer. previously issued a 150-page rebuttal ence classes include intelligent design Integrating the interviews and of “Nova’s” “Evolution” series. One in their curriculum, offering it up as Despite her interest, she said, “I She called Richard Hutton, who dramatizations became a challenge, PBS station decided not to air the an alternative to Charles Darwin’s couldn’t wrap my head around a new had executive produced the “Evolu- Ms. Apsell said, and the program was- program. theory of evolution. Intelligent design way to do it.” tion” series and later went to work for n’t finished until 36 hours before air The episode will be rebroadcast in posits that an “intelligent designer,” Then she read an article by Mar- Paul Allen’s Vulcan Productions, time. February, to commemorate the 200th and not just evolution, is responsible garet Talbot in the New Yorker, which, which co-produced “Evolution.” Mr. “The big question here was, we anniversary of Darwin’s birth. And for the complexity of life; critics con- she said, strongly articulated the role Hutton had been pushing to do a pro- had to be fair,” she said. Not bal- “Nova” will revisit evolution in tend it is a way of sneaking religion that science itself played as evidence gram on the trial and came on board anced, because the science support- November 2009, on the 150th anni- into schools. in the trial, convincing the Republi- as co-senior executive producer for ing evolution had won out, after all, versary of the publication of “The Ori- Of the trial, Ms. Apsell said: “It was can-appointed judge, who ruled “Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on but fair. gin of Species,” with a program on the just kind of hard to believe, after all against the intelligent-design propo- Trial.” “You have to make sure you don’t cutting-edge biological field of study the rulings of the Supreme Court, that nents, that “the case is virtually In addition to interviewing the cit- ridicule fairly weak arguments” for known as “evo-devo,” which exam- again this issue of teaching intelligent closed. It was a very broad ruling. He’s izens of Dover, the pair decided to intelligent design, which were, she ines the evolution of development at design in the schools was coming up.” not ambivalent,” Ms. Apsell said. dramatize portions of the six-week said, “made in all sincerity. How do the embryonic stage. ■ TW MAIN 06-16-08 A 29 TVWEEK 6/12/2008 6:03 PM Page 1

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SPURRING A DIALOGUE “To Die in Jerusalem” HBO Documentary Films, Priddy Brothers presents participants on both sides of the Israeli- Palestinian dispute.

‘TO DIE IN JERUSALEM’ on Israeli TV, which Ms. Medalia By Elizabeth Jensen Ms. Medalia said she thought she called “a big achievement.” Later in Special to TelevisionWeek could make it happen. the summer it’s expected to air Hilla Medalia was a first-time John and Ed Priddy, Boise entre- for Ms. Medalia’s documentary. what turned out to be a tense, sad, across the Arab world, on a Middle filmmaker, looking for a topic to preneurs who had made money in As the film recounts, getting sometimes angry exchange that East Broadcasting Center channel. fulfill her master’s degree require- the nutritional supplement busi- the two mothers to meet in per- did not result in reconciliation. After every screening, she said, ments, when she set out to make ness, were longtime Angelus sup- son proved impossible. In what The film has proved to be a viewers “really want to talk about what ultimately became “To Die in porters. They came in as funders becomes a powerful metaphor for powerful springboard for dialogue, the conflict and what can we do Jerusalem.” Getting the film on the for what they hoped would be a the larger standoff, the women however, as Ms. Medalia hoped. about it.” air took five years, as Ms. Medalia feature documentary and brought lived just four miles from each Since its October HBO airing, Ms. Medalia is working on “After wound her way through the com- it to the attention of HBO’s docu- other, but were kept apart by cul- she has been “living in airplanes the Storm,” about Broadway musi- plexity of the Israeli-Palestinian mentary president, Sheila Nevins. tural taboos, visa restrictions and airports” as the film has been cians who traveled to New Orleans conflict and the vagaries of docu- Coincidentally, Ms. Nevins had brought about by war and plain screened worldwide, in Hong Kong, to work with kids on a production mentary funding, but she ended up seen the same Newsweek cover, fear. After years of trying for a per- South Africa, on numerous U.S. of “Once on This Island.” Rosie in a highly coveted spot on HBO. but the film she wanted never got sonal encounter, the two women campuses and across Europe. O’Donnell and the Priddy brothers While a film student at South- off the ground. She came on board met for four hours by satellite in At the beginning of June, it aired are on board as producers. ■ ern Illinois University, Ms. Medalia, who is Israeli, would tell her friends about the Middle East conflict. When it came time to make a final film for her degree, she said, she wanted to tackle the topic, but through “a personal story that peo- ple can identify.” And she wanted “a platform for dialogue within the film and outside the film, as well.” Congratulations Then came a March 29, 2002, suicide bombing at a Jerusalem supermarket. The cover of News- week spoke volumes: side-by-side pictures of Ayat al-Akhras, the 18- year-old Palestinian who set off the to KNXV-TV in bomb, and her victim, 17-year-old Rachel Levy, so alike they could have been sisters. Soon Ms. Medalia, now 30, was filming the mothers of the girls, Avi- Phoenix for winning gail Levy in Jerusalem and Abu and Um Samir al-Akhras in the Dhei- sheh refugee camp outside Bethle- hem, for “Daughters of Abraham,” the Peabody Award. which won the 2004 Angelus Award at the Angelus student film festival. But the topic had more poten- tial; Ms. Levy wanted to meet the mother of her daughter’s killer and KNXV’S AWARD-WINNING INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING ‘SISTERS’ REVEALED SECURITY LAPSES THAT OCCURRED NIGHTLY Continued from Page 28 While the film received rave AT THE COUNTRY’S EIGHTH-LARGEST AIRPORT. reviews, several critics wanted more context about how many female judges were attempting to bring simi- lar changes to the male-dominated society, how the women had risen to power; and the reaction to the judg- ments. Ms. Longinotto said her verite style often evokes the same reaction, and “I worry about it.” But, she said, “It’s not how many women judges there are, it’s how many are trying to change things.” She aims to give viewers a “visceral experience,” a documentary that is “closer to the experience of watching a fiction film. You’re just following the characters and in the story and The E.W. Scripps Company has an intensely local focus and is dedicated to the gripped by it in an emotional way.” brand of journalistic excellence that improves the communities we serve. To add context and commentary, she said, would be to frame the story by an outside voice; she prefers to let viewers track down the additional context they want from the Internet. After completing “Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go,” a documentary shot in an English school for disturbed children, Ms. Longinotto is editing another African film, about five women in South Africa who rescue children. “I’m hoping it will be a beautiful film,” she said, adding it will be “heartbreaking,” as two people in the women’s com- munity died during filming. ■ TW MAIN 06-16-08 A 30 TVWEEK 6/12/2008 6:06 PM Page 1

30 June 16, 2008 TELEVISIONWEEK NEWSPRO: PEABODY AWARD WINNERS

TROUBLING KXNV-TV WFAA-TV, Dallas exposed a major security gap at Phoenix’s Sky Har- bor International Airport. ‘MONEY FOR NOTHING,’ ‘THE BURIED AND THE DEAD,’ ‘TELEVISION JUSTICE,’ ‘KINDER PRISON’ By Debra Kaufman Special to TelevisionWeek Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA-TV is being honored with a “compilation” award for four notable investigative series in 2007. “We try to pick stories with sys- temic issues that need to be looked KXNV-TV, Phoenix at long-term,” said investigative producer Mark Smith. “There are so many stories out there, it’s a real art to culling out the key ones and ‘SECURITY RISKS focusing our energies on projects we can do a multipart [report] on.” All the story ideas came from the reporters (Byron Harris for “Money AT SKY HARBOR’ for Nothing” and “Television Jus- By Debra Kaufman agreement with TSA in 2005 to hire tice,” Brett Shipp for “Kinder Prison” PUBLIC SAFETY Explo- Special to TelevisionWeek an outside security firm that would and “The Buried and the Dead”), sions caused by faulty When Susan D’Astoli, senior exec- not search people or personal items. said Mr. Smith, who produced all gas couplings spurred utive producer at KNXV-TV in Phoe- “In principal, flights were through for four programs. Kraig Kirchem was WFAA-TV’s “The Buried nix, got a tip that all was not secure at the day [by then],” said Ms. D’Astoli. photojournalist for all four stories. and the Dead.” the local airport, she decided to see “But any flight could be delayed. “Money for Nothing” started for herself. “We sat down with some What concerned us is that anything when Mr. Smith got a tip from a fed- bags, looked like travelers and just could have gotten through.” erally connected source who was to businesses connected directly or line NBC’s” “To Catch a Predator.” observed what was happening at the For the report, both TSA and the troubled by the lack of oversight at indirectly to the Mexican drug car- “They sacrificed justice in the effort checkpoints,” she said. airport officials declined to comment. the U.S. Export-Import Bank on tel,” said Mr. Smith. “And the default to help ‘Dateline’ make entertain- At midnight, she found out exactly But that wasn’t the end of the story. guarantee or insured loans. The Ex- rates were atrocious.” The story is ment ratings,” said Mr. Smith. why her source was concerned about “We aired the story on a Friday Im is a federal entity that aims to still unfolding. “They went to the point where the security: The checkpoints manned by night, and the mayor of Phoenix create U.S. jobs by financing sales of “The Buried and the Dead” cases became un-prosecutable.” the Department of Homeland Securi- agreed to speak with us on Saturday,” domestic goods to foreign buyers. examined the safety hazard created WFAA-TV came in three months ty’s Transportation Security Adminis- said Ms. D’Astoli. “By Monday morn- Researching the story was a by thousands of gas couplings that after the “Dateline NBC” sting oper- tration shut down. X-ray machines ing, the TSA in Washington, D.C., sus- long process, said Mr. Smith; it were put in the ground in the 1970s ation in Murphy, inquiring about shut down. In came non-TSA person- pended and replaced the federal secu- took nine months of asking for and and ’80s. why none of the cases featured on nel who demonstrated a different rity director at the airport, the TSA then receiving records from the Federal standards and manufac- the show had gone to trial. “That’s view of what constitutes airport secu- went back on duty 24/7, the outside bank before the story could even turer warnings said these couplings when we found out that the district rity. “They allowed person after per- guard company went away and the take off. could have serious leakage prob- attorney’s office had warned the son to walk in without the bags being TSA started looking at security in other What he and Mr. Harris found lems, but the Railroad Commission, police and police had left because screened,” she said. “We saw people airports.” TSA officials finally agreed to was shocking. “The bank made which regulates the natural gas they were troubled by the investiga- pushing cleaning carts go through.” be interviewed Monday night. nearly $250 million in loans to Mex- pipeline system in Texas, didn’t tion,” he said. At 4:30 a.m., TSA officers came Ms. D’Astoli credits her top-notch ican businesses without verifying remove them. After a number of “It was a difficult story to tell, back on duty. KNXV-TV reporter Lisa team, including photographer Filip basic facts,” Mr. Smith said. “A sim- deaths due to gas leaks, WFAA-TV because Murphy is a small town Fletcher and producer Jonathan Kapsa and editor Vivek Narayan, and ple Google search showed money told the story. and there are a lot of people who Elias went back five nights in a row Scripps Howard for its “tremendous going to companies who didn’t even “The Railroad Commission didn’t were definitely supportive of the and, sure enough, TSA shut down investment in investigative news.” carry the products they were sup- put the pieces together to see that operation,” Mr. Smith said. “It was operations nightly at the same time. “It was extremely gratifying,” she posed to be selling.” the couplings were at fault for a one of those things that divided the “We consulted top security said of the quick response to the sto- During a 1,500-mile road trip to number of years,” said Mr. Smith. community, and because of small- experts and showed them what we ry. “We’re part of the flying public, various listed businesses, the team “After our stories, it led to the com- town politics, getting people to be found,” Ms. D’Astoli said. “They, too, too. Once we understood what was discovered the businesses had no mission ordering these couplings to candid was very, very difficult.” were appalled. The ‘door’ was open happening, we said, ‘This is a matter idea they were even listed on loan be replaced throughout the state.” For “Kinder Prison”—about for at least four hours a night.” of national security, we’ve got to get applications. “Television Justice” followed the women and children detained in a The news team learned the air- this story.’ And I’ve never seen the “The ultimate troubling thing lengths to which the Murphy Police federal immigration facility while port administration had made an government move so fast.” ■ was that some of the loans had gone Dept. went to accommodate “Date- Continued on Page 33

WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh and he determined to investigate that agency. “I had a hunch employ- ees were flying all over the country and maybe all over the world,” he ‘THE FIGHT FOR said. “When I pressed a state spokesman for PHEAA about why his people needed to use the state OPEN RECORDS’ planes, he said, ‘We’re not really a state agency, we’re a business.’ Any By Debra Kaufman using these state planes and for what government employee who makes Special to TelevisionWeek reasons. That research led to a story the argument that they’re really a WTAE-TV’s “The Fight for Open on the abuse of state-owned planes. private business … I want to know Records” is all about how one good But it didn’t stop there. One lots about them.” story leads to another, according to entry in the planes’ logs caught his The story took a surprising twist investigative reporter Jim Parsons. attention. “I found that in one after Mr. Parsons submitted a The Pittsburgh Hearst-Argyle sta- weekend in June 2005, a group of request for information under the tion produced a story on loafing legislators and their wives used the State’s Right to Know law in July 2005 employees of the Pennsylvania plane to fly into Nemacolin Wood- (joined by a reporter from the Asso- Department of Transportation lands Resort, this very posh, luxury ciated Press and another from the (known as Penn DOT). When the spa,” Mr. Parsons said. “And the Patriot News newspaper). All three RIGHT TO KNOW WTAE- Penn DOT press secretary flew on a agency that signed off is the Penn- reporters were served with notices TV reporter Jim Parsons state-owned plane to Pittsburgh to sylvanian Higher Education Assis- of intent to sue by PHEAA. holds up documents attend Mr. Parsons’ interview with tance Agency,” or PHEAA. “That’s a first for me,” said Mr. exposing state govern- two executives, the newsman made He quickly learned that PHEAA’s Parsons. “Normally, a state agency ment malfeasance. a mental note to check on who was board members are state legislators, Continued on Page 34 TW MAIN 06-16-08 A 31 TVWEEK 6/12/2008 5:40 PM Page 1

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MODERN PLIGHT In China’s White Horse Village, resi- dents oppose the govern- BBC World News America, BBC America ment’s plans to take and develop their farms to ease overcrowding in nearby Wuxi. WOODRUFF Continued from Page 26 ‘WHITE HORSE was going back to Bethesda Naval Hospital to see some others injured on the long road to recovery,” Mr. VILLAGE’ Woodruff said. “Some have recov- ered significantly, others so slowly, By Elizabeth Jensen but the important thing is to show Special to TelevisionWeek that aside from their health, dignity Sometimes, even the smallest and respect are so important to of stories can convey bigger truths, Horse Village turned into three, them and their families. as with “White Horse Village,” an with one more likely to come, said “There are about 1.6 million ongoing series on “BBC World Mr. Harrington. The team has fol- fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, News America” about a Chinese lowed the same people through- compared to 12 million who served farming hamlet so obscure many out, including struggling farmers in Vietnam. If they are injured, they Chinese haven’t heard of it. being evicted from their homes, a doesn’t mind,” he said, praising the sound and exquisite photography, need to get as much help as they Carrie Gracie, a Mandarin- local family that has gotten rich man’s “incredible hospitality.” the series is “uncommonly beauti- can. Whether you’re for this war or speaking former BBC Beijing through construction contracts Although the BBC is banned in ful for a nightly news feature,” the against [it], they deserve more.” bureau reporter and current Lon- and the Communist Party secre- China, the team bring DVDs of the Peabody judges noted. There have been medical and don-based “News 24” anchor, was tary who must convince the local series when they return. Mostly, the “The thing I think we’re most technological breakthroughs and tipped off to the plight of White villagers to give up their land, even documentary subjects are interest- proud of is that it feels and looks improvements in the five years Horse Village by Chinese contacts though they don’t know how ed only in the bits where they like a documentary,” said Mr. Har- since the war began, Mr. Woodruff of her ex-husband. The mountain- much they will be compensated or themselves are seen, Mr. Harring- rington. Nonetheless the individual said, but no one expected it to go on ringed village was being disman- where they will go. ton said, adding, “There is definite- segments were turned around in a this long or leave so many injured. tled by Chinese authorities to Each time the cameras return, ly a feeling amongst the villagers news time frame, he said, each Although he is frustrated by not accommodate the overcrowding in the lush landscape has changed that us being there will help them piece shot in four to five days, then being able to go back to Iraq or Wuxi, a booming inland metropolis dramatically as the new buildings in their fight in getting compensa- edited in Beijing, with graphics Afghanistan to report firsthand, he just five miles away that’s part of get under way and the tensions tion for their houses.” added in London. The pieces have will continue to do stories about the country’s economic miracle. have risen. The team knows it won’t be able aired in several versions on BBC wounded veterans returning home “We thought it was the perfect For the most part, the produc- to film the houses coming down newscasts worldwide. —and the larger issue of quality care metaphor for so many bigger China ers have been given permission to when it happens, so they have tried Mr. Harrington said receiving a for all of the U.S.’ injured soldiers. stories right now,” a tale of “normal film when and where they want, to leave cameras for the villagers to Peabody Award had left him feeling He is heartened by the outpour- people dealing with extraordinary even though some participants document the event, Mr. Harring- “thrilled,” but a bit like Depeche ing of support from nonmilitary changes,” said Warwick Harrington, aren’t coming off well as the series ton said, without getting anyone in Mode, the British group that gets personnel. “You see private groups, a senior producer for the BBC’s flag- proceeds, said Mr. Harrington. The trouble. A return trip is tentatively little acclaim at home but is well- doctors and nurses donating mon- ship newscast “Newsnight.” Communist Party secretary “knows planned for October. liked in the U.S. He said they are ey, time and free surgery,” he said. Commissioned in spring of we’re probably trouble when we With its leisurely pace, artful hopeful the series will get similar “It is quite remarkable to see them 2006, the first story about White turn up, but he just genuinely graphics and music, ambient recognition in the U.K. ■ wanting to do a lot.” ■ TW MAIN 06-16-08 A 32 TVWEEK 6/12/2008 5:25 PM Page 1

32 June 16, 2008 TELEVISIONWEEK NEWSPRO: PEABODY AWARD WINNERS

Partisan Pictures, Thirteen/WNET New York ‘NATURE: SILENCE OF THE BEES’ By Elizabeth Jensen Special to TelevisionWeek The 26-year-old PBS series “Nature” won its first Peabody Award two decades ago for a pro- gram on the drying up of an African watering hole. But it hasn’t been resting on its laurels since: It won its TALKING IT OUT Fall Out second two years ago, and its third Boy’s Pete Wentz took part in this season, for “Silence of the Bees,” mtvU’s Half of Us initiative. proving that even in an era when there is more nature documentary competition than ever, the program can still compete. MTVU “Silence of the Bees,” produced by Partisan Pictures and New York’s WNET-TV, where “Nature” origi- nates, took on the global die-off of MTVU: HALF OF US honeybees that is threatening the By Elizabeth Jensen shot: See a therapist if you’re world food supply. It looks at the Special to TelevisionWeek bummed out,” Mr. Friedman said. bees’ crucial role in the food chain One of the signatures of MTV “What it came down to was: Stigma is and the various theories for what’s Networks is its extensive use of the real killer here.” happening. KEY PLAYER “Nature” do as the producers wait for, say, polling and focus groups to under- On the Web site for the project, The Peabody judges singled it won notice for its exami- baby animals to be born. “Animal stand its target audience. www.halfofus.com, students can sur- out as the “first in-depth investiga- nation of the mass die-off behavior isn’t something you can One statistic jumped out at the vey their symptoms, find out how to of honeybees. tion” into the unexplained phenom- rush,” Mr. Kaufman noted. company’s mtvU campus-focused help friends and download informa- enon; the New York Times called it But the producers pushed to get network: Suicide is the No. 2 killer of tion on where to get help, organized “emotionally exhausting.” about one-third of the crop species the honeybee story on the air quick- college students. by school and city. Fred Kaufman, the program’s in the U.S. “It’s a $15 billion indus- ly, he said: “The minute you feel you Then, said Stephen Friedman, the One of the key elements of the executive producer, said he had seen try,” he said, as commercial bee- have a great story, you feel everybody network’s executive VP, there was the campaign—both on-air and online— news reports on the disappearing keepers transport their hives from else knows it, too and think every- “shocking number that 50% of col- is personal stories of those who have bees, a phenomenon known as state to state to meet demand. body else will jump on it.” lege kids were—self reported—at struggled with mental illness and Colony Collapse Disorder, but, as “I just didn’t realize the scope of Going forward, “Nature,” which some point were so depressed that thoughts of suicide. It involves every- with all series, “I need to be con- the role they play,” he said. has an episode on endangered they couldn’t function.” Half of those one from average students who have vinced there’s an hour’s worth of sto- Once they saw the potential of species in the works, also from Parti- in one poll said they didn’t know grappled with the issue themselves or ry to do. Beyond the disappearing the story, there was the question of san Pictures, plans to put more envi- where to get help and more than 70% seen it in their friends, to musicians bees, what else do you do?” how to handle a story that was rap- ronmental stories into its mix, Mr. said they were too embarrassed to such as Mary J. Blige, Pete Wentz of As he dug further with Partisan’s idly evolving. “This was new terrain Kaufman said. reach out when depression did strike. Fall Out Boy and Brittany Snow. Doug Shultz, the episode’s writer- for us,” he said. “We wanted to docu- But he has no plans to follow the Thus came the inspiration and The musicians were solicited by producer, Mr. Kaufman said he ment this, but we didn’t think the current trend among some rivals for name for Half of Us, an extensive MTV’s music department, Mr. Fried- found “a lot of elements of this that story would tie itself up by the time “extreme nature and danger and multiplatform public service cam- man said, and only a few people were really rich.” we put it on the air.” flashing teeth and paws.” paign to help college students strug- turned them down. Most, he said, For one, he said, “I didn’t have The five-month turnaround— “I still think what we do is differ- gling with everything from anxiety were proud to have overcome their any idea about just how much food with shooting in five countries, no ent from most,” he said, calling the and stress to bipolar disorder and problems and talk about it. bees are responsible for getting on less—was a departure as well; many program’s approach “an informative self-injury such as cutting. “This is the power of TV,” said Mr. the table of Americans,” pollinating “Nature” episodes can take a year to and intelligent look at our world.” ■ “If it affects half of us, it is touch- Friedman. “It’s a very powerful way ing all of us,” Mr. Friedman said. to connect with other people.” The project’s partner is the Jed The evidence is in the letters Foundation, started in 2000 by Phil mtvU received from students who Discovery Channel, BBC and Donna Satow to prevent college had seen the stories and had been suicides and promote mental health affected, he said, and in the increased after their youngest son, Jed, took his number of schools participating in life while a college student in 1998. the ULifeline system, an anonymous ‘PLANET EARTH’ The goal of the ongoing campaign confidential online resource center is to “change the conversation, to set up by the Jed Foundation. The By Jarre Fees make it as normal as getting a flu Continued on Page 34 Special to TelevisionWeek “Awesome, spectacular, humbling, watching. It’s been an enormous altered by the making of the series, exhilarating” is success in the States.” he said. “It just made me realize [the how the The crew was able to get footage earth] is an amazingly beautiful Peabody Awards of a number of animals, their habi- place. We worried about criticism for committee tats and hunting skills, some of which only showing the good things, but it described “Plan- had never been captured on film. Mr. made me realize what a beautiful et Earth,” a co- Fothergill used a Cineflex Heligimbal and fragile world it is and how production of mounted under a helicopter to film important it is to film it.” Discovery STARTLING IMAGES African hunting dogs and a pack of The “Planet Earth” DVD is nar- Channel and the BBC that could “Ice Worlds,” left, and ed rather well. “It’s one thing to have wolves chasing caribou. rated by David Attenborough, who well stand as the last, best record of “Deserts” were among people watch, but to achieve the kind Though he was moved by a did the original televised narration a disappearing natural world. “Planet Earth’s” topics. of ‘water-cooler results’ we got, both number of the animal behaviors he in the U.K. (the U.S. TV version fea- Produced by Alastair Fothergill, in the U.K. and then in America— witnessed, Mr. Fothergill said his tured Sigourney Weaver) and has who previously documented the his crew had no idea how successful nothing prepared us for that,” Mr. personal favorites were in the “high sold more than 2 million copies— earth’s oceans in “Blue Planet,” the the “Planet Earth” series would be. Fothergill said, adding that success Arctic: the polar bear images, and a another unexpected and welcome 11-part HD series “Planet Earth” was Gauging that success, he said, “is came in the U.S. “after it hit ‘Oprah.’ baby polar bear emerging from its surprise for Mr. Fothergill. “In a filmed in 62 countries, using 40 the hardest thing to do. We thought That was what made the difference. den.” sense,” he said, “the TV series was camera crews in 204 locations, with we had worked really hard and filmed “She has an ability to reach all The polar bear is not used to almost an advert for the DVD.” the production crew spending about some extraordinary things. Then the these people through middle Ameri- make a statement in the series, but Mr. Fothergill is already at work 2,000 days in the field over a five- night before it aired in the U.K., I had ca. It’s different in the U.K., where Mr. Fothergill noted the lack of com- on a new series for the Disney year period. my people there and we thought, [BBC] regularly gets 20% of the pop- ment might be just as powerful, as Nature label documenting the histo- Speaking by phone from the BBC ‘We’ve done our best, but who knows ulation. But in the U.S., where there “the polar bear has now become the ry of the North and South Poles. The Natural History Unit in Bristol, Eng- how people will respond?’” are hundreds of channels, people symbol for global warming.” series, “Frozen Planet,” is set to land, Mr. Fothergill admitted he and As it turned out, people respond- who never watch nature shows were His worldview was somewhat debut on Earth Day 2011. ■ TW MAIN 06-16-08 A 33 TVWEEK 6/12/2008 6:07 PM Page 1

TELEVISIONWEEK June 16, 2008 33

WINNING TEAM Hope Yablonski and Brian Aimsback celebrate a Sundance Channel, Public Road Nimrod victory in Brett Productions, Wieden+Kennedy Morgen’s “alternative WFAA response” to a reality Continued from Page 30 series. they awaited decisions on their amnesty appeals—WFAA-TV ulti- ‘NIMROD NATION’ mately produced 25 stories, indica- By Jarre Fees school football, the church and the tive of how this explosive story Special to TelevisionWeek Dairy Queen—in that order.’” developed over time. Filmmaker Brett Morgen (“The The high school gym “replaced “The problem we raise in the Kid Stays in the Picture”) went to the role of ‘church’ in the concept stories was that many of these peo- the town of Watersmeet, Mich.— of the show,” Mr. Morgen said. ple weren’t flight risks,” said Mr. population 1,400—in 2004 to film “Not that it replaced the church, Smith. “They were law-abiding three commercials for ESPN but basketball is what brought people, many of them in the U.S. (tagline: “Without sports, who people together. for many years, and to incarcerate would root for the Nimrods?”) and “The coach even said to me, them in 8-foot by 8-foot cells for essentially never left. No small- with a straight face, ‘We’re coming lengthy periods seemed inhumane towner himself (he grew up in Santa off one of our great seasons—we and beneath the standards this Monica, Calif.), Mr. Morgen said he were 5 and 16.’” nation has prided itself on.” has always been “fascinated with The director said the town is Equally if not more disturbing small-town America, mostly from “not that obsessed with basket- was the fact that children as watching John Ford films.” ball” in general, “but when the young as 2 also were being held in “Nimrod Nation,” Mr. Mor- team does win, it brings people the facility, with minimal school- gen’s Peabody Award-winning together. There are Native Ameri- ing, questionable healthcare and documentary for the Sundance cans there, and Caucasians, and a scant hour of playtime outside Channel, is “almost like bird- basketball becomes the unifying that, and doing it well.” He wanted think Sundance gauges its success the cells. watching,” he said. “I remember force in the town.” “Nimrod Nation” to be “an alterna- more by reviews.” “The story led to a change in telling the network, ‘You’re sup- Mr. Morgen said there was tive response” to a reality series. The elders of the Watersmeet the conditions in which these posed to pack as much drama as “nothing extraordinary about the “We wanted to refresh the land- community served “as a Greek individuals were being detained,” you can in an hour of TV, but it community, or the basketball scape of TV to allow the show to choir” throughout the series, Mr. said Mr. Smith. won’t work for this.’” team,” which he followed through breathe,” he said, “and to present Morgen said. He said he wanted Mr. Smith said it’s no accident That overt lack of drama seems its 2005-06 season. However, “We characters who are ordinary.” the show to stress that “these kids that WFAA-TV was able to put out to be exactly what the Peabody did happen to catch [the commu- To underscore the show’s pac- the viewers are seeing now will four substantive investigative Awards committee zeroed in on, nity] at a time when there was a ing, Mr. Morgen said, he told the one day replace those guys around pieces in a single year. calling it a “lyrical, unhurried, eight- great group of kids.” editors, “When you reach a place the table.” “The overriding theme in our part exploration of small-town life” Working with Sundance Chan- where you want to place an edit, “That’s why we [identified] the news department is, if you’ve got a set in “a folksy hamlet reminiscent nel freed him, he said, from having wait one extra beat. Don’t be afraid older guys: ‘Class of ’38’ and ‘Class good story, you have to give the of Mayberry and Lake Wobegon, to follow the formula of a typical to go against your instincts.” of ’46.’” More than anything else, reporter time to work on it,” he said. but undeniably, hearteningly real.” reality show. He admitted he’s “a ter- He explained, “When you don’t Mr. Morgen said, he wanted to “Upper management creates an In a place like Watersmeet, Mr. rible reality TV junkie,” but said, have ratings or advertisers to worry show that “Nimrod Nation” is environment that allows us to Morgen said, “The joke is it’s ‘high “There are already people doing about, you don’t have to be afraid. I about “the cycle of life.”■ accomplish those goals.” ■ TW MAIN 06-16-08 A 34 TVWEEK 6/12/2008 5:58 PM Page 1

34 June 16, 2008 TELEVISIONWEEK NEWSPRO: PEABODY AWARD WINNERS

FUNNY “The Colbert from New York’s WNYC that swings Report” offers “a sendup can get dangerous” if the producers AWARDS from local to national news and of politics and all that is should miss something important. prides itself on civil debate, was bombastic and self-serving There’s a 9:30 meeting with the Continued from Page 23 lauded as “community-building in cable news,” according writers, which breaks “when we feel erent news-based quiz program radio.” Baltimore’s Center for to the Peabody citation. like we have a take on things, usually “Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” Emerging Media was honored for around 11,” Ms. Silverman said. AMC’s “Mad Men,” a drama set “Just Words,” 55 four-minute docu- “Then the writers go off to write and in the advertising world of the mentary pieces of personal reflec- we meet with the rest of the staff to let 1960s, and Showtime’s “Dexter,” tion on issues such as homeless- the production and graphics people about a serial killer who channels ness and youth violence. know what we need.” his efforts into killing psychopaths, The producers and graphics were singled out in the drama Local Leaders designers start “producing and world. Overall, Mr. Newcomb said, it designing,” she said, and “at 1 p.m. The awards are administered by was a particularly strong year for the scripts come in. Then we meet the university’s Grady College of local news reporting. with everyone to say, ‘All that stuff we Journalism and Mass Communica- When four reports from Dallas- told you this morning? It’s gone. But tion. As in past years, there were Fort Worth station WFAA-TV stood we have another idea.’” about 1,000 entries, with docu- out, Mr. Newcomb said, the deci- Ms. Silverman said she left “a mentaries the most-often entered sion was made to combine the secure job, a job I enjoyed, on ‘Late genre, said Horace Newcomb, entries into a single award, so the Night With Conan O’Brien,’ to do ‘The director of the Peabody Awards. station wouldn’t have a monopoly. Colbert Report.’ Even if it was only 32 The war-related topics include “They just have an incredible episodes,” which was Comedy Cen- Mr. Woodruff’s and Ms. Dozier’s investigative reporting unit there,” tral’s original commitment, Ms. Sil- reporting on veterans recovering Mr. Newcomb noted. verman said, “I knew I had to do it. I from Iraq war injuries, Vice Presi- A PBS series about contempo- Hello Doggie, Busboy Productions felt wherever [Mr. Colbert] was lead- dent Dick Cheney’s philosophy of rary art and another about Ameri- ing it, it would be something good.” presidential privilege, the death of can craft were recognized, as were and Spartina Productions Mr. Colbert, who has described an Afghani taxi driver while in U.S. two reality series, public television’s his fictitious counterpart as a “well- custody, the killing of Iraqi civilians “Design Squad” and, in what some intentioned, poorly informed, high- by U.S. Marines in Haditha, Iraq, thought was a surprise, Bravo’s status idiot,” is himself known as a and a Bulgarian report on efforts to “Project Runway.” ‘THE COLBERT REPORT’ humanitarian, particularly after hav- supplant poppy production with By Jarre Fees media’s sharpest satirists.” ing adopted a “son,” Stephen Jr. roses in Afghanistan. “What we say is Special to TelevisionWeek Allison Silverman, an executive That son is an American bald Like “Nimrod Nation,” another producer along with Jon Stewart and eagle bred for the wild, from whom Musical Winners that we recognize Peabody Award winner for 2007, Mr. Colbert (Dr. Colbert, if you count the anchor is said to be estranged, While war and the Middle East “The Colbert Report” started as a the honorary doctorate of fine arts he although Ms. Silverman said there were popular topics, documen- excellence on its series of commercials. But unlike was awarded in 2006 by Knox College were reports the bird had recently taries on other subjects caught the own terms.” that series—or any other in Galesburg, Ill.; that title returned to the U.S. Stephen Jr. is “a judges’ attention as well, including series, for that matter— is now listed in the show’s bit of a rebellious adolescent,” she Sundance Channel’s eight-part Horace Newcomb, director, Peabody Awards the ads were fake and the credits), admitted it can admitted, who prefers to spend his series “Nimrod Nation,” about a show didn’t even exist. be “tricky” to make the winters in Canada, much to the snowy town in Michigan’s Upper “Project Runway” is “clearly dif- Once a few creative show work five nights a public chagrin of Mr. Colbert. Peninsula, PBS’ “Nova” dramatiza- ferent from Bob Woodruff’s excel- minds at Comedy Central week. “But what we have The show tapes at 7 p.m., Ms. Sil- tion of a trial over the teaching of lence,” Mr. Newcomb said, but decided to test the waters is Stephen Colbert,” Ms. verman said, with rewriting going on intelligent design and a profile of “what we say is that we recognize with a real program, how- Silverman said, “and until the last minute. Then the staff jazz arranger and composer Billy excellence on its own terms.” The ever, American political he can make anything goes home, and the next day they do Strayhorn, which aired on PBS’ program, he said, offers a clear satire did a backflip. funny.” the whole thing all over again. “Independent Lens.” insight into the creative process. “The Colbert ALLISON SILVERMAN A typical day on the In spite of the program’s dead- On the radio side, recognition And, he added, “It’s fun.” Report,” according to Co-exec producer, “Colbert” show, Ms. Silverman said, on aim at political pundits, Ms. Sil- went solely to public radio produc- Not all the television reports the statement released begins with research and verman insisted “The Colbert tions, with six programs singled have aired in the U.S. and some, by the Peabody Awards committee, footage teams—“We’re well-served by Report” is not trying to change the out, including a series about rocka- like the Balkan News Corp.’s is “a sendup of politics and all that those guys”—who comb the news world, or even affect American poli- billy and another featuring the Afghanistan report, may never do is bombastic and self-serving in wires and the Web to see what has tics. Really, she said, “We’re just try- insights of Michael Tilson Thomas, so. Others haven’t been released on cable news.” The group adds that happened in the news over the last 24 ing to crack the staff up. If we can conductor of the San Francisco DVD, so viewers who missed them host Stephen Colbert “has come hours. The producers rely heavily on get them the stage manager to Symphony. may be out of luck. Mr. Newcomb into his own as one of electronic the research staff, she said, noting “it laugh, we’ve done our job.” ■ The weekly series “Speaking of said the Peabody Awards hopes Faith,” which Mr. Newcomb said someday to overcome rights issues had been considered “over and and perhaps put the recognized over again” by the judges in past work on a Web site so it is more second batch of records, on execu- years, was honored for its report on widely accessible. tives and board members, many of the Persian poet Rumi. In this special report, Television- WTAE whom were legislators, was what MTVU Two of the radio honorees were Week profiles some of this year’s Continued from Page 30 really shocked the public. Continued from Page 32 local productions. “The Brian Peabody-winning projects, with the will give you a written response as to “State lawmakers were treating Half of Us site also has seen big Lehrer Show,” a two-decade-old emphasis on those most closely why they won’t turn over public themselves at expensive resorts, increases in students connecting to two-hour daily call-in program related to TV journalism. ■ records. You can appeal and go to $150 cigars, falconry lessons, lots its online screening tools. court. Instead, they sued us.” of golf, lots of booze and spa treat- MTV has already spent “millions The legal staff of the three news ments for their wives,” he said. and millions [of dollars] in terms of air organizations decided to pool their “The total amount on all these time” on “Half of Us,” Mr. Friedman resources to fight the case. “We retreats over four to five years was said, and will continue to make that were victorious at every level in almost $1 million.” kind of commitment. court, but PHEAA kept appealing to WTAE-TV did 20 stories on the The testimonies of additional a higher and higher level,” said Mr. topic. The PHEAA CEO was forced celebs are being solicited. The cam- Parsons. “When the Supreme Court to resign, but no truly substantive paign has added a focus on returning of Pennsylvania turned down their changes took place. Iraq war veterans, given the number request for an appeal, the Com- What did happen was the begin- suffering from post-traumatic stress monwealth Court awarded us ning of a conversation to change syndrome from their time there. attorney fees, which is unheard of Pennsylvania’s open records law, A new element, still in testing, is in Pennsylvania.” which was passed in 1952. www.myMoodring.com, a Face- When Mr. Parsons finally “After this story ran, it pushed book.com widget that lets users tell received the records he’d asked for, legislators to pass a new open others how they are feeling. More he quickly understood why PHEAA records law that will go into effect than 30,000 people are using it, Mr. had gone to such lengths to pro- in January 2009,” Mr. Parsons said. Friedman said, and those who are tect them. The first batch of “Under the old law, the presump- reporting depression can choose to SEEING JUSTICE DONE The records, related to midlevel tion was that nothing was a public get messages that will link them back Peabody committee honored employees, revealed that they had record. Under the new law, it’s to the Half of Us resources. “It’s our WFAA-TV for four reports, bought kegs of beer and rented flipped around. Now, everything is way of moving to where the audience including ”Television Justice.” tuxedos with public funds. But the a public record.” ■ is,” Mr. Friedman said. ■ Project4 3/19/08 1:46 PM Page 1

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