The Peabody Awards Also Recog- This Year, Denver’S KMGH-TV Won Services

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LOOK WHO’S TALKING TELEVISIONWEEK May 18, 2009 11 TVWEEK’S ANNUAL LOWDOWN ON SUNDAY MORNING NEWSMAKERS ... PAGE 20 INSIDE SPECIAL SECTION ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (Nickelodeon) Page 12

‘Black Magic’ (ESPN) Page 12 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony (NBC Olympics) Page 12 NewsproTHE STATE OF TV NEWS ‘Breaking Bad’ (AMC) Page 13 ’Entourage’ (HBO) Page 13 ’The Gates’ (HBO) Page 14 ’Hear and Now’ THE (HBO) Page 14 ‘Hopkins’ (ABC News) Page 14 ‘John Adams’ (HBO) Page 14 ’Lost’ (ABC) Page 15 ’Nanking’ (HBO) Page 16 PEABODY Presidential Primary Coverage (CNN) Page 16 ‘Richard Engel Reports: Tip of the Spear’ (“NBC Nightly News”) Page 17 PrestigiousAWARDS Honors Laud Cross-Section of ‘SNL’ Political Satire TV Fare, From ‘Lost’ to Olympics to ‘SNL’ (NBC) Page 17 By Allison J.Waldman films were awarded Peabodys: “Hear and Special to TelevisionWeek Now,” about a 60-something couple, deaf ’60 Minutes: Lifeline’ The George Foster Peabody Award is since birth, who underwent cochlear (CBS News) Page 17 68TH ANNUAL considered by many to be the most implant surgeries; “The Gates,” which prestigious honor in electronic media, focused on the artists Christo and Turner Classic Movies PEABODY akin to the Pulitzer Prize for print jour- Jeanne-Claude and their 24-year odyssey (Turner Broadcasting) Page 17 AWARDS nalism. For 2008, the Peabody judges of bureaucratic hoop-jumping to create Local Station Winners Where: Waldorf-Astoria have honored a wide variety of enter- their living art; and “Nanking,” which (KLAS-TV, Las Vegas; KMGH-TV, Denver; Hotel, New York tainment, news and information media. brought to light the history of a small Among this round of Peabody hon- group of Westerners who saved thou- WWL-TV, New Orleans) Page 18 When: May 18, 2009 orees, HBO won five awards, including sands of Chinese people during the 1937 Additional winner profiles can be Who: NBC’s Brian Williams one each for comedy series “Entourage” “Rape of Nanking” by Japanese invaders. found online at TVWeek.com. to host ceremony. and miniseries “John Adams,” based on CNN, PBS and the network news For a complete list of winners go to David McCullough’s bestselling biogra- divisions were honored by the Peabodys peabodys.uga.edu phy of America’s second president, pro- for their work in 2008 as well. ABC News duced by Tom Hanks’ Playtone Films. won for the medical drama “Hopkins,” In addition, three HBO documentary Continued on Page 18 TW MAIN 05-18-09 A 12 TVWEEK 5/14/2009 3:52 PM Page 1

12 May 18, 2009 TELEVISIONWEEK NEWSPRO

Nickelodeon ‘AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER’ By Allison J.Waldman Special to TelevisionWeek Nickelodeon was recognized with a Peabody Award for the anime-influ- enced children’s show “Avatar: The Last Air Bender.” “We were totally surprised,” said Michael Dante DiMartino, who co- created the series with Bryan Koniet- zko. “I never imagined ‘Avatar’ would receive such a high honor, and I’m HISTORIC Earl “the very proud of all the talented, hard- Pearl” Monroe, top right working people who came together to with the Winston-Salem make a show of very high quality.” State team, co-produced The series follows the adventures ESPN “Black Magic.” Right, the of protagonist Aang and his friends, Norfolk State Spartans who must save the world by defeating play Virginia Union. the Fire Lord and ending the destruc- ‘BLACK tive war with the Fire Nation. Mr. Konietzko said he is really looking forward to going to New York for the Peabody presentation with his MAGIC’ partner. However, there is a catch: By Elizabeth Jensen “Nickelodeon was very generous in Special to TelevisionWeek BALANCE Nickelodeon’s getting us out there to receive the In the process of researching a “Avatar: The Last Airbender” award, but we were told that only one lengthy history of basketball for gives—and earns—respect. of us is allowed to speak. … I guess the characters and their problems, ESPN, filmmaker (“Crazy Love”) and South Carolina for a decade, Mr. we’ll flip a coin or play some ping- relationships and goals have real sig- former PR man Dan Klores found Klores said he had always found his- pong to decide.” nificance. The reason so many fans on a daily basis.” himself becoming more interested in torically black colleges and universi- However they decide, they’ll do it are so passionate about the show is Nickelodeon’s viewers have the sports history of historically black ties fascinating, “because it was such respectfully and with honor, because that they see parts of their personali- embraced the “Avatar” adventures colleges and universities. an indication of separation.” that’s the essence of “Avatar.” ties in the characters and are able to and made the show a hit for Nick. When both sides decided not to go The film, which ESPN ran without “A big part of the Avatar world and relate to them. “Luckily for us, it seems like kids of forward with the basketball project, commercial interruption (“I can’t bear the characters who inhabit it has to “Also, the biggest theme in ‘Avatar’ varying ages, all over the world, have he said, they struck a deal instead for it; that break-up is horrible,” Mr. do with respect,” said Mr. DiMartino. is that of finding balance, both really found the universe to be a com- the four-hour “Black Magic,” which Klores said), traced the history of He thinks that was one reason the between nations and within oneself,” pelling one,” said Mr. Konietzko. the Peabody judges called an “unusu- African American basketball players Peabody committee honored the Mr. DiMartino added. “This is a uni- “Mike and I are deeply touched by all ally penetrating sports documentary.” and their coaches at the schools dur- series. “We don’t just think of the versal struggle that every nation and of the energy that fans put into A student of American history and ing the civil rights era, chronicling show as your typical cartoon. To us, every person in the world deals with expressing their love for the show.” ■ avid basketball player who lived in both the injustices committed in a segregated system and the schools’ contributions to the civil rights move- ment. NBC Olympics “These schools in the system are a critical component to our history, but they also represent something that the majority of people have no idea BEIJING OLYMPICS about whatsoever, not really: The schools, the African American family and the pursuits of education,” he OPENING CEREMONY said. “The film is about exclusion and By Hillary Atkin therefore invention.” Special to TelevisionWeek or and imagination Since making the film, Mr. Klores On Aug. 8, 2008, an estimated 2 that really resonat- has been fighting, with others, to get billion people worldwide watched ed on American tel- the Basketball Hall of Fame to open the televised spectacle of the evision,” said exec- its doors to players from the histori- Opening Ceremony for the Beijing utive producer Dick cally black schools, and, he said, “I Summer Olympics at the Chinese Ebersol. His vast think we will be successful.” stadium known as the Bird’s Nest. experience includes He and others also have lobbied The kickoff of the Summer Games having worked on Congress, so far with less success, to of the XXIX Olympiad was de- the 1968 and 1972 reopen an investigation into the 1968 signed by creative director Zhang Games while at Orangeburg massacre at South Car- Yimou, an acclaimed filmmaker. ABC Sports, and STUNNING Chinese film olina State University, in which three Bucky Gunts directed the event for executive produc- director Zhang Yimou staged young people were killed and 27 TV, anchored by NBC Sports and ing every Olympics since Barce- the Opening Ceremony of the injured when police fired on a group Olympics host Bob Costas and lona in 1992 in for NBC Sports. Beijing Olympics. protesting the segregation of a local “Today” co-host Matt Lauer. “Zhang Yimou decided more bowling alley. The little-known shoot- The critically acclaimed event, than a year before to let the prin- ours and wrote us ing was examined in “Black Magic.” which featured a cast of 15,000 cel- cipals of TV inside the tent, and a beautiful note The biggest impact of the film, Mr. ebrating the rich history of cen- met with Bucky Gunts and pro- saying how great it Klores said, was the rekindling of turies of Chinese culture, has added ducer David Neal 16 months had been to watch decades-old friendships. It brought a Peabody Award to its many acco- before,” Mr. Ebersol said. “They and see his vision him together with legendary coach lades. It incorporated a theatrical had models, and did walk- so totally cap- Ben Jobe, who, he said, “largely synchronized drum piece and other throughs. He was very open about tured,” Mr. Eber- because of the film” is now, well into stunning performances, fireworks, it and did the same for several sol added. “Word his 70s, a scout for the New York lights, colors, music and the Parade international broadcasters. But got out on the Knicks; there he works for President of Nations, and climaxed with the that night when it was over, he street in China Donnie Walsh, also featured in the dramatic lighting of the Olympic saw the [television] production that everyone documentary. cauldron. mounted in China, and he was wanted to see the American ver- nearly 50 years of televised Olympics, “It brought Donnie, myself and “Unquestionably, the Beijing heartsick. The feed in Europe he sion. It’s great to know our vision the network’s coverage in Beijing was Ben back together,” said Mr. Klores, Opening Ceremony was on so saw many hours later, and that was what they wanted.” the most viewed ever for a non-U.S. who has done another documentary many levels the most incredible— was equally disappointing. NBC attracted a record audience Summer Olympics, with nearly 70 for ESPN’s upcoming 30th-anniver- the richest in terms of texture, col- “But on Sunday morning he saw for the Opening Ceremony. In the million total viewers. ■ sary programming. ■ TW MAIN 05-18-09 A 13 TVWEEK 5/14/2009 3:54 PM Page 1

TELEVISIONWEEK May 18, 2009 13

HBO characters ly what they saw, but I’m happy went through with whatever made them decide some dra- to give us the Peabody.” matic The comic elements on ‘ENTOURAGE’ REAL FEEL HBO’s changes. “Entourage” also have become “Entourage” goes behind “I don’t more mature as the show progress- By Allison J.Waldman the scenes in Hollywood. like to guess es, veering away from the frat-boy TOUGH CHOICES Bryan Special to TelevisionWeek about what stories of earlier seasons. Cranston plays a meth- HBO received 2008 Peabody other people “When I started, I had never making science teacher in honors for both the miniseries Peabodys board as a “ picaresque are judging. I’m just glad that they done a TV show, and I was a lot AMC’s “Breaking Bad.” “John Adams” and the comedy serial about an ambitious male liked it. Last season was definitely a younger, too,” Mr. Ellin said. series “Entourage.” starlet, his posse of pals and his departure,” he said. Many of those early stories Doug Ellin, head writer and multi-faced agent”—is in produc- “It was our attempt to be more reflected executive producer Mark series creator of “Entourage,” will tion for its sixth season and will be dramatic, but in defense of our Wahlberg’s Hollywood success, AMC accept the Peabody for that series, back with new episodes in July. show, I think we’ve done a really since he was the inspiration for the created by Leverage and Closest to Mr. Ellin said he wasn’t sure if good job of showing the realism of Vincent Chase character. “The the Hole Productions in associa- the Peabody committee was specif- Hollywood and Los Angeles that show’s kind of matured along with tion with HBO Entertainment. ically citing “Entourage” for last hasn’t really been seen before,” Mr. me and the guys,” said Mr. Ellin. ‘BREAKING The series—praised by the season’s storylines, in which the Ellin said. “So I can’t speak to exact- “Hopefully, it’ll keep on going.” ■ BAD’ By Allison J.Waldman Special to TelevisionWeek In 2008, AMC won a Peabody Award for “Mad Men.” This year, the network’s other original drama series, “Breaking Bad,” has been recognized. The Peabody board cited the bleak, harrowing, sometimes improbably funny “Breaking Bad,” 2008 George Foster Peabody Winner the story of a mild-mannered, dying science teacher’s decision to secure his family’s future by cook- ing methamphetamine. “Breaking Bad” is a show that could be described as a slow earth- quake; people aren’t prepared for what it is, and when they watch it, Belo salutes the WWL-TV Investigative Team they’re knocked out of their seats. “That’s a great analogy,” said series star Bryan Cranston, who was offered his Emmy-winning role as in New Orleans Walter White because writer-creator Vince Gilligan had worked with him on “The X-Files.” Mr. Cranston got together with Mr. Gilligan, and a meeting that was supposed to take 20 minutes turned into 90 minutes as they built on each other’s ideas. Still, despite his enthusiasm for the project, Mr. Cranston wasn’t sure AMC was the right network. “I was dubious because they do movies. Were they serious about doing this series?” he said. “It was such a good script, and I didn’t want to put my heart into it and have them film three episodes and say, ‘That’s it, it’s over.’” He took the extraordinary step of calling for a meeting with Rob Sorcher, AMC’s VP of programming at the time, who let actions speak louder than words: He sent Mr. Cranston a DVD of the “Mad Men” pilot. “I called him back and said, ‘That’s it. I’m in,’” the actor said. AMC has committed to a third season of “Breaking Bad.” Still, Mr. Cranston hopes Mr. Gilligan will have enough time to fully tell Walter White’s story. “My main concern was that, because we’re in this fickle business of television, we don’t know if we’re going to be able to have the duration as it should be Chris Slaughter, Dominic Massa, Lee Zurik, Tom Moore, Bob Parkinson told. We have no guarantee that we’re going to have five or six years to tell this story, this journey of Walt’s … from a staid, normal guy who never got a traffic ticket to a drug-dealing criminal,” he said. With an Emmy and now a Peabody to show for their efforts, Belo Corp. l P. O. Box 655237 l Dallas, Texas 75265-5237 l www.belo.com “Breaking Bad” is likely to get the chance to tell the whole story. ■ TW MAIN 05-18-09 A 14 TVWEEK 5/14/2009 4:37 PM Page 1

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HBO ‘THE GATES’

By Elizabeth Jensen Special to TelevisionWeek HBO’s “The Gates” began life in 1979 when artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude approached New York City officials with their idea of installing orange fabric gates along 23 miles of Central Park paths. Film- maker brothers Al and David Maysles were there with their cam- eras when they were turned down. The 30 hours of raw footage got locked away until 24 years later, when the art installation finally came to life for 16 winter days in 2005. The film about the project and New Yorkers’ diverse reactions DEDICATION After 24 to it—directed by the brothers with years, Christo and Jeanne- Antonio Ferrera and Matthew Claude got New York City’s Prinzing—made its film festival Mr. Ferrara joked that in joining OK to install “The Gates.” REVISITED ABC News debut in 2007. the project in 2003 and spending returned to Johns Hopkins The Maysles, cinema verite pio- five years on it, he became like “Kaf- ABC News Hospital for “Hopkins,” neers, met Christo and Jeanne- ka’s gorilla,” adding, “I kind of feel to engage as many different types of a sequel of sorts to its Claude in France in 1963, Al Maysles like I was shanghaied.” The making sensibility with the camera as possi- “Hopkins 24/7.” recalled. (David Maysles died in of the film, which he called “an ble,” capturing the spectrum of col- ‘HOPKINS’ 1987.) “They saw a film we made incredible opportunity and chal- ors and light across the space of a nation’s top-ranked teaching hospi- (“Showman,” about Hollywood film lenge to realize the impossible,” day. In the end, he said, “It was just a By Hillary Atkin tals, from the emergency room to the distributor Joseph Levine) and they reflected “very much the same smidgen of the experience.” Special to TelevisionWeek locker room. thought and we thought, ‘We’re per- gauntlet that they went through and Still, he said, the film, which Not many broadcast networks They shot for four months and fect mates.’ It’s not about an artist at somehow they fed off each other.” played worldwide, achieved his devote six hours of primetime pro- came out with 1,500 hours of footage a canvas, it’s an artist in the real In filming New Yorkers’ experi- dream that it be “a great ambassa- gramming to a documentary series, that took a year to edit. world, and that’s what documentary ences with The Gates once they were dor for New York.” but for ABC News, the effort has paid “We all take patient-privacy train- is all about,” said Mr. Maysles, who up, his vision was to approximate a Sheila Nevins, HBO’s president of off in a Peabody Award for “Hopkins,” ing, learn about infectious diseases, went on to make a number of films symphony, the same term the artists documentary, saw it in similar terms. a cinéma vérité look inside Balti- go through security checks, get inoc- about the couple’s artworks (and has used for the installation, he noted. The film, she said, ended up being more’s Johns Hopkins Hospital that ulated, wear scrubs and go in and out talked to them about filming a In shooting and editing down 500 “about the love of New York. It made aired last summer. of neurosurgery, cardiac, psychiatry hoped-for future project in Dubai). hours of footage, he said, “I wanted me very patriotic about New York.” ■ “Hopkins” was actually a sequel of and, of course, emergency,” Mr. sorts: Ten years ago, the network did Wrong said. “We’re looking at it from a similar project entitled “Hopkins the point of view of the doctors and 24/7.” the patients. It’s pure fly-on-the-wall.” HBO After the decision was made to go In the 10 years since the original back inside the medical center to re- documentary series aired, the popu- examine the human side of modern larity of reality television has explod- medicine, a crew of 20, led by execu- ed. Meanwhile, fictional doctor ‘HEAR AND tive producer Terence Wrong, was shows like “Grey’s Anatomy” and given unprecedented, unescorted “House” proved the ongoing appeal access to every nook and cranny of of the genre. NOW’ the medical facility, one of the “Reality television came along By Elizabeth Jensen Special to TelevisionWeek Irene Taylor Brodsky learned just a few weeks beforehand that her par- HBO ents, in their 60s and both deaf all their lives, had decided to get cochlear ‘JOHN implants that had the potential to allow them to hear for the first time. “I don’t think they LISTENING Irene Taylor Brodsky, ADAMS’ saw it as this life-chang- above center, documented parents By Elizabeth Jensen ing, life-altering thing,” Paul and Sally’s cochlear implants Special to TelevisionWeek said Ms. Brodsky, who in “Hear and Now.” Over seven nights, ATTENTION TO saw it differently. She HBO Films and Tom DETAIL Paul Giamatti, turned the experience much to put herself, and her fears, Hanks’ production com- left, and David Morse into the Peabody into the film. Others convinced her pany Playtone told the in “John Adams.” Award-winning HBO she did need to be in the story, but, story—in rich detail, not- documentary “Hear and Now.” of the surgery. “I thought it was a real- she said, “You really only get enough ed the Peabody judges—of the U.S.’ As much love story as window ly enormous request,” she said. “They doses of me that I can tolerate.” second president, John Adams, and that Playtone had picked up the rights into what it means to be deaf, the thought it was me documenting just It was the first feature-length his wife, Abigail. to Mr. McCullough’s book after they film re-creates the couple’s life from another thing.” By the time of the film for Ms. Brodsky, a former pro- Directed by Tom Hooper and had been dropped elsewhere, he lob- 8mm and Super-8 family films, docu- operations, she said, she realized that ducer for “CBS Sunday Morning” based on historian David McCul- bied for a meeting. ments their intimate hopes for the an actual film was “totally at the point who lives in Portland, Ore. The film lough’s book about one of America’s There were three key elements in devices, and then takes viewers of no return.” brought her family closer, she said, founding fathers, the miniseries, star- their approach to the program, Mr. through their wonder in realizing Even at the most difficult times, but it also gave her a gift. ring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney, Ellis said. that waves make noise and the tears Ms. Brodsky said her mother never She delivered her first son just has won numerous awards, including One was that the project would of unrealized expectations. “It’s not a asked her to turn off the camera, two days after finishing the film, 13 Emmys, a record in its category. stay true to Mr. McCullough’s vision Hollywood ending,” she said, although once she did suggest that and later discovered that he has Kirk Ellis, “John Adams’” screen- of John Adams and the era. Mr. Ellis although “from a relationship stand- she was sick of the intrusiveness. And profound hearing loss. Hearing her writer, had previously worked with said he did secondary research in 60 point, it was a home run.” her parents, who had always taken parents’ stories for the film “has giv- Mr. Hanks developing a pilot for an books, but the project always came Ms. Brodsky, 38, eased her parents family films, turned out to be natural, en me the tools to cope with some- ABC series about cadets at West Point, back to Mr. McCullough’s “irascible into the idea of a film, first suggesting unselfconscious subjects. thing I just didn’t think I’d have, a a project that never got off the and very idiosyncratic” point of she just videotape them in advance Ms. Brodsky wasn’t sure how deaf kid,” she said. ■ ground. Mr. Ellis said when he heard view. Second was that the “18th cen- TW MAIN 05-18-09 A 15 TVWEEK 5/14/2009 4:29 PM Page 1

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ABC cliffhanger action in a genre-bend- for the show. In American TV, suc- ing series about a group of air-crash cessful series run until they’re no survivors on a mysterious island. longer successful, however long ‘LOST’ ‘Lost’ has rewritten the rules of tele- that is. However, “Getting to By Allison J.Waldman FANTASY ISLAND “Lost” is vision fiction.” announce an end date was the best Special to TelevisionWeek slowly unraveling its mysteries. Since “Lost” began, it has been a thing that could have happened for Since the moment it first water-cooler show. “We appreciate us,” said Mr. Cuse. “We had all this splashed into primetime in 2004, “Considering it was April 1, we the passion our fans have for our story and mythology but with no ABC’s drama “Lost” has been the were fairly certain this was a cruel show,” said Mr. Cuse. “We try to idea how long it had to last. As a epitome of a buzz-worthy, success- joke. But when it turned out to be make the best show we can every result, we found ourselves stalling.” ful TV show. It also has been an the truth, we were flabbergasted,” week, and we try to be bold, know- “‘Lost’ is an incredibly difficult award winner, snaring Emmys, Sat- said Mr. Lindelof. “In fact, we got ing that we risk swinging and miss- show to make in all respects, and urns, Golden Globes and now the the news from [ABC Entertainment ing sometimes. But we think the pretty much everyone who works Peabody. Group President] Steve McPher- thing that would let the fans down on the show has in a large part giv- Even though producers Damon son, who simply e-mailed, “Did the most is if we played it safe in our en his or her life over to it,” Mr. Lin- Lindelof and Carlton Cuse are well you just win an effing Peabody?” storytelling choices.” delof said. “To be acknowledged acquainted with winning, the news The Peabodys cited “Lost” for One innovative choice the with a Peabody for that hard work that the Peabody board had recog- “breezily mixing metaphysics, “Lost” creators made to satisfy and creative commitment is a really nized their show came as a shock. quantum physics, romance and viewers was to set a 2010 end date nice reward.” ■

and confused viewers about what ‘documentary’ means,” said Mr. Wrong. “What we do is pure documentary. You could see what we’re doing is about life and death, with trained people who are at the pin- nacle of their profession.” The series employed tech- niques that evolved in dramatic television, such as using an ensemble cast and interwoven storylines. Producers also were mindful of the fact that the show had to be commercially appeal- ing. “There has to be a major story arc to pull you through all six acts and to keep the audience coming back,” said Mr. Wrong, who is currently shooting a new medical documentary series for ABC News at three other hospitals. “All hospitals are war zones to a degree,” he said. “Thank God for all of the people willing to go into these medical professions that require such great sacrifice. It really changes your notion of medicine.” ■

tury would not look like a costume pageant.” And finally, “The British aren’t the bad guys. There’s a com- plexity of issues surrounding Adams,” and they didn’t want it to be the “usual black-and-white portrayal. “It was really important to establish that the people we meet in Boston aren’t Americans,” said Mr. Ellis, whose credits include ABC’s “Anne Frank.” “These are British Americans who face a very, very wrenching decision about whether to declare independence.” Of the rich detail praised by the Peabody judges, Mr. Ellis said, “We worked very hard to get the details right, to really give viewers a sense of what everyday life was like during the Revolution.” In the first few minutes, he noted, Adams comes home, takes off his wig and warms his bald head. Down to “wig eti- quette,” Mr. Ellis said, “All those details mattered to us, and were very important to David as well.” The team has already reunited for a follow-up project, an adapta- tion of Mr. McCullough’s “1776,” also for HBO. ■ TW MAIN 05-18-09 A 16 TVWEEK 5/14/2009 4:45 PM Page 1

16 May 18, 2009 TELEVISIONWEEK NEWSPRO

HBO Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust moved by the work of these West- of World War II.” erners who bonded with Chinese LOOKING BACK As part of a campaign to conquer refugees, created a safe zone and “Nanking” employs China in the late 1930s, the Japanese saved 200,000 people.” ‘NANKING’ historical footage to tell bombarded Nanking—then China’s The film intersperses harrowing its story of heroism. By Hillary Atkin capital—for months. When the city archival footage and chilling photo- Special to TelevisionWeek fell, Japanese soldiers went on a graphs with moving interviews from More than 70 years ago, a small ceived. In its cita- massive murder and rape rampage. Chinese survivors and testimony group of Westerners banded to- tion, the Peabody In the midst of the carnage, a from Japanese soldiers. The letters gether in a foreign country in a time board noted how group of Westerners established a and diaries of the Westerners are of war and were responsible for sav- the film depicted safety zone where thousands of Chi- read by actors including Woody Har- ing the lives of thousands of people. human decency nese found refuge. The Westerners, relson, Mariel Hemingway, Stephen Like the story of “Schindler’s List” rising to confront including university professors, mis- Dorff and Jurgen Prochnow. in Nazi Germany, these heroic human atrocity. sionaries, doctors, businessmen “Working on the film was a great actions, taking place during the Mr. Leonsis was and, surprisingly, even a Nazi risked experience for everyone involved,” Japanese invasion of Nanking, Chi- inspired to pro- their own lives to protect the civil- Mr. Leonsis said. “I ended up coin- na, in 1937, were unknown to the “Nanking,” a Ted Leonsis production duce his first film after reading of the ians from slaughter. ing the term ‘filmanthropy,’ using world at large for decades after they in association with HBO Documen- death of one of the participants and “I was just stunned by the under- film to shine a light on difficult sub- occurred. tary Films, can add a Peabody Award then doing research, including read- reporting of the inhumanity that jects and to activate discussion and For its telling of the story, to the list of accolades it has re- ing Iris Chang’s book “The Rape of occurred,” said Mr. Leonsis. “I was activism and donate dollars around a selected charity.” ■

CNN PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY COVERAGE By Elizabeth Jensen Special to TelevisionWeek CNN laid the groundwork for its 2008 election coverage back in 2005 budgeting meetings, when all it really knew was that there would be a wide open two-party race. The planning paid off, with the Peabody judges singling out the cable network’s primary campaign and debate coverage for an award. “With state-of-the-art technology and a small army of reporters, producers and analysts, CNN gave viewers unparalleled coverage of a historic presidential election process,” the judges said. The goal laid out in 2005 was “redefining political coverage” that had been largely unchanged for years, said Jonathan Klein, president of CNN U.S., who particularly drove his troops to keep new-media technology in mind. That led to the cre- ation of Wolf Blitzer’s “The Situation Room” in 2006, a candidate debate where the questions came in via YouTube and a panel of pundits from all political perspectives. The midterm 2006 election became CNN’s dress rehearsal for the look that would characterize it in 2008, turning its newsroom into the TW MAIN 05-18-09 A 17 TVWEEK 5/14/2009 4:43 PM Page 1

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“NBC Nightly News”

to be at war,” Mr. Engel. “I knew all these guys. Engel said. “It’s far There is a family bond, and it is ‘RICHARD ENGEL REPORTS: away, and people hard to comprehend how close here can ignore it. they are. They were devastated. DANGER ZONE NBC’s When you are there We were devastated.” TIP OF THE SPEAR’ Richard Engel reports seeing soldiers Mr. Engel went to the soldier’s from Afghanistan. dealing with the hometown and interviewed his By Hillary Atkin Tip of the Spear,” near the Pakistani border. terrain and the tragedy, you under- family. Sgt. John Pinch’s mother Special to TelevisionWeek a series of reports on “NBC Nightly “Under fire at times, the war stand what we’re up against.” wore half a locket, the other half of Richard Engel is one of the rare News” from the deadliest zone in correspondent and his team pro- Mr. Engel and his crew, videog- which was buried with her son. breed of electronic journalists who Afghanistan—and a follow-up from duced an extraordinary series of rapher Bredun Edwards and pro- “I am proudest of the fact that has spent nearly his entire career in the Lake Michigan hometown of a reports from remote outposts in ducer Madeleine Haeringer, were we handled it truthfully but war zones. His next tour of duty soldier who was killed there. Afghanistan, making vivid and vis- embedded with a command team respectfully,” Mr. Engel said. starts shortly in Pakistan, where he Mr. Engel’s reporting was done ceral the hardships and danger in the midst of a firefight when an “You’re nervous about how some- already has lined up a place to live during the waning days of the faced by American soldiers,” the American mortar accidentally one’s family is going to react. She in Islamabad. Bush administration in a treacher- Peabody board said in its citation. landed on a nearby safe house and thanked us, and said it was a trib- But for now, the NBC News cor- ous place known as the Valley of “The most important reason to killed a U.S. soldier. ute. You don’t want people to respondent is savoring the Peabody Death, the remote, mountainous do these kinds of stories is that peo- “We saw it and heard it, all the think you are taking advantage of Award for “Richard Engel Reports: Korengal Valley in Afghanistan, ple don’t understand what it means people screaming,” said Mr. them—but it is war.” ■

NBC ‘SNL’ POLITICAL

UNDERSERVED Uninsured SATIRE, 2008 people in Tennessee wait their turn for free medical care. By Allison J.Waldman tive producer Lorne Michaels. “It Special to TelevisionWeek was incredibly frustrating.” It’s likely that as many people That frustration fueled the writ- CBS News followed the 2008 election cam- ers, who sharpened their satire. paign through “Saturday Night Live” “When we came back on the air we as did by watching the evening sort of just exploded,” he said. “Tina news, cable channels or any other (Fey) did the first show back. It was ‘60 MINUTES: LIFELINE’ TV outlet. Whether it was guest the one where she dealt with By Allison J.Waldman were turned away at the gates just star Tina Fey’s dead-on Hillary Clinton versus Special to TelevisionWeek because there’s a limit to what RAM impression of vice presi- Obama, and that rever- In an unprecedented occur- can do on a given weekend. INNOVATING CNN’s “Magic Wall” and debate dential candidate berated and obviously rence, CBS News’ Scott Pelley has “RAM had been operating on a hosting helped land it a Sarah Palin or the hit a nerve. From that won a Peabody Award in two con- budget of about $200,000 a year,” Peabody Award. real Sen. Hillary Clin- point on, we really secutive years. said Mr. Pelley. “But now, they’re ton rubbing shoul- never looked back.” Mr. Pelley, a “60 Minutes” corre- expanding their work all over the ders with Amy While America spondent since 2004, was honored country. … They have taken every Poehler’s Sen. Clin- spent the spring and last year for “The Killings in dollar that they’ve gotten from ton, “Saturday Night summer focusing on Haditha.” This year, his “60 Min- being exposed to the nation via the Live’s” take on poli- Obama vs. McCain, utes” story “Lifeline” presented the broadcast and plowed that back tics was both hilari- DEAD RINGER Tina Fey “SNL” was gearing world of the uninsured and under- into the program and their work. ous and newsworthy. as Sarah Palin on “SNL.” up for the runup to insured in America. Mr. Pelley fol- “I have seen organizations like The Peabody the election. “The lowed a free-clinic mission, origi- this all around the world, in Africa Awards is recognizing NBC’s late- crowning moment for us was when nally designed for Third World and in Asia, providing emergency bustling election center, said David night comedy series for its political we came back on after the Republi- communities, that set up shop in medical relief,” he said. “To see one Bohrman, senior VP and Washing- satire, noting the show may have can Convention, when Sarah Palin Tennessee for a weekend and treat- of them here in the United States ton bureau chief, who found inspi- even swayed the election. was chosen as McCain’s running ed hundreds of patients. doing the same for my people, in a ration in CBS News’ Election Night For a show as topical as “SNL,” mate,” Mr. Michaels said. “It was a humbling experience situation that wasn’t a natural dis- 1956 coverage. He found John King’s it was logical the 2008 elections Ms. Fey’s resemblance to Gov. to see those people sleeping in their aster but a man-made disaster, was digital imaging “Magic Wall” at a would be a prime target of its Palin “was fortuitous…. It was one cars, hundreds of them, in the freez- very, very troubling.” military technology trade show; the comedy. But with the disruption of those things where people I didn’t ing cold of winter, overnight, just to When Mr. Pelley received the wall, which allowed Mr. King to of the writers strike, “SNL” had to know were e-mailing me to say, get a chance to see a doctor or a word that he had won the Peabody explain complex information in an short-circuit the primary season, ‘Wow, what a break. That’s so Tina dentist or some patient care,” said for the second year in a row, he was easily grasped way, “became sort of restarting its work after the party Fey,’” he said. “And Tina was hard at Mr. Pelley. “And heartbreaking at the stunned. “In fact, it was so unex- a co-star” of the coverage, he said. conventions. It was a tough task work on ‘30 Rock,’ she had no time, end of that weekend that the RAM pected that before I called the rest of Recognizing early on that much that actually invigorated the show. and we talked about it and it was [remote area medical] expedition the team to tell them, I called back of the election action would take “We were on with Obama in like, look, the audience voted. They has to wrap up, all the volunteers to make sure that it wasn’t an April place in 2007, Sam Feist, CNN’s VP of November (2007), and then we were were going to be disappointed if she have to go home, and still there are Fool’s joke. It was quite a surprise Washington-based programming off till February,” said “SNL” execu- was not ‘SNL’s’ Sarah Palin.” ■ a few hundred more people who and an honor as well.” ■ and political director, and his team spent hours on the phone with the candidates and parties lining up early debates, of which CNN ended up Turner Broadcasting System rhythm, particularly when you get with 10, starting in June of that year. into something like the Hitchcock One CNN Election night inno- catalog,” said Mr. Osborne. “His vation that didn’t quite work was its movies have a mood to them that is “hologram,” digital images of TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES destroyed if you cut them up for TV. reporter Jessica Yellin and guest By Allison J.Waldman Peabody board said. You lose the suspense.” Will.I.Am beamed into the studio. Special to TelevisionWeek “It’s like getting the MOVIE MEN TCM’s TCM also has been at the fore- The line between next-generation Turner Classic Movies celebrat- Pulitzer Prize in journal- Robert Osborne, left, front of finding and preserving coverage and gimmick is revealed ed 15 years on the air April 14, two ism, and what I think is with Alec Baldwin classic films in their rarely seen gems. “We have won- only in retrospect, Mr. Klein said. weeks after the news it was being so wonderful is that the original format, derful people who love movies “We’re going to be right far more honored with a Peabody Award as a entire channel was acknowl- uncut and commercial-free. and treat them like they’re chil- than we are wrong.” haven for film fans. edged,” said longtime TCM host Remaining ad-free hasn’t been dren, so they don’t want anything Mr. Bohrman is convinced that “It’s a wonderful network, this Robert Osborne. “I loved them easy, but TCM programmers mucked around with,” Mr. holograms are the future. “I’m con- dedicated presenter and preserver saying we received it for our pres- believe strongly in presenting films Osborne said. I’m very glad they vinced that in 15 to 20 years, it will of vintage films, and … no other in entation and for staying true to as originally seen in theaters. “We’re have that kind of mindset. I love be how television does remotes,” he the cable spectrum has stayed our original idea.” trying very hard to stick to that. A when we find movies that haven’t said. “There’s something there.” ■ truer to its original mission,” the TCM’s mission is to present movie is constructed with a certain been shown much on TV.” ■ TW MAIN 05-18-09 A 18 TVWEEK 5/14/2009 5:58 PM Page 1

18 May 18, 2009 TELEVISIONWEEK NEWSPRO

KMGH-TV, Denver emony. ESPN Films was honored for its documentary “Black Magic,” a PEABODYS look at the lives of African American Continued from Page 11 basketball players and their coaches ‘FAILING THE CHILDREN: in which the news department at historically black colleges and uni- went into Johns Hopkins’ operating versities during the civil rights era. rooms to reveal the human drama of For the second time in 34 years, real-life medical crises, while CNN’s NBC’s popular “Saturday Night DEADLY MISTAKES’ coverage of 2008 presidential pri- Live” earned a Peabody, this time By Allison J.Waldman As the probe continued, Mr. mary campaigns and debates was for its 2008 political satire. AMC fol- Special to TelevisionWeek Ferrugia, working with producers recognized for its use of state-of-the- lowed up last year’s Peabody Award While big-name network shows Tom Burke, Arthur Kane and art technology as well as the small for “Mad Men” by winning one for usually grab all the headlines for photojournalist/editor Jason Fos- army of reporters, producers and its drama series “Breaking Bad.” winning Peabody Awards, the ter, discovered gross incompe- analysts it employed. ABC also snared an award for its awards board also recognizes tence in the management of Den- PBS’ Gwen Ifill won a Peabody for mystical drama “Lost.” excellence on the local news level. ver’s Department of Human her work on “Washington Week,” the The Peabody Awards also recog- This year, Denver’s KMGH-TV won Services. D.C.-based political talk show that nized alternate media in 2009, its second Peabody in five years for “This kid had been coming to supplemented its contribution to the including YouTube.com and the New the story of Chandler Grafner, a 7- school without a coat in freezing national discourse in 2008 with a York Times Web site, NYTimes.com, year-old boy who died of starvation weather, and the school was calling. series of live events held outside the while at the same time singling out because of systemic incompetence Then he showed up with a huge Beltway. NBC war correspondent the innovation behind the “Metro- in Denver’s Department of Human bruise and he told his teachers that Richard Engel was recognized for politan Opera: Live in HD” series, Services. his father had hit him,” said Mr. Fer- “Tip of the Spear,” his reportage from which was broadcast live via satellite It was the TV station’s persistent rugia. “The police were called and the war in Afghanistan. to movie theaters around the world. investigation into Chandler’s plight he told the police what had hap- From the sports angle, the These winners and others will that led to a statewide story and pened, but then the story changed Peabody judges were impressed with be presented with their awards eventually uncovered 13 similar to he fell in the bathtub. Essentially, NBC’s larger-than-life coverage of the tonight at the Waldorf-Astoria deaths nationwide. Human Services dropped the ball. 2008 Beijing Olympics’ Opening Cer- hotel in New York. ■ John Ferrugia was the lead They didn’t believe him.” investigative reporter. “Initially, it When Chandler stopped show- TRAGEDY John was a story about a 7-year-old ing up at school, Human Services Ferrugia investigated who was found starved to death in claimed he was being home- a child’s death for Ferru- Denver’s KMGH-TV. a closet. This was in Denver, but it schooled. However, KMGH learned gia is happening in many cities. In our after the fact that management at said. SCAM? Lee Zurik, initial interview with his grand- Human Services had been lying. Winning the Peabody is an affir- left, looked into mother, she told us that Denver’s “Three weeks later, he’s dead. mation for Mr. Ferrugia and his the New Orleans Department of Human Services We found a pattern of incompe- colleagues, but not a reason to stop Affordable Home- had been involved, and we fol- tence in the Denver Department of working the story. “For us, the ownership program lowed up to find out what their Human Services. They didn’t follow Peabody says that we haven’t let for WWL-TV. involvement was. All the records up. That led to other deaths that we these kids down, that we’re on the were protected, so it became a uncovered. One supervisor had right track in terms of what we’re very difficult situation to figure signed off on three of these cases doing and the focus that we have out,” he said. where death had occurred,” Mr. for the community,” he said. ■

KLAS-TV, Las Vegas WWL-TV, New Orleans ‘CROSSFIRE: WATER, NOAH HOUSING POWER AND POLITICS’ By Hillary Atkin looked at a proposal that PROGRAM INVESTIGATION Special to TelevisionWeek would siphon billions of By Hillary Atkin Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin accused the For George Knapp, water is any- gallons of water to Las Special to TelevisionWeek CBS affiliate of hurting the hurricane thing but a dry subject. The chief Vegas from environmental- Anyone who thinks investigative recovery efforts and ordered Mr. Zurik investigative reporter for KLAS-TV in ly sensitive but politically reporting on the local station level is to stop looking into the issue. Las Vegas has been covering the weak rural Nevada coun- dead need look no further than WWL- “We looked at a new list that raised complex issues involving water sup- ties, as well as at concur- TV in New Orleans, which aired more even more questions,” said Mr. Zurik. ply for a rapidly growing metropolis rent plans to build three than 50 reports in one month about “Some of the work that city-hired for the past 10 years. massive coal-fired power fraud in a public agency tasked with contractors claimed they had done But with powerful forces at plants in the same areas. assisting poor and elderly residents had not been done. Some of the work—including the casino indus- Voices on all sides of the after Hurricane Katrina. homes didn’t exist. Contractors billed try, developers and the Southern controversial issues were Peabody-winning anchor-reporter for work that wasn’t done. As we dug Nevada Water Authority—in what heard—elected officials in Lee Zurik launched a probe instigated in deeper, we realized many contrac- Mr. Knapp called a “water grab,” the Las Vegas, the rural resi- by a tip from a community activist. It tors had ties to the head of the agency, amount of time in the newscast just dents, environmentalists, GETTING SOAKED? revealed that a multimillion-dollar her past business partners and the wasn’t enough. So the CBS affiliate scientists, ranchers, business own- KLAS’ series focused on program run by the nonprofit New mayor’s brother-in-law.” put on a one-hour special, “Cross- ers, energy executives, water experts water supply issues in Orleans Affordable Homeownership Within a week of the first report on Las Vegas. fire: Water, Power and Politics,” to and Native Americans. Their views program, or NOAH, may have been a July 21, 2008, the FBI, the U.S. Depart- dissect a costly new plan and, with were put into perspective by KLAS scheme to funnel money to unscrup- ment of Housing & Urban Develop- it, issues that affect nearly everyone political analyst Jon Ralston. filed lawsuits based on the effects ulous contractors connected to the ment and the New Orleans Inspector in the desert state. Just a few weeks ago, the Nevada on endangered species. Now that one-time head of the agency. General launched their own investi- The program, which has been state engineer put the 250- to 300- the administration has changed, NOAH gave $2 million in federal gations. A federal grand jury is now regularly updated and has aired mile-long water pipeline plan on the Endangered Species Act is and local government funds to con- looking into the situation. five times, is taking home a hold for at least two years. being enforced. tractors to demolish homes that were Ten days after Mayor Nagin’s news Peabody Award for what the board “We’d like to think we had a “It’s huge money, and huge damaged by the hurricane, the first conference, NOAH voted to suspend called “a brave, meticulous exami- small part in asking questions,” stakes to determine what kind of step in rehabilitating and rebuilding its operations. Five days after that, all nation of a plan to pipe massive said Mr. Knapp, who is also the growth Las Vegas is going to have. the houses. An investigation revealed of its employees were fired. The head amounts of water from rural Neva- senior producer of the station’s six- Our roads are clogged, the air is many properties where work was of the agency had quit her job a da to booming Sin City and the member investigative unit, one of dirty and there are water short- never performed, or other irregulari- month before the first WWL report. potential consequences for ranch- the largest in the nation. “Since it ages, but there are other solutions, ties that reeked of corruption. “We’re still looking into it,” said Mr. ers, farmers, Native Americans and aired, it has emboldened oppo- starting with enforcing conserva- The station’s stories were a light- Zurik, who got a huge viewer the environment.” nents, and environmental groups tion efforts, which isn’t being ning rod in the community from the response to his reports, each of which The in-depth examination have jumped in, making noise, and done,” he said. ■ start. After the first report, New ran five to seven minutes long. ■