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KCET Receives Most Awards of Any Station at Golden Mike Awards

Movie cameras at March Field in Riverside, CA, c. 1937 | Courtesy of Dick Whittington BSM
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The Public Media Group of Southern California has been honored by the Radio and Television News Association of Southern California with a total of nine Golden Mike awards, the most of any station in the region. 

The KCET original series "Blue Sky Metropolis" was recognized for Best Documentary and labor documentary "NightShift" was honored for "Best Light News Series Reporting." Two other KCET original programs, "Artbound" and "Tending Nature," were awarded Best Entertainment Reporting for the “How Sweet the Sound: Gospel in Los Angeles” and Best Videography, Feature Story/Series/Special for “Protecting the Coast with the Tolowa Dee-ni.”

KCET’s Emmy Award-winning weekly half-hour news documentary series "SoCal Connected" won the Golden Mike for Best Individual Writing and Best Videography, Hard News Story/Series/Special. In total, the series earned five awards this year that include three other original episodes.

The 70th Golden Mike Awards were presented on Saturday, February 15, 2020 at the RTNA Golden Mike Awards Dinner at the Universal Hilton in Universal City, California. 

Full list of honorees below: 

Best Individual Writing

KCET SoCal Connected "The New Normal" explores the debates around what to do, who will pay for billions of dollars in damage and what can be done to lessen the destruction as California adjusts to its new normal: year-around fire.

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California's wildfires are more severe and deadlier than ever before. Debates are raging as to what to do, who will pay for billions of dollars in damage and what can be done to lessen the destruction as California adjusts to its new normal: year-around fire.
S9 E8: The New Normal

Best Documentary

KCET "Blue Sky Metropolis" is the untold story of how aerospace was central to the growth of California and its emergence as an economic power. 

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Nice weather attracted them but so did a climate friendly to dreamers, risk takers and entrepreneurs. Amelia Earhart learned to fly here, becoming only the 16th woman in the world to earn a pilot’s license, succeeding in an industry dominated by men.
S1 E1: Wings - Aviation Takes Flight in Early Los Angeles Preview

Best Light News Series Reporting

KCET "Nightshift" is a documentary that immerses viewers in the diverse experiences of five night shift workers over the course of a single night and a day, showing what each of them does to keep the 24-hour economy running. See the story of one of the workers, Veronica.

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A night custodian at one of L.A.’s downtown skyscrapers, Veronica is one of the many anonymous faces that clean up office cubicles once the daytime shift ends for the rest of us. An immigrant from El Salvador, Veronica finds peace and quiet at night, but also, at times, danger. Learn more about her discomfiting experience with sexual harassment on the job, and how she spends her time off during the day doing advocacy work to help other women like her defend themselves verbally and physically.
Veronica: Custodian

Best Serious Feature Reporting

KCET SoCal Connected "Out of Bounds" documents the life and times of Dorsey High's Antonio Carrion, one of the nation's top high school athletes, but instead became the poster child for what's wrong with L.A.'s mental health system.

One of the nation's top high school athletes was on a path to the NFL, but instead became the poster child for what's wrong with L.A.'s mental Health system. SoCal Connected documents the life and times of Dorsey High's Antonio Carrion.
Out of Bounds

Best Entertainment Reporting

KCET Artbound "How Sweet the Sound: Gospel in Los Angeles" explores the impact of Los Angeles on gospel music.

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Gospel music would not be what it is today if not for the impact left by Los Angeles in the late 60’s and early 70’s, a time defined by political movements across the country. Artists like James Cleveland and Aretha Franklin captured live recordings of the church experience of South Central and the voices and sentiment of the people coming together to give birth to a new gospel sound and the election of LA’s first black mayor, Tom Bradley.
S10 E4: How Sweet the Sound - Gospel in Los Angeles

Best Medical and Science Reporting

KCET SoCal Connected "Blood Money" looks at the profiteering behind two of America's fastest growing diseases affecting millions of Californians.

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A look at the profiteering behind two of America's fastest growing diseases affecting millions of Californians.
S9 E4: Blood Money

Best Videography, Hard News Story/Series/Special

KCET SoCal Connected "The New Normal"

socalconnected_s9_e8_thenewnormal_s4.jpg
California's wildfires are more severe and deadlier than ever before. Debates are raging as to what to do, who will pay for billions of dollars in damage and what can be done to lessen the destruction as California adjusts to its new normal: year-around fire.
S9 E8: The New Normal

Best Videography, Feature Story/Series/Special

KCET Tending Nature "Protecting the Coast with the Tolowa Dee-ni" journeys to the Smith River near the Oregon border to discover how the Tolowa Dee-ni’ are reviving traditional harvesting of shellfish, and in the process, working with state agencies to monitor toxicity levels and redefine the human role in managing marine protected areas.

Best Internet News Reporting

KCET SoCal Connected "Behind the L.A. Teachers' Strike" explores the events that led up to Los Angeles educators going up in arms, leaving elementary, middle and high schools without formal instruction until further notice.

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Today many California coastal ecosystems are under threat from human caused toxification of our oceans caused by industrial and residential development. This episode journeys to the Smith River near the Oregon border to discover how the Tolowa Dee-Ni' are reviving traditional harvesting of shellfish such as mussels, and in the process, working with state agencies to monitor toxicity levels and redefine the human role in managing marine protected areas.
S1 E1: Protecting the Coast with the Tolowa Dee-Ni'

Top Image: Onlookers at 1910 Los Angeles International Air Meet | Courtesy of the Huntington Library

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