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KCET's weekly news show racked up another honor, a silver baton from the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards in broadcast journalism. "SoCal Connected" won for reports that "showcased television journalism at its best in these three stories."
In the series of reports “Up in Smoke”, “Cannabis Cowboys”, and “The Doctor Is In,” a team of reporters exposed the rapid, and often illegal growth of medical marijuana shops in Los Angeles with thorough sourcing, excellent writing and strong production. In “CalOSHA,” a stunning six-month investigation, another team revealed negligence and fraud by a state agency mandated to protect workers by tracking down documents, finding victims and talking to officials on the record. And in “Hung Out to Dry,” a national issue was brought down to a local level with clear, thorough and well produced reporting that brought change to the community.
The team winners are listed as John Larson, Steve Lopez, Judy Muller, Vince Gonzales, reporters; Karen Foshay, Rick Wilkinson, producers; Val Zavala, anchor; Justine Schmidt, senior producer; Linda Burns, supervising producer; Alexandria Gales, Lata Pandya, associate producers; Alberto Arce, Michael Bloecher, editors; Robert Vega, graphics; Steve Proffitt, web producer; Brian Frank, web associate producer; Bret Marcus, executive producer.
Alicia Patterson winner: Jocelyn Stewart, a freelance writer in Los Angeles who used to be a reporter at the L.A. Times, won a coveted Alicia Patterson Fellowship. She'll be studying and writing about racial segregation in recreation facilities and beaches.