1990 duPont-Columbia Award Winners
In a special program, the duPont-Columbia University Awards announced 1 Gold Baton recipient and 10 additional winners.
GOLD BATON - Frontline & WGBH-TV for Five Outstanding Programs
In the 1988-89 season, Frontline's excellence was extraordinary on five counts, each deserving of mention. All are hour-long, except for "The Choice," which is two hours.
"Remember My Lai" explores the continuing impact of the 1968 massacre on both the Vietnamese villagers and the American soldiers who took part. The program is a stunning historical essay on the legacy of war.
"The Spy Who Broke the Code" is a fascinating account of the Walker family, who sold U.S. military and intelligence codes to the Soviet Union for 18 years. It includes chilling exclusive interviews with John Walker Jr. in federal prison and with his best friend and co-spy, Jerry Whitworth.
"Who Profits from Drugs?" recounts the story of Operation Man, a federal investigation into the most respectable lawyers in American society to find the new breed of front men for drug money - the bankers, lawyers, tax accountants, businessmen and government officials who launder money through legitimate and sometimes even prestigious businesses.
"The Choice" is a probing biographical examination of the lives and character of the 1988 Presidential candidates George Bush and Michael Dukakis. Produced in association with Time magazine and aired two weeks before the election, it combined historical footage, home movies and interviews with those who knew the candidates best --friends, relatives, childhood sweethearts-- to stand out among the finest campaign coverage of the election.
"Children of the Night," produced by KQED in San Francisco for "Frontline," chronicles the life and death of a white middle-class boy who lived on the streets of San Francisco as a male prostitute.
The Koppel Report: Tragedy at Tiananmen, The Untold Story - ABC News
On June 27, well after martial law was imposed, Ted Koppel recapitulated the turmoil in China with extraordinary detail, insight and emotional impact.
Other People's Money - Byron Harris & WFAA-TV
Investigative reporter Byron Harris and his station led the way in covering the Savings and Loan failures beginning in 1987 and culminating in this outstanding hour-long report.
Coverage of China - CBS News
By sending so many of its senior journalists to China and devoting so much of its regular news programming to coverage of the unfolding crisis, from summit to suppression, CBS News supplied its radio and television audiences with outstanding coverage.
Coverage of China - CNN
For recognizing the story early and staying with it well after the Chinese government stopped satellite transmission of their pictures, CNN's coverage was an exceptional public service.
Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land - Gardner Films & WETA-TV
Based on David K. Shipler’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, this two-hour documentary stunningly translates history and emotion into a documentary account of the stalemate between Palestinians and Jews in Israel.
“For the Sake of Appearances,” and “Expecting Miracles” - KCET-TV
"Expecting Miracles," followed four California couples through the agonies of accepting and trying to overcome infertility.
"For the Sake of Appearances" reported on abuses in the practice of cosmetic surgery in Southern California.
On Our Own Land - Kentucky Educational Television
This half-hour documentary about a campaign by a group of Kentucky landowners against an old form of mining rights is an excellent example of responsible advocacy journalism.
Other Faces of AIDS - Maryland Public Television
This hour-long documentary focused on the disproportionate impact of AIDS on black and Hispanic populations, and carefully explored the reasons behind the disparity.
The Best Insurance Commissioner Money Can Buy - WBRZ
This report shows the consistently strong commitment of WBRZ to uncovering administrative corruption in Louisiana. John Camp dissected the contributions behind the election of Richard Green, who promised to end corruption in the insurance industry if elected state insurance commissioner.
Crack Crisis: A Cry for Action | WJXT
WJXT traced the root of Jacksonville’s crack epidemic to South America and examined the extent to which crack dominates the criminal life of that country's own community--especially among the young.