PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: FINDING EXCELLENCE IN MEDIA WITH THE PEABODY AWARDS {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented at The Paley Center for Media in New York. This evening honors the 2013 recipients of the George Foster Peabody Awards for excellence in radio and television broadcasting. Host Pat Mitchell (president and CEO, The Paley Center for Media/New York) offers opening remarks and ponders the true definition of "excellence," and then introduces a video montage highlighting various important moments in the Peabody Awards' long history. Clips shown include Mitchell and Jeremy Isaacs' acceptance of the award for the miniseries "Cold War" (1998); Charlayne Hunter-Gault's acceptance of the award for "Apartheid's People" (1985); scenes from "The Wire" and David Simon's acceptance speech for same (2003); and Michael Schuur's acceptance speech for "Parks and Recreation" (2011).
After the clips, Mitchell moderates the following panelists: Horace Newcomb (director, Peabody Awards); Hunter-Gault ("The News Hour with Jim Lehrer"); Simon (executive producer/writer/creator, "The Wire," "Treme" and others); and Amy Poehler (writer/producer/cast member, "Parks and Recreation" and "Saturday Night Live").
The panelists touch on such topics as: how the awards define "excellence on its own terms" and eschew specific categories; Newcomb's explanation of how a panel of fifteen examines a thousand entries and unanimously decides on the recipients through "frank and direct discussion"; board member Hunter-Gault's interest in "news that can be used"; Simon's sense of the "real currency" of the Peabody Awards, unlike general critics' praise or high ratings for a show; Poehler's opinions on "important" comedy and the hard work of creating a weekly series; her experience joining the cast of "Saturday Night Live" shortly after 9/11 and the sense at the time that "comedy is over"; the slow acceptance of television comedy as a legitimate medium; Newcomb's description of the Peabody board's frequent disagreements over which programs to award; the importance of gut instinct and natural emotional response in selecting a winner; Simon's repeated use of dialogue from "The Wild Bunch" (1969) in "The Wire" as an homage; the importance of authenticity and respecting real-life people's experiences in fiction; the common "misdemeanor" in television writing of not giving the characters different, distinctive voices; Simon's explanation of the "linear struggle" of drama writing, compared to the more unpredictable success of comedy; the necessity of comedy in the face of human morality; and the "social purpose" of comedy, with reference to the racially-themed series "D.L. Hughley: The Endangered List."
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics among others: whether courage is relevant or necessary to excellence; the need for discipline and consistent hard work despite one's circumstances; Simon's work as a reporter and inspiration from the frequently "underestimated" Homer Bigart; Simon's interest in hiring prose writers for his show to enhance their narrative quality; the commonplace nature of real-life violence as reported on television and why people are no longer "astonished" by it; the strict vetting process in determining an entry's funding and sponsorship background; the relative quality of local news, with comparisons to free and unprofessional online content; recent societal shifts in types of media consumption and the "exhausting" nature of social media; the need for subscriptions as a revenue stream for cable programs like "The Wire," as the networks do not feature advertisements; Simon's sense of the current "contempt for copyright"; Newcomb's sense that the Peabody Awards set the standard for excellence, and his hopes that they will inspire others to create high-quality programs; debate about the so-called "golden age" of television; the challenge to journalists to "just do their job" when reporting shocking and upsetting news stories; Hunter-Gault's "troubled" reaction to current television news and the need for journalists to "hold the line" of integrity and to aggressively pursue tough questions. Mitchell closes the evening with a quote from Aristotle suggesting that excellence is "not an act but a habit."
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: May 16, 2013 6:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:53:30
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 110750
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: African-American Collection - News/Talk
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Pat Mitchell … Host
- Horace Newcomb … Panelist
- Charlayne Hunter-Gault … Panelist
- David Simon … Panelist
- Amy Poehler … Panelist
- Aristotle
- Homer Bigart
- Jeremy Isaacs
- Michael Schuur