wfn.org | Religious Communicators Present Annual Awards

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

CONTACT: 	Tim Tanton
(10-71B){170}
		Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5473		 March 24, 1998 

ABC nets trio of honors from RPRC
in annual media awards competition

	NEW YORK (UMNS) -- The ABC television network is taking home a
trinity of trophies in the Religious Public Relations Council's 47th
annual Wilbur Awards competition.
ABC swept three of three categories, getting top honors in the drama and
comedy categories for "Nothing Sacred" and "Home Improvement." It also
won in the TV news category for "Tornadoes: Acts of God?" a "World News
Tonight Sunday" segment by correspondent Peggy Wehmeyer and produced by
Claudia Rader.
	The Wilbur Awards are presented annually to secular media
organizations for the best work that communicates religious values and
themes, said David B. Smith, the national coordinator for the
competition on RPRC's behalf.
The winners are chosen by juries of public relations and communications
professionals from RPRC chapters around the country. RPRC is an
interfaith organization with more than 500 members.
Each winner will receive a stained-glass trophy at an awards banquet on
April 25. The award is named for Marvin Wilbur, who was the executive
director of RPRC for almost 40 years. 
Best theatrical film of the year was October Films' "The Apostle,"
written, produced and directed by Robert Duvall, who played the lead
role.
	The winners in other categories:
*	Newspapers - top national market: Dallas Morning News, for "The
Peacemaker" by Christine Wicker.
		*	Newspapers - other markets: Pensacola (Fla.)
News Journal, for "Religion and Homosexuality" by Alice Crann; the
Anniston (Ala.) Star, for "God . . . and Humankind In Our State of
Belief," by Laura Tutor.
		*	Newspapers - column: The Deseret (Utah) News for
Jerry Johnston's weekly religion columns.
		*	Newspapers - religion section: The St. Paul
Pioneer Press' section by Don Effenberger.
		*	Magazines - national: Life -- winning for the
third year in a row -- for "A Church for the 21st Century" by Kenneth
Miller.
		*	Magazines - local: The Washingtonian for "I
Believe," edited by Howard Means.
		*	Books: Jonathan Kwitny's Man of the Century: The
Life and Times of Pope John Paul II, published by Henry Holt and Co.
		*	Editorial cartoon/comic strip: "Betty" by
Rasmussen & Dalaney, distributed by United Media.
		*	TV film: Showtime Network's "Rescuers: Stories
of Courage, Two Women," produced by Jeff Freilich.
		*	TV documentary: "Affluenza" by John deGraaf and
Vivia Boe, distributed by Bullfrog Films.
		*	TV public service announcement: "A Message of
Hope," done as a pro bono project by The Hughes Group, a St. Louis media
firm, in cooperation with The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
		*	TV children's program: "Adventures From the Book
of Virtues: Faith" by Sam McKendry and Porchlight Entertainment in Los
Angeles.
		*	Radio program: "Metro Connection: Christmas" by
Kathy Merritt for WAMU-FM in Washington, D.C.
RPRC received more than 150 entries in this year's competition, said
Shirley Whipple Struchen, national president of the organization and
producer with United Methodist Communications. 
"This was larger than we've had in previous years," she said.
Choosing winners was often difficult, she said. For example, "Seventh
Heaven" ran a very close second in the TV drama category, she said.
Other strong entries were made for "Ally McBeal," "Chicago Hope," "The
Practice," "NYPD Blue," "Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman," "Brooklyn South"
and "Party of Five."
"Over and over, the (winners) thank us for lifting up their very
positive work and have found that it helps them in their job," Struchen
said. Sometimes the reporter can show the award to an editor as a
validation of work that reflects religious values, she said.
The Wilbur Awards banquet will be held during the RPRC's April 23-25
national convention in Louisville, Ky.
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