20th Award Ceremony — RIAS RADIO, TV, AND NEW MEDIA AWARDS 2014
May 25, 2014
Breakfast Reception and Award Ceremony on Sunday morning, May 25, 2014, Ritz Carlton Hotel, Grand Ballroom, Potsdamer Platz 3, Berlin.
The awards were presented by Dr. Melinda Crane, member of the RIAS BERLIN COMMISSION. Guests of Honor and Keynote Speakers of the evening were H.E. Ambassador John B. Emerson, Honorary Chairman of the RIAS BERLIN COMMISSION and Kulturstaatsministerin Prof. Monika Grütters, Honorary Chairwoman of the RIAS BERLIN COMMISSION.
THE AWARD WINNERS
1st TV Award
John Goetz, Niklas Schenck, Christian Fuchs
Der geheime Krieg (ARD Panorama)
This first person narrative asks how much Germans know about their own country’s part in the war on terrorism. In an odyssey by turns funny, poignant and disturbing, John Goetz and his team visit sites allegedly linked to remote control warfare and data exchange and explore the limits of transparency. Humor and irony help hold interest in complex material that raises important questions about security cooperation and the widespread assumption that Germany can abstain from involvement.
2nd TV Award
Beate Höbermann, Christian Dezer
Die Schattenmacht — the dubious system of the Rating Agencies (ZDF Zoom)
This Feature takes a disturbing and compelling look at the way that ratings agencies wielding power devoid of responsibility influence our savings, our pensions, our paychecks. Filming for ZDF Zoom on both sides of the Atlantic, from Friesland to Frankfurt to Manhattan, Beate Höbermann und Christian Dezer penetrate beyond the gleaming facades of the banking towers to expose the arbitrariness of rating designations and reveal the gaming at the heart of the system.
2nd TV Award
Philippe Levasseur
Broken Dreams — America’s middle class is fighting for survival (WDR)
WDR correspondent Philippe Levasseur spent six months with men and women who lost their jobs and houses in the maelstrom of the financial crisis and now work at Disneyworld. Motels built to house tourists serve as modern day tenements, entire families crowd into single rooms in the shadow of an opulent playland they could never afford to visit. A deeply painful and moving look at those on the losing side of casino capitalism.
1st Radio Award
Christian Blees
The Myth of JFK — Life and death of John F. Kennedy (WDR 5)
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, this feature provides a fascinating view of the events in Dallas with a lot of moving and exciting interviews of eyewitnesses and experts. Some of these interviews, e.g. with a nurse or a local reporter have never been heard before in Germany. The award-winning author analyzes Kennedy’s reason for this trip and describes the discussion of civil rights for African-Americans, which was started by a very emotional Kennedy speech in June 1963 and had caused some irritations among southern Democrats. Riveting from beginning to end this feature tells an old story ….. completely new.
2nd Radio Award
Clemens Verenkotte
I have a Dream — Has President Obama fulfilled Martin Luther King’s Dream? (Bayern 2)
When Martin Luther King delivered his legendary speech in 1963, even optimists could not imagine an African-American president in the White House. But was Martin Luther King’s dream at least partly fulfilled under the presidency of Barack Obama? This question is discussed by Clemens Verenkotte’s very differentiated and sceptical analysis. He describes the challenges and obstacles President Obama faces today, but also shows that a lot of progress has been made.