C-SPAN Networks, MTV and Time Warner Cable are the nominees for the Golden Beacon Award, the Association of Cable Communicators' highest honor.
ACC announced that C-SPAN's video library, MTV's "A Thin Line" and Time Warner Cable's "Connect a Million Minds" are its three nominees for the Golden Beacon, which will be bestowed at the group's Beacon Awards luncheon and ceremony on Sept. 16 at the Hilton New York. The ceremony is the concluding event of ACC's annual conference, "Forum 2010: Competition."
ACC's Golden Beacon Award recognizes a communications and public affairs initiative that has made an impact within the cable community, while enhancing industry's image nationwide.
C-SPAN's video library, MTV's A Thin Line and Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds are signature programs that, respectively, provide the public access to a comprehensive video archive of public affairs events since 1987; warn youth about the dangers of digital abuse and help combat it; and work to ensure that the next generation of Americans have the science, technology, engineering and math skills needed to secure the nation's future.
The 2009 Golden Beacon Award recognized Nickelodeon for its pro-social campaign, "The Big Green Help."
"The Golden Beacon is ACC's highest honor, presented each year to a single public affairs initiative that has a profound and lasting effect on the industry and the consumers and audiences we serve," said Jim Maiella, ACC president and vice president of media relations, cable and communications, Cablevision Systems Corp., in announcing the final nominees. "All three of these landmark undertakings pass this test, and we look forward to presenting our Golden Beacon to one of them at our annual Forum event next month in New York City as part of Cable Connections - Fall."
The C-SPAN video library is a free, searchable, online collection of every C-SPAN program aired since 1987 and furthers historical, educational, research and archival goals. The archives include more than 160,000 hours of searchable digital C-SPAN video that is easily clipped and shared courtesy of a flash player. A comprehensive search engine allows users to search by name, keyword, date, location and more. Launched on March 17 with an extensive media relations campaign, targeting new and traditional media alike, the opening of the video library generated 132 print, broadcast TV, radio, and online stories, robust social media buzz and increased traffic to the site.
A broad-based, multi-year campaign, MTV's A Thin Line empowers America's youth to identify, respond to, and stop the spread of digital abuse. Digital abuse is an emerging issue that includes behaviors like sexting, cyber-bullying and digital dating abuse, which affect a large number of young people today. The campaign's hub is its Web site, www.athinline.org, which houses a variety of resources, quizzes and applications purpose-built to raise awareness and address digital abuse's viral spread. The site integrates with the campaign's social media presence and mobile devices. Another feature of the campaign: a suite of thought-provoking PSAs that address a wide range of digital behaviors and raise awareness of the potential consequences.
Last year, Time Warner Cable refocused its philanthropic efforts around science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The result: Connect a Million Minds, a $100 million cash and in-kind effort to engage the MSO's customers, employees and nonprofit partners to address a critical community need -- ensuring that today's youth gain the STEM skills they need to become tomorrow's problem solvers. CAMM includes national and local partnerships supporting relevant programs, an interactive Web site where customers connect youth and share experiences, a Time Warner Cable-branded, interactive STEM curricula and focused employee volunteerism. To date, consumers have pledged to connect more than 200,000 youth to various STEM opportunities.
