Gabriel Awards given to communicators for media that shows ‘true’ humanity

Sister Rose Pacatte with David Hains, President of the Catholic Academy of Communications Professionals. Sister Rose won the 2017 Personal Achievement Award, sponsored by Family Theater Productions.
Photo courtesy of Family Theater Productions. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Awards presented at Catholic Media Conference in Quebec City

The “best of the best” were recognized at the Catholic Media Conference on June 22 in Quebec City, Canada. The 2017 Gabriel Awards honoring excellence in film, video, audio and internet were given at the Conference banquet to top producers, acknowledging outstanding artistic achievement in media that entertains and enriches with a true vision of humanity.

Sponsored by the Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals, the Gabriel Awards were started in 1965 and have been the premier awards program for media that uplifts the spirit for over five decades. This was the final time the Catholic Academy sponsored the event. The organization is merging with the Catholic Press Association, which will conduct the awards program next year.

Susan Wallace of Holy Cross Family Ministries, chair of the Gabriel Awards, with Bishop Robert Reed, President/CEO of iCatholic Media, Inc., the parent company of The CatholicTV Network, which won the Religious Television Station of the Year Award. Photo courtesy of Family Theater Productions. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

“Our goal is to recognize the best in creativity and programming that reflects the wonderful achievements of humanity,” said Susan Wallace, Chair of the Gabriel Awards. “Gabriel Award honorees are recognized as leaders in reaching out to audiences. The winners are communicators of truth and beauty.

“Entrants go through a selective process of preliminary screening and blue-ribbon judging, which includes judging in values, content, creativity, artistic quality, technical quality and impact. By maintaining high standards, the Gabriels reward media professionals for outstanding work that might otherwise not be recognized for its enrichment value.”

In addition, the Personal Achievement Award was presented during the Gabriel Awards. Sponsored by Family Theater Productions of Hollywood, this honor was given to Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP, a Daughter of St. Paul, a media literacy education specialist and founding director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies. She also is the film columnist for St. Anthony Messenger and National Catholic Reporter, reviews films for catechists and youth for RCL Benziger, hosts her own interview and review online show “The Industry with Sister Rose on the IN Network” and writes the “Sister Rose at the Movies” blog on Patheos.

Sister Rose Pacatte won the 2017 Personal Achievement Award, sponsored by Family Theater Productions. Photo courtesy of Family Theater Productions. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

[tweet "Personal Achievement #GabrielAward to @SrRoseMovies, presented by @FamilyTheater1"]

The 2017 Gabriel Award winners for the 2016 release year are:

RADIO

Arts, National or Local Release – "The Sunday Edition: The Meaningful Man" by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Documentary, National Release – “The Sunday Edition: Manjusha Meets Her Match” by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Documentary, Local Release – "A Loss of Innocence" by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and

"Kaddish" by Minnesota Public Radio

Short Feature, National Release – "The Sunday Edition: Dead Mom Talking” by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Short Feature, Local Release – "Unprisoned/With so many homeless caught up in the criminal

justice system, New Orleans holds court at a shelter" by WWNO/AIR, New Orleans, Louisiana

Religious, National Release – "David Rosa's Story" by Mary's Touch, Austin, Texas

Religious, Local Release – "Wineskins" by CTNY/Catholic Television Network of Youngstown, Ohio

News and Informational, National Release – "White Coat , Black Art – Validation Therapy: How to Reach the Person inside the Dementia" by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and "Out in the Open: Lethal Force" (Certificate of Merit) by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

News and Informational, Local Release - "Tunnel Deaths" by Nevada Public Radio

Single News Story Series, National or Local Release – “Our Mortal Lives: Confronting Death and Dying” by WCAI, The Cape and Islands NPR Station, and "As It Happens: Romeo Dallaire" (Certificate of Merit) by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Community Awareness and/or Public Service Announcements, National or Local Release – "10-24 Project" by WBVM Spirit FM 90.5, Tampa, Florida

Religious Radio Station of the Year – Spirit FM 90.5, "Faith Hope and Music," Tampa, Florida:

WBVM FM, Tampa, Florida

TELEVISION

Entertainment, National or Local Release – "Roots" by A+E Studios in assoc. with Marc Toberoff & The Wolper Organization for History, and "Born This Way" (Certificate of Merit) by Bunim-Murray Productions for A&E

Arts, National or Local Release – "Exhibitionists" by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

Documentary, National Release – "Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War" by Florentine Films, and "Jackie Robinson" (Certificate of Merit) by Florentine Films

Documentary, Local Release – "An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story" by Journey Films, and "Orphans of the Nile" by WDAY, Fargo, North Dakota

Short Feature, National Release – "60 Minutes: The Resurrection of St. Benedict's" by CBS News, and "Religion & Ethics Newsweekly: The Happening" (Certificate of Merit) by WNET, Washington, DC

Short Feature, Markets 1-25 – "A Heart for Al-J" by WRAL-TV, Raleigh, North Carolina, and "Bay Area Proud" (Certificate of Merit) by NBC Bay Area, California

Short Feature, Markets 26-Plus – "Angelica's Journey" by KTUU, Anchorage, Alaska

Children’s, National or Local Release – "TOMKIN: The Catholic Cowboy" by EWTN Global Catholic Network

Religious, National Release – "Works of Mercy" by Catholic Extension broadcast series

Religious...Local Release – "A Legacy of Love: Henriette Delille and the Sisters of the Holy Family" by WLAE-TV, New Orleans, Louisiana

Ecumenical and Interreligious, National or Local Release – "The Story of God with Morgan Freeman" by Revelations Entertainment/National Geographic

News & Informational, National Release – "60 Minutes: Breakthrough Status" by CBS News, and "The National: Common Ground" (Certificate of Merit) by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Television News

News & Informational, Local Release – "Land of 10,000 Stories" by KARE TV, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and "A World Away: Into the Heart of Africa" (Certificate of Merit) by KSL-TV, Salt Lake City, Utah

Single News Story Series, National or Local Release – "Hadhad Family Coverage" by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Nova Scotia

Community Awareness and/or PSA, National or Local Release – "New Hampshire Chronicle: Home at Last" by WMUR-TV, Manchester, New Hampshire

Religious Television Station of the Year – The CatholicTV Network, Watertown, Massachusetts

Secular Television Station of the Year – WCVB-TV, Boston, Massachusetts

SPANISH-LANGUAGE TELEVISION

Entertainment, National or Local Release – "Cristo Para Todos / Meme de tu Vida" by Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey

Religious, National or Local Release – "Las Mañanitas a La Virgen de Guadalupe" by Univision Communications, Miami, Florida

News/Informational, less than 15 mins., National or Local Release – "Bendicion Bajo La Carpa" (Blessing Under The Tarp) by Univision 34, KMEX, Los Angeles

News/Informational, longer than 15 mins., National or Local TV Release – "Noticias 23 Especial / Pequeños y Valiosos" (Young and Valuable) by Univision 23, WLTV, Doral, Florida

Community Awareness and/or PSA, National or Local Release – "Contigo En La Comunidad" by Univision 23, WLTV, Doral, Florida

NEW MEDIA

Internet Video, less than 10 mins. – "Paydo Family Video" by Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio

Facebook, Single Post – "Bridge of Song" by Minnesota Public Radio

Campaign of the Year – "A Year of Mercy" by Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri

FILM/DOCUMENTARY

"Sacred" by WNET, New York City, and "Before the Flood" by National Geographic

The prestigious Gabriel Awards are an important component of the Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals’ mission to proclaim the Good News. Since 1965, the Academy has rewarded media professionals for outstanding work that might otherwise not be recognized for its enrichment value.

At the end of this year, the Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals merges with the Catholic Press Association, thus ending its 50-plus years as sponsor of the Gabriel Awards. The CPA will sponsor the awards program in 2018.

For more information, go to www.GabrielAwards.org, www.CatholicAcademy.org or www.CatholicPress.org.