WAVE 3 TV in Louisville, Kentucky, won the Media Eclipse Award for Local
Television for its pre- and post-race coverage of this year’s Kentucky Derby
(G1) at Churchill Downs. The station devoted 11 1/2 hours of coverage, providing
viewers with live racing, news features, celebrity and racing personality
interviews, and a one-hour post race program. The NBC affiliate won the Media
Eclipse Award for Local Television in 2004. Among the members of the production
team were producer Caroline Dickie and director Brian Reeves.
“We are extremely excited about winning the Eclipse Award for the second
consecutive year,” said Dan Foos, executive producer of WAVE 3 TV. “Our coverage
of horse racing isn’t just a job; it’s a part of life in this city. We believe
in balancing our Derby broadcast with knowledgeable reporting for the hard-core
fan and to educate the novice who is unfamiliar with the sport.”
Judges for the Local Television category were Jack Coffey of Eclipse
Productions, Stu Kirshenbaum of Oak Street Films and independent film producer
Fritz Mitchell.
Sirius Satellite Radio won the Media Eclipse Award in the Audio and
Multi-Media Internet category for its live coverage of the 2005 Breeders’ Cup
World Thoroughbred Championships from Belmont Park.
In the first ever national live radio broadcast of all eight Breeders’ Cup
races, Sirius devoted eight hours of coverage on Sirius Channel 125, led by
co-hosts Dave Johnson and Bill Finley, who were joined by reporters Caton Bredar
and Mitch Levites, and analysts Dave Grening, Dick Jerardi, Jay Privman, Gary
Selby, Mark Johnson, Nick Smith and Simon Clare.
Honorable mention in the Audio and Multi-Media Internet category went to WBAL
Radio in Baltimore for “Baltimore’s Last Preakness?” produced by Mark Miller and
Mike Wellbrock about the future of racing in Maryland.
Judges for the Audio and Multi-Media Internet category were Jim Militello of
Associated Press Radio; Brian Rublein, former news director of WHAS Radio in
Louisville; and Mike Farrell, racing journalist and former UPI Radio reporter.
The 2005 Eclipse Award ceremony will be held January 23 at the Regent Beverly
Wilshire in Beverly Hills, California.