KCETs Web Documentary Series, Departures Awarded Prestigious Japan Foundation Presidents Prize for Educatinoal Media

KCETS WEB DOCUMENTARY SERIES, DEPARTURES AWARDED PRESTIGIOUS

JAPAN FOUNDATION PRESIDENTS PRIZE FOR EDUCATIONAL MEDIA

The Groundbreaking Online Series Honored for Outstanding Educational

Web Site for Innovative Media

Los Angeles - October 28, 2011 - KCET, the nations largest independent public television station serving Southern and Central California, is pleased to announce that today its online documentary series Departures was awarded the prestigious Japan Foundation Presidents Prize by the Japan Prize International Contest for Educational Media for innovation in media.

The Japan Prize was established in 1965 by NHK as an International Educational Program Contest that aims to improve the quality of educational programs around the world, as well as contribute to the development and fostering of international understanding and cooperation.

Receiving recognition for its 360-degree people-centric experience, KCETs Departures was awarded the prestigious Japan Foundation Presidents Prize for an excellent work that encourages mutual understanding among nations and races, or contributes to cultural change.

Since its debut in 2009, Departures has served as a central nexus for sharing, commenting, collaborating, and finding ways for residents to be involved in their communities. Departures fosters relationships between cultures offline and on by engaging community residents, non-profit organizations, schools and students in the creation and procurement of relevant and relatable content for the series.

We are honored that Departures is being recognized internationally for its efforts to help our community appreciate and engage with other cultures through visually dynamic and enlightening experiences, said Juan Devis, executive producer of Departures.

The Japan Foundation Presidents Prize is just one of several awards Departures has won, including honors at the National Arts Journalism Summit, the Summit Creative Awards, and the ADDY Creative Show Award to name a few. For more information on Departures visit kcet.org.

About KCET

On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays a vital role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central California. KCET currently produces the Emmy , duPont-Columbia and Peabody Award-winning SoCal Connected, a hard-hitting prime-time weekly television news program that examines the issues and people of Southern California. Throughout its 47-year history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality educational family and childrens programs, its outreach and community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported community institution. More than half of the funds raised to support KCETs operating budget come from individual support. For additional information about KCET productions, Web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org.

About KCET Departures

KCET Departures provides a 360 people-centric experience; is participatory in nature; and serves as a central nexus in people sharing, commenting, collaborating, and finding ways to be involved in their communities. These relationships are fostered offline and on by engaging community residents, non-profit organizations, schools and students, in the creation and procurement of relevant and relatable content. From development to production, the neighborhood and its community (the stake holders) are involved in the process of production, resulting in a tight knit between the aspirations of the local community and the station. Departures is a participatory platform, a series, and a network where people can convene information and ideas about our city and its people, and engage in the interpretation of the city that we live in. Departures is funded by The Boeing Company, California Council for the Humanities and the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.

About Japan Prize

The JAPAN PRIZE was established in 1965 by NHK as International Educational Program Contest with the aims of improving the quality of educational programs around the world and contributing to the development and fostering of international understanding and cooperation...

For more information, please visit http://www.nhk.or.jp/jp-prize/english/what_is/index.html

LINK:	http://www.kcet.org/about/pressroom/press-releases/kcets-web-documenta...
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