Golden Mike Award

Golden Mike Award
Awarded forDistinguished achievement in television news and radio news
CountryUnited States
Presented byRadio and Television News Association of Southern California
First awarded1950; 74 years ago (1950)
Websitewww.rtnasocal.org

The Golden Mike Award is a broadcast journalism award presented by the Radio and Television News Association (RTNA) of Southern California. Awards are given in the categories of television news and radio news. Eligibility is limited to a select group of Southern California counties.[1] Golden Mike (i.e., "microphone") Awards are presented at a gala dinner in Hollywood every January.

History

[edit]

The RTNA started out as the Southern California Newscasters Association.[citation needed] Golden Mike Awards were first given out in 1950.[2]

Award details

[edit]

Eligibility for a Golden Mike Award is limited to a select group of Southern California counties, namely Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Fresno, Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Kings, and Tulare.[1]

The awards are divided into two categories: TV and Radio. Depending on the size of the station in question, each award is divided into two categories, A and B. In the television category, Division A comprises stations with 50 or more full-time news staff members, while Division B comprises stations with fewer than 50 full-time news staff members. In the radio category, Division A is made up of stations with 6 or more full-time news staff members, and Division B is made up of stations with 5 or fewer full-time news staff members.[1]

Not every category (or division) is necessarily awarded each year. As stated on the Golden Mike Award website, "if the judges decide that no entry in a category meets the 'Standard of Excellence,' then no award is given in that category.... As a result, Golden Mike Award winners know that their work has been judged to be 'excellent', as well as the 'best'."[1]

TV categories

[edit]
  • Best News Broadcast – 60 Minutes – Airing Between 4 pm and Midnight Only
  • Best News Broadcast – 30 Minutes or Less – Airing Between 4 Pm and Midnight Only
  • Best Daytime News Broadcast – Any Length – Airing Between Midnight and 4 pm
  • Best Sports Segment
  • Best Weather Segment
  • Best Traffic Report
  • Best Newscast Writing
  • Best Individual Writing
  • Best Sports Reporting
  • Best Spot News Reporting
  • Best Live Coverage of a News Story
  • Best Documentary
  • Best News Public Affairs Program
  • Best News Reporting
  • Best News Reporting by a Cable or Broadcast Network
  • Best Hard News Series Reporting
  • Best Light News Series Reporting
  • Best News Special
  • Best Investigative Reporting
  • Best Serious Feature Reporting
  • Best Light Feature Reporting
  • Best Entertainment Reporting
  • Best Business and Consumer Reporting
  • Best Government and Political Reporting
  • Best Medical and Science Reporting
  • Best News Videography of a Hard News Story, Series or Special
  • Best News Videography of a Feature Story, Series or Special
  • Best Video Editing of a Hard News Story, Series or Special
  • Best Video Editing of a Feature Story, Series or Special
  • Best Internet News Reporting

Radio categories

[edit]
  • Best News Broadcast
  • Best News Broadcast Under 15 Minutes
  • Best Newscast Writing
  • Best Sports Segment
  • Best Traffic Report
  • Best Individual Writing
  • Best Sports Reporting
  • Best "Spot" News Reporting
  • Best "Live" Coverage of a News Story
  • Best Documentary
  • Best News Public Affairs Program
  • Best News Reporting
  • Best News Reporting by a Radio Network or Content Syndicator
  • Best Hard News Series Reporting
  • Best Feature News Series Reporting
  • Best Investigative Reporting
  • Best Serious Feature Reporting – One Minute or Longer
  • Best Serious Feature Reporting – Shorter Than One Minute
  • Best Light Feature Reporting – One Minute or Longer
  • Best Light Feature Reporting – Shorter Than One Minute
  • Best News Special
  • Best Entertainment Reporting
  • Best Business and Consumer Reporting
  • Best Government and Political Reporting
  • Best Medical and Science Reporting
  • Best Use of Sound
  • Best Internet News Reporting

Recipients

[edit]

Individual recipients of the Golden Mike Award include Robert Kovacik, Keith Olberman, Frank Mottek, Carlos Amezcua, Joan Van Ark, Greg Barron, Richard Beebe, Bill Bertka, Sam Chu Lin, Leila Feinstein, Laurie Fernandez, Michael Finney, Christina Gonzalez, Henry Goren, Bill Griffeth, Maria Hall-Brown, Mike Hodel, Sharon Ito, Patricia Janiot, Sharon Janis, Jaime Jarrín, Sandra Maas, Paul Magers, John Mattes, Felicitas Méndez, Sylvia Mendez, Tracey Miller, Byron Miranda, Conan Nolan, Dallas Raines, Rick Reiff, Sam Rubin, Michele Ruiz,[3] Marta Russell, Cara Santa Maria, Matt Schrader, Mark Steines, D Stevens, Marcos Villatoro, and Marta Waller.

Golden Mike Lifetime Achievement and "Broadcast Legend" Award-winners include Larry King,[4] Regis Philbin,[5] and Bob Miller.[6]

With 12 wins,[7] TV reporter Robert Kovacik has collected the most Golden Mike Awards, with Keith Olberman coming in second with 11 Golden Mikes.[8] Frank Mottek has also won the award multiple times, with five Golden Mikes.

Between 2001 and 2010, KCLU-FM won more than 60 Golden Mike Awards.[9]

Other Golden Mike/Mic awards

[edit]

Over the years, a number of organizations in the U.S., the Far East, and South Asia have given out so-called "Golden Mike Awards", for journalists, broadcasters, and public speakers (with "mike" or "mic" referring to a microphone). For example:

In addition, the Billboard Music Awards presents a trophy in the shape of a golden microphone to each winner.[12]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Radio and Television News Association of Southern California – Golden Mike Awards". www.rtna.org. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  2. ^ "66th Annual Golden Mike Awards 2015 Winners List". RTNA.org. Radio & TV News Assoc of SoCal. Archived from the original on June 30, 2017. Retrieved September 30, 2017.
  3. ^ "State Senator, Former News Anchor to Keynote University's 46th Annual Commencement". calstate.fullerton.edu. April 28, 2005. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  4. ^ Miller, Hayley; Moran, Lee (January 23, 2021). "Larry King, Iconic TV And Radio Interviewer, Dies At 87". HuffPost – via Yahoo!.
  5. ^ "2010 Complete Winners List". 61st Annual Golden Mike Awards. Radio and Television News Association of Southern California. December 12, 2010. Archived from the original on October 9, 2011. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  6. ^ "Lifetime Achievement Award: Past Honorees". Radio and Television News Association of Southern California. Archived from the original on April 26, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  7. ^ "Robert Kovacik bio". NBC. July 28, 2009. Retrieved March 31, 2010.
  8. ^ "Radio and Television News Association of Southern California – Golden Mike Awards Winners". www.rtna.org. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
  9. ^ GAMMON, ROBERT (January 15, 1998). "KCLU and Reporter Win 'Golden Mike'" – via LA Times.
  10. ^ "2022 BROADCASTERS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA’S GOLDEN MIKE AWARD GALA RAISED $300,000," BOFA website. Retrieved January 12, 2023.
  11. ^ Fritz, José (March 5, 2018). "Golden Mike Awards". ARCANE RADIO TRIVIA.
  12. ^ "VersusGame Gives Fans a Shot at $1M During the BBMAs," Billboard (May 21, 2021): "The competition at this year’s Billboard Music Awards is fierce, with artists from around the globe competing for the coveted golden mic."
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Golden_Mike_Award&oldid=1240382717"