Center for New Television 15th Anniversary Awards

An award show honoring figures in Chicago independent television and video production.

00:01Copy video clip URL Onscreen text: “15th Anniversary Celebration. The Center for New Television.” 

00:10Copy video clip URL Center for New Television board president Scott Kieffer stands at the podium. Shots of the crowd. 

01:27Copy video clip URL Keiffer welcomes the crowd. A sign language interpreter signs beside him. The speaker reminds the audience of the center’s former homes at 11 E. Hubbard and 912 S. Wabash, and their newest facilities at 1440 N. Dayton. He introduces Studs Terkel and Thea Flaum, who will present the Founders Awards. 

02:51Copy video clip URL Terkel compares the people in the room to the more famous figures in national network news, asserting that the people being honored at the ceremony believe in ideals about “what television can be, but is not yet in the conventional sense, and you make that come alive. And that is called ‘grassroots television.'”

04:15Copy video clip URL Terkel speaks about technology driving corporate consolidation in media, but that “at the same time, technology plays a democratic role, that little portable camera, at a not overwhelming price, in the hands of people who would not otherwise have it nor could afford it. And who are the heroes and heroines? People. Ordinary working people of communities who would never be heard from. Their visions, their thoughts, their dreams. 

05:24Copy video clip URL Flaum gives a speech about Tedwilliam Theodore, the founder of the Center for New Television, and presents him with the Founder’s Award. 

08:14Copy video clip URL Theodore speaks about his time at Communications for Change and the Center for New Television and thanks the crowd. 

09:25Copy video clip URL Flaum speaks about Scott Jacobs, the next award recipient. 

11:51Copy video clip URL Jacobs speaks about his history in video and the history of Chicago independent television, mentioning the Chicago Editing Center, Media Process Group, and Kartemquin. He talks about the work being produced in Chicago for WTTW and the battles to get money and airtime. 

15:32Copy video clip URL Flaum speaks about Tom Weinberg, who she calls independent television’s “most eloquent spokesman.” 

18:08Copy video clip URL Weinberg speaks about the Center for New Television as an institution. 

23:09Copy video clip URL The emcee, Keiffer, returns to introduce Margie Nicholson. Nicholson presents Joyce Bolinger with an award. Both introductions cut out quickly. 

24:12Copy video clip URL Bolinger talks about the Center. She tells a story about the Center renting a helicopter to fly Edie Adams to an awards ceremony and the Center’s early support for Michael Moore, among other anecdotes. She thanks many contributors to the Center’s success. 

29:41Copy video clip URL Keiffer introduces Arturo Kubaku, who presents the Pioneer Award. Kubaku speaks about the impact of his former teacher on his own life and on the lives of many others, Dan Sandin. 

31:32Copy video clip URL Sandin speaks while his image processing videos play on monitors around the world. 

33:34Copy video clip URL The emcee introduces Stephanie Moore, who presents the Community Service Award to June Taylor and Margaret Caples. The audio cuts out for the subsequent speech. The emcee returns to the podium, still without audio. 

35:05Copy video clip URL Audio returns during the emcee’s introduction of Judy Hoffman. 

35:33Copy video clip URL Hoffman introduces Jim Morrisette. She tells a story about Morrisette training her at a time when she and other women were only thought of as secretaries. She speaks about Morrisette’s work as a videomaker, instructor, and facilitator bringing video to people who would not otherwise have had access. 

40:06Copy video clip URL Chuck Olin speaks about Morrisette’s work as an artist and an organizer. He calls him “the Godfather of Video Tech in Chicago” and presents him with the Video Vanguard Award. 

44:08Copy video clip URL Morrisette speaks about his father, who encouraged his early filmmaking. Morrisette speaks about the ethos of sharing and cooperation at the Center and the wider Chicago video community. 

46:35Copy video clip URL Keiffer returns to thank the people who organized the event. 

47:06Copy video clip URL The celebration after the ceremony. Morrisette poses with his trophy. Details of the trophy, an elaborate, goofy sculpture incorporating representations of video technology.