Streaming documentaries win big at prestigious journalism awards
Streaming documentaries win big at prestigious journalism awards
Documentaries and docuseries from three top streaming services took home honors at the duPont-Columbia Awards this week.
The Golden Globes and the Academy Awards may steal all the attention at this time of year, but they aren’t the only prestigious awards shows honoring media. The duPont-Columbia Awards, broadcast journalism’s equivalent to Pulitzer Prizes, were handed out on Wednesday, and there were some big names in streaming among the honorees. Max, Netflix, and Paramount+ all won awards, while some major traditional news outlets were conspicuously left off the list of winners.
Key Details:
- The duPont-Columbia Awards are handed out by the respected Columbia Journalism School.
- “Murder in Boston” by Max, “Birthing a Nation” by Paramount+, and “You Are Not Alone” by Netflix have all won awards.
- ABC, CBS, CNN, and NBC all went home empty-handed.
The duPont-Columbia Awards have been presented by the Columbia School of Journalism since 1968. Each year, the school identifies top audio and video reporting done in the public interest and honors those outlets in order to recognize the best in journalism.
Streaming services were represented well at this year’s awards, which will no doubt cause more hand-wringing over the slow death of linear TV. Max was honored for its docuseries “Murder in Boston,” a docuseries about a high-profile murder that stoked racial tensions and caused a rush to judgment by the public.
Paramount+’s documentary “Birthing a Nation: The Resistance of Mary Gaffney was also a winner. The film explores the topic of forced reproduction in the antebellum American South, and how one enslaved person named Mary Gaffney stood up and took back agency over her own body.
Finally, the Netflix documentary “You Are Not Alone: Fighting the Wolf Pack” took home an award as well. This movie looks at a gang rape that took place during the 2016 San Fermín festival which sparked protests worldwide, as told through key testimonials.
Absent from the winners’ list this year were any projects turned in by ABC News, CBS News, CNN, or NBC. In recent years many of these outlets won awards, sometimes more than one. It’s yet another sign that streaming services are taking home more of the honors that used to go to traditional media outlets, and not just in entertainment awards.
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HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.
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Netflix
Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”
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Paramount Plus
Paramount+ is a subscription video streaming service that includes on-demand access to 40,000+ TV show episodes from BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., and more. Get free access with a Walmart+ subscription.
Paramount+ includes “1883,” “Tulsa King,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” and “PAW Patrol.” Subscribers can watch the NFL, college football, The Masters, college basketball, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Serie A, and NWSL. The service also offers the option to watch your live CBS affiliate. The upgraded ad-free package includes premium movies and shows from Showtime.
