This was posted Friday April 27, 2017 by Rodney Ho/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
For the seventh year in a row, Atlanta-based The Weather Channel topped a Harris Poll rating top media brands.
It helps that it's a network not perceived to be political though it has not run away from the subject of climate change.
The top broadcast network is PBS.
The top pay cable network is HBO.
The top TV & Internet provider? Google Fiber.
Top video subscription site? Netflix, of course.
Top sports TV network? NFL Red Zone.
Top social networking site: YouTube over Facebook, which came in second.
Top Internet radio service is Pandora.
Top kids' TV network is Discovery Family Channel.
Top general entertainment cable network is FX. Atlanta's TNT came in fourth and TBS ninth.
Top factual entertainment network: History, followed by Discovery and ID.
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
UGA's prestigious Peabody Awards granted FX's "Atlanta" a 2017 entertainment award.
The show and its creator Donald Glover have already won several awards from the Writers Guild of America, the Golden Globes, the Critics' Choice and the NAACP Image Awards.
Here's why the panel of experts gave "Atlanta" a Peabody:
Donald Glover's enchanting series on the struggles of two young black men trying to make it in Atlanta's rap scene blends vibrant character study and rich socio-political commentary in delivering a detailed and textured exploration of a Southern city.
Netflix's 'Stranger Things," shot in Atlanta, was a finalist but didn't make the final cut.
The other six winners, including a seemingly belated award for "Veep," which has already won numerous Emmy's.
"Better Things"
FX Productions (FX Networks)
Co-created by Pamela Adlon and Louis C.K., the result of this searingly funny and beautiful show is an at-times raw examination of the vicissitudes of working motherhood, crackling with feminist verve and energy, that consistently cuts new ground.
"Happy Valley"
BBC One (BBC One, Netflix)
A fresh take on the British crime drama that deals boldly and unflinchingly with the darkest human behavior while keeping its heart and even a tart sense of humor. Series creator Sally Wainwright has given us perhaps the greatest female lead on television today in Catherine Cawood, played by Sarah Lancashire in a stunning performance.
"Horace and Pete"
Pig Newton Inc. (louisck.net)
A true original that melds contemporary politics and serialized storytelling with a throwback approach, "Horace and Pete" is a truly independent and groundbreaking demonstration of how quality television is expertly produced for the new media environment, all the while building upon decades of artistry and craft.
"Lemonade"
HBO Entertainment in association with Parkwood Entertainment (HBO)
"Lemonade" draws from the prolific literary, musical, cinematic and aesthetic sensibilities of black cultural producers to create a rich tapestry of poetic innovation. The audacity of its reach and fierceness of its vision challenges our cultural imagination, while crafting a stunning and sublime masterpiece about the lives of women of color and the bonds of friendship seldom seen or heard in American popular culture.
"National Treasure"
The Forge (Channel 4)
A dark and timely examination of sexual abuse at the hands of privileged celebrity, "National Treasure" is an engrossing series that explores the loyalty of family and friends during crisis, the impact of sexual abuse on victims and the legal system itself. As in real life, there's no neat ending in this dramatic rendering of one man's choices and the collateral damage he creates.
"VEEP"
HBO Entertainment (HBO)
A rare show blessed with a perfectly cast ensemble, including the comedic genius of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "VEEP" is a workplace comedy that not only captures the zeitgeist of the current bizarre political moment but also transcends its own form to deliver a sobering message, with sharp dialogue, street savvy—and lots of laughs.
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Wendy Saltzman, a former CBS46 reporter who now works as an investigative reporter at the ABC station in Philadelphia, was diagnosed with breast cancer late last year. But treatment worked - and she received more good news.
"Besides being cancer free, I have some other exciting news to share," Saltzman wrote on Facebook earlier this week. "I'm engaged to the love of my life Craig Johnston. He stood by me during the cancer diagnosis, mastectomy, and continued treatment. And then he surprised me this weekend with a beautiful proposal and ring. I couldn't be any happier or more blessed."
In February, she wrote that she chose to a have a bilateral mastectomy to "hopefully avoid a re-occurence, radiation and possibly hormone therapy. I have picked a cutting edge surgical team and I plan on a quick and successful recovery. The one thing I want to say to my women friends is go get a mammogram, and don't ignore follow-up visits. Early detection was key for me.
She worked at CBS46 from 2005 to 2012.
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