Winner 1994

Just Because: Tales of Violence, Dreams of Peace

KSBW-TV, Sedwith Pictures

When Salinas lost 24 young lives in a single year as a direct result of youth violence, KSBW-TV decided to address the issue in a compelling, inventive, and, most importantly, effective manner. Using a format that mixed drama and reality and featured both English and Spanish audio tracks, Just Because: Tales of Violence, Dreams of Peace targeted teens with an unflinching portrait of gang violence and its wide-ranging consequences. Interviews with young people, including former gang members, were woven into a fictional story of a young victim of a typically random and senseless killing. Special mention is made of producer/director Scott Evers, producer Marc Murai and actors Nicholas Pahl and Amahl Singh for their highly inventive and original production. For an innovative and instructive documentary on shared responsibilities in protecting the gift of life, a Peabody to KSBW-TV and Sedwith Pictures for Just Because: Tales of Violence, Dreams of Peace.