Personal Award: Marilyn Baker

While many of the nation television news programs wallow in gimmicks, happy-talk, and audience statistics, the vital role of the investigative reporter is being abandoned in favor of newscasters who read wire copy. One of the exceptions is Marilyn Baker, whose investigative reporting for San Francisco’s public television station, KQED, put her clearly ahead of the city’s three commercial TV station on such stories as Chinatown youth gangs, police corruption, and phony charity promotions. On the SLA-Patricia Hearst story, the fearless Mrs. Baker was so far ahead of local and national newsmen, as well as the police, that other reporters were quoting her in their coverage. A Peabody Award for investigative TV reporting to Marilyn Baker.