menuJune 16, 2017
Thurston Community Media Earns National Recognition for Youth Media Program, Leadership, and Culturally Diverse Programming
Thurston Community Media (TCMedia) members and staff have been recognized with three national awards from the Alliance for Community Media (ACM), an organization that promotes civic engagement through community media. The producers of T-Time in Olympia - Lucas Miller, Melissa Miller, Staci Layton, and Amy Layton - will receive the Jewell Ryan-White Award for Cultural Diversity. The award is given annually to those whose efforts encourage involvement with community media by culturally diverse or underserved populations. T-Time in Olympia is a studio talk show on LGBTQ+ issues - with a strong emphasis on the T.
From Left to Right: Melissa Miller, Amy Layton, Lucas Miller, Staci Layton - Producers of T-Time in Olympia and Members of Thurston Community Media
“Olympia’s Transgender community is diverse, including people of all ages, different walks of life, and each one with a unique experience,” says producer and co-host Amy Layton. “T-Time in Olympia focuses on open, honest conversations on a variety of topics that impact the greater LGTBQ+ community.” This is the third time Thurston Community Media members have received this honor. Andrea Capere will accept the 2017 Emerging Leader Award. The award recognizes a community media professional, under 40 years of age, who demonstrates leadership in the field on a local, regional or national level. Capere is the Director of Community Relations at Thurston Community Media in Olympia, WA, and serves as the Alliance for Community Media - Northwest Region Board Chair. This is the first year the Emerging Leader Award has been presented. Erica Jones of Somerville, MA is a co-recipient of this award.
Let’s Talk Trash, a video produced by the TCMedia Young Producers Network (YPN) 2016 summer class, won Best Magazine Program in the Student Division in the Hometown Media Awards. TCMedia collaborated with Thurston Solid Waste to make a program about a pressing environmental concern: food waste. The YPN class, under the instruction of Frederick Dobler and Peter Epperson, used TCMedia’s HD field and studio equipment to create a fun, entertaining program while engaged in multimedia, project-based learning.
“We’re thrilled by the strong showing made by our creative members and staff,” said Thurston Community Media CEO, Deborah Vinsel. “It’s always an honor to be recognized for their efforts in community building and the diversity of programming seen on our channels.” TCMedia is no stranger to recognition for its exemplary content. Over the last 30 years, TCMedia has won more than 70 regional and national awards.
Andrea Capere, recipient of 2017 Emerging Leader Award
The awards will be presented during the national Alliance for Community Media conference, Rivers to Cross, taking place July 12-14, 2017 in Minneapolis, MN.