UPDATE: The KSAT Explains Stream Team received their award on Wednesday at a ceremony in New York City.
In attendance at the Gracies Awards were Valerie Gomez, editor of KSAT Explains; Myra Arthur, anchor of KSAT Explains; Lexi Salazar, show creator and former producer of KSAT Explains; Brina Monterroza, former executive producer of KSAT Explains; Bernice Kearney, news director of KSAT 12; and Catherine Badalamente, CEO of Graham Media Group.
Watch the video above for footage from the event.
San Antonio’s first in-depth local streaming program has been honored with a national award recognizing the work of KSAT’s talented team of journalists.
The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation named “KSAT Explains: What you need to know about protective orders in Bexar County” a Gracie Award winner for best Local TV News Magazine.
In the episode, the KSAT Explains team – Anchor/Producer Myra Arthur and Editor/Visualizer Valerie Gomez, Creator Lexi Salazar, and Executive Producer Brina Monterroza explored the issue of domestic violence in Bexar County.
It happens over and over again in San Antonio: women - and men - are abused or killed at the hands of someone who claimed to love them. Domestic violence is a pattern created to intimidate and control a victim while simultaneously rooting itself in a new generation as children grow up witnessing that abuse or becoming victims themselves. In 2020, 17 people died at the hands of an intimate partner. There are tools in place that are supposed to help save lives, get survivors away from their abusers, and help them build better lives.
“That’s why we chose to do this episode on protective orders,” said Myra Arthur, anchor/producer for KSAT Explains. “We know our county has incredibly high rates of domestic violence, but a lot of people see the stats and respond with, ‘well, she should just leave.’ The survivors we talked to explain why it’s never that simple. Their stories are chilling and full of incredibly close calls. To see their bravery and strength now- that’s what we wanted victims in our community to know is possible. And how.”
KSAT launched KSAT Explains in mid-2020 as an experiment to offer more in-depth exploration of important issues in our community than traditional newscasts allow. Almost every episode highlights inequities in our community – whether they are social, economic, or cultural – and often, these episodes explore potential solutions that the community is using to address those inequities.
“I feel incredibly honored that The Alliance for Women in Media has recognized our work,” said Valerie Gomez, editor/visualizer for KSAT Explains. “From the beginning of our digital streaming experiment that became KSAT Explains, creator Lexi Salazar and I along with our executive producer Brina Monterroza and anchor Myra Arthur have worked hard to bring important stories that need more research and perspective to this community. My favorite part of this role has been to bring Lexi’s and my ideas to life visually and make our show look different from everything else our station produces. I’m happy that this very important episode, that was made by women and can help other women in need throughout our community, is being recognized with a Gracie Award.”
“It is not a surprise to me that our amazing team from KSAT would be honored with an AWM Gracie Award,” said Catherine Badalamente, President and Chief Executive Officer of Graham Media Group. “This group of standout women embody everything that the Gracies represent –creating exemplary and influential work that will inspire generations of women to come.”
“I am so proud of our KSAT Team and their unrelenting, innovative spirit,” said Phil Lane, Vice President and General Manager, KSAT12.
This spring, KSAT Explains enters a new phase. The show will transition from streaming-only platforms to a new time on-air at 6:30 p.m. on KSAT 12.
It’s an opportunity for more viewers to see this reporting style that gives deeper context and perspective to what’s making headlines or introduces local stories for the first time. From topics such as illegal street racing to a symphony on strike and more, catch KSAT Explains at its new time in its new home in the coming weeks.
Have an idea for an episode? Get in touch with the KSAT Explains team here.
About KSAT Explains:
KSAT Explains is an episodic deep dive into the critical issues, events, and opportunities impacting our local community of San Antonio. It launched in mid-2020, and is designed for viewers who want more context and insight into the complexity of our city. The KSAT Explains team produces original programming designed for our livestreaming app, so it’s a digital product that lives on KSAT+, KSAT.com, includes a companion email newsletter, and has social media and podcasting presence across multiple platforms.
About The Gracies
The Gracies are presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF). The award program was created to recognize individuals in media who reflect the changing roles, issues, and concerns of women. The Gracies recognize individual achievement and exemplary programming created by, for, and about women in all facets of media and entertainment. AWMF is a charitable nonprofit that creates educational programs and scholarship initiatives to benefit the public and women in media.