Substance Abuse, Asperger's, PTSD, HIV/AIDS and Climate Change Among Topics Tackled by TV Shows Named 2014 Sentinel Award Finalists

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Eleven finalists have been chosen from more than 60 entries for the 2014 Sentinel Awards, showcasing a diverse range of topics such as substance abuse, Asperger's syndrome, post-traumatic stress disorder, HIV/AIDS and climate change.

Now in its 15th year, the Sentinel Awards are presented in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by Hollywood, Health & Society, a program of The Norman Lear Center at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. 

The awards recognize exemplary television storylines that inform, educate and motivate viewers to make choices for healthier and safer lives. All eligible submissions are reviewed for accuracy by experts at the CDC and partner organizations, and for entertainment value and potential benefit to the viewing audience by entertainment, academic and public health professionals. This year, storylines will be recognized in the following categories: Drama, Comedy, Reality/Talk/Documentary, Climate Change and Children's Programming.

"Every year we are more amazed at the quality and number of entries," said Kate Langrall Folb, director of Hollywood, Health & Society.  "Entertainment television can be a powerful resource for health information, and compelling storylines a call to action for millions of viewers worldwide."

The finalists will be recognized at an awards ceremony on Thursday, Oct.9 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood.

"We're delighted to shine a spotlight on television writers and producers who both entertain viewers and at the same time provide them with accurate information," said Martin Kaplan, Hollywood, Health & Society's principal investigator and the Norman Lear professor of entertainment, media and society at USC Annenberg. "Our hope is that the storylines we honor with this award will spur other TV writers to recognize and use responsibly the awesome power they wield."

The 2014 Sentinel Awards finalists:

• Nurse Jackie—Sidecars and Spermicide (Showtime)
Topic: Substance Abuse

• Years of Living Dangerously—A Dangerous Future (Showtime)
Topic: Climate Change

• Life According to Sam (HBO)
Topic: Progeria

• Our America With Lisa Ling—Black America's Silent Epidemic (OWN)
Topic: HIV/AIDS

• The Normal Heart  (HBO)
Topic: HIV/AIDS

• Parenthood—Hank's Diagnosis (NBC)
Topic: Asperger's Syndrome

• Switched at Birth—Cameron's Cochlear Implant (ABC Family)
Topic: Deafness/cochlear implants

• Getting On—Born On the Fourth of July (HBO)
Topic: Healthcare

• Ann Curry Reports—Our Year of Extremes: Did Climate Change Just Hit Home? (NBC)
Topic: Climate Change

• Doc McStuffins—Don't Knock the Noggin (Disney Jr.)
Topic: Importance of wearing a helmet

• Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1 (HBO)
Topic: PTSD

Hollywood, Health & Society provides entertainment industry professionals with accurate and timely information for storylines dealing with health and climate change through consultations and briefings with experts. Based at The Norman Lear Center, HH&S is a one-stop shop for writers, producers and others in search of credible information on public health and climate change topics. Current and past funders include the CDC, The California Endowment, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ClimateWorks, the Grantham Foundation, the Skoll Global Threats Fund, the Barr Foundation and the Energy Foundation. For more information about resources for writers, go to www.usc.edu/hhs.

The Norman Lear Center is a multidisciplinary research and public policy center studying and shaping the impact of entertainment and media on society. From its base in the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the Lear Center builds bridges between faculty who study aspects of entertainment, media and culture. Beyond campus, it bridges the gap between entertainment industry and academia, and between them and the public. For more information, visit www.learcenter.org.

Located in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is among the nation's leading institutions devoted to the study of journalism and communication, and their impact on politics, culture and society. With an enrollment of more than 2,000 graduate and under-graduate students (as of Fall 2011), USC Annenberg offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in journalism, communication, public diplomacy and public relations. For more information, visit www.annenberg.usc.edu.

SOURCE Hollywood, Health & Society

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