TV Show on Poverty Wins National Award

The Unseen Montgomery, a television program highlighting the hidden poverty in Montgomery County, has been named the winner of a Savvy Award by the City-County Communications and Marketing Association.

The Unseen Montgomery won first prize in the national contest in the category of TV and Video—One-Time Special Programming (for jurisdictions with population: 100,000 and up). We came up with the idea for the show because we wanted to portray a side of the County that is often overlooked: residents who did not appear to need the help of available services, but through circumstances, could not financially keep up with their individual and family needs.

The show was produced and hosted by Susan Kenedy of County Cable Montgomery. The videographer was Mike Springirth. The show was edited by Loren Olson and was coordinated by Delphine Harriston.

Montgomery County is known for its prosperity, so it is easy to forget that we have many residents who do not have enough money to pay for even their basic needs. Some of those living in poverty lost their jobs in the recession while others find themselves trapped in low-wage jobs that don’t pay enough to cover the rent. These families live right here, and they need help—but they are not always easy to identify. Susan Kenedy and her outstanding team did a great job of looking past the affluence and giving us a chance to see a growing part of life right here in Montgomery County. The Unseen Montgomery tells a very important story in a way that’s meaningful and thought-provoking. The team at CCM definitely deserves this award.

The independent judging panel said of the show: “A great way to focus on the issue. The video helped to cast a light on the new poor in our country. An interesting topic that kept the judging team engaged.”

In addition to airing on CCM, the show has been viewed more than a thousand times on various Internet outlets. See it on YouTube.