A cable access show that began in Santa Monica over ten years ago beat out some of the region’s largest broadcasters to win an Emmy for Informational and Public Affairs programming.
The Emmy was awarded to Santa Monica activist Leslie Dutton at an awards ceremony last week. Dutton founded her cable access show “Full Disclosure” in 1992 to shed light on local issues and spark dialogue between city officials and residents.
Dutton was honored for a series she wrote and produced concerning how cities throughout Los Angeles County were protecting themselves against future terrorist attacks. She was up against programs from NBC and KTLA.
It is the first time a cable access television show has competed and won an Emmy when competing against broadcast television stations.
“It just bowled me over,” she said. “Many people submit a lot and they never win anything.”
Though Dutton’s television show has expanded its audience base considerably and is now seen weekly on over 40 cable channels and one satellite service from Orange County to Sacramento, she credits Santa Monica as spurring her into action.
“I was really concerned about issues such as street crime,” Dutton said. “It seemed like the mainstream media wasn’t covering the issues and the information wasn’t getting out.”
So Dutton started a talk show where a panel of local officials would discuss issues of the day. Many Santa Monica officials have appeared on the program, including Police Chief James T. Butts, Jr., Pico Neighborhood activist Peter Tigler, Police Union leader Steven Brackett, former City Attorney Richard Knickerbocker and many others.
“There seemed to be a lot of need to provide a platform for those in government and residents to discuss issues and find solutions,” she said.
Dutton said she got the idea for the television show after a close friend, Francis Finnen, was stabbed in the ribs with a pair of scissors by an intoxicated transient trying to steal the 89-year-old woman’s purse. The incident sparked Dutton to concentrate heavily on the city’s homeless problem and why Santa Monica officials were not enforcing the city’s laws.
“When you have someone that helpless being victimized, well something had to be done,” Dutton said. “That sparked the whole thing. We had to send a message to our leaders and that’s how ‘Full Disclosure’ started.”
Tigler said he enjoyed appearing on Dutton’s show, which concentrated on issues of the Pico neighborhood.
“She presented a forum and we talked like any other talk show I suppose,” he said. “Leslie runs a good show and I was glad to be on it and I would do it again.”
“I’m glad to see that she is still doing it,” he added “It’s good to see that she’s getting awards.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 6, 2002. Read the original PDF.