2 Cable TV Outlets, 2 Cities Honored for Programs

Orange County cable TV systems and cities took four of 14 “Diamond Awards” for excellence in local programming, presented Tuesday by the Southern California Cable Assn. in Los Angeles.

Dennis Mangers, vice president of governmental relations for the California Cable Television Assn., told 350 people gathered at the Stock Exchange nightclub that “often, the small story--the one that affects a local constituency--doesn’t get coverage by TV broadcasters because their mandate is larger in scope. A local cable system can focus on a story, expand upon it and cover it in detail, thereby serving the community of which it is a part.”

Dimension Cable, based in San Juan Capistrano, won in the community event category for coverage of the Orange County Performing Arts Center Triathlon, a fund-raising event for the Center, directed and produced by Steve Shusman.

Cablevision of Orange won in the community awareness category for “Volunteerism: Labor of Love,” a series of reports on how individuals were working to make the city a better place. The producers were Patrick Plumb and Marilyn Plokingham.

For the first time in the awards’ 3-year history, cities were invited to enter the competition. Six municipal entries won, including two from the county.

Buena Park won in the educational programming category for an anti-drug video called “D.A.R.E.,” produced by Dave Simmons for the Police Department.

Placentia Community Television won the community impact award for “Rap Sheet Live,” an open forum dealing with teen-age issues, involving students, parents and school administrators, produced by John Price.