Marilyn Van Derbur: 1959 was a winning year for her -- and for Channel 12

Every week, Colorado Inside Out takes on the big events of the day in Denver. But once a year, it creates a special history show dedicated to the big events of an earlier year. Last year, it was 1959, and that show just won a regional Emmy in the interview/discussion...

By Patricia Calhoun

July 23, 2010

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Every week, Colorado Inside Out takes on the big events of the day in Denver. But once a year, it creates a special history show dedicated to the big events of an earlier year.

Last year, it was 1959, and that show just won a regional Emmy in the interview/discussion category -- despite my alleged performance as a Colorado beauty queen, following in the real-life high-heeled footsteps of Miss America Marilyn Van Derbur.

Fortunately, the work of my colleagues was strong enough to create a winning program, which you can watch here.

And an even more unlikely local show won another Emmy: Staffers documenting the demise of the Rocky Mountain News wound up collecting an award for their death documentary.

Click to read the entire Emmy winners' list.

Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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