On May 8, 2009 a group of area communication and broadcast specialists gathered in the Catholic Center in downtown Buffalo, N.Y. as Preliminary Jury for the prestigious Gabriel Awards. The strong Buffalo presence included the following high-profile jury members: Tim Clark, Buffalo/Niagara Film Commissioner; Lee Coppolla, Dean of Journalism and Mass Communications at St. Bonaventure University; Barbara Irwin, Communications Dept. Chair- Canisius College; Joe Schlaerth- News Director WIVB-TV; Ron Smith-Communications Dept. Professor and Chair- Buffalo State College. Daybreak TV Productions, of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo was chosen to serve as Jury Chair by the Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals. Claire Rung, Executive Producer of Daybreak, served as Jury Chair, assisted by Senior Producer Paula DeAngelis.

The Preliminary Jury narrows the competition to no more than two finalists. (A Blue Ribbon Jury from the Catholic Academy makes the final decision.) The category which the judges viewed under was ‘Television’- News and Informational programs- National release.

The Catholic Academy for Communication Arts Professionals is the U.S. affiliate of SIGNIS, the World Catholic Association for Communication. Members work in Catholic radio/TV Production, diocesan communications, internet and new technologies, film studies and media literacy, academic communications, distance learning, PR, media relations, and publishing.

For more than 40 years, the Catholic Academy has sponsored the Gabriel Awards, designed to honor works of excellence in broadcasting- programs, features, sports and stations which serve viewers and listeners through the positive, creative treatment of concerns of humankind.

Daybreak has been honored to serve as Jury Chair numerous times in the past fifteen years. This year’s judging took place on May 8, 2009 in Daybreak’s studio, with the results to be officially announced in July 2009. For more information on the Catholic Academy go to www.catholicacademy.org