Emmys named for biz/economics content on television

Shows on ABC, CBS and PBS were among the media organizations receiving Emmy Awards for business and economics coverage.

The ABC shows “Good Morning America,” “Nightline” and “World News with Diane Sawyer” received an Emmy for outstanding business and economic reporting in a regularly scheduled newscast for “Green Energy:  Contracts, Connections and the Collapse of Solyndra.”

Beginning in March, the Center for Public Integrity’s Ronnie Greene and ABC’s Matthew Mosk and Brian Ross exposed flaws in the Department of Energy’s billion-dollar spending spree, revealed deep links between Obama campaign bundlers and energy contracts and foreshadowed the financial and political storm that later engulfed Solyndra. Their reporting for “Green Energy: Contracts, Connections and the Collapse of Solyndra” broke ground before Solyndra’s meltdown, and went well beyond the company in revealing a web of connections entangling a department lauded for its innovation. Their stories tied major Obama donors to lucrative green energy contracts for everything from electric cars to diesel substitutes.

The CBS show “60 Minutes” received an Emmy for outstanding business and economic reporting in a news magazine for “The Next Housing Shock.”

Scott Pelley reported that as more and more Americans face mortgage foreclosure, banks’ crucial ownership documents for the properties are often unclear and are sometimes even bogus, a condition that’s causing lawsuits and hampering an already weak housing market.

The PBS show “POV” won an Emmy for outstanding business and economic reporting — long form for “Last Train Home.” It also received an Emmy for best documentary.

Producer Lixin Fan covered a rich, human portrait of China’s rush to economic development.  Every spring, China’s cities are plunged into chaos as 130 million migrant workers journey to their home villages for the New Year in the world’s largest human migration. Last Train Home takes viewers on a heart-stopping journey with the Zhangs, a couple who left infant children behind for factory jobs 16 years ago, hoping their wages would lift their children to a better life. They return to a family growing distant and a daughter longing to leave school for unskilled work.

See all of the winners here.