Do the right thing

If someone is going to add yet another awards shindig to the bottomless pit that already exists -- and it seems inevitable that they are -- it might as well give shout outs to "TV with a conscience."

We could all spend some time debating what that means, but according to the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences, it's about programs that have social, political or cultural relevance. Again, much subjective chattering can ensue. Of 200-plus entries, nine were chosen.

In the first year of these awards, to be doled out May 1 at the Beverly Hills Hotel, there's a diverse group to be honored, spanning HBO and Showtime docs, Discovery Channel's "Planet Earth" (pictured), and episodes of "Boston Legal" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," to a Lifetime series, "Side Order of Life," that had drawn a fervent and loyal following among cancer survivors for its authentic portrayal of the disease. Award nominee or no, the show, which also drew a groundswell of support from fans, recently was canceled.

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