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Seattle Channel wins five Northwest Emmy Awards

Seattle Channel is the recipient of five Northwest Regional Emmy Awards for arts, sports, and historical/cultural programming, as well as an interview special and a promotional campaign.

The winning programs offered an inspiring look at the Special Olympics USA games in Seattle, a glimpse into the past with a poignant portrait of Japanese-American WWII veterans, a profile of a local man who powers the sound behind some of rock’s biggest guitarists, a moving story of a Holocaust survivor and a lighthearted marketing campaign for Art Zone with Nancy Guppy.

56th NATAS Northwest Emmy Awards ceremony.

The city-operated station was recognized Saturday, June 8, at the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Arts & Sciences’ (NATAS) Emmy Awards ceremony.

“Seattle Channel is a cornerstone of civic engagement. It plays an important role in sharing our City’s story –informing residents about public policy, creating original programming about our diverse history, people, and places, and everything in between,” said Mayor Jenny Durkan. “We are fortunate to have such a broad resource of informative and inspiring content. I congratulate the team for this recognition and its continued dedication to excellence in local programming.”

Seattle Channel won in the sports category for a CityStream special profiling local Special Olympians and a hard-hitting Paralympic wheelchair rugby team. Individuals recognized for the coverage were senior producer Norm Ohashi, reporter/host Dennis Bounds, producer/reporters Nicole Sanchez and Brian Callanan, photographers Randy Eng and Phillip Townsend, editor Ian Devier, and executive producer Shannon Gee.

A photographer’s mission to document the heroic stories of World War II Nisei veterans was the subject of a CityStream story which won in the historical/cultural program category. It was produced, photographed and edited by Randy Eng and reported by Lori Matsukawa.

Christopher Barnes, producer/photographer/editor, won in the arts/entertainment feature category for an Art Zone with Nancy Guppy segment about a local craftsman whose hand-built custom guitar amplifiers are sought after by local musicians and rock stars.

Art Zone with Nancy Guppy was recognized in the interview/discussion category for a conversation with a local filmmaking duo about their documentary profiling a small woman with a big personality who survived the Holocaust and is on a mission to share timely life lessons. Individuals recognized for the interview special were producer, writer and host Nancy Guppy; director Vincent Pierce; and producer/editor Peggy Lycett.

Art Zone with Nancy Guppy was also recognized for a series of three humorous videos promoting the show and its lively look at Seattle’s creative scene. The promotional campaign was developed by producer, photographer and editor by Ralph Bevins; producer Kate Huisentruit; and host Nancy Guppy.

“Seattle Channel’s award-winning content builds community and helps residents connect to our changing city,” said Seattle City Council President Bruce Harrell, chair of the Council’s Governance, Equity and Technology Committee. “Its inclusive programming sparks informed public dialogue and gives voice to the people and cultural traditions that comprise Seattle.”

In the 56th annual Northwest Emmy’s, Seattle Channel competed against commercial and public television stations in the Northwest NATAS five-state region which includes Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. This year, the station received 17 Emmy-Award nominations in program categories including environment, politics, business/consumer and the craft categories of hosting, photography and editing.

“I’m honored to work with a talented team dedicated to sharing a wide range of engaging programming with the residents of Seattle,” said Seattle Channel General Manager Shannon Gee. “Seattle Channel is committed to producing quality content with depth and impact and telling inspiring stories that shine a spotlight on the city’s history, its evolving culture and its people and places.”