Seattle Channel is the recipient of four Northwest Regional Emmy Awards for arts, human interest, historical/cultural programming, and special event coverage.
The City of Seattle’s government access station was recognized Saturday, June 6, at the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) virtual Emmy Awards ceremony.
The winning programs include a look back at a decade of “Art Zone with Nancy Guppy,” a show with an obsessive dedication to artists, audiences and the cultural life of Seattle; a seat at the table of a grassroots movement with a mission to counter misconceptions of Muslims; a profile of a Seattle photographer who captured a seismic shift in American music; and red-carpet coverage from the opening night of the Seattle International Film Festival.
“In times of crisis and calm, we need information and community connection. Through its in-depth and inclusive programming, Seattle Channel not only captures our city’s evolving story, it reflects our commitment to civic engagement and transparency,” said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “We are fortunate to have such a broad resource of informative and inspiring content, from Seattle’s arts scene to its culturally diverse communities to its public policy debates. I congratulate the team for this recognition and its continued dedication to excellence in local programming.”
Seattle Channel won in the arts/entertainment – program/special category for a special celebrating a decade of “Art Zone with Nancy Guppy,” which offered a look back at the show’s silly segments, poignant portraits and in-depth interviews showcasing Seattle’s diverse arts scene. Individuals recognized for the special were senior producer and host Nancy Guppy, editor Peggy Lycett, producer Rosemary Garner, editor Ralph Bevins and executive producer Shannon Gee.
Two Somali women’s efforts to counter misperceptions and mistrust by sharing a meal through their project Eat with Muslims was the subject of a “CityStream” story which won in the historic/cultural – program feature/segment category. The segment was produced and reported by Linda Byron and produced, photographed and edited by Randy Eng.
Lance Mercer’s new focus was the subject of a “CityStream” story chronicling the Seattle music photographer’s fight with lymphoma strengthened with the help of an important ally. The piece won in the human interest – program feature/segment category. It was produced, photographed and edited by Ralph Bevins and reported by Linda Byron.
Art Zone with Nancy Guppy’s red-carpet coverage of opening night of the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) won in the special event coverage (other than news or sports) category. Guppy interviews Northwest filmmakers, including the late Lynn Shelton whose film “Sword of Trust” opened the festival. Individuals recognized for the special are senior producer and host Nancy Guppy, producer Rosemary Garner, producer Joe Guppy, and director and photographer Vincent Pierce.
“I’m extremely proud and humbled by the work and programs the Seattle Channel team creates, across public affairs, community and arts and culture,” Seattle Channel General Manager Shannon Gee said. “They do this while also serving the public by providing access to their local government through daily broadcasts of government meetings and press conferences. I’m heartened by this acknowledgment of their excellence, which they show up with day in and day out.”
At the Emmy Awards ceremony Gee was recognized for her induction to the NATAS Silver Circle, which honors media professionals with a minimum of 25 years in the industry and have solid records of making lasting contributions to the field and their community.
In the 57th annual Northwest Emmy Awards, 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 16 Emmy-Award nominations in program categories highlighting the quality and breadth of programming produced by Seattle Channel in 2019 including health, politics, arts, cultural, historic, human interest, special event, and interview, and the craft categories of hosting, editing. and audio. A complete listing of the awardees can be found on the NATAS website.
