Seattle Channel was named among the best municipal television stations in the nation yesterday when it received the prestigious Overall Excellence award for government programming at the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) annual conference and virtual awards ceremony.
Since 2007, Seattle Channel has been recognized 10 times by NATOA for overall programming excellence. The station competes in a category with government-access cable TV stations with operating budgets over $1 million.
In addition to the top award, the city-operated station won 20 government programming awards, including 12 awards of excellence, six awards of distinction, and two awards of honor.
“Seattle Channel is a cornerstone of civic engagement. From City Hall to Seattle’s culturally diverse communities to its dynamic creative scene, Seattle Channel builds understanding and helps residents connect to their city – an especially important public service during times of change and crisis,” said Mayor Jenny A. Durkan. “We’re so fortunate to have an award-winning resource like the channel. I congratulate the team for this recognition and its continued dedication to excellence in local programming.”
Seattle Channel won the top award of excellence in a wide range of categories, including election coverage; ethnic experience, public health, and arts and entertainment programming; as well as interview/talk show, and profile categories featuring people and City government employees and departments. The station also took top spots in municipal channel promotion, editing, and innovative use of video. The team was recognized with several awards of distinction in categories including seniors, performing arts, magazine format series, videography and video journalism.
“Whether it’s increasing access to City Council meetings or producing original, in-depth content focused on Seattle’s diverse people and places, Seattle Channel is an important resource,” said Seattle City Councilmember Alex Pedersen, chair of the Council’s Transportation and Utilities Committee, which includes oversight of the Seattle Information Technology Department and Seattle Channel. “Seattle Channel provides transparency and accountability in city government, sparks civic engagement and helps deepen understanding of local issues. Congratulations to everyone at the channel, whose hard work and dedication led to these prestigious awards.”
NATOA is a national association representing the needs and interests of local governments in the areas of communications, broadband and technology. Its annual Government Programming Awards honor excellence in broadcast, cable, multimedia and electronic programming produced by local government agencies. This year, NATOA received more than 550 entries spanning 65 categories submitted by local governments across the country.
“The Seattle Channel team is committed to quality production and compelling content that inspires, informs, and engages. From helping tell Seattle’s amazing stories to providing transparent access to our government through City Council meetings and Mayoral events, we produce essential local programming not offered by other media,” said Shannon Gee, Seattle Channel’s general manager. “I congratulate the staff on its dedicated, creative and consistent drive for excellence, especially during these unprecedented times. It’s truly an honor to receive this recognition from our peers in the field.”
Here is a list of Seattle Channel’s 2020 NATOA awards:
Overall Excellence in Government Programming
Awards of Excellence
Edited Community Event Coverage (Long Form): Art Zone: SIFF Opening Night 2019
Interview/Talk Show: 5 conversations on Art Zone with Nancy Guppy
Election Coverage: City Inside/Out – 2019 City Council District 3 Race
Ethnic Experience: CityStream: Ayako & Family Jam
Arts and Entertainment: Art Zone with Nancy Guppy
Public Health: City Inside/Out – Vaping Ban
Profile of a City/County Dept. or Employee: City Stream : Power, Perseverance & a Blast from the Past
Profile of a Person, Business or Organization: Aerialist Tanya Brno
Community Awareness: Art Zone: Decade of History
Innovative Use of Video: CityStream – UFO’s: Do You Believe?
Municipal Channel Promotion: ClickDown 21: 2019 Favorite Clicks
Editing: Seattle Channel production staff
Awards of Distinction
Seniors: City Stream: Universal Design & Aging in Place
Performing Arts Program: Art Zone: True Loves Live at the Neptune
Profile of a Person, Business or Organization: CityStream – First & Pike News Closes
Magazine Format Series: CityStream
Videography: Seattle Channel production staff
Video Journalism: Seattle Channel production staff
Awards of Honor
Public Affairs: City Inside/Out – Gun Bills
Public Service Announcement: Video Voters Guide PSA
