WEDU Honored With 16 Emmy® Nominations

Oct. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has honored WEDU, west central Florida’s primary PBS station and source for public media, with sixteen Suncoast Regional Emmy® Award nominations – more than any other public broadcasting station in the region.

“The number of nominations bestowed on WEDU’s local series, A Gulf Coast Journal with Jack Perkins, Smart Health, Florida This Week, and the documentary Away: A Story of Trash, is a testament to the highly gifted and dedicated staff at WEDU. Every day, they combine their areas of expertise with the work of an array of local production professionals, to produce the relevant and valuable programming that is at the foundation of the station’s mission. We’re all honored for the recognition that has been given to the team’s work,” said Jack Conely, Vice President of Content for WEDU, as he expressed his appreciation on behalf of the team that produces the station’s many local productions.

The Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is a nonprofit Florida corporation dedicated to excellence in television and offers the annual Regional Emmy Awards to television markets in the entire State of Florida; Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles and New Orleans, La.; Mobile, Ala.; Thomasville, Ga.; and Puerto Rico.

A Gulf Coast Journal with Jack Perkins brings the artful, innovative, sometimes odd and always interesting people and places of Florida’s west central coast to life.  The series received 11 of the 16 Emmy® nominations. Smart Health was honored with 3 nominations. A nomination went to WEDU’s weekly local public affairs program, Florida This Week. One additional nomination was given to the documentary AWAY: A Story of Trash, which was produced in partnership with St. Petersburg College.

“It’s an honor to receive these nominations as an acknowledgement of what the WEDU staff has accomplished in the past year. We strive to provide valuable educational, inspirational, cultural, and thought-provoking local stories to our community,” said Susan Howarth, President and CEO of WEDU. “The 16 Emmy nominations from The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences confirm that WEDU continues fulfill the needs of individuals for education, information, and culture through quality local programs,” Howarth said.

The winners of the 2012 regional Emmy® Awards will be announced on Saturday, December 1st at the Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences annual ceremony in Hollywood, Florida.

Suncoast Regional Emmy® Award Nominations:

EDUCATION/SCHOOLS - Program
Weevil Watchers
Mark Harris

HUMAN INTEREST - Program
Figuratively Speaking
Mark Harris, Jennifer Noble, Alex Gazio

Mother on a Mission
Angie Moreschi

Llama Love
Mark Harris, Bradley Clore

SPORTS – News Feature
Stroke of Genius
Jack Perkins, Mark Harris

DOCUMENTARY - Topical
Away: A Story of Trash
Jeremy Peplow

INFORMATIONAL/INSTRUCTIONAL
Smart Health Episode #210
Ellen McVay, Angie Moreschi, Alex Gazio

INTERVIEW/DISCUSSION
Florida This Week: 1/27/2012 Episode #2004
Gina Presson, Rob Lorei

MAGAZINE PROGRAM
A Gulf Coast Journal Episode #807
Mark Harris, Jennifer Noble, Bradley Clore, Jack Perkins

Meryl’s Music Medicine
Ellen McVay

A Comb and A Brush: The Artist Who Paints Roosters
Ellen McVay, Mark Harris, Bradley Clore

NOSTALGIA PROGRAM
Outside the Box
Bradley Clore

PHOTOGRAPHER – Program (Non-news)
Beach Yoga
Alex Gazio

WRITER – Program (Non-news)
A Comb and A Brush: The Artist Who Paints Roosters
Ellen McVay

Paws with a Cause
Jennifer Noble

Outside the Box
Jennifer Noble

Episodes of A Gulf Coast Journal with Jack Perkins, underwritten in part by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, can be seen on WEDU Thursday’s at 8pm. Smart Health, part of HealthyState.org can be seen on WEDU at 9pm the last Thursday of each month. Florida This Week broadcasts weekly on Fridays at 8:30pm. All of the nominated programs can be viewed on the WEDU website at: www.wedu.org.

WEDU is west central Florida’s primary PBS station and public media company reaching 16 counties through multiple media platforms including on-air programming and online experiences that broaden horizons, transport and transform and open gateways to new ideas and new worlds. Financially supported by the community, the station offers a wealth of award-winning educational, inspirational, and enlightening content over a variety of multi-media platforms including: television programming; wedu.org and various social media platforms; monthly member magazine Premiere, educational initiatives, community outreach activities, and a myriad of special events.  WEDU’s focus on the local community has resulted in the station being regarded as a beacon of trust for men, women and children of every walk of life no matter their age, ethnicity or socio-economic status. WEDU is a treasured community resource; a window to the world for the homebound and a vital educational source for the youngest members of society.  WEDU prides itself on its position in the Tampa Bay community as a leader, partner, informed citizen and a member of PBS, the most trusted institution in America (Harris Interactive Trust QuickQuery, February 2012).

For more information, program schedules or to support WEDU visit wedu.org; WEDU Public Media on Facebook and Twitter or call 813.254.9338.