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Written by Pete Rosenbery Thursday, 27 August 2009 12:14

News - Student News and Awards

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- When it comes to student-produced television, there are few who can argue with the success at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

 

Alt.news 26:46, the University’s award-winning half-hour alternative TV news magazine, racked up seven nominations last week for the 2009 National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Regional Chapter Emmy Awards.

 

The 33rd annual awards ceremony is Oct. 3 at the Renaissance Grand St. Louis.

 

In March, the show earned its fourth national college Emmy in the last eight years when it received best collegiate television magazine show in the nation. Since 2001, the program has earned 23 regional Emmys; 21 from NATAS’ Mid-America chapter in St. Louis, and two from the Chicago Midwest Chapter.

 

“Now that we are going into our 11th year I really believe it is safe to say that we have created a dynasty,” said Jan Thompson, an associate professor in radio-television who is also the show’s faculty adviser.

 

“They are not just competing with professionals, they are competing with some of the top media schools in the country,” she said.

 

The chapter is comprised of television markets primarily in Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri, and surrounding designated market areas, or DMAs, according to event organizers. NBC’s Today Show correspondent Mike Leonard will serve as host.

 

“Alt.news 26:46 continues to produce wonderfully creative work that is consistently recognized by the professional community as of the highest quality,” said College of Mass Communication and Media Arts Dean Gary P. Kolb. “The fact that they have already won 23 Emmys in professional competition testifies to this. We expect them to add significantly to that total this year with another seven nominations. No other student-produced show in the country can boast as many Emmy awards as alt.news, and that is a testament to the quality of our programs and students in media arts at SIUC.”

 

“We are all very proud of these students,”said associate professor Lisa Brooten, interim chair of the Department of Radio-Television.“That undergraduate students can compete in professional categories and win major national awardsisreally good indication of the kind of quality instruction and hands-on experience that students receive here in our college.”

 

Thompson said she could not have envisioned the continuing success level when the program started.

 

“We’ve always had talented students but to continue to perform at this level head to head with professionals just always blows my mind away,” she said.

 

The nominations are for outstanding achievement by individuals and programs broadcast between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009.

Alt.news 26:46 2009 NATAS Mid-America Regional Chapter Emmy nominees are:

• Jay B. Carey, a May 2009 bachelor’s degree graduate in radio-television from Carterville, and Thomas M. Lareau, a senior in radio-television from Watseka, for “alt.news 26:46, episode 1003,” in the magazine program category. This episode earned a national college Emmy in March.
• Dylan J. Damian, a sophomore in radio-television from Carbondale, for “alt.news 26:46” in the promotion-image promo-single spot (non-news) category.
• Scott W. Blair, a senior in radio-television from Deerfield, for “alt.news 26:46,” in the on-camera talent-performer/host category.
• Kevin Rogers, a May 2008 bachelor’s degree graduate in radio-television from Naperville, for “alt.news 26:46 10th anniversary special,” in the specialty program category.
• Carey, Lareau, Damian, and Timothy P. Wilkerson, a May 2009 bachelor’s degree graduate in radio-television from Crystal Lake, for “alt.news 26:46 graphical elements,” in the graphic arts-graphics-program/news category.
• Carey for the segment, “Calypso Tumblers,” in the arts/entertainment-program feature category.
• Carey for the segment, “Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping,” in the human interest-program story/feature category.

More information is available at http://an2646.com/.

Source: Saluki Times