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Written by SIUC MCMA Wednesday, 07 October 2009 05:10

News - Student News and Awards

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The media machine that is alt.news 26:46, Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s student-produced alternative TV news magazine, just keeps turning out winners.

The award-winning half-hour news program earned five regional Emmy Awards Saturday, Oct. 3., at the 2009 National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Chapter Professional Emmy Awards. The 33rd annual awards ceremony was at the Renaissance Grand St. Louis.

"Alt.news 26:46 continues to be a hallmark of excellence in our student-produced media,” said Gary P. Kolb, dean of the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts. “The success of this endeavor rests primarily with the talented students we have recruited to our MCMA programs. My thanks also go to Professor Jan Thompson who has advised and mentored alt.news students for several years now. I am happy that I have been able to offer support for programs like alt.news and remain committed to helping our students achieve the best. Bravo to all involved -- a fantastic achievement.”

In March, the show earned its fourth national college Emmy in the last eight years when it received the award for best collegiate television magazine show in the nation. Since 2001, the program has now earned 28 regional professional Emmys; 26 from NATAS’ Mid-America chapter in St. Louis, and two from the Chicago Midwest Chapter.

The Mid-America chapter is comprised of television markets primarily in Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri, and surrounding designated market areas, or DMAs, according to event organizers.

“Our students continue to make us proud and to showcase the benefits of the education and extracurricular activities that they can take advantage of in our department and our college,” said Associate Professor Lisa W. Brooten, interim chair of the Department of Radio-Television.

Thompson, an associate professor in radio-television and documentary unit director, is the show’s faculty adviser. The nominations and awards continue to show the professional level that students achieve, she said.

“I am extremely proud of these students. There are not too many television shows even at the professional level that can sustain this level of excellence,” Thompson said. “And we continue do this with undergraduate students who graduate each year.”

The awards were for outstanding achievement by individuals and programs broadcast between April 1, 2008, and March 31, 2009. The organization announced the nominations in August.

The alt.news 26:46 regional professional Emmy-winning recipients 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. Among the nominees in this category was actor John Goodman, who is from St. Louis and narrated a documentary for HECTV.
• 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 for the segment, “Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping,” in the human interest-program story/feature category.

Other alt.news 26:46 professional regional Emmy nominations went to:

• 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.

Alt.news 26:46 airs on WSIU-TV. The first episode for season No. 11 is at 10 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 25, with a look at the MuddyGras in Texas, and the indiemusic scene through the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. The season’s second show airs at 10 p.m., Nov. 15.

Check with WSIU.org for more programming updates. More information and previous episodes and awards are available at the alt.news 26:46 Web site at an2646.com.