JANUARY 2015 - Suncoast Chapter

JANUARY 2015
National Television Academy, Suncoast Chapter • P.O. Box 840738 • Pembroke Pines, FL 33084 • Tel. 954-322-3171 • Fax 954-322-3178 • e-mail: emmysuncoast@gmail.com
JANUARY 2015
National Television Academy, Suncoast Chapter • P.O. Box 840738 • Pembroke Pines, FL 33084 • Tel. 954-322-3171 • Fax 954-322-3178 • e-mail: emmysuncoast@gmail.com
JANUARY 2015
National Television Academy, Suncoast Chapter • P.O. Box 840738 • Pembroke Pines, FL 33084 • Tel. 954-322-3171 • Fax 954-322-3178 • e-mail: emmysuncoast@gmail.com
JANUARY 2015
CHAPTER NEWS
REGIONAL SILVER CIRCLE RECIPIENTS GREG FOX AND
GAYLE SIERENS HONORED AT THE 2014 SUNCOAST EMMY® AWARDS
The regional Silver Circle Awards were presented to Greg Fox, WESH-TV2, Orlando and Gayle Sierens, WFLA-TV News Channel 8,
Tampa-St. Petersburg at the 2014 Suncoast EMMY® Awards which were held on December 13, 2014 at the Westin Beach Resort &
Spa, Fort Lauderdale.
Silver Circle recipients Gayle Sierens (L) and Greg Fox (R) pictured here with family
This Award recognizes individuals who have worked with distinction in the television industry within the Suncoast Region of the
State of Florida, the State of Louisiana, the Mobile, Alabama - Pensacola, Florida television market as well as the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico for a quarter of a century or more.
Greg Fox has been a broadcast journalist since 1982, and has served as WESH-TV2 (NBC) Orlando’s Political and Government
reporter since 1987, after initially serving as the station’s space industry reporter. He also launched WESH’s weekend Sunrise &
Noon newscasts in 1992 and anchored in all weekend and some weekday newscasts between 1987 and 2000.
His achievements include: two consecutive Walter Cronkite Awards for Excellence in Television Political Journalism (2007 / 2009);
two EMMY® Awards from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (Suncoast Chapter, 1998 / 2012); Two Florida Bar
Media Awards for investigative court reporting (2011 / 2013); Sunshine State Freedom of Information Award for Investigative
Government Reporting (2013); A First Place Green Eyeshade Award (2008); and multiple awards for investigative and political
reporting from RTNDA (now RTDNA), the Society of Professional Journalists, Associated Press, and the Central Florida Press Club.
National Television Academy, Suncoast Chapter • P.O. Box 840738 • Pembroke Pines, FL 33084 • Tel. 954-322-3171 • Fax 954-322-3178 • e-mail: emmysuncoast@gmail.com
JANUARY 2015
CHAPTER NEWS
REGIONAL SILVER CIRCLE RECIPIENTS GREG FOX AND
GAYLE SIERENS HONORED AT THE 2014 SUNCOAST EMMY® AWARDS
Fox has been recognized nationally for his “Truth Tests” of political commercials
and has appeared as a political commentator on programs, including NBC’s
Rock Center with Brian Williams, MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews, and a
C-Span forum on political commercial fact checking hosted by the Annenberg
Public Policy Center.
Born in Absecon, New Jersey, Fox graduated with a degree in Communications/
Journalism from High Point University, N.C. He also served as an adjunct professor
of journalism and media relations from 1996-2012 at the University of Central
Florida and Rollins College in Orlando, Fl. Previously he worked at WYOU-TV in
Scranton, Pa. and WGHP-TV in High Point, N.C. He has also served on the Boards
of Directors for non-profit agencies and is currently on the Executive Advisory
Board of the Boy Scouts of Central Florida.
Silver Circle recipient Greg Fox & family
Gayle Sierens co-anchors News Channel 8’s “News Channel 8 at 5”, 6 and 11PM
newscasts. Sierens joined the News Channel 8 staff in 1977 as a weekend sports
anchor/reporter and became the 11PM weekday sports anchor in March of 1983.
In addition to these responsibilities, she freelanced as a play-by-play announcer
for ESPN, the cable sports network. In October of 1985, Sierens made the
transition from sportscaster to news anchor.
In 1987, Sierens made history as the first woman ever to do play-by-play on a
NFL football game. And she appeared weekly on NBC’s “NFL Live”.
Prior to joining WFLA-TV, Sierens was with WFSU-TV in Tallahassee, Florida.
She received a B.S. degree in mass communications with a minor in speech
communications from Florida State University.
Silver Circle recipient Gayle Sierens
Currently, Sierens is on the board of directors of the Judeo-Christian Health Clinic and the Advisory Board for Operation Helping Hand.
Gayle was the winner of the Florida Holocausts Museums “Loebenberg Humanitarian Award.” She was also named Humanitarian of the
Year by the Judeo Christian Health Clinic. The Association of Fundraising Professionals created the “Gayle Sierens Volunteer of the
Year” award in her honor. She was named a “Woman of Distinction” by Girl Scouts of America, Suncoast chapter. She also serves on
the Advisory Boards for Elon University’s School of Communication, Village Partners International, and the Junior League of Tampa.
Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio also proclaimed January 7th, 2007 Gayle Sierens Day in honor of her 30 year anniversary with WFLA-TV.
National Television Academy, Suncoast Chapter • P.O. Box 840738 • Pembroke Pines, FL 33084 • Tel. 954-322-3171 • Fax 954-322-3178 • e-mail: emmysuncoast@gmail.com
JANUARY 2015
CHAPTER NEWS
JOHN A. MAYS RECEIVES THE GOVERNOR’S AWARD
AT THE 2014 SUNCOAST EMMY® AWARDS
The Governors’ Award recognizes excellence in people, cable, media and/or television entities.
It is not given every year. The candidate must receive a favorable vote of no less than 4/5th of the
Board. It recognizes those persons, or entities who are worthy of recognition for the quality of
their contributions to the Suncoast region. This year the award was presented to John Mays at
the 2014 Suncoast EMMY® Awards ceremony of December 13, 2014.
John Mays has been involved with the Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television
Arts & Sciences since 1994 when he was elected to the Board of Governors. From 1998-2002 he
was Chairman of the expansion committee, 1997 and 1998 he was on the outside judging
committee, currently he is the Chairman of the EMMY® Awards Committee.
John Mays
John is also one of the chapter’s representatives as a National Trustee and received the Silver Circle Award in 2010. He was the
Co-producer of the Suncoast EMMY® Awards from 1994 to 2004 and has directed and produced the Suncoast EMMY® Awards every
year since 2005.
John is currently the Production Manager for WFOR/CBS4 and MYTV33. He has held that position for ten years. He has been with CBS
for 18 years, starting as a Director/Technical Director, moving to Assistant Production Manager prior to his current position.
REGIONAL NEWS
TWO TAMPA STATIONS LOCAL TV INVESTIGATIONS HONORED WITH DUPONT AWARDS
By Mark Joyella TV SPY
Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism announced 14 winners of the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards,
including four for investigative reporting by local stations—and two were in the same market, Tampa-St. Petersburg.
ABC affiliate WFTS was honored for “Incapacitated: Florida’s Guardianship Program”, an investigation that exposed “rampant
abuse and fraud” by court appointed guardians:
The reporters searched through records, spoke with family members and confronted some of the guardians with clear evidence of
their misdeeds. As a result, this summer a new guardianship reform bill led to legislative changes to help protect others.
Tampa CBS affiliate WTSP received a duPont for “Short Yellows and the Red Light Fight”, an investigation that exposed how
local governments “abused technology to cheat drivers:”
This yearlong investigation uncovered a problem that impacts millions of Americans; local municipalities manipulating technology
to make yellow lights shorter thereby driving up the number of traffic tickets given to safe drivers.
National Television Academy, Suncoast Chapter • P.O. Box 840738 • Pembroke Pines, FL 33084 • Tel. 954-322-3171 • Fax 954-322-3178 • e-mail: emmysuncoast@gmail.com
JANUARY 2015
REGIONAL NEWS
FORMER TAMPA ANCHOR’S DAUGHTER KILLED IN CHRISTMAS EVE CRASH
By Mark Joyella TV SPY
Tampa CBS affiliate WTSP reports former anchor Marty Matthews was involved in an awful car crash on Christmas Eve that
killed her daughter and left her husband critically injured. According to WTSP, Matthews’ husband, Edward Austin, was driving
along I-95 in South Carolina and lost control of the family’s SUV in the rain, went off the highway and crashed into trees.
The couple’s daughter, 28-year-old Emily Austin, died at the scene from injuries. Matthews’ husband survived the crash, but
was listed in critical condition at the Medical University of South Carolina.
Matthews, who anchored newscasts for WTSP through a fifteen-year career with the station until 2009, was uninjured.
WTVT INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER LEAVES TV NEWS
By Kevin Eck TV SPY
Doug Smith, investigative reporter for WTVT in Tampa, has left TV news.
“I’ve accomplished more than I ever dreamed of in my 25 years in television news, now I’m going
to pursue my new dream as an entrepreneur on the ground floor of an exciting and growing
industry,” Smith said.
Smith is leaving to work at a company that makes environmentally friendly spray on chrome.
You’ve seen the product used on college football helmets.
Doug Smith
He’s worked at the Tampa FOX owned station since August 2003. Smith started his career at KCRA in Sacramento in 1989.
He’s also worked at KCBA in the Monterey-Salinas, Calif. market, KTNV in Las Vegas, WFTS in Tampa and WFTV in Orlando.
He won a duPont Award in 2009.
PEOPLE MOVES
ANGELA TAYLOR joins Hearst-owned Orlando NBC affiliate WESH as an evening anchor. Taylor comes to Orlando from
Hearst’s KHBS in Fort Smith, Ark.
MEREDITY McDONOUGH has been named evening anchor for Orlando NBC affiliate WESH. McDonough started at WESH
in 2011 as the weekend anchor before being moved to weekday mornings in 2012.
SUMMER KNOWLES has left WFOR-TV, the Miami CBS affiliate for an anchor/reporter job in another market.
MICHAEL PARENTE joins WSVN-TV Miami-Ft. Lauderdale as Creative Services Director. Parente makes the move across town
from WPLG-TV where he was Promotion Manager since 2002.
National Television Academy, Suncoast Chapter • P.O. Box 840738 • Pembroke Pines, FL 33084 • Tel. 954-322-3171 • Fax 954-322-3178 • e-mail: emmysuncoast@gmail.com
JANUARY 2015
Officers
Committee Chairs
Chip Richards, President and Trustee,
Production Manager, WLRN-TV, PBS, Miami
Art & Design
John Mays, 1st Vice President and Trustee,
Production Manager, WFOR/CBS4, Miami
EMMY® Awards
Maria Cristina Barros, 2nd Vice President and Alternate Trustee,
Director of Marketing and Community Relations,
WSCV/Telemundo 51, Miami
Karla MacDonald, Secretary, Suncoast Chapter Administrator
Betsy Behrens, Treasurer, Retired television producer
Board of Governors
Barbara Alfonso, Manager, Programming and Community
Marketing, WTVJ/NBC6, Miami
Maria Cristina Barros, Chapter 2nd Vice President and
Alternate Trustee, Director of Marketing and Community
Relations, WSCV/Telemundo 51, Miami
Stacey Panson, Designer, Ft. Lauderdale
John Mays, Production Manager, WFOR/CBS4, Miami
Scholarship
Angela Ramos, Programming & Public Affairs Director,
WLTV/Univision23, Miami
Karla MacDonald, Suncoast Chapter Administrator
Tel. 954-322-3171 e-mail emmysuncoast@gmail.com
TO SUBSCRIBE TO TUBE TALK: Send mail to: tubetalk@emmyonline.org with the
following command as the body of your e-mail message: subscribe tube talk
TO UNSUBSCRIBE TO TUBE TALK: Send mail to: tubetalk@emmyonline.org with the
following command as the body of your e-mail message: unsubscribe tube talk
Joyce Belloise, Executive Producer, WPBT Channel 2, Miami
Pam Giganti Bunge, News Anchor, WTVJ/NBC6, Miami
Submissions related to television in the Suncoast region of Florida,
Natalia Crujeiras, Director of Digital Media & Social Strategy
for the Office of Cuba Broadcasting
Mobile, Alabama, Louisiana and Puerto Rico are welcome. Send to
emmysuncoast@gmail.com
Lori Davis, Producer/DP/Director/Avid Editor,
LCD Productions, Ft. Lauderdale
Frances Hernandez, Manager, Production Administration,
WPBT Channel 2, Miami
John Mays, 1st Vice President and Trustee,
Production Manager, WFOR/CBS4, Miami
Liz Roldan, News Director, WFOR/CBS4, Miami
Mel Taylor, Assignment Desk, WPLG, Miami
Max Wyler, Owner, Accord Productions, Coconut Grove
National Television Academy, Suncoast Chapter • P.O. Box 840738 • Pembroke Pines, FL 33084 • Tel. 954-322-3171 • Fax 954-322-3178 • e-mail: emmysuncoast@gmail.com