Southeastern Louisiana University

Southeastern Channel wins 10 Telly Awards

Contact: Christina Chapple

10/16/08

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     Five originally produced programs -- “The Florida Parish Chronicles,” “Backyard Wonders,” “Lion Tracks,” a history telecourse, and a Southeastern Wind Symphony concert – were honored, as well as promotional spots for “TV Rule of Thumb,” “Surfing the Internet” and Southeastern basketball and the show open for the music video program “INDI-Visual.”

     The Telly Awards is the premier award program honoring national, regional, and local cable television programs and commercials, as well as film and video productions. Telly Awards annually showcase the best work of television stations, cable operators, production companies, corporate video departments, and advertising agencies. This year’s 29th annual competition received more than 14,000 entries from all 50 states and many foreign countries.

     “The Southeastern Channel is extremely honored to be recognized on a national scale for its creative spots and such a wide variety of programming -- from history and nature shows to telecourses, symphonies and sports,” said channel general manager and program executive producer Rick Settoon.

     “Winning prestigious Telly Awards is a well-deserved recognition for our staff members who work extremely hard to create and produce top-quality programming for our audience,” Settoon said.

     "The awards also highlight the invaluable contributions of Southeastern faculty members such as Dr. Sam Hyde, Dr. Glen Hemberger and Dr. Harry Laver, who were all a part of the award-winning shows,” said Interim President John L. Crain. “The Southeastern Channel is doing an outstanding job of showcasing on the television screen the great level of talent and expertise of our faculty and students.”

     Two “Florida Parish Chronicles” episodes, “Part One:  Legendary Crimes and Criminals of the Florida Parishes” and “Ghosts and Haunted Houses of Southeast Louisiana,” won in the “History Series” category.  The shows were written, hosted and narrated by Hyde, Ford Family Chair in Regional Studies and director of the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies. History instructor Keith Finley, the center’s assistant director, provided key research.

     Channel staff member Josh Kapusinski edited and created graphics, while operations manager Steve Zaffuto produced and directed the dramatic reenactments. Channel staffers Jamie Bass and Dave Fox assisted with videography.

     Kapusinski produced, directed and edited the winning “Backyard Wonders” episode “The North Shore: Our Natural Legacy,” which won for “Nature/Wildlife Series.”  

     Bass produced, directed and edited the History 655 telecourse lecture about Dwight Eisenhower by Laver, associate professor of history, which won a Telly in the “Education” category.

     An installment of “Lion Tracks,” a Southeastern coaches show hosted by producer/reporter Corey Broman-Fulks, won in the “Sports” category for an episode featuring football head coach Mike Lucas and Hammond Daily Star sports editor John Lenz. Bass directed the winning sports program.

     The Southeastern Wind Symphony’s Fanfare 2007 concert “Were You There?” conducted by Hemberger, associate professor of music, won in the “Live Events” category. Southeastern Channel editor/videographer Claude Levet coordinated the location production of the event and edited the final version.

     Promotion spots produced and edited by Kapusinski (“TV Rule of Thumb” and “Surfing the Internet”) and Zaffuto (“Lions Basketball Promo” and “INDI-Visual” open) won in “Use of Graphics” category.

     The Southeastern Channel has won more than 80 national and international awards. The channel reaches more than 250,000 viewers on the north shore on Charter Cable Channel 18 in Tangipahoa, St. Tammany and Livingston parishes and Charter Cable Channel 17 in Washington Parish. It can also be seen live online at www.selu.edu/tv.