Two Southeastern Channel programs win national Telly Awards

Contact: Tonya Lowentritt

2/24/12

Click on thumbnail for high resolution photo

     HAMMOND Two original television programs produced by Southeastern Louisiana University have been recognized with 2011 national Telly Awards.
     The programs were produced and aired on the Southeastern Channel, the university’s cable access television station. “Who Killed the Kingfish?,” an episode of the Emmy-nominated history series, “The Florida Parish Chronicles,” and “Louisiana’s Backyard Emblems,” a feature on the nature series “Backyard Wonders” were awarded Tellys.
     The Telly Awards is a national competition honoring local, regional, and cable television programs, commercials, video and film productions. The awards showcase the best work of television stations, production companies, cable operators and advertising agencies throughout the world.
     The 2011 competition received more than 11,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents. Among the winners were The History Channel, NBC, ABC, ESPN, Fox Sports, PBS, Turner Studios, and others.
     “It’s a great honor for the Channel to win these national awards,” said Rick Settoon, general manager. “The awards recognize the high quality of original programming that we try to provide viewers in our area. It’s a credit to the talent, efforts and high standards of our production staff.”
     “Who Killed the Kingfish?” spotlights never-before released research and information regarding the assassination of Louisiana Governor Huey P. Long. Interviews, research of eyewitness accounts, and medical diagrams present new evidence which challenges the history books.
     The episode was written and hosted by Samuel C. Hyde, Southeastern director of the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies and included rare film footage, archival photographs and dramatic reenactments. The reenactments were shot by Operations Manager Steve Zaffuto with assistance from staff member Jamie Bass. Staff member Josh Kapusinski edited the program.
     “Louisiana’s Backyard Emblems” identifies, explains and celebrates Louisiana’s state emblems, from the state dog and insect to the state fruit, vegetable, flower and fish.
In the program “Backyard Wonders,” host Robert Moreau, Southeastern biology instructor and manager of the Turtle Cove Environmental Research Station, traveled around the state to investigate various emblems, from the brown pelican to honeybees and the Catahoula Leopard Dog.
     The program was produced, shot and edited by Kapusinski, who included lighthearted and entertaining factoids about certain emblems.
     The Southeastern Channel has won 150 national, international and regional awards in its nine-year existence, including 33 Telly Awards. The channel can be seen on Charter Cable Channel 18 in Tangipahoa, Livingston and St. Tammany parishes and on Channel 17 in Washington Parish. The live 24/7 webcast and Video on Demand are viewed in 47 countries and 46 U.S. states monthly at www.southeastern.edu/tv.

More News...