Arizona PBS garners 9 regional Emmy nominations

Eight, Arizona PBS garnered nine regional Emmy nominations – the television industry’s premier awards – from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

“The Emmy Awards are the most prestigious awards in television, and being recognized again this year by the television academy with so many nominations is a great confirmation that we are fulfilling our mission here at Eight to produce the highest quality programming for our viewers in Arizona and beyond,” said Kelly McCullough, Eight general manager.

“The Texas Tenors: You Should Dream,” Eight’s live concert production for breakout country crossover stars The Texas Tenors, shot with 12 cameras, received five nominations, including Arts/Entertainment Program; Specialty Musical Composition/Arrangement; Director – Live or Live-to-Tape; Audio; and Lighting.

Three-time Emmy winner and Eight’s most popular local production, “Check, Please! Arizona,” received two nominations for its fourth season on-air, including Interview/Discussion Program. Also nominated was the local segment “Tin Can Art,” produced for the Arizona PBS local art series “ArtBeat Nation,” featuring a tin can artist who feeds the homeless with the proceeds of art he creates using empty cans of food. Eight’s medical series, “The Latest Procedure,” which won its first Emmy last year, received a 2014 nomination for its newest episode on endovascular leg therapies.

In addition to the nominations below, Jeff Halberg, Eight’s production services manager, will be inducted into the Silver Circle.

“We are very pleased to see Jeff get this recognition from the television academy,” McCullough said. “This distinguished award is reserved for truly accomplished professionals in the broadcasting field, and Jeff’s talents and high level of professionalism along with his versatility and commitment to excellence make him an outstanding choice for this honor. We are proud that Jeff has spent so many years of his career committed to the Eight, Arizona PBS mission – and we congratulate him on receiving this well-deserved award.”

To be eligible for the Silver Circle honor, individuals must have served in the broadcast industry for at least 25 years and made major contributions to the television industry, according to the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter, which includes Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and El Centro, California.

Arizona State University students at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication also amassed 22 Student Production Awards nominations in the 2014 Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards – seven more than the rest of the field combined. In all, 27 Cronkite students were nominated, with several receiving multiple nominations, including Robby Baker, Shayne Dwyer and Chris Smith, who each garnered three nominations.

Nominations are conferred by the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which is dedicated to the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry, and recognizes excellence in television annually with the coveted Emmy Award.

The Emmy ceremony will be held Oct. 18 at the Scottsdale Fairmont Princess. Eight’s nine nominations for 2014 are listed in their categories below.

Arts/Entertainment – Program / Special

“The Texas Tenors: You Should Dream”
Eight, Arizona PBS/KAET
Scott Wallin, Marcus Collins, John Fisher, John Hagen, Jim Ward, Katie Cobb

Arts/Entertainment – Program Feature-Segment

“Tin Can Art”
Eight, Arizona PBS/KAET
Jennifer Burke

Audio-Live or Post Production

“The Texas Tenors: You Should Dream”
Eight, Arizona PBS/KAET
Michael Parnin, Marcus Collins

Craft Specialty Musical Composition/Arrangement

“The Texas Tenors: You Should Dream”
Eight, Arizona PBS/KAET
Nigel Wright, Stephen Kummer, Chris McDonald, John Hagen

Director – Live or Live-to-Tape

“The Texas Tenors: You Should Dream”
Eight, Arizona PBS/KAET
Leon Knoles

Informational/Instructional

“The Latest Procedure: Endovascular Leg Therapies”
Eight, Arizona PBS/KAET
Nancy Southgate, Chris Wooley, Wayne Dickmann, Miguel Montero-Baker, John Pacanowski, Luis Leon

Interview/Discussion-Program/Special or Series

“Check, Please! Arizona”
Eight, Arizona PBS/KAET
Kelly McCullough, Nancy Southgate, Scott Wallin, Suzanne Guery, Mark Harms, Robert McGrath

Lighting – Location or Studio

“Check, Please! Arizona” – Season 4 Lighting
Eight, Arizona PBS/KAET
Scot Olson

“The Texas Tenors: You Should Dream”
Eight, Arizona PBS/KAET
Matthew Firestone, Mark Harms, Marcus Collins

All of this year’s nominations are posted at www.rockymountainemmy.org.