By: Karina Valdes

Two UMTV shows, NewsVision and SportsDesk, were each recently nominated for a Television Academy Foundation College Television Award. The College Television Awards recognize excellence in student production, with this year’s nominees selected out of 374 submissions from 112 schools across the nation. NewsVision and SportsDesk are the only two UMTV shows airing live.

NewsVision staff were nominated in the News category for their work on MSD Massacre One Year Later.

“This recognition impacts everyone who spends countless hours every week volunteering to produce each episode of NewsVision – from all the producers, anchors, reporters, writers, and crew members,” said Boriana Treadwell, faculty adviser to NewsVision and lecturer at the School of Communication.

In this special edition of NewsVision that aired on the first anniversary of the Parkland school massacre, UMTV student reporters took an in-depth look back at the tragedy. Speaking to survivors and legislators, student reporters examined what has happened since the event and showcased what the University of Miami has done in response.

“It’s a huge honor to be nominated by this most prestigious national student media award in the News category for a second year in row. I am extremely proud of all the work that the talented UM students put in NewsVision – and I am not the least bit surprised they have been getting the recognition they deserve,” said Treadwell. 

SportsDesk was nominated in the Sports category for an episode featuring some of the program’s most comprehensive stories of the semester. The episode includes an investigative look at the use of performance enhancing drugs in high school athletics by David Perez, and a package produced by Madison Brown about concussion treatments and protocols in the world of sports.

Last year, both shows were also nominated for a College Television Award, with SportsDesk winning for the first time in its broadcast history. The winning SportsDesk episode featured an exclusive one-on-one interview with Coach Sarah Barnes who had just begun her tenure as the head coach of the UM women’s soccer team, and a segment on UM Baseball and Coach Jim Morris’ last season.

“Being nominated for the second year in a row is really a testament to the students who work so hard on the show on a weekly basis. They deserve all the credit. Without them, there is no show. It’s always a good feeling when others recognize the talent and effort that our students put into these productions. I could not be more proud of my SportsDesk crew,” said Ed Julbe, faculty adviser to SportsDesk and senior lecturer at the School of Communication.

Airing live on Thursdays at 7 p.m., NewsVision covers local, national, and international news in a 30-minute show. SportsDesk airs live on Fridays at 7 p.m., with a focus on UM athletics, as well as national sports.

The 40th College Television Awards ceremony and the College Television Summit is set for March 19-21, 2020, in Los Angeles. Winners will be announced on March 21.

Below are the UMTV Nominees:

NewsVision: MSD Massacre One Year Later
Madison Brown, Writer
Rebekah Chung, Producer
Ben Ezzy, Director
Tommy Fletcher, Producer
Erika Orstad, Writer
Breana Ross, Writer
Justin Stevens, Producer
Jenna Weiss, Producer

SportsDesk:
Madison Brown, Writer
Valerie Ferrante, Producer
Amanda Fuentes, Producer
Luis Gonzalez, Producer
David Perez, Writer
Justin Stevens, Director

Visit https://www.emmys.com/foundation/programs/cta/nominees to view the entire list of nominees.