Back by popular demand! The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is offering a handsome plaque commemorating work on Emmy® Award-nominated pieces.
The rosewood plaque is 8 x 10 with an inscribed gold plate featuring the academy logo. Please allow 8-10 weeks for delivery. (Similar to shown above)
Nomination Plaque: $125
Note: Nomination certificates will be awarded to all nominees.
Kurt Rivera’s career began inauspiciously 30 years ago as a very young, very part time DJ at an Oldies themed radio station in Stockton.
One late Saturday night, when the song “Mony, Mony” concluded, the 19-year old DJ pronounced to listeners in as deep as a broadcast voice as he could: “That’s Money, Money” by Tommy James and the Shondells. Moments later the phone rang. Kurt answered. It was a listener with a message: “Tell that dumb DJ its ‘Mony, Mony’ NOT “Money, Money!'” The young DJ replied: “He said that! I’ll be sure to tell the DJ and let him know!” Thus, the road to a long career in broadcasting began!
Kurt Rivera
It has now been 28 years in television.
Kurt’s first job was as a photographer and part-time reporter at KESQ-TV in Palm Springs in 1987. Kurt shot the very first live shot for that market. He then was hired as a full-time reporter at KERO-TV in Bakersfield where he worked for five years. Kurt was then hired by the new Fox start-up station WFLD-TV in Chicago as a morning reporter. He followed that up as a morning reporter at WXYZ-TV in Detroit.
To be closer to family, Kurt moved back to Bakersfield in 1999 and became a news anchor for the first time in his career. He still reported, but his main role in his career changed. From KGET-TV, he became a main anchor at KBAK and KBFX-TV in Bakersfield from 2004 through 2015. It’s the longest run at a station Kurt has worked.
Kurt has been honored with several awards over his career including several Emmy Awards, Murrow Awards, including a national Murrow for a series on Meth; Golden Mic’s and AP Awards.
I have always been a sports guy. I got hooked in high school and went to the University of Oklahoma to become a sportscaster. My dad, a lifelong banker, didn’t see a future in that and had me enroll as a journalism and business double major because he was paying the bills.
Charles Westerheide
While writing for the Oklahoma Daily newspaper, I did a profile piece and interviewed Dean Blevins, an Oklahoma City sportscaster. Blevins said they needed sports interns, and I got my shot at KOCO-TV. I learned to write for TV, edit video and create a rundown. On Saturdays and Sundays, I did the sportscasts that played overnight or on our weekend morning show. My boss was Mick Cornett, who is now Oklahoma City’s mayor. Mick told me I was not going to make much in sports, but that I should jump over to news. Mick was right, I jumped to news and moved from editor to AP to producer. I was there for 5 years.
My next job was in Kansas City at WDAF. They were soon switching affiliations from NBC to FOX. I helped start a 9 p.m. newscast. I knew a little bit about a lot of stuff. They needed help with computer systems, live shots and graphics. I produced sports shows, the Oklahoma City bombing and the O.J. Simpson trial coverage. When Senator Bob Dole ran for President, I followed him everywhere. I loaded up a minivan with equipment and drove to Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and San Diego. I set up for our political reporter and anchors to fly into town and do live reports.
About the same time, a buddy from KOCO called and said he was starting up a FOX station back in Oklahoma City. I left Kansas City to build a newsroom at KOKH. After about a year, we were on the air and my role switched from builder/fixer to show producer. It was time to move on.
I liked San Diego when I was here for the Republican Convention. I didn’t have a lot of experience on the assignment desk, but things worked out at NBC 7/39. I quickly moved from the desk into management. I’ve been lucky enough to work with great people through tragedies like wildfires, terrorist attacks and kidnappings. I’ve also had the pleasure of being involved with coverage of fun events like the Olympics, Super Bowls and airshows.
San Diego is where I met my wife. We have two smart and beautiful daughters. NBC 7 has introduced me to great friends and co-workers. I’ve worked with, and competed against people who really care about serving the community. San Diego is now home after almost 18 years at NBC 7.
Deborah Shaw Lawrence has nearly three decades of creative strategy, promotion, design, and media expertise. The recipient of 18 Emmy Awards from NATAS-PSW and a national Emmy Award for NBC Olympics coverage, she has also been received a Golden Mic, PROMAX Gold and four San Diego Press Club awards for journalistic excellence.
Deborah Shaw Lawrence
Currently director of public relations at Healthy Dining, Deborah is also president and owner of Bella Dolce PR, handling PR for clients throughout Southern California. A former NATAS-PSW board member, she is a leader in the community as well, serving as Vice President of the Miracle League of Diego; as Board Member and Patroness of the San Dieguito Chapter of National Charity League, Inc. and as Co-Founder of San Diego’s newest non-profit dance company, K-12 Hip Hop.
“Being inducted into the Silver Circle is incredibly important to me because I chaired the Silver Circle celebration for three years,” she says. “It’s really important to honor people who’ve given their heart and soul to the TV industry in Southern California and Nevada.
“I was fortunate to be able to devote most of my career to NBC San Diego. Anyone who knows me knows it’s my passion to make and see great TV. There are so many talented people in this market – behind the scenes and in front of the camera – and I’m honored to be in the group celebrated in the Silver Circle.”
We have an online Emmy® judging opportunity this month to judge the Suncoast Chapter, in both English and Spanish categories. When you submit your Emmy® Entry, you are agreeing to judge other chapters’ entries. Without this reciprocity, there would be no Emmy® Awards. Judges will receive one judging reward per panel judged. Judging rewards are valued at $5- each, and can be used towards membership renewal, Emmy® Entry submissions, and Emmy® Event Tickets. The deadline to complete judging is Friday, September 11, 2015.
The list of panels is below, with the qualifications, categories, number of entries to be judged and the total running time of the panel.
Qualified judges need a minimum of 2 years of professional television experience relevant to the category being judged. To become a judge, please email [email protected] with the name of the panel(s) that you’re qualified and willing to judge, and you’ll be sent a link to the judging web site, along with detailed instructions, and a login code. You will then create a judging profile and view the entries online in the comfort of your home or office. Judging does not have to be completed in one sitting; you may start and stop as needed.
| ENGLISH Categories | Entries | Length |
| CHILDREN/YOUTH/TEENS/EDUCATION/SCHOOLS – News | 12 | 1:05:10 |
| CRIME – News | 21 | 2:06:45 |
| HISTORIC/CULTURAL – News | 19 | 1:55:21 |
| MAGAZINE PROGRAM | 12 | 3:58:19 |
| EDITOR – News | 14 | 1:20:57 |
| GRAPHIC ARTS – Graphics/Set Design | 12 | 0:27:49 |
| PHOTOGRAPHER – Program (Non-News) | 11 | 2:22:45 |
| SPANISH Categories | Entries | Length |
| SPORTS – Sportscast/Program Feature/Segment/Daily or Weekly Program/Program Series/One-Time Special – SPORTING EVENT/GAME – LIVE/UNEDITED – Program/Special/Series | 16 | 3:57:20 |
| DOCUMENTARY – Cultural/Historical | 10 | 7:39:00 |