The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) recognized Mississippi Public Broadcasting with five 2017 Southeast EMMY® Awards. Several MPB staffers accepted the awards at the EMMY® banquet on Saturday, June 10 at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta.
Three of MPB Television’s original productions won regional EMMY® Awards in five different categories.
Producer Art McAlpin, who won an EMMY® for the documentary Mississippi’s Free State of Jones, emphasized the team effort of the MPB Television crew.
“It’s always nice to find that something you’ve worked on is appreciated,” said McAlpin. “I feel really lucky to have worked with all the tremendously talented people at MPB that helped produce Mississippi’s Free State of Jones.”
Director of post production Taiwo Gaynor, whose name is on four of the five awards, echoed McAlpin’s sentiment about the group effort being critical to the winning productions.
“I am so grateful for my Mississippi Public Broadcasting team right now. It takes so many people to create the great programs that we are all so very proud of, “ said Gaynor. “It truly takes everyone to do the work that we do.”
Along with one EMMY® for Mississippi College Festival of Lights, Gaynor won three for his work with Keri Horn and Scott Colwell on Ed Said, MPB’s puppet who raps to children about the importance of eating healthy and exercising.
Horn, the puppeteer and voice behind Ed Said, also reiterated her appreciation for the work of the MPB Television department as a whole.
“I feel lucky to work with such a talented group of people here at MPB,” said Horn. “And I’m glad that we get to take Ed Said's healthy message to kids of all ages across Mississippi. We’re just trying to change the world, one catchy tune at a time.”
The full list of MPB’s EMMY® winning productions and personnel are as follows:
- Documentary – History
“Mississippi’s Free State of Jones"
Art McAlpin, Adam Chance, Edie Greene, John Gibson - Audio - Live
“Mississippi College Festival of Lights”
Taiwo Gaynor, John Busbice
- Children / Youth (All Ages)
“Ed Said”
Scott Colwell, Taiwo Gaynor, Keri Horn
- Writer – Short Form
“Ed Said”
Scott Colwell, Taiwo Gaynor, Keri Horn
- Craft Specialty – Musical composition / Arrangement
“Ed Said’s Super Fruit to Save the Day”
Scott Colwell, Taiwo Gaynor, Keri Horn
