Governors' Award

The Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Governor’s Award is the highest award our chapter gives to a unique individual, organization or station.

The Board of Governors calls for nominations in August of each year. A panel convenes and should it believe that one or several of the nominees meet the stringent criteria, a selection will be made. The Emmy statuette is presented annually at the Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards. Past recipients have ranged from technical innovations to public service programs. We seek examples of excellence in broadcasting beyond those normally found in individual craft areas or individual programs.

2010 Governors' Award recipients

This One’s For You – Fox Sports Arizona

FOX Sports Arizona is accustomed to showcasing sports heroes, but for the past four years on July 4, the network has taken great pride is shining the spotlight on the true heroes of today – the brave men and women who serve and have served in the United States Military.

Their efforts, along with the sacrifices military families make while their loved ones are away serving our country, easily surpass any touchdown, home run, goal or basket we have ever televised. With this in mind, FOX Sports Arizona uses July 4 for its annual “This One’s For You� production of an Arizona Diamondbacks game to offer its thanks to the military and to remind everyone about the sacrifices these heroes are still making in the Middle East.

The past July 4, nearly 70 Arizona National Guard soldiers and family were invited to the D-backs & Dodgers game at Chase Field. During the network’s game coverage, the Arizona Army National Guard’s 2nd Battalion 285th Assault Helicopter Regiment stationed in Iraq was able to talk to loved ones at the game back home Arizona.

FOX Sports Arizona established satellite feeds from Basrah, COB (Combat Operating Base) Adder and Camp Taji, Iraq, that allowed Arizona National Guard soldiers to interact with their families at the game throughout the telecast. Live interviews were conducted with the 2-285 who were watching the game at the three different locations in Iraq when it began there at 10:00 p.m. Meanwhile, American troops worldwide were able to celebrate July 4 by watching the telecast live via the American Forces Network, made FOX Sports Arizona’s telecast available around the world.

FOX Sports Arizona’s D-backs announcers Daron Sutton and Mark Grace talked with the troops in Iraq and their families during the game telecast. In addition, Todd Walsh, Jody Jackson and Joe Borowski were involved, working in-game as well as the pre and post-game shows in the suite where the families were situated.

FOX Sports Arizona asked its viewers to submit their messages of support for the troops that were shown throughout the telecast. That was done so with a special page for the military that was established on its website FOXSportsArizona.com.

We Shall Remain - KUED

WE SHALL REMAIN was three years in the making…a full year in its presentation in every corner of the state…and will serve the next generation of Utah students in better understanding the history and cultural diversity of their state.

The key components of KUED’s WE SHALL REMAIN service include:
- A five part local documentary series profiling each of the principle American Indian tribal communities in our state.

- A partnership with more than 25 community-based arts, history, cultural, literacy,
museum, and library programs to develop a year-long series of exhibits, presentations, readings and performances to explore critical issues impacting American Indian communities, as well as considering their unique and
seldom- considered histories, language and arts.

- A deep and interactive website that featured interviews, location and history information and tribal links, as well as preservation of unique languages endangered by cultural assimilation. Community events were highlighted and chronicled.

- A partnership creation of educational curricula for grades K-12, exploring the
contributions and history of American Indians in a culturally inclusive manner that had not been available to Utah’s public schools. With age-appropriate considerations for elementary, middle and high school students…interactive
web-based learning…and video segments adapted from the public television series.

The end result, as documented in our supporting materials, is a significant contribution to a state’s ability to better understand the complexity of its past…begin an appreciation for cultural challenges which exist in the present…and form the basis for better educating future generations of our children on the diverse components that form our shared humanity.

The Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of NATAS honors
Fox Sports Arizona, and KUED as the recipients of the
2010 Governors' Award.

Resources

• List of Past Govenors' Award Recipients

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