By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Wednesday, June 15, 2016
The NBC affiliate 11 Alive took home the most Emmys at a ceremony in Buckhead Saturday night with 25, including overall excellence. Last year, it won 28.
WXIA-TV's Brendan Keefe won an astounding 11 Emmys including two for his heralded series on the defects of the 911 system He also pocketed Emmys for an investigate report on ALEC, another about impotence clinics, a third for radioactive concrete and a fourth about hotel security. His lifetime total is a mind-boggling 66. Reporter Matthew Pearl won two more, adding to his closet full of Emmys that now total 19.
"I have never been someone who judges a journalist's value by his or her award count," Pearl wrote me."I have always said that some of the most impressive people in the newsroom -- reporters, photojournalists, and otherwise -- rarely get the accolades they deserve because their strengths don't necessarily translate into awards. So I try not to place too much emphasis on those awards, but I also cherish the ones I have won because I know how difficult they are to obtain. Winning an award in journalism often requires doing something extraordinary -- and being chosen over extraordinary competition. Nearly any time I have been nominated for an Emmy, I have been selected alongside someone whose work I admire. I hope they feel the same about me! In short, awards are not why I do what I do, but I certainly appreciate what they represent."
Channel 2 Action News won 11, including best on-camera anchor (Craig Lucie), best meteorologist (Glenn Burns), best sports talent (Heather Catlin), best morning newscast and news excellence. That's up from nine a year ago.
"I was completely surprised and didn't have a speech prepared," said Lucie, who was competing against 11 Alive's Brenda Wood and Melissa Long as well as fellow WSBer Jovita Moore. "I was up against the best in the business. It was truly an honor to be recognized for the work that we do.... When the announcer said my name, I was truly blown away."
Burns, amazingly, had never put his name in for an individual award and after 35 years with WSB, it's his first individual Emmy.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Telemundo garnered 14 Emmys vs 9 for Univision.
Georgia Public Broadcasting took home seven, down from 18 in 2015. Public Broadcasting Atlanta brought home one.
CBS46 won five, up from three a year ago.
Fox 5, which has not made the Emmys a priority in recent years, won two Emmys, up from zero in 2015.
Steak Shapiro's "Atlanta Eats" videos received four nominations and one win.
WSB-TV and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution are both part of Cox Media Group.
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