Local Stations Named Emmy Winners

By RITA SHERROW World Television Editor

Three Tulsa TV stations were named 2005 Emmy winners last weekend in Denver.

The local stations competed in in the Heartland division of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which includes stations in Colorado, Nebraska, Wyoming, Oklahoma and Kansas.

KJRH, channel 2 and cable channel 9, earned the Emmy for Outstanding Evening Newscast.

The winning newscast on “Channel 2 News Nightbeat,” included coverage of a local workplace shooting.

The station set up a staffed phone bank to answer viewer questions about domestic violence, workplace issues and dealing with grief.

KOTV, channel 6, and KWTV, channel 9 in Oklahoma City, won in the Sports Program category for their joint program “Orange Bowl Blitz.”

Bret Gunther was the joint projects manager and Jenny Monroe served as executive producer.

In the Graphics/Animation-News category, the winner was the Fox23 News Graphics Package of KOKI, channel 23 and cable channel 5. Joel Rorabaugh was the art director/animator.

Bill Perry, executive producer of the award-winning documentary department at OETA-TV in Oklahoma City, was one of five inducted into the Heartland chapter’s Silver Circle, which recognizes those who have devoted 25 years or more to the television industry and have made a significant broadcasting contribution.

Perry, who joined OETA in 1990 as field bureau manager, has developed many programs for Oklahoma’s statewide Public Television network and oversees the production of the monthly series “Stateline” and “Gallery.”

He also serves as a regional vice president of the Heartland Chapter board of governors.