Student Productions Honored at Rocky Mountain Emmys

Students from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University won five Student Achievement Awards at the 2012 Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards, including best student newscast for Cronkite NewsWatch. The awards were presented at a ceremony Oct. 6 by the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which awards Emmys each year to professional broadcasters for excellence in broadcasting in Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and El Centro, Calif. The organization also recognizes exceptional student work with the Student Achievement Awards. This year Cronkite students received 13 nominations in six categories that included general-assignment reporting, sports reporting and photography, earning awards in five of the six. Cronkite NewsWatch, the Cronkite School’s live, four-day-a-week, 30-minute, student-produced newscast, was named best student newscast for the second consecutive year. In addition, two Cronkite students received individual honors. May graduate Blake Essig of Gilbert, Ariz., was honored in the general assignment and sports reporting categories, while senior Jessica Goldberg of Gurnee, Ill., won awards for photography and editing. “It’s wonderful to see our students recognized at such a high level,” said Cronkite Assistant Dean and News Director Mark Lodato. “We’re proud of their efforts, which are great examples of the exceptional work being produced at the school each day.” Cronkite’s 2012 Student Achievement Award winners are: Newscast Cronkite NewsWatch Cronkite NewsWatch staff   News: General Assignment “Unemployed military veterans look to the Arizona outdoors for jobs” Blake Essig for Cronkite NewsWatch Sports “Brad Evans Homecoming” Blake Essig for Cronkite NewsWatch Photographer “Cadets train to become firefighters”” Jessica Goldberg for Downtown Devil Editor “Tough workouts at The Duce bring out the best” Jessica Goldberg for Downtown Devil