WKU News

WKU PBS' nominations for the 57th Annual Ohio Valley Emmy Awards include two for Lost River Sessions.

WKU PBS, WKU’s Public Television Service, has been nominated for awards in four categories for the 57^th Annual Ohio Valley Emmy Awards.

The nominations include the first two from a WKU PBS collaboration with WKU Athletics. Logan Fry and WKU student Josh Thomson are first-time award nominees.

Four others -- Darius Barati, Jeff Petrocelli, Hannah Wilcutt and Neil Purcell -- are nominated for their work on Lost River Sessions, a series that explores the music scene from the roots up by featuring musical talents in the Folk, Bluegrass and Americana genres performing intimate live sets in various iconic venues across southcentral Kentucky.

“We strive to cultivate an environment where creativity and hard work can thrive in ways that benefit the communities we serve,” said Jordan Basham, WKU PBS production manager. “The recognition from our peers, provided in the form of these nominations serve in part as acknowledgement of those efforts. We find validation in our workforce development efforts through our student crew’s success on projects like these and the contributions they make on a daily basis to our operation.”

WKU PBS received the following nominations for Ohio Valley Emmy Awards:

• Societal Concerns - Short Form Content: Black Lives Matter - Voices of Change, Logan Fry, Josh Thomson (For more, visit https://twitter.com/wkusports/status/1311803673689952264?s=21)

• Entertainment - Long Form Content: Lost River Sessions, Darius Barati, Jeff Petrocelli, Hannah Wilcutt, Neil Purcell (For more, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qJVZpXMTkY)

• Image Promotion (Non-News): To Hilltopper Nation, Logan Fry (For more, visit https://twitter.com/wkusports/status/1247164153271386112?s=21)
  
  
• Set Design or Lighting: Lost River Sessions, Darius Barati (For more, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv8M3oRhcNQ)

“It's an honor to continue the strong tradition of creating relevant and powerful content within our community while also building up the next generation of broadcasters and filmmakers that is the foundation of WKU PBS,” said Barati, producer/director. “While 2020 wasn't the year anyone expected, I'm proud that we were still able to shift and adapt to produce work that lived up to our standards of excellence."

Fry and Thomson said they were honored to be first-time Emmy nominees.

“It’s been a joy to serve WKU athletics,” said Fry, creative content producer. “The powerful and inspiring stories we get to help share every day is a continual reminder of why WKU is a very special place. It’s an honor to receive my first nomination from the chapter. I have David Dowdy and Randy Herndon from Calloway County High School in Murray and all of the staff at WKU PBS for investing in my education and fostering a spirit of curiosity, passionate storytelling, and endless pursuit of self-betterment.”

Thomson, student crew member, said: “It’s an honor to be nominated for such a prestigious award at such a young age. It wouldn’t have been possible without Logan Fry. I couldn’t have asked for a more educated and approachable mentor. I never had a question he couldn’t answer and the impact he had on the development of my skill set is invaluable. I have loved working for WKU PBS and the fact I get to tell people’s untold stories and connect people through my images on a daily basis is something I’ll never take for granted.”

Recipients will be announced Aug. 15 during a virtual ceremony. WKU PBS has been nominated in each of the past 18 years, receiving 28 awards.

For more, visit https://ohiovalleyemmy.org/

• More: WKU senior receives NATAS scholarship

Contact: WKU PBS, (270) 745-2400