Maryland Public Television wins six Emmy® Awards

The National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) presented Maryland Public Television (MPT) with six Emmy® Awards during its 60th Emmy gala at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center on Saturday, June 23.

Among its awards, MPT earned the Emmy in the Community Service category for its efforts to address the region’s opioid addiction epidemic with its film Breaking Heroin’s Grip: Road to Recovery, produced in association with the Behavioral Health Administration at the Maryland Department of Health, and related community outreach activities. The film was broadcast on 38 commercial and public TV and radio stations throughout the region. The statewide broadcaster also earned this award last year for its MPT Salutes Vietnam Veterans initiative.

A three-hour broadcast of the Emmy Awards ceremony airs on MPT2 on Friday, June 29 at 8 p.m.

The National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of NATAS comprises more than 900 television broadcast professionals dedicated to fostering and recognizing outstanding achievements in television production in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Its annual Emmy Awards competition acknowledges achievement in areas including entertainment programs, news and documentary shows, and sports programming.

Emmy Awards were presented in 114 categories. MPT earned 20 nominations in 17 categories and received awards in the following categories:

Community Service
Breaking Heroin’s Grip: Road to Recovery
Larry D. Unger, President

Chesapeake Heritage – Program/Special
Eatin’ Oysters: Chesapeake Style!
John Paulson, Writer/Director
Michael English, Executive Producer/Writer
Patrick Ridgely, Associate Producer

Health/Science – Program Feature/Segment
Overcoming Opioids: Fentanyl
Amy Oden, Producer/Editor
Alex Vitalo, Executive Producer

Magazine Program – Program/Special
Outdoors Maryland - Episode 3001
Michael English, Producer/Writer
Patrick Ridgely, Associate Producer
John Paulson, Segment Producer/Writer
Robert Ferrier, Segment Producer/Writer
Michael Sobola, Segment Producer/Writer

Lighting
Young Artists of America: The Songs of Tim Rice
Tracy Gaspari, Lighting Designer/Director

Photographer – Program (Non-News)
Eatin' Oysters: Chesapeake Style!
Tim Pugh, Videographer/Photographer

In the past decade alone, MPT productions and personnel have earned nearly 70 regional Emmys. Since its launch in 1969, Maryland Public Television has also been the recipient of four national Emmy® Awards.