Contact: Carl Smith

STARKVILLE, Miss.—The Mississippi State University Television Center won five 2023 Southeast Emmy Awards at this year’s ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia, marking an impressive run of 17 total Emmy wins in the last three years.

UTC staff and productions received 10 Emmy nominations from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences – Southeast Chapter, ranging from best topical documentary to best lighting. Award-winning productions include:

—“Justin,” a film about the causes and impacts of youth suicide in Mississippi, produced by Senior Documentary and Special Projects Producer James Parker and UTC Director David Garraway

—“The Humble Oyster,” a long-form environmental documentary about the environmental and manmade threats faced by oysters along the coast of northwest Florida, produced by Parker and Garraway

—“Randy Bell: Radio Journalist,” a long-form historical documentary detailing the veteran journalist’s 45-year career, produced by Senior Producers Joseph Goodsell and Don Warren

Additionally, Parker and Video Producer Olivia Aylsworth won Emmys for long-form photography and short-form editing, respectively.

“We are always honored to receive peer recognition for our work, and this year’s Emmy nominations and awards are a reflection of the care and complexity that TV Center staff invest into every project,” Garraway said. “The TV Center is proud to remain the leader in in-depth documentary storytelling in Mississippi.”

Last year, MSUTC’s “The Hungriest State,” a documentary on how food insecurity plagues many areas of the Magnolia State, was one of only three finalists in the country for the prestigious James Beard Media award in the Documentary/Docuseries Visual Media category. The center also won a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for “The Fisherfolk,” a documentary examining environmental and economic factors threatening the seafood industry along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

UTC won eight Southeast Emmys in 2022 and four in 2021.

“The MSU Television Center is integral to the university’s story-telling and external engagement,” said MSU Chief Communications Officer Sid Salter. “The future of MSU’s outreach will be driven by high-quality film and video production, and our professionals at the Television Center continue to merit the great confidence of MSU’s leadership team.”

Visit utc.msstate.edu to learn more about the MSU Television Center. To watch MSU-produced documentaries and other media, visit www.films.msstate.edu.

Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.