For its 57th annual ceremony, The National Television Academy handed out its Technology and Engineering Emmy awards at a gala event in Princeton, NJ last week. In addition to awarding pioneering efforts from the early days of television, the Academy has initiated two new categories, recognizing advanced media technology and video gaming.
Among the noteworthy early pioneers, the Academy recognized the five members of the original Chicago Project team that, after nearly two years of trial and error, developed the first practical videotape recorder (VTR-1000, later named the Ampex Mark IV) for Ampex in 1955. The technology had been honored previously, but this year the Academy presented its inaugural Lifetime Achievement Awards to: Charlie Ginsberg, Ray Dolby, Alex Maxey, Charlie Anderson, Fred Pfost and Shelby Henderson. Although Ginsberg and Maxey are now deceased, the other four appeared personally to accept the award.
Among this year’s winners:
For slow-motion color recording and playback for broadcast:
- Ampex
- ABC
For closed caption standardization:
- ABC
- PBS
- CEA
For pioneering development of locally integrated and branded content using IP store and forward technology:
- The WB
- IBM
For lens technology developments for solid-state imagers cameras in high-definition formats:
- Canon
- Fujinon
- Thales Angenieux
For the first intercontinental satellite TV transmission:
- AT&T
The winner for Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for the Enhancement of Original Television Content was TOURCast, an Internet-based application that allows TV viewers to follow their favorite golfer from hole to hole on their PC. Also nominated in the category were:
The winner for Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for the Non-Synchronous Enhancement of Original Television Content was ImageGuide/www.living.com – EAT.tv/Scripps Networks.
The winner for Outstanding Achievement in Advanced Media Technology for the Creation of Non-Traditional Programs or Platforms was Moxi Media Center (Digeo), a home media center device. Also nominated were:
For more information, visit www.emmyonline.tv.
