News release Public Information Office  SLU 10880   Hammond, LA 70402   phone: 985-549-2341   fax: 985-549-2061 publicinfo@selu.edu summer 05 news releases Public Information home News archive Contact: Christina Chapple Date: 11/4/05   SOUTHEASTERN CHANNEL PROGRAM NOMINATED FOR EMMY AWARD        HAMMOND -- The Southeastern Channel, Southeastern Louisiana University’s educational access channel on Charter Cable Channel 18, has been nominated for an Emmy Award for its student sports program segment, “For the Love of the Game.”        The segment about former Lions baseball coach John Stephenson aired last spring as part of the student-produced sports program, “The Big Game.” Southeastern communication major Jason Shane of Dallas produced, videotaped and edited the feature while communication graduate Jon Vitrano of Mereaux was the reporter.        The segment was nominated for a student programming Emmy by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences from among 840 Emmy award entries in the Suncoast Region which includes Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Puerto Rico. “For the Love of the Game” was nominated along with a production from the University of Miami. The Emmy winner will be announced Dec. 3 in Miami.        “This nomination shows not only the talent and hard work of our students, but that the Southeastern Channel and Southeastern’s Department of Communication are training these students to become top television professionals,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs John Crain.        To become eligible for a student programming Emmy nomination, programs must have been produced for a grade in a university course. “For the Love of the Game” was produced for a special topics course in communication entitled “Producing and Reporting for the Sports Television Show ” taught by Southeastern Channel General Manager Rick Settoon.         Segments produced in the class were included in episodes of  “The Big Game,” the channel’s student-produced, ESPN-style sports magazine about Lion sports. Settoon said that the course will be offered again during the spring 2006 semester.        “The Emmy has long been recognized as the most prestigious award in broadcast television,” Settoon said. “It’s a tremendous honor for the quality of our student productions to be recognized on such a grand scale. Our students deserve credit for their commitment to producing an outstanding segment.”         “For the Love of the Game” described the reasons behind Stephenson’s return to the Southeastern diamond as assistant baseball coach in 2005 long after retiring from a distinguished college and major league career. A former player and coach for the New York Mets, Stephenson holds the record for the most wins by a Southeastern baseball coach.        “The nature of John Stephenson’s life is truly an inspiring story, and it’s an honor to let people know of his legacy in the great American pastime of baseball,” Shane said.  “My heart was genuinely in this project.         “The real-life experience and training I’ve received from the Southeastern Channel and communication department has given me a great passion for television production, and hopefully, a strong future in the industry,” he added.         The Southeastern Channel has won over 30 national and international awards during the last two years.