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WTAE News personality sally wiggin to receive 2017 Board of Governors Award AT 35TH Annual Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Awards
NATAS will also induct seven individuals into Silver Circle Society in recognition of their outstanding service of 25 years or more in broadcasting within the Mid-Atlantic region
PHILADELPHIA – The Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) announced today that it will present the 2017 Board of Governors Award to Sally Wiggin, longtime news anchor for WTAE in Pittsburgh, current host of WTAE Chronicle and co-host of Black and Gold Primetime. The prestigious award, which is bestowed by NATAS to recognize career longevity, lifetime achievements and significant contributions to the television industry, will be presented to Wiggin at the 35th Annual Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Awards on Saturday, September 9, 2017 in Hershey, PA.
“We are proud to present Sally with the Board of Governors Award to recognize all of the contributions she has made to the news industry in our region,” said NATAS Chapter President Michelle Bradsher-McHugh. “Her talent, experience, incredible work ethic and dedication and are an inspiration to us all.”
Wiggin joined WTAE in 1980, and in January 1981 became co-anchor of the weekend news, a position she held until November 1986, when she was named anchor on the weeknight newscasts. She anchored the WTAE 11 p.m. news for 16 years and the 6 p.m. news for 22 years. Before moving to Pittsburgh, Wiggin was weekend anchor at WBRC-TV in Birmingham, Alabama. In 2015, Wiggin was inducted into the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. She has also been named Best Female Newscaster, Favorite News Personality and part of Best News Team by Pittsburgh Magazine. Wiggin received the United Press International Best Special Award for her role as reporter and narrator of the Budd Dwyer Special and received a regional Emmy Award and a National Headliners Award for her coverage of September 11, 2001. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama and holds a Master’s degree in Asian Studies from the University of Michigan.
Past recipients of the NATAS Board of Governors’ Award include: Former NBC News President Steve Capus; Pittsburgh broadcasting legend Patrice King-Brown; former CBS3 investigative reporter Walt Hunter; news anchor Marciarose Shestack; sportscaster Al Meltzer; children’s television icon Fred Rogers; Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown; legendary anchor John Facenda; TV Guide founder and philanthropist Walter Annenberg; sports broadcasting innovators NFL Films; former WHYY president Frederick “Rick” Breitenfeld, Jr.; regional TV pioneer Lewis Klein; CBS3 veteran reporter Trudy Haynes; Phillies announcer and Baseball Hall of Famer Harry Kalas; local broadcasting legend Gene Crane; Joe DeNardo, the Dean of Pittsburgh Weather; veteran Philadelphia newsman Larry Kane; Pittsburgh Steelers’ broadcasting legend Myron Cope; WCAU news veteran Herb Clarke; WCAU trailblazing anchor/reporter Edie Huggins; and Pittsburgh’s TV woman of firsts, Eleanor Schano.
In addition to the Board of Governors Award, NATAS Mid-Atlantic will also induct seven individuals to the Silver Circle Society at the Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Awards ceremony in September. The Silver Circle award recognizes individuals who have outstanding service in broadcasting for a minimum of 25 years, with the majority of it being spent in the Mid-Atlantic Chapter.
Among those who will be inducted at the 2017 EMMY® awards ceremony are Trudi Brown, executive producer at WHYY; Michael Challik, retired chief photographer at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh; Mary Robb Jackson, retired general assignment reporter at KDKA in Pittsburgh; Tim Holoman, retired special projects photographer at WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh; retired news anchor Dick Hoxworth, WGAL-TV; Dave Schratweiser, investigative reporter for Fox29; and Janice Selinger, development consultant for the NATAS Foundation and senior producer for Governors’ Perspective with Kent Manahan.
Regional television professionals will gather to celebrate the 35th Annual Mid-Atlantic EMMY® Awards on Saturday, September 9, 2017, at the Hershey Lodge located at 325 University Drive, Hershey, PA. Festivities will include a cocktail hour, a sit-down dinner and the award presentations.
About NATAS Mid-Atlantic
NATAS Mid-Atlantic is a non-profit, professional association with more than 700 members in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware representing more than 32 television stations, numerous cable companies and programmers, as well as independent producers, production facilities and educational institutions. Please visit the website, www.natasmid-atlantic.org, for information about membership benefits and programs.
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