“One on One Sports,” a sports debate show produced by Elon Student Television, was named this week as one of three award-winners in the Newscast category of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences College Television Awards.
Judges selected a handful of entries from around the nation to be finalists for the award. The sophomore co-founders of “One On One,” producers Joey Accordino and Chris Bunn and director Michael Heil, will fly to Los Angeles in March to accept the award at the Awards Gala.
“As soon as we found out, I called everyone I knew to tell them,” Heil said. “We were extremely honored to receive an Award for our show, especially in our first year.”
The award is the first the show has received. “One of One” entered this competition one semester after it started in fall 2007. “It started as three guys who shared a passion for sports broadcasting,” Accordino said. “But as more and more people started to get on board and share that vision, the show took off. We all keep learning and getting better through hard work on everyone’s part, and it’s great to see that effort pay off.”
Before they could get in the studio, the students had to pitch their idea to the Elon Student Television executives and the advisor to create a test pilot episode. Once approved, the task of recruiting a production team, preparing the show and studio for filming began.
“We really can’t thank the ESTV executives enough,” Heil said. “Their support for us and guidance from day one has been amazing. We couldn’t have done it without them.”
The student organization now produces its weekly television show as well as a weekly Pendulum column and a Sunday evening WSOE show. It also operates a web site where episodes can be viewed.
“We’ve been taught about the effects of media convergence since our first classes at Elon, but never saw it in practice” Bunn said. “The media is undergoing huge changes, and we wanted to be a part of it. I’m amazed at how far the show has come.”
“One On One Sports” airs every day at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Elon Channel 14.
– Linda Lashendock, Assistant Director of Information Systems and Technology for Television Services