Matt Belanger '05, a reporter for WGAL-TV in Lancaster, Pa., and Mitch Pittman '09, a journalist at KTSP in St. Paul, Minn., have received 2011 Emmy Awards.
Belanger was honored by the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for an investigative report on the practice of “ghost voting” in the Pennsylvania legislature. Some lawmakers have been using coins, paper clips or pieces of paper to jam their voting buttons down, effectively casting votes, even when they are not present at the state capitol.
Belanger, who is the TV station’s government reporter, received the Emmy Award in the Politics/Government News Single Story or Series category. The awards were announced at ceremonies held in Philadelphia. It was his second time winning an Emmy.
Belanger joined the WGAL staff in 2008 after working at KELO-TV in Sioux Falls, S.D. where he was a reporter and weekend anchor. While there, he contributed to several newscasts honored by the Associated Press and also earned a regional Emmy Award for his role in live coverage of a special event.
Belanger is a member of Elon’s Young Alumni Council and was the first recipient of Elon’s D’Angelo Family Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a broadcast communications major in the School of Communications.
Pittman, a multimedia journalist for KSTP-TV in Minneapolis, won a Video Journalist Emmy Award this month for his work in the Upper Midwest region of the nation. The Video Journalist category recognizes reporters who shoot, write and edit their own stories. You can view his award-winning submission here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOLtNkytvAY
Pittman was honored by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He had joined the staff of 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS in April 2011 after working for two years in Burlington, Vt., with Fox44 News. He was also nominated for Breaking News and Arts & Entertainment Single Story Emmy awards this year.
Pittman earned his degree in Communications and has received awards from the National Press Photographers Association, as well. He, like Belanger, is a recipient of the D’Angelo Family Scholarship.
Elon alumna Amy Clark ’07, formerly with PBS 39 in Pennsylvania, won a 2010 regional Emmy awards for video editing she did with the station. She has since left her position there and earned a degree in nursing. She now works as a nurse in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania.