(Buffalo, NY) – Two original WNED productions that aired on PBS in 2009 have received national recognitions, including two News and Documentary Emmy® nominations and a CINE Golden Eagle Award.

Your Life, Your Money is one of four nominees for a News and Documentary Emmy® Award in the category “Outstanding Business and Economic Reporting—Long Form.”  Geared toward young adults, this groundbreaking program addressed an important need for forthright and practical financial advice at a pivotal stage of life. YLYM was hosted by Scrubs actor Donald Faison and premiered nationally on PBS Sept. 9, 2009. It was produced and directed with WNED by Tom Simon of Working Dog Productions, Inc.; Dawn V. Brown and David Pontillo served as segment producers and funded by the HSBC in the Community (USA) Inc. Foundation.

In addition, Elbert Hubbard An American Original was one of four programs nominated for a News and Documentary Emmy® in the category “Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft: Lighting Direction & Scenic Design.” James Gribbins served as lighting director.  The documentary highlights the flamboyant founder of the Roycroft artisan community in East Aurora, N.Y. and premiered nationally on PBS on Nov. 23, 2009. It was produced, directed and written by Paul Lamont, edited by Chris Bové and funded by the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation.

John Grant served as executive producer on both films. David Rotterman was also an executive producer for “HUBBARD.”

Now in their 31st year, the annual Emmy awards are presented by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and will take place on Sept. 27 in New York City.

Elbert Hubbard An American Original also received a Spring 2010 CINE Golden Eagle Award. It was one of 11 films honored in the “People & Places” category (Professional Telecast/Professional Non-Fiction Division).

CINE is a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization that recognizes and fosters the highest quality non-theatrical film and video productions. Golden Eagle recipients are selected twice each year through a jury process similar to a peer review.
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The winning films must meet rigorous standards for all creative and technical elements, including writing, visuals and sound.  The spring 2010 awards were presented June 3 in Washington, D.C.

“I am so proud that WNED’s productions continue to make an impression on both a national audience and the professional film community,” said WNED President and CEO Donald K. Boswell. “The top notch production teams for these projects deserve credit for creating successful films that serve diverse but important purposes.”

“WNED looks forward to bringing more highly creative products to both national and regional audiences in the near future,” he added. WNED’s upcoming national productions include Chautauqua: An American Narrative (January 2011) and The War of 1812 (fall 2011). Regional productions will include Buffalo’s Voices of Steel (premiering Sept. 14 at 8 pm); Don’t Touch That Dial (recalling Buffalo broadcasting history – December 2010); and Hockey: More Than a Game (chronicling hockey in Canada – March 2011).

For more information about all WNED productions, visit www.wned.org/productions.