For immediate release
Chicago, IL - September 12, 2025
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Chicago/Midwest Chapter announced today that WTTW has been nominated for 19 regional 2024-2025 Emmy Awards in the following categories:
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR NEWS GATHERING – CRIME/JUSTICE
WTTW News: Clemency
Brandis Friedman, Reporter/Producer; Patty Kaniff, Editor; Felix Mendez, Damon Ranger, Photographers; Blair Paddock, Producer
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR SPORTS DOCUMENTARY
Chicago Stories: The Black Sox Scandal
Eddie Griffin, Producer; Lauren R. Drell, Associate Producer; Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer, Executive Producers
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR DOCUMENTARY – CULTURAL
Chicago Stories: House Music – A Cultural Revolution
Barbara E. Allen, Producer; Keisha Chavers, Alicia Soller, Associate Producers; Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer, Executive Producers
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR DOCUMENTARY – HISTORICAL
Chicago Stories: Deadly Alliance – Leopold and Loeb
Tania Lindsay, Producer; Alicia Soller, Associate Producer; Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer, Executive Producers
Chicago Stories: When the West Side Burned
Daniel Andries, Producer; Tylen Elliott, Associate Producer; Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer, Executive Producers
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR DOCUMENTARY – TOPICAL
Firsthand: Homeless – The Migrant Experience
Edgar Vargas, Producer; Eddie Arruza, Producer; Anne Gleason, Dan Protess, Executive Producers.
Touring Chicago’s Lakefront with Geoffrey Baer
Michael West, Producer; Brendan Brown, Associate Producer; Geoffrey Baer, Executive Producer.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR INFORMATIONAL/INSTRUCTIONAL – LONG FORM CONTENT
A Celebration of Hanukkah with Geoffrey Baer
Rachel Pikelny, Producer; Kateryna Sazonova, Associate Producer; Geoffrey Baer, Host
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR INFORMATIONAL/INSTRUCTIONAL – SHORT FORM CONTENT
WTTW News Explains
Jay T. Smith, Executive Producer; Heather Cherone, Amanda Vinicky, Correspondents; Alex Blanchette, Greg Bodfish, Justin Younger, Natalie Younger, Producers
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM – SINGLE PROGRAM/SERIES
Firsthand: Peacekeepers
Dan Protess, Executive Producer; Anne Gleason, Executive Producer; Teresa Crawford, Latesha Dickerson, Mario Tharpe, Edgar Vargas, Teresa White, Producers
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR DIVERSITY/EQUITY/INCLUSION – LONG FORM CONTENT
Chicago Stories: The Young Lords of Lincoln Park
Tania Lindsay, Producer; Rachel Ruiz, Producer; Ken Lumb, Alicia Soller, Associate Producers; Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer, Executive Producers
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR HUMAN INTEREST – LONG FORM CONTENT
Chicago Stories: Amusement Parks
Rachel Pikelny, Producer; Ian Bertorelli, Associate Producer; Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer, Executive Producers
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR NOSTALGIA/HISTORICAL – SHORT AND LONG FORM CONTENT
Chicago Stories: Al Capone’s Bloody Business
Heidi Zersen, Producer; Marcy Marzuki, Associate Producer; Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer, Executive Producers
Chicago Stories: The Making of Playboy
Peter Marks, Producer; Bianca Lozano, Associate Producer; Anna Chadwick Gardner, Shelley Spencer, Executive Producers
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR PROGRAM/NON-NEWS PROMOTION – SINGLE SPOT/CAMPAIGN OR LONG FORM PROMOTIONAL SPOT
Celebrating Geoffrey Baer Promotional Tribute
Nina Cornell, Producer
OUTSTANDING CRAFTS ACHIEVEMENT FOR EDITING – LONG FORM CONTENT
Chicago Stories: When the West Side Burned
Patty Kaniff
OUTSTANDING CRAFTS ACHIEVEMENT FOR PHOTOGRAPHY – SHORT/LONG FORM CONTENT
Chicago Stories: House Music – A Cultural Revolution
Joe “Jody” Williams, Brendan Walsh
OUTSTANDING CRAFTS ACHIEVEMENT FOR WRITING – LONG FORM CONTENT
Chicago Stories: When the West Side Burned
Daniel Andries, John Owens
Chicago Stories: The Black Sox Scandal
Michael Harvey, Eddie Griffin
The 67th Annual Midwest Emmy Awards Ceremony will take place on Saturday, November 1, 2025.
WTTW is the PBS member station in Chicago, committed to creating and presenting unique media content across distinct television and digital channels – WTTW, WTTW Prime, WTTW Create, WTTW World, WTTW PBS Kids 24/7, wttw.com, and the PBS/WTTW video app. Recognized for award-winning journalism and local productions – such as Chicago Stories, Chicago Tonight, Firsthand, The Most Beautiful Places in Chicago, and Chicago By ‘L’ – WTTW presents the very best in public affairs, arts and culture, nature and science, history and documentary, and children’s public media content. Connect with WTTW on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube.
