2002 Silver Circle Honorees Announced

Board of Governors Silver Circle Chair Sarah Holland (FOX/WFTC) released the names of the four individuals to be inducted into the Upper Midwest Silver Circle.
To be honored this year:

• Roger Awsumb
• Stuart A. Lindman
• Elaine L. Peterson
• Francis Van Konynenburg

These individuals join the list of Silver Circle Honorees found on our website at www.NATASUpperMidwest.org.

“From an unbelievably rich collection of industry pioneers, we’ve selected four outstanding individuals,” said Holland. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor these people, each of whom has made a significant contribution to our industry.”

Roger Awsumb, as our old buddy Casey Jones, was one of the most beloved figures in local television. Dressed in his railroad engineer’s jacket, cap, overalls and with a red kerchief around his neck, “Casey” entertained children from 1954 until the end of 1972 with cartoons, silly comedy bits, birthday greetings and banter with sidekicks Joe the Cook and Roundhouse Rodney. Awsumb started his career in 1953 at St Paul-based WMIN, working as an announcer, camera operator and floor director. “Casey Jones” was created in 1954 for a show called “Noon-Time Express”. When WMIN was sold to WTCN (now KARE), Awsumb’s show was re-named Casey’s Lunch Club - it’s title until the end of 1972. Even after leaving the air, Awsumb was a popular figure in the area, doing special appearances and, for a time, another children’s show on WFBT (now WFTC). Unfortunately, Roger Awsumb died earlier this year, just as voting was taking place for The Silver Circle. He may be gone, but he’s left behind thousands of baby boomer fans who know by heart his non-traditional birthday song: “Happy happy birthday...”

Stuart A. Lindman is one of the most well-known names in broadcasting in the entire Twin Cities. He began his career in radio from 1945 to 1953 on WMIN. When that signal started transmitting over the television airwaves in 1953, Lindman was a natural as the stations first News Director and then Program Director. WMIN became WTCN (now KARE). By 1956, the handsome, likeable Lindman found his true calling as a newscaster. He held this slot for nearly two decades, along with the title of News Director on the radio side. Lindman is revered all over the state for his community service work. Lindman brought a sincere concern for humanity alive on the screen. From newscasts to years of hosting the Muscular Dystrophy Telethons to public appearances at local charities to personal dedication, Lindman lived to serve his viewers and community. He retired in 1987, but continues his dedicated service to his community to this day.

Elaine Peterson’s list of employers is short and sweet: KEYC-TV, Mankato, 1961 - 2001. She has served as Operations Manager, Program Director, and Promotions Manager. She is widely known for her on-air public affairs programming. This remarkable woman did it all at KEYC - behind the scenes, and on the air, insuring that KEYC kept to its mission statement: “Serving Our Community”. She started the KEYC Serviscope program in 1984 - a program with over the years has donated millions of dollars in television time to area non-profit organizations. Peterson has been actively involved in local issues, problems and projects and is beloved in the Mankato area for the countless hours given to various community organizations. The list of awards and accolades Peterson has received is long, and includes Toastmasters Award (1983), 1994 Minnesota Broadcasters Association Outstanding Broadcast Personality, and 2001 CBS Eye on Excellence Award.

Francis Van Konynenburg (“Mr. Van”) helped pioneer television in the Twin Cities establishing Channel 4 as WTCN-TV on July 1, 1949. In August, 1952, WTCN purchased WCCO Radio and the call letters were expanded to cover both radio and television. Van Konynenburg was named executive vice president of WCCO Radio and Television, a position he held until his retirement in 1976. Under his leadership, WCCO grew into a radio and television powerhouse - leaders in the industry throughout the nation. A hands-on manager, Mr. Van was known for getting out from behind the desk to get the job done, turning up in the newsroom, in engineering or on the set. He was adamant about opportunity for all, winning the Gold Knob award from the Minneapolis Downtown Council in 1962 for opening the most doors to working women in the previous year. Long active in civic affairs, Mr. Van served as Director of the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Governor’s Special Minnesota Development Committee and a member of the executive committee of the National Conference of Christians and Jews. He was active in the Minneapolis Human Relations Commission and the Minneapolis Society for Crippled Children and Adults, now known as Courage Center.

Silver Circle honorees will be recognized at the Emmy Awards/Silver Circle Gala to be held Saturday, October 5, 2002. See www.NATASUpperMidwest.org for more details.

WCCO’s Thomas J Aviles Wins National Emmy for “The Friday Squad”

Tom Aviles, WCCO Photojournalist, brought home the National Emmy for Outstanding Feature Story in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast for his piece, “The Friday Squad”. The 23rd Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards were presented in New York on September 10. Congratulations!

The complete list of winners is available at: www.emmyonline.org

2001-2002 Emmy Awards Nominees Posted on Website

ALL nominees are now posted on our website: www.NATASUpperMidwest.org

We apologize for the delay in announcing several categories.

2002 Emmy Awards Gala and Silver Circle Honors

Join us on Saturday, October 5 for our Emmy Awards Gala and Silver Circle presentations. This is an elegant evening to join together to celebrate excellence in television and the broadcast product we have aired this past year.

We will also honor four individuals (above) with induction into The Silver Circle.

Invitations are in the mail. Details are also posted on line. For more information, email Teresa at [email protected]. See you there!

Mayo Clinic National Conference on Medicine and the Media: Sept 20-22, 2002

Keynote address by Tommy Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services. Sessions moderated by Ted Koppel of ABC News and Sanjay Gupta, MD of CNN. Registration is still open and scholarships are available. To learn more, visit
www.medicineandmedia.org

Pioneer Kenn Barry Remembered

Kenn Barry legendary for his groundbreaking work as a director and producer for nearly all of KSTP-TV’s live shows after the station went on the air in April 1948, has died of a heart attack at the age of 81. Barry produced and directed the first 10 o’clock newscast for KSTP in 1949, the first television station in the upper Midwest. Bob Ryan remembers Barry as being extremely innovative and creative for his time with new ideas and new shows. “He was the heart of the newscast and other shows.” One of the many features Barry introduced was called “The Door Marked Private,” where reporters would take viewers behind one of many doors marked “Private” around the Twin Cities. Barry would bring in guest celebrities and take cameras to remote locations. “He was the lightening rod behind our success in news,” Ryan said. KSTP’s was the first newscast in the Twin Cities and remained top rated in the early 1950s. Barry remained production manager for the station for 27 years before becoming director of public relations and special projects in 1975. From 1982-1986 he served as director of conference planning for Hubbard Broadcasting. Barry was recently voted into the Minnesota Broadcast Hall of Fame and will be inducted posthumously October 12. He was a fundraiser for the Minnesota Orchestra, a former member of the executive board of the Minnesota Heart Association and a former member of the Hennepin County Cancer Association. “He spent his life being involved,” said his nephew, Les Barry. “He was by far the most active person I ever knew and was very people oriented.” Barry traveled extensively and arranged guided tours all over the world. He was appointed by Gov. Rudy Perpich to serve on the Minnesota Tourism Economic Recovery Commission. Barry was single and is survived by a brother, Frank, of St. Louis Park.

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