WIWU-TV’s video “CLIMB: IWU Football Rises” has received a Silver Telly award for excellence in television sports programming. The five-and-a-half-minute video, which originally aired during the first football game broadcast on Sept. 1, 2018, features coaches and players as they talk about the climb to make IWU football a reality.
The video was a collaboration between Director of WIWU-TV Randall E. King, who was the writer and producer, and TV Station Manager Paul Crisp, who was the editor and videographer over the 18-month period leading up to IWU football’s first season.
“We’re always interested in telling good stories, and the launch of IWU football was a great challenge for this university and the athletics department,” said King, who is also a professor of communication. “It is an incredible story - to start from nothing…and then finally get on the field. I think we captured some of the spirit of those early days.”
King and Crisp spent hours filming the team from the day they walked onto campus up until their first game.
“I was able to witness the mission of this team become a reality,” said Crisp. “Our hope with this video was to give family and friends a small glimpse of the process we experienced first-hand, and reveal the deeper purpose of this team, which is greater than even the victories they accomplish on the field.”
WIWU-TV is a Christ-centered television station owned by Indiana Wesleyan University. The station, which is located on campus, serves Grant County through distinct programming and provides a place where IWU communication students can gain hands-on experience during their undergraduate education.
“When professional peers, like the Telly award judges, recognize the quality of our production, it’s very satisfying,” said King. “It’s not the primary reason we do it – for awards – but it’s nice to occasionally get the recognition, which also sets a high bar for the students we work with year-round.”
To view the award-winning video, visit https://youtu.be/71mnGevqrV4. For more information on WIWU-TV, visit www.wiwutv.com.