by John Bathke
On December 1st, NY NATAS honored luminaries who have devoted at least 50 or 25 years of their careers to the television industry. NY NATAS Governor, Emmy® Award winner John Bathke, reflects on the moving and unforgettable Gold and Silver Circle Induction ceremony held at the Time Warner Center.
No reels were turned in for this. No one uploaded an entry for contest judging. No agonizing over what submission category to choose.
The Gold and Silver Circle Induction is not a competition. It is an honor recognizing personal achievement and contribution. The recipients are selected by their peers in the television industry...peers who have admired their dedication to craft, commitment to excellence, and endurance of the ups and downs, successes and disappointments, that a career in television brings.
And maybe that is the reason the December 1st induction ceremony felt so personal. It became an occasion for inductees to reflect on their lives, to acknowledge those who supported their goals, and to take pride in obstacles overcome. WPIX reporter, Mary Murphy, recounted in her acceptance speech how she grew up humbly in New York, the daughter of Irish immigrants...as members of her family attending the induction looked on with pride. WABC's Diana Williams shared how the changing stages of life including having a child influenced her approach to news stories. The venerable Gabe Pressman of WNBC, now 92 years of age, showed us all that his passion for journalism remains boundless.
In all, seventeen television professionals working in a journalistic, performing, creative, administrative or technical role took their place in the Gold or Silver Circle. (See the full list of inductees here).
The event was both inspiring and historic. It marked the first-ever Gold Circle honor bestowed by NY NATAS and the chapter's first Silver Circle Induction since 2002. And, for the first-time inductees include individuals who have dedicated most of their careers to serving television stations Upstate (Buffalo and Syracuse).
John Bathke is a reporter and the founding host of the arts and entertainment series ON THE SCENE on News 12 New Jersey, and a member of the NY NATAS Board of Governors.