City of McAllen Office of Communications wins at annual industry awards ceremony
The Texas Association of Telecommunicators and Advisors (TATOA), a professional non-profit association dedicated to educating and training its membership in the development, regulation, and administration of cable television (Public. Education. Government. [P.E.G.]), internal communications networks, and other telecommunications systems in order to more efficiently serve the local government organization and the general public, announced the 2021 winners of its state-wide TATOA Awards Competition during a ceremony at the annual conference held last week in Houston, Texas. The City of McAllen Office of Communications earned a total of 15 total awards for various video production work. A total of 314 entries, from 30 different municipalities in Texas, in two different budget categories, were submitted for the 34 categories in this year’s competition.
“Every single department of the City of McAllen strives to do its best every day to serve this community to the best of their ability,” said McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos. “The work is the reward, but when the quality of that work is recognized by industry organizations, it only solidifies what we at the City of McAllen already know: we have the best people who do the best work for the best city in Texas.”
The City of McAllen Office of Communications, or MCN 1300 (for McAllen Cable Network), won one First Place in the Public Affairs category, for the production of the annual “State of the City” address. Judges were impressed by the different camera work during the live production, as well as all of the pre-produced segments peppered throughout the presentation.
The department also earned a Second Place in the Military category for a promotional video for the “Texas Veterans War Memorial of Texas,” that features various City of McAllen employees reading aloud what is carved in the granite pieces of work throughout the campus of the memorial.
“I am so proud of the recognition received by the Office of Communications for the work they do in highlighting and publicizing the work of the entire City of McAllen,” said McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez, P.E. “To be awarded by one of the leading Texas industry organization speaks to the quality of the work produced by the entire team.”
Additionally, the team won five Third Place awards in various categories including: Magazine Format: “McAllen News Update;” Public Affairs: “Census Telethon;” Arts & Entertainment: “Selfie Mural Wall at Quinta Mazatlán;”Interview/Talk: “On 1300: Mark Vega, MPU GM;” and Documentary: “The Last Call.”
The Office of Communications also earned eight Honorable Mention certificates, also in multiple categories, including: Public Service Announcement: “It’s Time Texas Community Challenge;” Instruction-Training: “City of McAllenGeneral Election Information;” Interview/Talk: “On 1300: Affordable Homes Partnership;” Public Education: “Outdoors with Roy: Summer Safety Tips;” Documentary: “Outdoors with Roy: Wall of Valor;” Public Affairs: “Holocaust Remembrance Day Ceremony;” Intern Production: “McAllen Now: Intern Produced News Segment;” and Partnership Production: “McAllen Holiday Parade.”
The City of McAllen competes in the Budget category $250,000 and above.
“The TATOA Awards allow our profession to honor the best work being done by programmers and producers around the state. This year, we had a record-setting number of entries from cities as small as a couple thousand residents, to as large as more than a million. The competition was stiff and everyone who placed should be incredibly proud,” said TATOA President David McElroy, manager of TVSA for the City of San Antonio. “Hopefully cities will celebrate their wins with their city councils and residents as a way to further highlight the critical work being produced by the various municipal P.E.G. channels.”
The conference focused on the latest developments in broadband networks; issues of governance and regulatory changes that effect all governmental entities, best practices and new concepts for media professionals, and of course, showcase the best programming created by some of the most talented production experts in Texas.
TATOA is open to government television programmers for municipal, county, school district or other governmental television station personnel responsible for operating PEG channels; regulators, who are government officers and staff who administer, implement and advise governing bodies regarding telecommunications policy and law; information technology professional who, as technology experts are responsible for implementing internal telecommunications and data networks for local government entities; and attorneys who serve as legal advisors who interpret telecommunications policy, laws and regulations; negotiate contracts and represent local governments before state and federal regulatory bodies.
Xochitl Mora, director of the City of McAllen Office of Communications, serves on the TATOA board.
Story Courtesy City of McAllen