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"CPS Right Now!" wins Emmy Award

November 11, 2009

The television series CPS Right Now! won an Emmy Award Nov. 7 at the Chicago/Midwest Emmy Awards Ceremony. Carthage communication and digital media professor Paul Chilsen worked as a senior producer, writer and occasional director for the show over the last four years.

CPS Right Now! won the Emmy for Outstanding Achievement for Informational Programs — Single Magazine Program, Program Series, or Segment.

The series, which aired on municipal cable channels, was a half-hour news show that showcased events in one of the world’s largest school districts, Chicago Public Schools. It has received nine Emmy nominations in the past four years, Professor Chilsen said. The series was canceled earlier this year due to budget cuts in the Chicago Public School District.

Professor Chilsen has received Emmy nominations in past years for his work on the show and was one of three producers who got the show on the air in 2006.

"Over the years, we remained a fairly small and close-knit group that worked hard to produce a show with heart and insight," he said.

Carthage students often worked as production assistants on the show, Professor Chilsen said. They helped set up equipment, assisted with sound and lighting, directed crowds, and assisted on set.

"It was a great opportunity for them to see how a real show got done," he said.