The National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications awards recognize original television and digital programming content that best reflects the ethnic and cultural diversity of the viewing audience.
NEW YORK, April 8, 2015 — The National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) has announced the 2015 NAMIC Vision Awards nominees. Now in its 21st year, the awards recognize original television and digital programming content that depicts the lives, spirit and contributions of people of color and best reflects the ethnic and cultural diversity of the viewing audience.
A total of 27 networks and producers/distributors representing a wide variety of programming generated 75 nominations for awards presented in 16 categories: Animation; Children’s; Comedy; Documentary; Drama; Foreign Language; Lifestyle; News/Informational; Original Movie or Special; Reality; Reality – Social Issues; Sports; Variety/Talk Show; Best Performance – Comedy; Best Performance – Drama; and Digital Media (Short Form). Original programs airing November 1, 2013 through November 30, 2014 were eligible for consideration.
“As the landscape of the viewing audience becomes more ethnically and culturally diverse through shifting demographics and the expansion of content distribution, the creation and green lighting of diverse original content is an imperative,” said Eglin E. Simons, president and CEO, NAMIC. “NAMIC National in partnership with NAMIC – Southern California is pleased to continue our tradition of recognizing networks, talent and content creators for their achievements in programming diversity and we extend sincere thanks to all of those within the industry that continue to support this awards initiative.”
Among the top nominated networks are ESPN, E:60 and ESPN Deportes with a collective 11 nominations. Nickelodeon garnered 10 nominations with HBO receiving nine. Other networks receiving multiple nominations include OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and OWN Digital with a total five noms; Universal Television also received five with CNN, Discovery Latin America/USH and TV One each earning four; BET Networks, Lifetime and NBC Universo garnered three nominations respectively with Showtime Networks Inc. receiving two.
HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” was this year’s top nominated original series garnering a total of three nominations in the Best Performance – Drama category for actors Margot Bingham, Michael Kenneth Williams and Jeffrey Wright. The original programs receiving a total of two nominations include HBO’s “Looking” featuring comedians Frankie J. Alvarez and Raul Castillo recognized for Best Performance – Comedy; Nickelodeon’s “Instant Mom” was nominated in the Comedy category with a second nomination going to Instant Mom’s Tia Mowry-Hardrict for Best Performance – Comedy; Nickelodeon’s “Kids’ Choice Sports Awards” received nominations in the Children’s and Variety/Talk Show categories; Universal Television’s original series, “State of Affairs” garnered a nomination in the Drama category with a nod also going to Alfre Woodard for Best Performance – Drama. Additional nominees in the performance categories include: Mike Tyson for HBO’s “Undisputed Truth,” Don Cheadle for Showtime Networks Inc.’s “House of Lies” and Nelsan Ellis for HBO’s “True Blood.”
Simons added: “The original content nominated for this year’s awards and the success of shows featuring diverse talent and storytelling is reflective of an evolving viewing audience. The favorable ratings and growing popularity of multiethnic and multicultural programming will greatly contribute to the continued profitability and sustainability of our industry.”
The NAMIC Vision Awards competition extends eligibility to national broadcast and cable networks; local affiliates; local origination programs from cable operators; and VOD content produced for digital platforms.
Entries were judged by a distinguished panel of entertainment industry executives. Judging focused on overall imagery (creative merit, originality, and presentation quality), sensitivity (the consideration given to cultural nuances), writing (the depiction of issues relevant to people of color) and the quality of acting in the performance categories.
Winning programs will be showcased via an online event format with the 2015 NAMIC Vision Awards Winners Gallery to be unveiled mid-May.
The online awards gallery will feature :60 second clips of the winning entries in each of the 16 categories.
A complete list of nominees for the 2015 NAMIC Vision Awards follows.
2015 NAMIC Vision Awards Nominees
ANIMATION
Doc McStuffins – Disney Junior
Doki – Discovery Latin America/USH
Sanjay and Craig – Nickelodeon
The Legend of Korra – Nickelodeon
BEST PERFORMANCE – COMEDY
Frankie J. Alvarez: Looking – HBO
Raul Castillo: Looking – HBO
Mike Tyson: Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth – HBO
Tia Mowry-Hardrict: Instant Mom – Nickelodeon
Don Cheadle: House of Lies – Showtime Networks Inc.
BEST PERFORMANCE – DRAMA
Margot Bingham: Boardwalk Empire – HBO
Nelsan Ellis: True Blood – HBO
Michael Kenneth Williams: Boardwalk Empire – HBO
Jeffrey Wright: Boardwalk Empire – HBO
Alfre Woodard: State of Affairs – Universal Television
CHILDREN’S
Degrassi – Nickelodeon
Dora & Friends – Nickelodeon
Kids’ Choice Sports Awards – Nickelodeon
Nick News With Linda Ellerbee – Nickelodeon
The Haunted Hathaways – Nickelodeon
COMEDY
Real Husbands of Hollywood – BET Networks
Devious Maids – Lifetime
Instant Mom – Nickelodeon
Brooklyn Nine -Nine – Universal Television
Love That Girl – TV One
DIGITAL MEDIA – SHORT FORM
Music Choice Chronicles Featuring Fat Joe – Music Choice
Larry Hernandez: El Futbolista – NBC Universo
Who Am I – OWN Digital
DOCUMENTARY
The Message – BET Networks
Black in America: Black and Blue – CNN
Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown – HBO
Whoopi Goldberg Presents Moms Mabley – HBO
Tanning of America: One Nation Under Hip Hop – VH1
DRAMA
The Walking Dead – AMC
Masters of Sex: Episode “Giants” – Showtime Networks Inc.
Grimm: Episode “Mommy Dearest” – Universal Television
Parenthood: Episode “The Pontiac” – Universal Television
State of Affairs: Episode “Pilot” – Universal Television
FOREIGN LANGUAGE
La Otra Cara Del Placer – Discovery Latin America/USH
Las Guerras Del Oro – Discovery Latin America/USH
Quinceanera – ESPN Deportes
Norma Bastidas – ESPN Deportes
MTV Agents of Change, Making the Switch – Viacom International Media Networks
LIFESTYLE
Rev Run’s Sunday Suppers – Cooking Channel
Myx TV – Eat Your Words
Help Desk – OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
NEWS/INFORMATIONAL
Justice for Us: A BET Town Hall – BET Networks
Oprah’s Master Class: Cicely Tyson – OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
Chicago Love – REVOLT TV & Media
News One Now – TV One
Unsung Hollywood – TV One
ORIGINAL MOVIE OR SPECIAL
Documented – CNN
Lady Valor: The Kristin Beck – CNN
The Gabby Douglas Story – Lifetime
The Trip to Bountiful – Lifetime
Best of I Love Jenni – NBC Universo
REALITY
Texas Trocas – Discovery Latin America/USH
Joe Haden: Love One – ESPN
Welcome to Los Vargas – NBC Universo
Sisterhood of Hip Hop – Oxygen Media
Mary Mary – WE tv
REALITY – SOCIAL ISSUES
Beyond Scared Straight – A&E
Chicagoland – CNN
Helping in Haiti – ESPN
Mendota – ESPN
Carlos Gutierrez – ESPN Deportes
SPORTS
E:60/ESPN – Marquis Goodwin: The Blueprint
Every Young Boy’s Dream – ESPN
Outside the Lines: The N Word – ESPN
Devon Still – ESPN
Yanet Moreno – ESPN Deportes
VARIEY/TALK SHOW
Fashion Queens – Bravo Media
Kids’ Choice Sports Awards – Nickelodeon
Oprah Prime: Pharrell Williams – OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
Super Soul Sunday: Oprah & Russell Simmons: Success Through Stillness – OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
45th NAACP Image Awards – TV One
NOMINATIONS BY NETWORK/DISTRIBUTOR
A&E – 1
AMC – 1
BET Networks – 3
Bravo Media – 1
CNN – 4
Cooking Channel – 1
Discovery Latin America/USH – 4
Disney Junior – 1
E:60 – 1
ESPN – 6
ESPN Deportes – 4
HBO – 9
Lifetime – 3
Music Choice – 1
Myx TV – 1
NBC Universo – 3
Nickelodeon – 10
OWN Digital – 1
OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network – 4
Oxygen Media – 1
REVOLT TV & Media – 1
Showtime Networks Inc. – 2
TV One – 4
Universal Television – 5
VH1 – 1
Viacom International Media Networks – 1
WE tv – 1
NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) is the premier organization focusing on multi-ethnic diversity in the communications industry. Founded in 1980 as a non-profit trade association, today NAMIC comprises 2,300 professionals belonging to a network of 16 chapters nationwide. Through initiatives that focus on education, advocacy and empowerment, NAMIC champions equity and inclusion in the workforce, with special attention given to ensuring that the leadership cadres of our nation’s communications industry giants reflect the multi-ethnic richness of the populations they serve. For more information, please visit www.namic.com and stay connected to NAMIC on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
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