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.

/PRNewswire/

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