Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences

Our Mission The Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and video content creation. Our mission is to serve our members, promote the highest standards in television professionalism and recognize excellence in television throughout our region with the coveted regional Emmy® award. We also educate and mentor the next generation of professionals with scholarships and the High School and College Student Production Awards. Chapter History The roots of The Ohio Valley Chapter can be traced to 1959 when the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences was petitioned to form a regional Chapter in Columbus, Ohio. That Charter was granted by the National Trustees in September of 1962, marking the beginning of the National Academy’s second “regional”, known then as the Columbus Chapter of NATAS. In its first year, the fledgling organization named Merv Durea (Program Director, WLW-C) its first president, established a scholarship ‘to be awarded to an outstanding Ohio State University student in television’, and sponsored professional development seminars featuring Rod Serling (October 1962) and Shari Lewis (March 1963).