2012 Needham Channel Founders Awards Announced

Every year, the Needham Channel takes some time to thank members of their team for service. This year, the four honorees are Mike Riley, Colleen Lavery, John Milligan and Jonathan Tamkin. 

Needham Channel Executive Director Marc Mandel explained in a press release that, “The people chosen to receive the Founders’ Award reflect what the Needham Channel is all about. Each of them have significantly shaped either what we do or how we do it. I can’t imagine what our studio would be like with out them.”

Starting on Feb 7, The Needham Channel will air "Empowering Teens," an episode of District Attorney Michael Morrissey's program "Making Decisions" filmed with three Needham teens last week.

Below is a press release from the Needham Channel:

Needham Channel Announces Founders’ Award Recipients 

At their recent Volunteer Appreciation Party, members of the Needham Community Television Development Corporation announced the recipients of the Needham Channel Founders’ Award. 

Since 2005, the non-profit organization has been recognizing the extraordinary contributions of Needham Channel volunteers with this award. Selections are made based on longevity of service, efforts on behalf of promoting and producing local programming, and how well the candidate reflects the spirit of volunteerism at the Needham Channel.

According to Needham Channel Executive Director Marc Mandel “The people chosen to receive the Founders’ Award reflect what the Needham Channel is all about. Each of them have significantly shaped either what we do or how we do it. I can’t imagine what our studio would be like with out them.”

Four volunteers were named at the event, reflecting nominees from 2011 and 2012.

Mike Riley (2011) first came to the Needham Channel as a sports announcer for Needham High School athletics, while in high school he started “The Real Sports Report”, a sports talk show that ran on the Needham Channel for over a decade. He has also served as an anchor on the Needham Channel News and is known for co-hosting the stations Fourth of July Coverage. He currently serves as a member of the Needham Community Television Development Corporation.

Colleen Lavery (2011) also started volunteering at the Needham Channel as a high school intern. Colleen took part in many of the studio’s access productions, with a strong interest in the creative arts. She has served most notably as a reporter and anchor for the Needham Channel News, and has been the co-host for the stations Fourth of July Coverage for many years.

John Milligan (2012) was recognized for his long-standing support of local access television as well as his use of the media to feature the contributions of others. John first got involved with Continental Cablevision back in 1987, when he produced a series called “How to Buy a House”. Over the years he maintained strong ties to the station, and began producing “Exchanging Ideas”, highlighting the different campaigns of the Needham Exchange Club. The series has been in production since 2002.

Jonathan Tamkin (2012) was honored for his efforts on the board of the town’s Cable Advisory Committee. Over the last 20 years, Tamkin led the board through the licensing process with RCN, Verizon and Comcast. He also guided the community through the evolution of the industry through that time. In addition to his efforts on the Cable Advisory Committee, Jon has also served as past president of the Needham Community Television Advisory Committee.

On hand at the presentation were board members Tom Loughran and Arnold Goldstein as well as board president Michael Greis. For more information about the Founders’ Award and the Needham Channel, please contact Marc Mandel, Executive Director at mmandel@needhamchannel.org or 781-449-6964.