COLUMBUS, OHIO, JULY 14, 2020 – Mary Rathke, senior TV producer/director with WOSU Public Media is being recognized with the Silver Circle Award, one of the highest honors given by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The Silver Circle recognizes television professionals who have performed distinguished service within the television industry for 25 years or longer, made an enduring contribution to the vitality of the television industry and helped set high standards of achievement in their careers.
A trailblazer, Mary was WOSU’s first female on the studio crew, first female videographer, and now becomes the first WOSU staffer to receive this prestigious Silver Circle honor.
“Mary’s work has always revolved around giving voice to those who need to be heard,” said Tom Rieland, general manager of WOSU Public Media. “Her documentary portfolio is expansive and reflects her heartfelt goal of telling unique, compelling stories about Columbus. She is one of the most sensitive and thorough producers I’ve ever known, and it shows in her lifetime of work.”
Mary’s journey attests to her unique vision, her unwavering loyalty to the Columbus community and her tenacity in a field where women are rarely given the freedom to lead large documentary projects. Her ability to connect with people is inspiring because she is able to weave each interview and visual element into a seamless, compelling story that truly captures the heart.
“I see producing documentaries as a way to show how we’re all interconnected,” said Mary. “Everyone has a story, everyone has passions, loves, dreams, sorrows, and their lives touch and influence other lives. It’s important to help people recognize that we are all part of a bigger picture and that each and every story is extraordinary.”
First joining WOSU TV in the 1980s as an Ohio State University student intern, today Mary is a highly talented, highly regarded documentary filmmaker, videographer and multiple Emmy Award-winning producer. On top of the seven Emmy Awards she has won for the iconic and beloved Columbus Neighborhoods series she has also won four additional Emmys for other WOSU programs she has produced and edited.
“I am honored to be inducted into the Silver Circle,” Mary summarizes. “But I wouldn’t be here without the support of my colleagues and friends at WOSU, and for the trust of our community members to share their stories.”
About WOSU Public Media
The mission of WOSU Public Media is to engage, inform and inspire our diverse community. An NPR and PBS affiliate, WOSU is a noncommercial multimedia organization serving over two million citizens in Central Ohio through broadcast, digital, programming, events and education experiences. A licensee of The Ohio State University, member-supported WOSU Public Media moves its headquarters and studios to the new 15+HIGH District on campus in 2021. Learn more at wosu.org.
About the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
The Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is a professional service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and related media and to the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. With nineteen regional chapters, NATAS is the standard-bearer for excellence in the television broadcasting industry and the gatekeeper of the prestigious regional EMMY® Award.
Contact:
Amy Tillinghast
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications
2400 Olentangy River Road | Columbus, OH 43210
614-688-2166 | amy.tillinghast@wosu.org | wosu.org