Longtime NBC “Today” weather and feature anchor Al Roker has been tapped to receive a lifetime achievement honor at the 46th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards next month. Also set to be given the lifetime achievement is documentary filmmaker, cinematographer, producer, and director Jon Else.
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which administers the News & Documentary Emmys, announced the news on Thursday.
The News & Documentary Emmys are split into two ceremonies, with the first focused on news programming on Wednesday, June 25, and the second centered on documentary fare on Thursday, June 26. Roker will receive his award during the news ceremony, while Else will be honored at the documentary ceremony.
“These Lifetime Achievement honors recognize Al Roker and Jon Else for their enduring contributions to the television industry,” said NATAS prexy Adam Sharp in a statement. “We honor not only their remarkable work in front of and behind the camera, but also the lasting impact they have made on audiences, the industry and generations of storytellers. NATAS proudly celebrates their commitment to excellence and pivotal roles in shaping the television landscape.”
Roker first joined “Today” in January 1996; he also now serves as co-host of the 3rd hour of “Today.” His credits also include Sirius XM’s “Off the Rails” with Dylan Dreyer and Sheinelle Jones, Weather Channel’s “Wake Up with Al” and as a weather forecaster on WNBC-TV. Roker has won three Daytime Emmys — when “Today” won for best morning newscast in 2007, 2009 and 2010. Roker also co-hosts Sirius XM’s “Off the Rails” with Dylan Dreyer and Sheinelle Jones.
Roker called the award an “incredible honor. I’m just another indication of either an end-of-career or end-of-life award. Either way, I am so thankful to be the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Emmy and thank everyone that I’ve worked with who held me up and helped me achieve this great honor.“
Else is known for “The Day After Trinity: J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb,” and “Cadillac Desert,” as well as series producer and cinematographer for Henry Hampton’s “Eyes On The Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years.” His other credits include “Sing Faster: The Stagehands’ ‘Ring Cycle,’” “Wonders Are Many: The Making of “Doctor Atomic,” “Yosemite: The Fate of Heaven,” “Palace of Delights: the Exploratorium” and “Open Outcry.”
Said Else: “It took me by surprise—What?!?!—completely humbling, and I’m honored. Emmys were the last thing I expected when filming little documentaries 50 years ago. I have to say that whatever I’ve done in all these years of making television would never have been remotely possible without the incredible support from the devoted men and women of public broadcasting, and to them, I am forever grateful. And the secret of it all was to always work with crazy smart and crazy skilled collaborators.”
The 46th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards will will hand out trophies in 66 categories across news and documentary programming. This year, Disney’s National Geographic dominated with 46 nominations, helped by “Trafficked: Underworlds with Mariana van Zeller,” which earned a whopping 29 nominations in various categories (including Outstanding Recorded News Program and Outstanding Investigative News Coverage – Long Form.)
The News & Documentary Emmy ceremonies will take place at the Palladium Times Square in New York City and stream live on NATAS’ dedicated viewing platform (available at watch.theemmys.tv) and via The Emmys apps on iOS, tvOS, Android, FireTV and Roku.
