Cinema/Chicago Television Awards

2015 Award Winners

2015 Honorees

Jay Levine

Commitment to Excellence in Investigative Journalism

Jay Levine is the chief correspondent for CBS 2 Chicago. He joined CBS 2 Chicago as weekend anchor and reporter in 1990 before being named chief correspondent in 1991. He later anchored the station’s early morning news with his wife, Mary Ann Childers, before returning to his role as chief correspondent.

In 1991, he became the first Chicago reporter to broadcast live from Saudi Arabia, the day before the Gulf War began. He was the only Chicago TV reporter in Saudi Arabia from the time the first shots were fired until after the cease-fire was signed. During that two-month period, Levine filed 260 live reports for CBS 2 Chicago and CBS stations around the country.

In 2003, he was the only Chicago television reporter embedded with U.S. troops during Operation Iraqi Freedom, covering the 101st Airborne, and its Chicago-area soldiers from the deserts of Kuwait to Saddam’s palaces in Baghdad. He has traveled the globe covering politics, international affairs and uncovering scandals. Levine’s reports range from interviewing the Pope, to dodging bullets in Beirut, to chasing drug runners in the Andes. In 1996, his coverage of Cardinal Bernardin’s death was widely acclaimed by both his peers and the public. He covered Hurricanes Katrina and Rita extensively and their aftermath along the Gulf Coast.

Tom Skilling

Chicago Award

Tom Skilling, WGN-TV chief meteorologist, appears weekdays on WGN Midday News, WGN Evening News and WGN News at Nine. He celebrated his 35th anniversary with WGN-TV in August 2013.

Tom joined WGN-TV on August 13, 1978. Since then, he has established himself as a respected meteorologist both locally and nationally, known for his in-depth reports, enthusiasm, and use of state-of-the-art technology.

In early 2004, Tom helped coordinate the Tribune Weather Center, which combines the meteorology resources and expertise of WGN-TV, CLTV and The Chicago Tribune in one location. The weather center includes the installation of a state-of-the-art computer graphics system that enables Tom and his team to track details of weather across Chicagoland. He has also received an immense response for his WGNtv.com weather blog.

In early 2004, Tom helped coordinate the Tribune Weather Center, which combines the meteorology resources and expertise of WGN-TV, CLTV and The Chicago Tribune in one location. The weather center includes the installation of a state-of-the-art computer graphics system that enables Tom and his team to track details of weather across Chicagoland. He has also received an immense response for his WGNtv.com weather blog.

Tom Burrell

Chicago Legend in Advertising Award

Tom Burrell established Burrell Communications in 1971 and led the company through 2004. Burrell, known as leading marketing communications firm, is noted for its expertise in reaching African American and urban youth markets. By recognizing the unique qualities of the American-American consumer market, Burrell spearheaded some of the most memorable campaigns in advertising history. A reel of Burrell’s advertisements for Coca-Cola is currently archived at the Library of Congress for its historical significance.

Burrell has garnered numerous prestigious awards and accolades, including Advertising Person of the Year, the coveted Albert Lasker award for Lifetime Achievement in Advertising, DuSable Museum’s HistoryMaker Award, and the Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism. Advertising Age named Burrell one of “50 Who Made A Difference” in its special issue “50 Years of TV Advertising.” The magazine also designated him among the “Top 100 Advertising People” who have shaped the course of the advertising industry in their special issue “The Advertising Century.”

Whitehouse Post

Commitment to Excellence in Television Commercials

Whitehouse Post has been one of the leading international creative editorial companies across the world since 1990, with post-production facilities in London, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Amsterdam. Their Chicago office has served the advertising community here for two decades, editing high profile campaigns both locally and beyond. They believe in fostering editorial storytelling in a creative and supportive environment. Central to this philosophy is an emphasis on molding the best young talent into excellent film editors who recognize the collaborative power of visuals, music, and sound.

Their deep reel of notable spots for brands such as Allstate, McDonald’s, Nike and Google has won over 50 AICP awards, 93 D&AD Awards, 65 Cannes Lions, 100 British Arrows, and 113 Clios. They are also credited on three Grand Prixes at Cannes for Budweiser’s Whassup, Nike’s Tag, and Levi’s Drugstore. In addition to their contributions in television advertising, Whitehouse editors have been responsible for editing numerous feature films, including the Oscar® winning Leaving Las Vegas, the Emmy winning The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Seven Psychopaths, Fifty Shades of Grey and Spring Breakers, to name a few. Production and finishing partnerships with sister companies Cap Gun Collective and Carbon VFX, as well as with design-driven production company Gentleman Scholar, further cement Whitehouse Post as an invaluable creative resource for their clients.

The Onion

Commitment to Excellence in New Media

The Onion, under the Onion, Inc., was founded in 1988. As early as the mid-’90s, it became a well-known print publication that started to live online. Today the Onion reaches millions of visitors each month, while delivering high quality video and editorial content to its ever expanding digital audience. Through their success and notoriety, Onion Labs came to be as a full-service agency that can deliver directly to the Onion’s audience. By way of comedy, Onion Labs perfected reaching and influencing a massive digital audience. Now that extension is being made available to brands. Onion Labs combines the best comedy writers and marketing talent to create advertising content that’s worthy of the Onion name.

Canon

Innovation Award

The name Canon has long been synonymous with technological innovation. Their EOS line of accessible, professional-grade cameras has truly opened doors for a new generation of passionate visual storytellers and has changed the landscape of the television world. Canon continues to be at the forefront of the digital age, and the artistic impact of their pioneering technology is transformative and far-reaching.