HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — News 19’s very own Ben Smith was honored Saturday night with a regional Emmy for his work on our morning weathercasts.
Ben received the award from the Nashville/Midsouth Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for his entry “Morning Weathercast with Ben Smith” in the weathercasts category.
The chapter includes broadcasters from Tennessee, Alabama and North Carolina.
In a statement played after the results, Ben thanked the team at News 19 that support him.
“I’m humbled, I’m honored, so thankful,” he said “I had a lot of help with this entry and I did not win this by myself, plenty of feedback, plenty of guidance. Our station manager Stan Pylant, thank you for giving me the chance to come to Huntsville. I just work at a great station with great people. “
Chief Meteorologist Danielle Dozier said she thinks viewers can agree that Ben deserves the award.
“Ben is a great meteorologist, and I’m excited and proud that he has been honored with an Emmy,” she said. “Ben’s personality shines on our morning show each and every day and I know our viewers and everyone at WHNT agree that he deserves this award.”
Meteorologist Aaron Ayers also congratulated Ben and said it’s his creativity that really draws in viewers.
“Ben is truly an outstanding meteorologist and an invaluable part of our Weather Authority Team,” he said. “It’s a privilege to get to work with him and see how he creatively relates with the viewer and communicates the weather story each day. Congratulations, Ben, on your well-deserved Emmy.”
Ben joined the team at New 19 in April of 2010 and has previously won two Emmy awards as a meteorologist. The Fredericksburg, Virginia native has had a love of weather since grade school and even gave the weather report during his morning announcements in high school.
Ben received a bachelor’s degree in Communications and a minor in Geography in 1996 from East Carolina University in Greenville North Carolina and then stuck around Greenville at WNCT-TV where he did weather on-air for five years right out of college. While at WNCT, he received a certificate in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University.
Since leaving Greenville, Ben has worked in Chattanooga and Birmingham, and even served a stint as Chief Meteorologist at WSAV in Savannah for four years. From there he worked for WFTV in Orlando.
Throughout his career, Ben has been involved in the direct landfalls of several hurricanes including Bertha, Bonnie, Dennis, Fran and Floyd in 1999. He was also awarded the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award, along with the staff at WNCT, for continuous coverage of Hurricane Floyd.
Meteorologist Jessica Camuto said on top of his excellent skills as a meteorologist Ben has also always been a treasured coworker on the Weather Authority team.
“Ben is one of the first people I met when I moved to Alabama, aside from Jason Simpson, and he immediately made me feel welcome,” she said. He is one of the kindest, most hardworking, genuine people you will ever meet. Ben has provided accurate and timely weather information for the Tennessee Valley Community for over a decade. I am lucky to work alongside him and learn from him on the Weather Authority team.”
