John Simmons is an experienced, award winning journalist who has written more than 30,000 news stories for television stations and newspapers, written and produced more than 250 documentaries and magazine-style stories, and has produced and supervised more than 4500 live newscasts and public affairs programs. He is an experienced still and video photographer and graphic designer.
He worked for The Jones County News, WMGT-TV, WITN-TV, WJKS-TV, WGHP-TV, WAWS-TV, WMAZ-TV, WSPA-TV and WTEV-TV as a photographer, reporter, writer and producer. As a newsroom manager, he was responsible for copy editing and approving scripts, graphics, video and supervising all phases of stories before they were publisher or aired.
His career also included stints at Vision Productions, Inc. and Video Law Services, Inc.
Awards include:
Associated Press Best Newscast Award 1985
Series “The Quality Basic Education Act,” Georgia Association of Educators School Bell Award 1987
Associated Press Best Newscast Award 1991
Associated Press Best Continuing Coverage Award 1991 (Gulf War Coverage)
Gavin Conwell Documentary, Summit Award 2001
Hayley Hawkinberry Documentary, Communicator Award 2001
Anika Sulzburg Documentary, Communicator Award 2001
Axiem Award for Excellence in Electronic Media 2001
David Hoffman Documentary, The DV Award 2002
Estate of Jim Warmowski Documentary, Communicator Award 2002
Maurice Duncan Documentary, The DV Award 2002, Communicator Award 2002
Dr. Alvin Gross Documentary, The DV Award 2002, Communicator Award 2002
Skye McQueen Documentary, The DV Award 2002, Communicator Award 2002
Johanna Shirley Documentary, The DV Award 2003, Summit Award 2003
Michael Walters Documentary, The DV Award 2003, Summit Award 2003
Krista Miller Documentary, The DV Award 2006
Hope Patterson Documentary, The DV Award 2007
Our Students Are More Than A Test, Telly Award 2014