Local Talk Show “Ann Arbor Tonight" Nabs 2 Philo Awards

Ann Arbor native Zach Damon couldn’t be happier after having earned not one, but two awards for his CTN program “Ann Arbor Tonight.” The Wins came in the categories for Best Interview/Talk Show and Underserved Voices. Damon said in an interview “We’ve been following the Philo awards for years, and this year, I had the time to apply and submit materials to be considered for the awards. It was a big surprise to win! I always say that if you don’t show up, you don’t see results. To get two awards was an extreme honor, there are a lot of great producers out there.”

Regarding the win for Best Interview / Talk Show, Damon commented “For me, it is all about enjoying the journey. These awards are team awards, not just for me, it’s a real team effort. if I didn’t have a team around me this wouldn’t of happened.”

Damon grew up in Ann Arbor, graduating from Pioneer in 2005, and studying at Eastern Michigan University following that. He has been producing the monthly show “Ann Arbor Tonight” since 2016, featuring Washtenaw County musicians, actors, businesses, civil servants, and being a true variety show for the Ann Arbor area.

The awards are named for Philo T. Farnsworth, the father of modern television. Farnsworth first revealed his scientific ideas for an all-electric television system. He later established an electronics laboratory in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he succeeded in turning his dreams into reality by inventing the first receiving tube for television transmissions.

The second category that the show won was for Underserved Voices. Damon has Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy, a disorder which causes severe muscle stiffness. It manifests during infancy and early childhood. Though he needs the support of forearm crutches to walk, Damon has never let it slow him down, or keep him from achieving his dreams. Congratulations, Zach!