WVIA Wins Four NETA Public Media Awards- ROAR Documentary Named A Winner In Two Categories
PITTSTON, PA - September 12, 2023 - The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) has announced that WVIA has won four Public Media Awards in several different categories. This year was the 55th Annual Public Media Awards.
The Public Media Awards, presented by NETA, honor their member's work in the highest caliber community engagement, content, education, and marketing and communications.
WVIA’s works were selected as winners in the following categories; Education Resources for the Community, Cultural Feature, Integrated Marketing Campaign, and Promotion.
WVIA’s original documentary ROAR: The Story of the Southern Columbia Football Tigers, released on May 12, 2023, won awards in two separate categories: Integrated Marketing Campaign and Promotion. WVIA organized a multifaceted marketing campaign resulting in several months of promotion for ROAR including radio and television promotions, billboards, social media promotion, and live community events.
“I’m proud of these Public Media Awards because they really validate the creativity and hard work our team put into the marketing and promotion of ROAR,” said filmmaker Alexander Monelli. “From the halftime show, to the pep rally, billboards, giveaways, jerseys, social media, trailer, and everything in between, it was just so creatively rewarding and fun.”
WVIA’s Careers that Work won in the category of Education Resources for the Community.
“Careers that Work/Carreras que funcionan allows students and job seekers in our region to explore well-researched, high-priority occupations, fostering early awareness and education while introducing necessary workforce skills, career pathways, and salary. The program provides videos and curricula content including lesson plans, activities, and evaluative materials, all aligned with the Pennsylvania Readiness standards,” explained WVIA’s Vicki Austin, Senior Director, Grants and Education. “Pennsylvania is the first state in the United States to require that all students graduate with a personalized career plan and portfolio tied to clearly defined K-12 career education benchmarks, and WVIA Education is pleased to help address that need, and to make it available to both English and Spanish speaking populations in our region.”
WVIA’s Short Take It’s More Than Hair won in the category of Cultural Feature. The Cultural Feature category recognizes media productions with dramatic impact of a condition or situation of historical significance. It’s More Than Hair is a celebration of Black hair and how acceptance of hairstyles historically linked to Black culture can foster community in NEPA.
“Public media is about so much more than entertainment, it’s about shining a light on the individuals that make up our communities and the things that make our region exceptional. It’s about providing tools to help shape successful local citizens and industries, and developing a communal sense of pride in our region and in each other,” said WVIA Chief Content Officer, Ben Payavis II. “Initiatives like ROAR, Its More Than Hair, and Careers that Work are great examples of how WVIA is working to honor and build up northeastern and central Pennsylvania.”
The 55th Annual PMA winners were announced on Sunday, September 10, 2023, at the 2023 NETA Conference and CPB Public Media Thought Leader Forumin Grand Rapids, MI.
With the exception of the overall excellence categories, stations competed within their divisions based on their station size. Awards are judged by a group of expert panelists from within the public media system, as well as industry professionals working outside of public media.
Below are the categories and works for which WVIA has won Public Media Awards.
Education Resources for the Community
Careers that Work
Cultural Feature
It’s More Than Hair
Executive Producer, Ben Payavis II; Producers Kelly Dessoye and Aimee Dilger
Integrated Marketing Campaig
ROAR Documentary Marketing and Promotions Campaign
Promotion
ROAR Documentary: Official Trailer Release
About NETA
The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) is a professional association representing 302 member stations in 49 states, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. NETA provides leadership, general audience content, educational services, professional development, and trusted financial management services, including human resources and benefits administration, to individual public media licensees, their affinity groups, and public media as a whole. For more information, visit netaonline.org and follow us on X @NETA_Tweets, Facebook @NETAstations, Instagram and Threads @NETA_grams, and LinkedIn @NETAbusiness.
About WVIA
WVIA is the PBS and NPR affiliate serving over 22 counties in northeastern and central Pennsylvania. For over 50 years WVIA has been committed to serving the people by offering informational, educational, and entertaining content that enriches and expands viewpoints and serves as a catalyst for positive change. WVIA television channels include WVIA TV, WVIA PBS Kids 24/7, and WVIA Create. WVIA’s radio channels include WVIA Radio, WVIA HD2, and the Chiaroscuro Channel. WVIA’s programs can also be found streaming live and on-demand on wvia.org and the WVIA app.
WVIA Mission
WVIA educates, inspires, entertains and fosters citizenship, diverse cultures, and perspectives to nurture community.