Pittston, PA – The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) has announced that WVIA has been nominated for five NETA Public Media Awards. This year is the 56th Annual Public Media Awards. This recognition celebrates WVIA's dedication to excellence and innovation in public media, underscoring the station’s role as an innovator in delivering compelling and transformative content.
The NETA Public Media Awards are renowned for honoring exceptional contributions to the public media landscape. WVIA’s five nominations span a range of categories, each reflecting the station’s diverse and impactful programming. These nominations not only highlight the quality of WVIA’s work but also its deep commitment to inspiring the community. They also reflect WVIA’s broad range of content, from local storytelling to impactful public affairs.
“We are incredibly honored to receive these nominations from NETA,” stated Ben Payavis II, WVIA Chief Content Officer. “They highlight the passion and innovation that drive our work. Each project represents a unique aspect of our mission to serve and connect with our viewers in meaningful ways.”
The five nominations include:
- Innovation in Education: Be My Neighbor Day
- Annual Report: 2023 Community Impact Report: Our Community. Our Commitment. Our Future
- Topical Feature: WVIA NEWS Special: To Save The River to Save The Mountain
- Performing Arts: WHAM Re-Bop-Boom-Bam: The Swing Jazz of Eddie Durham
- Short Form: WVIA Short Takes. Breaking Barriers: High School Girls Wrestling
WVIA President & CEO, Carla McCabe remarked, “It’s a reflection of our team’s dedication to crafting content that not only entertains but also enriches the lives of our viewers. From telling our region’s stories to broadening local exposure to influential figures, our mission is to inspire—with every single project.”
One stand out feature is the first ever WVIA News Special: To Save the River, Save the Mountain. Having just come on to the scene in 2022, WVIA News has rapidly expanded into a team of 11, diving headfirst into our region’s most impactful stories. To Save the River, Save the Mountain is a non-traditional, collaborative project, showcasing WVIA News’ storytelling mastery and multimedia capabilities, while exposing the region to a decades-long battle to save the river that runs right through many people’s backyards.
The 56th Public Media Award winners will be announced on Sunday, September 15th, 2024, at the 2024 NETA Conference and CPB Public Media Thought Leader Forum.
About NETA
The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) is a professional association representing 303 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.
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 Arts, 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.