Pittston, PA – WVIA is proud to announce that it has been honored with four awards from the American Advertising Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania (AAF NEPA) in recognition of its outstanding work in media and creative storytelling. The awards celebrate WVIA’s commitment to excellence in public media and its dedication to producing high-quality, impactful content that resonates with audiences across the region.
“These awards reflect the hard work and passion of our entire team,” said Ben Payavis II, Chief Content Officer at WVIA. “At WVIA, we strive to create meaningful stories that inform, inspire, and engage our community. Being recognized by AAF NEPA underscores our commitment to high-quality storytelling and innovative media production.”
WVIA was awarded Best in Show for the second year in a row, signifying their role as a leading storyteller in Northeastern PA. The AAF NEPA Awards, known as the American Advertising Awards, are among the industry’s most prestigious honors, recognizing the best in creative excellence across multiple media formats. WVIA’s award-winning projects showcase the station’s ability to produce compelling content that educates and entertains.
WVIA’s Winning Works Include:
Breaking Barriers: Girls Wrestling (VIA Short Take)
- Best in Show (the overall best piece of all submissions agreed upon by the judges)
- Gold Award (Branded Film, Video, and Sound category)
NEPA @ Work
- Judges Choice (each judge selects one piece out of every submission that is their favorite)
- Gold Award (Web Series category)
"Winning Best of Show two years in a row is an unbelievable honor. It's always exciting to have your work recognized, especially among all of the creative companies in Northeast Pennsylvania,” stated WVIA Producer/Director Alexander Monelli. “All of their work deserves recognition as well. I'm very grateful to WVIA for giving me the opportunity to produce these diverse local stories. I never lose sight of the fact I get to do what I love for a living and it's because of WVIA."
WVIA extends its gratitude to the American Advertising Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania for this recognition and to its dedicated viewers, listeners, and supporters who make its mission possible. As WVIA continues to push the boundaries of public media, it remains committed to delivering exceptional content that serves and strengthens the community.
The award ceremony was held on Friday, February 28th at the Mohegan Sun Casino Convention Center in Wilkes-Barre.
About The American Advertising Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania
The American Advertising Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania represents solopreneurs, educators, corporations, creative leaders, small businesses, nonprofits and students in the future-facing world of advertising.
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.