Pittston, PA – WVIA won five Emmy Awards - including the prestigious Overall Station Excellence - at the 43rd annual Mid-Atlantic Awards in Philadelphia Saturday night. The historic Station Excellence win - a first for WVIA in its more than 50 years of service - capped off a successful night of five total awards that highlight the station’s continued pursuit to honor the creative journey, its commitment to the craft, and employees’ passion to tell the stories of the region.
“Despite the many challenges we've faced this year, our staff has continued to deliver meaningful, impactful content that truly serves the people of Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania,” said Carla McCabe, President & CEO of WVIA. “We are incredibly honored to receive five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards, including the Overall Station Excellence. This recognition is a powerful testament to the dedication, creativity, and resilience of our entire team. Being recognized for that commitment is an extraordinary moment of pride for all of us.”
The Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Awards celebrate excellence in television production across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. This year saw 749 entries in 80 Emmy categories - 305 of those received nominations.
The Overall Excellence category recognizes a television station for the high standard of its overall programming and community service across all its endeavors. WVIA was nominated among three outstanding stations from larger metropolitan markets, including KDKA in Pittsburgh, WGAL in Lancaster, and CBS Philadelphia.
This station-wide recognition underscores WVIA’s mission to create programming that not only informs and inspires but also reflects the rich heritage and stories of the region.
“To be recognized for Overall Excellence is both humbling and inspiring,” said Ben Payavis II, WVIA’s Chief Content Officer. “It’s a testament to the dedication of our incredible team and a reflection of the responsibility we carry in telling the stories of this region. Stories don’t just entertain us; they connect us. They build bridges between different perspectives and remind us of our shared humanity.”
2025 Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Award Wins for WVIA:
- Overall Excellence
- WVIA - Carla McCabe, President & CEO, WVIA
- Health/Medical News
- Keystone Edition Health: She Beat Cancer - Tim Novotney, Director/Camera/Editor
- Historical/Cultural- Short Film
- VIA Short Takes: The Secret Beneath Hazleton - Tim Novotney, Director/Camera/Editor
- Human Interest - Long Form Content
- 2024 Little League Challenger Exhibition - Ben Payavis, Producer; Ken Sawyer, Play-By-Play Announcer; Tom Speicher, Color Commentator
- News/Program Promotion/PSA – Single Spot
- NEPA @ Work Trailer - Alexander Monelli, Director/Camera/Editor
In total, WVIA received nine nominations for its outstanding work across a variety of genres. Additional nominated projects include:
- Sports - One Time Special
- The Forgotten Dynasty: Scranton Eagles - Ben Payavis, Producer/Director; John Mikulak, Director of Photography; Ron Andruscavage, Audio/Drone/Camera
- Entertainment-Long Form Content
- The Story of Palma: A Musical Fable - Ben Payavis, Director/Editor; Larry Vojtko, Associate Producer/Score Reader; Erika Funke, Associate Producer; George Graham, Audio Producer/Mix; Lisa Mazzarella, Narrator/Associate Producer; Ron Andruscavage, Production Manager
- Magazine Program
- NEPA @ Work - Alexander Monelli, Director/Camera/Editor
- VIA Short Takes #503 - Ben Payavis, Executive Producer; Alexander Monelli, Cinematographer/Editor/Director; Tim Novotney, Cinematographer/Editor/Director; John Alaimo, Producer/Director/Editor
Among the evening’s honorees was WVIA’s Chief Technology Officer Joe Glynn, who was officially inducted into the 2025 Silver Circle Society, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the broadcasting industry over more than 25 years.
Read the full list of Mid-Atlantic Emmy® Award recipients here.
About the Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy® Awards
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy® Awards are a division of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The division was founded in 1981 and serves the Mid-Atlantic states and regions.
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.