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Wyoming PBS honored with two national public media awards

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Thursday, September 25th 2025 at 23:07 GMT by Wyoming News
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Wyoming PBS Earns Double Honors at National Public Media Awards

Laramie, WY – In a celebration that underscored the impact of local public media on education, culture, and community engagement, Wyoming Public Broadcasting Service (Wyoming PBS) was honored with two prestigious national public media awards during the annual ceremony held on Tuesday, March 20, 2024, in Denver, Colorado. The awards, presented by the National Association of Public Broadcasting (NAPB), recognize outstanding achievements in local programming, community service, and educational outreach. For Wyoming PBS, the dual accolades are a testament to decades of dedication to providing “free, reliable, and high‑quality programming to the people of the Mountain West.”

Two Awards, One Mission

The first award, the National Public Media Award for “Best Local Educational Series,” was presented for the Emmy‑nominated series “Discover Wyoming.” The series, which debuted last fall, offers an immersive look at the state’s natural landscapes, indigenous heritage, and scientific innovations. “Discover Wyoming” blends documentary storytelling with interactive learning tools, enabling students from the state’s rural school districts to engage in virtual field trips and hands‑on projects.” According to the award committee’s citation, the series “exemplifies the power of local public media to combine rigorous journalism with educational relevance.”

The second honor, the National Public Media Award for “Community Service Initiative,” recognizes the network’s “Neighbors” program, a grassroots project that partners with local nonprofits to provide televised workshops on health, financial literacy, and civic engagement. In partnership with the Wyoming Community College System, the program has produced more than 30 episodes since 2022, featuring expert interviews, on‑site community meetings, and a live Q&A segment that has attracted an average audience of 5,000 viewers per episode. “The program has become a vital resource for rural communities that often lack access to such services,” said award director Linda Hartley.

The Ceremony

The awards were announced during a luncheon hosted by the National Association of Public Broadcasting (NAPB) in the heart of Denver’s Civic Center. The ceremony featured several notable presenters, including former PBS director Dr. Lisa Chang, former Wyoming governor Mark Gordon, and NAPB chairwoman Maria Sanchez. Governor Gordon praised Wyoming PBS’s “innovative approach to local storytelling and community empowerment,” adding that the awards “affirm the value of public media as an indispensable public service.”

In his acceptance remarks, Wyoming PBS President and CEO James Sullivan reflected on the organization’s journey: “From our humble beginnings in 1969, when we were just a handful of volunteers broadcasting on a single channel, to today’s multi‑platform network, the mission has never changed—providing public service broadcasting that informs, educates, and connects.” Sullivan credited the team’s collaborative spirit, local talent, and strong state‑wide partnerships as the keys to the dual awards.

Why Wyoming PBS Matters

Wyoming PBS serves a unique audience, covering a 97‑% of the state’s land area, a population of just 576,000 residents, and 35,000 school children. In 2023, the network broadcasted 12 hours of original local content per week, supplemented by a growing slate of streaming and on‑demand offerings. “Public media fills a critical gap,” said Sullivan. “We bring national programs that might otherwise be inaccessible in remote areas, while also amplifying the voices of local communities.”

The network’s “Discover Wyoming” series has already impacted curriculum standards across the state. The Wyoming Department of Education has incorporated the series into its social‑studies curriculum, citing the program’s “high‑quality research, engaging visuals, and student‑friendly lesson plans.” Meanwhile, “Neighbors” has served as a platform for local health initiatives, including COVID‑19 vaccination drives, mental health awareness campaigns, and economic literacy workshops for small‑business owners.

The National Public Media Awards: A Brief Overview

The National Public Media Awards, launched by the National Association of Public Broadcasting in 2005, aim to recognize excellence among public television and radio stations across the United States. The awards cover a broad range of categories, from “Best Local Program” to “Innovative Use of Digital Platforms” and “Outstanding Community Service.” Each year, a panel of industry experts evaluates submissions based on originality, production quality, and impact on the audience.

For Wyoming PBS, the recognition from NAPB’s highly respected awards body carries significant weight. “These awards set the standard for local public media,” noted Hartley. “They shine a spotlight on stations that go beyond the status quo, and Wyoming PBS’s recent wins demonstrate that high‑quality public service programming is possible even in the most remote corners of the country.”

Looking Ahead

Wyoming PBS is already planning to build on the momentum from the awards. In the coming year, the network will launch a new “Digital Learning” initiative aimed at developing interactive apps and virtual reality experiences for K‑12 students. The initiative, partially funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, will provide students with immersive lessons on Wyoming’s geological formations and renewable‑energy projects.

Additionally, the network is set to expand its “Neighbors” program into a full‑time weekday segment that will focus on real‑time community issues, from wildfire preparedness to broadband access. “We’re excited to continue serving our audience in meaningful ways,” Sullivan said. “The awards reinforce our mission and motivate us to push the boundaries of public broadcasting.”

Final Thoughts

The dual accolades awarded to Wyoming PBS at the National Public Media Awards highlight the network’s commitment to producing content that informs, educates, and unites. From “Discover Wyoming” to “Neighbors,” the network’s programs exemplify the power of local public media to amplify community voices, promote lifelong learning, and serve as a bridge between rural residents and the wider world. As the network looks to the future, the recognition serves not only as a milestone but as a rallying call to continue delivering free, high‑quality public media that enriches the lives of every Wyoming resident.