Sept. 16, 2025
Marketing, communications receive top honors at 57th annual competition
CONWAY, Ark. (Arkansas PBS) — Arkansas PBS has won three Public Media Awards from the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) in the 57th annual competition. Winners were announced Monday, Sept. 15, during the PMA Gala at the 2025 NETA Conference and CPB Public Media Thought Leader Forum. Videos of the winning and nominated projects may be viewed at myarpbs.org/awardwinning and myarpbs.org/awardnominated.
The Public Media Awards honor NETA members’ finest work in content, community engagement, marketing/communications and education.
“We are proud to be honored with Public Media Awards in production and marketing and communications,” Arkansas PBS Director of Education and Production Sajni Kumpuris said. “These awards affirm the importance of our mission to provide high-quality content, communications and meaningful educational outreach to the people of Arkansas. We remain committed to serving our state with stories and initiatives that inform, inspire and strengthen our communities.”
Arkansas PBS won the following Public Media Awards:
- Overall Excellence in Marketing and Communications. Arkansas PBS strengthened statewide support through innovative campaigns that blended nostalgia, storytelling and digital engagement. The “Keep Good Going” campaign boosted donor engagement among Gen X and younger Boomers, while the “This Month at Arkansas PBS” video series highlighted premieres and community initiatives featuring employees from across the station. Highlights included the 40th anniversary of “Quiz Bowl,” original programming such as “Unveiled: Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash” and “Arkansas Treasures,” and student-driven social content during the state basketball championships. Together, these initiatives reflect Arkansas PBS’s commitment to multiplatform communication that informs, inspires and connects Arkansans.
- “Passage” – Content – Cultural Feature. This Arkansas PBS original production follows Arkansan Adam Riley of Fayetteville and Canadian Matty Clarke as they embark on a journey through uncharted waters, setting out to conquer the final grail of adventure: rowing over the top of Canada in handmade rowboats, a feat that would make them the first ever to cross the Northwest Passage, self-propelled, in a single season.
- Student-Led Sports Social Video Marketing – Education – Youth Media. During the 2025 Arkansas High School State Basketball Championships, students from Lakeside High School’s broadcast program, Lakeside TV, worked side-by-side with Arkansas PBS’s Marketing and Engagement teams to create real-time social content for the Arkansas PBS Instagram account. The students did more than simply assist – they led by interviewing players, producing Instagram Reels and Stories, and crafting behind-the-scenes content that reflected their perspective and voice.
Arkansas PBS was also a finalist in the following PMA categories:
- Overall Excellence in Community Engagement.
- Leonardo da Vinci Day – Education – National Project.
The complete PMA winners’ gallery may be viewed here.
With the exception of the overall excellence categories, stations compete 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.
About NETA
The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) is one of the nation's leading service organizations strengthening and amplifying public media's education mission. We are a 501(c)(3) membership organization providing leadership, support, and services to individual public media licensees, their affinity groups, and the public media system as a whole. More information is available at netaonline.org.
About Arkansas PBS
Arkansas PBS, Arkansas’s only statewide public media network, empowers learners of all ages by educating, informing, entertaining and inspiring communities. Arkansas PBS serves as a daily and essential resource for Arkansans by creating, sharing, celebrating and driving conversation around Arkansas stories and classic, trusted PBS programs through multiple digital platforms, including livestreaming at myarpbs.org/live, on-demand services and YouTube TV, and the distinct channels Arkansas PBS, Arkansas PBS Create, Arkansas PBS KIDS, Arkansas PBS WORLD and Arkansas PBS AIRS on SAP. Members with Arkansas PBS Passport have extended on-demand access to a rich library of public television programming. Arkansas PBS depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at myarkansaspbs.org. Arkansas PBS is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), KETZ (El Dorado), KETS (Russellville), KETS (Forrest City), KETS (Gaither) and KETS (Yancy).
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