WHRO Public Media took home three Public Media Awards at the recent National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) Conference!
The Public Media Awards honor their member's work in the highest caliber of community engagement, content, education, and marketing and communications. The awards represent a mosaic of relevant content that reflects both creativity and diversity that paint rich stories of truth and consequence. Piece-by-piece and member-by-member, public media stations come together as choreographers of the public good, to spark more imagination and inspiration than they ever could have alone.
The winners were announced at the 56th Annual Public Media Awards Gala on September 10 at the NETA Conference and CPB Public Media Thought Leader Forum. 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.
Innovation in Education: “Empowering Parents: WHRO’s Innovative Approach to Hazing Awareness and Prevention”
The hazing animated video has been added to WHRO’s digital repository, eMediaVA. The eMediaVA platform boasts an impressive user base of over 475,000 registered educators and students and is funded by Virginia’s General Assembly. This innovative, wide-reaching platform ensures that valuable educational assets are accessible to a vast audience, including parents and caregivers.
The deployment of this video is at the discretion of the Virginia Department of Education and aligns with new 2024 legislation in Virginia, HB 719/SB 379 Hazing Resources.
Radio - Environment: “At risk from rising seas, Norfolk plans massive, controversial floodwall”
WHRO’s feature on the Norfolk floodwall resonated both locally and nationally, and was broadcast on NPR’s All Things Considered due to the widespread interest in climate change. The multiplatform story appeared on radio, web, and in our eNewsletter, with follow-up segments on WHRO’s public affairs program, WHRO Weekly Edition. Ranking in the top 5 for digital engagement, the report sparked significant action at the city level, prompting officials to reconsider the project’s impact on historic Black neighborhoods. This led to renewed discussions and increased attendance at city council meetings, highlighting the feature’s substantial community and political impact.
Content - Performing Arts: Exodus - Homecoming
”The InHEIRitance Project: EXODUS: Homecoming” reimagines the seven cities of Hampton Roads as members of an intergenerational family, delving into the hidden (and not so hidden) struggles of the area. Co-created through extensive community conversations, the play examines the collective challenges and identities of these cities.
Each performance concluded with an engaging talkback panel featuring members of the creative team and local leaders, fostering meaningful discussions about the play’s themes, its creation process, and future possibilities for Hampton Roads. These discussions not only deepened audience engagement but also inspired actionable insights and collaborative efforts to address the region’s issues.
To encourage diverse audiences from all socio-economic backgrounds, tickets to the performances were ”pay as you can.” All proceeds were donated to the local non-profit organization Teens With a Purpose, further extending the play’s positive impact on the community. Watch the performance.
View all the awards WHRO has received so far this year.