04 Sep 2024 Arkansas PBS nominated for eight national awards

Arkansas PBS, headquarted in Conway, has been recognized for exemplary educational content and community engagement by being named a finalist for eight Public Media Awards from the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA). Nominated projects may be viewed at myarpbs.org/awardnominated.

“At Arkansas PBS, our commitment to sharing the distinctive stories of our extraordinary state and to fostering deep and lasting community connections drives all we do every single day,” Executive Director and CEO Courtney Pledger said. “Receiving multiple nominations, including in the Overall Excellence categories, underscores our team’s dedication to education, creativity and the powerful ties that bind us to Arkansas.”

For the fourth consecutive year, Arkansas PBS is a finalist for three Public Media Awards for Overall Excellence: Education, Community Engagement and Content.

The Arkansas PBS original series “Mystery League” is a finalist in four categories, including Educational Resources for the Classroom, Educational Resources for the Community, Community Engagement–Kids & Family, and Content–Education. This live-action series, filmed entirely in Arkansas, is designed for kindergarten through second-grade students and is aligned with Arkansas academic standards in areas including civic engagement, economics, community involvement and leadership. Featuring three fifth-grade detectives–Millie, Mike and Marta–as they solve the never-ending mysteries of the fictional small Arkansas town of Mulberry Springs, each episode centers on relevant storylines that encourage Arkansas kids to problem solve and build relationships.

Additionally, “TOTALITY: The Great Arkansas Eclipse” is a finalist for Content–Topical Feature. This documentary provides a front-row seat for the complete solar eclipse arc across Arkansas from the vantage point of four strategic Arkansas locations: De Queen, Petit Jean Mountain, Russellville and Jonesboro. Esteemed guests included national and local physics and astronomy experts.

The Public Media Awards honor NETA members’ finest work in content, community engagement, marketing/communications and education. 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.

The 56th PMA winners will be announced Sunday, Sept. 15, at the 2024 NETA Conference and CPB Public Media Thought Leader Forum.

The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) is a professional association representing 303 member stations in 49 states, the Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia. 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.