Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR) was recognized Monday with two first‑place honors from the Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) in its annual awards competition, recognizing outstanding public media journalism produced in 2025.
BPR’s winning entries:
- Arts Feature — “WNC artists celebrate the release of an album recorded in the muck of Hurricane Helene” by Laura Hackett, highlighting Western North Carolina musicians who transformed the chaos of Hurricane Helene into creative expression—recording an album amid the mud, debris, and uncertainty left behind by the storm.
- Continuing Coverage — “Hurricane Helene Recovery Continues and Continues,” recognizing BPR’s sustained reporting on Helene’s long recovery, including the challenges facing mountain communities as they rebuild homes, infrastructure, and lives.
"These awards reflect the extraordinary commitment of public media journalists to serving their communities, even as the industry navigates a challenging environment,” said Christine Paige Diers, PMJA executive director. “From covering the human impacts of federal policy shifts to documenting environmental change and celebrating local culture, the work recognized this year demonstrates why local public media matters."
The PMJA Awards are among the most respected honors in public media, celebrating excellence across breaking news, investigative reporting, features, audience engagement, science storytelling, video journalism, and more. This year’s competition included 293 awards across organizations of every size—from small community stations to major metropolitan newsrooms. BPR, with four full-time reporters, competed in the second-smallest of five divisions, newsrooms with 4-7 full-time reporters.
“These awards honor the heart of BPR’s mission,” said Ele Ellis, BPR CEO and general manager. “Our newsroom is committed to telling the stories of Western North Carolina with depth, care, and accountability—especially in moments when our communities need trusted information the most.”
