Arizona PBS nominated for two 2026 NETA Public Media Awards
The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) announced on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, the 58th annual Public Media Awards honorees recognizing the exceptional achievements of member stations in community engagement, content, education and marketing and communications.
We’re pleased to announce Arizona PBS has been nominated for two 2026 NETA Public Media Awards in the Community Engagement category!
None of this great local content would be possible without the support of our viewers. Everything we create, any excellence we achieve, can be traced directly to your generous support of Arizona PBS.
Please enjoy the NETA nominated content below, and consider supporting Arizona PBS to help make possible the programs that might be next year’s award recipients.
‘What Happened in AZ?’
2026 marked 250 years since the founding of the United States. But while British colonists were declaring their independence in the east, what was happening here in Arizona?
Nominated under National Project, our “What Happened in AZ?” program takes a look at the mid-1700s, when most people in what’s now Arizona were Native Americans. Tribes that have lived here for millennia competed, collaborated, raided and traded. Tribal cultures in this region included many languages, religious practices, clothing styles and foods, but all were well adapted to desert living.
At the time, the newcomers were the Spanish explorers and colonizers who were building missions and settlements in what’s now Mexico, New Mexico and southern Arizona. They changed the landscape and relationships in the region, forming part of the story of what happened in Arizona during the American Revolution.
As we shared these peeks into the past each week, we showed what life was like here, in what’s now Arizona, at the time of the American Revolution ahead of the semiquincentennial or 250th anniversary of the United States.
‘Super Why!’ Summer Camps
Nominated under Kids/ Family, our Super Why Reading Camps help 4 and 5 year olds transform into reading superheroes as they play, learn and grow. Campers work on their literacy skills but also participate in a classroom environment as they make new friends.
Built on the signature early literacy approach of the popular “Super Why” television series, these summer camps extend its unique interactive reading approach into the community.
Participating in these free reading camps not only help children build everyday literacy skills, but the camps are held over the summer to help incoming kindergartners get ready for the school year.
This year’s Super Why Reading Camps were made possible through support from:
- Colten Cowell Foundation
- Sue Hart-Wadley and Searle Wadley
- Ann and Richard Carr
- Sher Hurlburt
- Cindy Schorr
- Mary Wilkening
And all the supporters who attended the Arizona PBS Annual Luncheon in December 2025
Learn more about the Public Media Awards
The Public Media Awards celebrate a mosaic of creative and diverse work that reflects the collective power of public media to educate, inform, inspire and connect.
“In a time when connection and community matter more than ever, stations are bringing public media’s mission to life in powerful ways, reflecting the values and vision of the system by serving communities with integrity, innovation and a deep commitment to storytelling that matters,” said NETA President Eric Hyyppa. “Congratulations to all the honorees. Their work is truly remarkable.”
With the exception of the overall excellence categories, stations compete within 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.
Winners will be revealed on Sunday, September 13, during the 2026 NETA Conference. Congratulations to all those selected!
View the full list of honorees, and learn more about NETA by visiting their website.
