Connecticut Public Earns Record Eight National Journalism Awards from Public Media Journalists Association
HARTFORD [June22, 2026] — Connecticut Public has earned a station-record eight awards from the Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA), one of the most prestigious journalism competitions in public media.
The achievement places Connecticut Public among the top-performing public media newsrooms in the country. The organization competed against many of the nation's largest and most respected public media outlets, with only one station in its category earning more awards.
Judged by public media journalism peers from across the country, the PMJA Awards recognizes excellence in reporting, storytelling, and audience service. Connecticut Public's record-setting performance reflects the strength of its journalism across multiple platforms and formats, demonstrating the organization's ability to compete with some of the largest and most well-resourced newsrooms in public media.
Among this year's honors, Connecticut Public earned recognition in categories including digital writing, interviews, newscasts, science and technology reporting, health reporting, spot news and video storytelling. The awards also continue a pattern of sustained excellence, marking the fourth consecutive year Connecticut Public has received a PMJA award in the newscast category and the third consecutive year it has earned recognition in the spot news category.
“Simply put, this is a remarkable performance for our talented content team,” said Eric Aasen, Connecticut Public’s executive editor. “We are producing exceptional work on a variety of platforms– work that is so strong that it competes with bigger newsrooms in larger media markets. I’m so proud of our incredible group of hard-working journalists and storytellers. I’m also proud of our team for producing memorable, impactful, and award-winning journalism on a regular basis. Every day, our newsroom is committed to telling Connecticut’s stories– and giving our loyal audiences our very best.”
The record-setting performance adds to a growing list of recent honors earned by Connecticut Public, including Regional Emmy® Awards, Regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, Society of Professional Journalists awards, recognition from Pictures of the Year International, Gracie Awards and the Poynter Journalism Prizes.
Collectively, these awards reflect Connecticut Public's commitment to creativity, impact, and journalistic excellence. They also represent the contributions of journalists, producers, editors, photographers, videographers and support staff across the organization whose work helps inform, educate and inspire communities throughout Connecticut.
Connecticut Public received the following 2026 PMJA Awards:
First Place
Newscast
Connecticut Public's Morning Edition with Lori Mack
Science/Technology Feature
Tweezers, testtubesand mosquito slurry: How CT researchers track West Nile virus
Spot News
A 13-year-old yearns for her mother after she was detained by ICE
Video Storytelling
Band of Boomboxes
Second Place
Digital Writing
Pratt Street welcomes salseros and beginners to Hartford for 'connection,' 'community'
Interview
How Peter Yarrow taught a mom in Newtown to sing through grief after Sandy Hook shooting
Health/Medical Feature
Connecticut's slots for autism services sit empty as hundreds wait for help
Video Storytelling
Winter's Breath
A complete list of PMJA award winners is available through thePublic Media Journalists Association.
About Connecticut Public
Connecticut Public is home to Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) and Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR). Together, Connecticut Public serves more than1.2millionpeopleeach week through Connecticut Public Radio and Connecticut Public Television, as well as through our many digital and online platforms, including ctpublic.org. Through our mission to inform, educate and inspire the people of Connecticut, we connect people of all ages to high-quality journalism, storytelling ,education and experiences, and amplify the voices of our diverse communities. Connecticut Public’s main offices are located in Hartford, CT with studios at Gateway Community College in New Haven, CT as well as Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT. Connecticut Public is also sole owner of the for-profit MediaVision Creative agency in Norwalk, CT. Connecticut Public is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with a $22 million annual budget, funded primarily through community support from individuals, foundations and corporate sponsors.