The first-place awards recognize excellence in climate/environment feature writing, digital writing, sports feature and use of sound.
Nebraska Public Media received four first-place awards in the 2026 Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) Annual Awards Competition. The PMJA Awards recognize excellence in public media journalism from organizations across the United States.
The first piece, Eastern Nebraska’s bur oak trees, known as the ‘King of the Great Plains,’ dying due to widespread drought, won in the Climate/Environment Feature category.
The story, reported by Jackie Ourada, examines the death of bur oak trees across eastern Nebraska, where severe drought has left many of the region’s oldest trees stressed and vulnerable to disease. It combines interviews foresters, arborists, researchers and landowners with on-the-ground observations from affected communities and research into national ecological trends.
The second winner, Murder-suicides surge in Nebraska as funds for domestic violence services dwindle, recieved an award in the Digital Writing category.
Written by Molly Ashford, this investigation highlights an alarming increase in murder-suicides across the state. Federal funding for domestic violence programs continues to decrease and the state faces budget deficits, challenging the future of Nebraskan resources for domestic violence prevention and victim support programs. The story connects an individual tragedy to the broader statewide trend through interviews with victims’ families, domestic violence advocates and law enforcement officials, as well as extensive data analysis.
The third story, How the fastest growing high school sport in Nebraska continues to break down barriers heading into state, a close look into girls' wrestling, won in the Sports Feature category.
Reporter Aaron Bonderson explored the rapid growth of girls wrestling and the ways the sport is creating new opportunities for student athletes across the state. Through interviews with wrestlers, coaches and families, the story highlighted how competitors are overcoming barriers, building confidence and helping expand participation in one of Nebraska’s newest and fastest-growing high school sports.
The fourth first-place award came in the Use of Sound category for Nebraska’s sandhill crane migration stronger than ever, despite bird flu worries.
Produced by Arthur Jones and Macy Byars, the piece uses immersive audio to bring listeners into of one of Nebraska’s most well-known wildlife events: the yearly sandhill crane migration. With narration, interviews, and the iconic sound of chattering cranes, the radio segment discusses the successes and challenges that the birds face, as well as the impact of the migration on Nebraska.
PMJA is a professional organization for journalists working in public radio, television and digital public media. The PMJA Annual Awards honor outstanding reporting, storytelling, audience engagement, and public service journalism in 32 categories. Nebraska Public Media competes in Division C, which is comprised of larger regional stations.