(NEWARK, NJ) -- The Public Media Journalists Association (PMJA) has announced the winners of its 2026 Annual Awards Competition, and WBGO has emerged as a standout, capturing two top honors and two second-place finishes.
WBGO's president & CEO Steven A. Williams could not have been more delighted, "I am enormously proud of our News team for this recognition which underscores Doug Doyle's unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and serving our community with impactful, high-quality reporting. These awards reflect not only his talent, but his deep dedication to telling the stories that matter most."
Among the 134 organizations honored nationwide across 36 categories, WBGO shone brightly. The WBGO News Update with Doug Doyle claimed the best Newscast award, while John Kalish's story, "Captioning Glasses Help People with Hearing Loss to Understand Speech," took first place in Science/Technology features.
WBGO Radio earned second place in the Arts Feature category for News Director Doug Doyle's piece, "The Corona Collection at the Louis Armstrong House Museum" which highlighted the Queens community's love, remembrance, and profound pride in having this globally recognized icon as a neighbor and a mentor. The WBGO Journal, specifically the November 8, 2025 edition, hosted by Doug Doyle and featuring highlights of the NJ/NY elections as well as an interview with the legendary goalie Henrik Lundqvist, and Anna Gordon's interview with the creator of "Hey Arnold!" added to the celebration with a second-place finish in the News & Public Affairs category.
"WBGO is thrilled to be recognized again by PMJA. We couldn't provide this kind of in-depth programming without the support of our listeners. To be recognized in newscast, public affairs programming as well as arts and science/technology feature categories, is something we take great pride in producing for our wonderful public radio community," said the station's news director Doug Doyle.
Altogether, the PMJA presented 293 honors, celebrating the excellence and impact of public media journalism and the dedicated journalists and organizations nationwide who deliver the quality, creative reporting our communities rely on.
For 47 years, WBGO has been the pride of Newark, New Jersey, and a global leader in jazz media. The station remains dedicated to excellence, fostering an environment that champions best practices. Its news division stands as a vital cornerstone, delivering accurate coverage of local, national, and international stories.
Since 2020, WBGO has earned more than 20 first- and second-place awards from the PMJA, a testament to its ongoing excellence and a source of well-deserved congratulations.
PMJA will host a virtual ceremony honoring winners from both the Annual Awards Competition and the 2026 Recognition Awards. The event is open to anyone interested in attending. Visit www.pmja.org for more information or to see the complete list of winners.
WBGO is a global leader in jazz media, producing broadcasts, webcasts, podcasts, and on-demand content for millions of listeners worldwide. Founded in 1979, WBGO is a publicly supported cultural arts institution dedicated to curating, preserving, and promoting jazz and blues. The station reaches over 18 million listeners in the New York/New Jersey metro area via 88.3FM, and tens of thousands more across the United States, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. WBGO is a charter member of National Public Radio and co-produces the NPR-distributed program Jazz Night in America, broadcast on more than 180 radio stations nationwide.
