July 20, 2026, SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The NEPM newsroom has received three 2026 Public Media Journalists Association Awards, which recognize the best in public media journalism produced in one year from across the country. Stations competed against others with similar-sized newsrooms. PMJA's annual awards honor excellence in reporting, storytelling and public service journalism across local public media organizations nationwide.
“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, executive director of PMJA. “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.”
Senior reporter Karen Brown earned second place in the enterprise category for “High Stakes: Gambling Addiction, Beyond Borders,” a three-part series examining the public health movement to address gambling addiction in Massachusetts and across the United States, while exploring lessons from gambling regulation models in Norway and the United Kingdom.
The project was supported by a grant from the Association of Health Care Journalists, with funding from The Commonwealth Fund. It was edited by Dusty Christensen, with additional support from Elizabeth Román.
Brown is a radio and print journalist whose reporting focuses on health care, mental health, children's issues and other topics impacting the human condition. Her work has earned numerous national honors, including a National Edward R. Murrow Award, a PRNDI Award, a Third Coast Audio Festival Award and the Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize. Her reporting has appeared on NPR, The New York Times and other outlets. She has been a full-time reporter at NEPM since 1998.
Reporter Nirvani Williams earned second place in the national feature category for “'Now I feel complete.' One man's journey to reunite with children amidst Trump immigration crackdown.” Williams' reporting follows a father's effort to reunite with children he reluctantly left behind in Afghanistan after fleeing the Taliban and resettling in the United States through the refugee program. The story highlights the broader challenges facing immigrants and refugees navigating U.S. immigration policy.
The piece also received first place for excellence in audio: news reporting from the Religion News Association, a leading journalism organization covering religion.
Williams covers socioeconomic disparities for New England Public Media and joined the newsroom in 2021 through Report for America. She is also a member of NPR’s religion reporting team. Prior to NEPM, she worked as associate editor of Seema, an online publication focused on stories about women in the Indian diaspora, and interned with WABC-TV's Eyewitness News, WSHU public radio and La Voce di New York.
Former NEPM senior reporter Nancy Eve Cohen received first place in the enterprise category for “Investigations into Catholic dioceses changed laws in other states and Mass. victims want the same.” The story examined how investigations into clergy sexual abuse have prompted legislative reform elsewhere and why advocates are pushing for similar changes in Massachusetts.
Cohen's reporting has covered child sexual abuse survivors, Native nation repatriation, criminal justice, climate change and environmental issues, including extensive coverage of the EPA's Superfund cleanup of the Housatonic River. She has been recognized with an Edward R. Murrow Regional Award for Hard News, along with honors from PMJA, American Women in Radio & Television and the Society of Professional Journalists.
“Public media stations across the country deliver daily access to trustworthy local information, which is the lifeblood of a functioning democracy,” said Matt Abramovitz, NEPM president. “The reporting coming out of the NEPM newsroom sets a high bar for quality and impact and we’re all so proud to see this great work being recognized by such prestigious honors.”
PMJA will host a virtual awards ceremony on Tuesday, July 21 at 4 p.m., honoring winners from both the 2026 Recognition Awards and the Annual Awards Competition.
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