By Isabella Marventano, NAB Intern
The Service to America Awards recognize local radio and television stations for their outstanding commitment and dedication to helping communities around the nation. On June 9, 2026, at the Anthem in Washington, D.C., the NAB Leadership Foundation honored this year’s winners during the Celebration of Service to America Awards Gala.
The Celebration of Service to America Awards, which are presented by Bonneville International and Hearst Television, emphasizes the vital role that broadcasters play in informing and enhancing the communities that they serve. Foundation President Michelle Duke commended this year’s recipients for their commitment to community service and their faith in local media, saying “They are the voices you come to trust and sources you turn to without hesitation. Our local TV and radio stations are fundamental to how communities stay informed, connected and safe.”
The Celebration of Service to America Awards shines a light on the broadcasters whose commitment to public service makes a meaningful difference in people’s everyday lives. Several subjects, such as disaster assistance, public safety, healthcare, veterans’ service, foster care reform, domestic violence awareness, and community fundraising initiatives, were covered by award winning programs. Honorees gave examples of how broadcasters are still reliable sources of information and assistance in difficult times. To honor broadcasters who are extending their public service initiatives through digital channels, the Foundation created a new Original Podcast category this year.
Morgan Murphy Media was one of the 2026 recipients of the Service to Community Award for Radio for Broadcast Ownership Group for Honor Our Fallen, a fundraising for firefighters killed and injured in an ambush fire in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. For its Local Stations, National Impact campaign, which organized audiences and resources to help disadvantaged communities facing natural catastrophes and food shortages, Hearst Television received the Service to Community Award for Television for Broadcast Ownership Group. Station awards were presented to KFSN-TV in Fresno for its Killer High series on fentanyl abuse; WRAL-TV in Raleigh for its investigative documentary Broken: Foster Care in North Carolina; 95.5 WSB in Atlanta for its Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Care-a-Thon; WIKY-FM for its Veterans day Breakfast; WYMF-FM for the Christmas Wish Campaign for people in need; and KOLN-TV in Lincoln for its domestic violence awareness program, Breaking the Silence on Domestic Violence. Additional awards were presented to Hubbard Radio’s Purple Daily Podcast, which won the first Original Podcast Award for fostering community involvement through coverage of the Minnesota Vikings, and WCVB-TV in Boston, which won the First Informer Award for its thorough coverage of a possible mass shooting at Brown University and multi-state manhunt.
The evening brought together leaders from broadcasting, government, business and the nonprofit sector. Distinguished guests included Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (LA-04), House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (LA-01), Sen. Ed Markey (MA), Rep. Troy Carter (LA-02), Rep. Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Rep. Deborah Ross (NC-02), Rep. Russ Fulcher (ID-01) and New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno.
“Local broadcasting is part of the fabric of who we are as Americans,” Johnson said. “It’s pure Americana. It is an important thing for the community, it draws people together and there’s real services that come from that as well, local information.”
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Award for Excellence to Sens. Amy Klobuchar (MN) and Ted Cruz (TX) for their bipartisan leadership in advancing the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which was signed into law in May 2025. The legislation, cosponsored by more than 60 bipartisan lawmakers in the House and Senate, protects individuals from the nonconsensual online distribution of intimate images, including both authentic and AI-generated content, and requires certain online platforms to remove such material promptly after notification. The John D. Dingell, Jr. Award recognizes members of Congress who exemplify the late congressman’s dedication to public service and bipartisan collaboration and was presented by his wife, Rep. Debbie Dingell (MI-06).
The NAB Leadership Foundation’s goal is to honor broadcasters who use local media to serve, educate and enhance their communities through the Celebration of Service to America Awards. Learn more at ServicetoAmericaAwards.org.