KBIA wins five Public Media Journalists Association awards
By Emily Early
COLUMBIA, Mo. (June 30, 2026) — The Missouri School of Journalism’s KBIA-FM, an NPR-member station, was honored with five Public Media Journalists Association awards.
Three staff members, one alum and one student from the School of Journalism won five of the 293 annual awards, selected from over 1,500 entries. This marks the 11th year in a row that PMJA has honored KBIA with first and second place awards.
“KBIA continues to make a strong showing at the PMJA awards, which speaks to the skill and commitment of the students, staff and faculty at the station,” said David Kurpius, dean of the School of Journalism. “I’m proud to see KBIA’s community reporting recognized on a national scale while serving mid-Missouri.”
Tanner O’Neal Riley, a junior at the School of Journalism and an accelerated master’s student, placed second in the Student Newscast Division for a news anchor segment.
His PMJA award honors an afternoon newscast he anchored in December. In his award-winning three minutes and eleven seconds, he provided a roundup of regional news on various topics.
“[The award] wasn’t a surprise as much as it was confirmation — confirmation that the work is meaningful; confirmation that the attention to detail, seeking feedback, pursuing excellence in one’s craft does pay off; that this is for a purpose,” Riley said.
“The award wasn’t a surprise as much as it was confirmation — confirmation that the work is meaningful; confirmation that the attention to detail, seeking feedback, pursuing excellence in one’s craft does pay off; that this is for a purpose.”
Tanner O’Neal Riley
He also received the Best All-Around Radio Newscast in the Mark of Excellence Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.
Four staff members at KBIA joined Riley in taking home PMJA awards. Health Reporter Rebecca Smith, Assistant News Director Katelynn McIlwain, News Producer Jana Rose Schleis and Environmental Impact Reporter Harshawn Ratanpal all received first and second placements for their work at KBIA.
Riley has worked for four news outlets in the Missouri News Network – KOMU-TV, the Columbia Missourian, Missouri Business Alert and KBIA-FM. He is also a part of PMJA’s Opening Doors Initiative and works for the University of Missouri School of Law and the Honors College as a communications intern.
He attributes his success to his faith and family.
“This award is just as much for my family as it is for me. Honest to God. They have been instrumental in my success beyond anyone else I know,” Riley said.
KBIA’s News Director Stan Jastrzebski chose and submitted the newscast to PMJA. When selecting, he first looked for a wide variety of news coverage, then chose based on the news anchor’s transitions and delivery.
“I really love it when somebody who happens to be working for me wins their first couple of journalism awards because I think it sets them on a good path, lets them know they’re doing well and shows that we produce great work at the Missouri School of Journalism. So, incredibly happy for him. I think he’s really deserving,” Jastrzebski said.
Riley will graduate in 2027 with a Bachelor of Journalism and then again in 2028 with his master’s degree. He is considering many options post-graduation, including fellowships with PMJA and continuing his education in law school.
“When I think about my time at the J-School and I think about all of the wonderful memories I have — and there are innumerous memories from which to choose — I think not about the actual memories themselves as much as I do the through line of the memories, which is that with hard work, with dedication, difficult things are possible,” Riley said. “With faith, with belief, your wildest dreams can come true.”
The winners
- Documentary: “A Night at the Inn.” Reported and produced by Anna Spidel, Harshawn Ratanpal and Rebecca Smith.
- Human Interest Feature: “From ‘quirky small-town people’ to pioneers: Fayette marks 25 years of Juneteenth celebrations.” By Rebecca Smith and Katelynn McIlwain.
- Science/Technology Feature: “Drought means drier than normal, but normal is changing.” By Harshawn Ratanpal.
- Student Newscast: “Tanner O’Neal Riley Newscast.” By Tanner O’Neal Riley.
- Use of Sound: “Mobile Funk Unit.” By Jana Rose Schleis.
Updated: June 30, 2026