Montana PBS received 12 nominations in eight categories for the 63rd annual Northwest Emmy Awards, according to an announcement on April 8. The awards ceremony is scheduled for May 30 in Seattle, where winners will be revealed.
The nominations highlight the achievements of Montana PBS programming produced or aired throughout 2025 across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. This recognition reflects the collaborative efforts of KUSM-TV at Montana State University and KUFM-TV at the University of Montana.
Among the nominated works are audio features such as “11th and Grant with Eric Funk” featuring Big Sky City Lights, “Handel’s Messiah: Montana Baroque,” and “The Noël! Concert.” Other categories include content shorts like “‘Backroads of Montana’ Year in Rearview: 2025,” entertainment programs, historical/cultural short-form content such as “Forever Home in the Hills,” human interest pieces like “Barbecue Without the Pressure,” photography work by John Twiggs on “Lone Feather Hats: Backroads of Montana,” politics/government reporting with “Montana’s Legislative Families,” and writing for short-form content.
Montana State University (MSU), home to KUSM-TV, leads research funding within the state with annual expenditures exceeding $288 million according to its official website. MSU also contributes to communities through volunteer efforts, outreach initiatives and research aimed at improving lives and environmental conditions according to its official website. The university ranks among the top five percent of global universities per rankings from the Center for World University Rankings according to its official website.
MSU enrolls about 17,165 students who are evenly split between residents and nonresidents according to its official website. As a land-grant institution based in Bozeman, MSU focuses on research, education and community outreach addressing key challenges facing Montanans according to its official website. The university extends its influence statewide through public service missions while providing access to outdoor recreation amid vast wilderness areas according to its official website.
A full list of nominees can be found on the awards website.