AZPM Wins Big at 2025 Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmys
Arizona Public Media (AZPM) was honored with seven awards at the 2025 Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmy gala, celebrating excellence in television production across the region which includes Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Southeastern California.
Among this year's recipients, Laura Holanszky earned an exceptional distinction for "Special Eats," a short-form human interest story she produced as an AZPM student employee while attending the University of Arizona School of Journalism. Competing in a professional category, the piece highlights a Tucson organization offering supportive employment for individuals with special needs while serving inclusive comfort food. Holanszky's achievement underscores AZPM's mentorship model, which provides students with hands-on, professional production experience.
Now employed as a full-time reporter for AZPM News, Holanszky's work has already appeared nationally in USA Today, Yahoo and the Arizona Daily Star. During her time as a student employee at AZPM, she produced six short-form documentary segments for Arizona Illustrated.
AZPM received seven total Emmy wins across seven categories, with 11 individual honors recognizing excellence in public media storytelling.
"These achievements represent the best of what we do; creative storytelling, community-centered journalism and a commitment to developing the next generation of media professionals," said Jack Gibson, AZPM CEO.
2025 AZPM Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmy Award Recipients
Public Affairs Program – Single Program
Housing Crisis – The Amphi Panteras
Cáit NíSíomón – Producer
Christopher Conover – Producer
Arts/Entertainment – Short Form Content
Bass Whisperer
Dennis Fitzgerald – Producer
Danny Sax – Editor
Jim Blackwood – Audio Mixer
Historical/Cultural – Long Form Content
Louis Carlos Bernal
John DeSoto – Producer
Education/Schools Conten
Stories That Soar!
John DeSoto – Producer
Health/Medical Content
On the Origin of COVID
Bryan Nelson – Producer
Human Interest – Short Form Content
Special Eats
Laura Holanszky – Producer
Nathan Huffman – Photographer/Editor
Solo Storyteller
The Golden Goose
John DeSoto – Photographer/Editor/Writer
For more information about AZPM’s award-winning programming, visit azpm.org.