PBS Reno Podcast Wild Nevadacast Earns Silver Signal Award
The Signal Awards recognize podcasts that are produced around the world
RENO, NV (OCT 24, 2025) – Wild Nevadacast, the podcast produced by PBS Reno and hosted by Dave Santina, has earned a Silver Signal Award in the Interview or Talk Show Genre.
The Signal Awards set a standard for editorial excellence by honoring the organizations, artists, mavericks and brands who are shaping the podcast industry, and the storytelling medium. Each year, The Signal Awards present Gold, Silver and Bronze Award Winners, and the listening public votes for their favorite Finalists to take home the additional honor of Listener’s Choice Award in each category. Garnering more than 385,000 public votes in just two weeks from more than 127,000 fans around the world, the 2025 Listener’s Choice Awards drew the largest voting body in The Signal Awards’ four-history, more than double the number of votes cast in 2024. A true testament to the power of podcasting as a lightning rod for engagement.
“It’s a welcome surprise to receive such generous recognition from The Signal Awards,” said Santina. “Wild Nevadacast is a relatively new podcast, so it means a lot to us that our work is considered worthy to share a category with such impressive and recognizable names. I hope this award means we’re doing the job well as we continue to find and share our guests’ stories.”
The Wild Nevadacast episode featuring Mark Maynard earned the accolade from The Signal Awards. Maynard wrote and directed Piconland: The Quest for the Perfect Picon Punch. Picon Punch was named the official drink of the State of Nevada in 2025 following legislation signed by Governor Joe Lombardo. A Picon is made with Amaro liqueur, a splash of soda water, grenadine, a lemon twist, and a bit of brandy.
“We’re honored that Wild Nevadacast has earned PBS Reno’s first-ever Silver Signal Award,” said Megan Myers, PBS Reno Vice President of Content. “This achievement celebrates the passion and excellence of our team and underscores the impact of local storytelling that connects our community and inspires viewers nationwide. This year alone, the Wild Nevada brand has been recognized with three Communicator Awards, two Telly Awards, a Signal Award, and was ranked the #2 weekend travel program nationally — a true testament to the power and impact of local storytelling and PBS Reno.”
This year, The Signal Awards experienced unprecedented participation as the Listener’s Choice campaign drew more than 385,000 public votes cast by upwards of 127,000 voters, marking a 126% increase over 2024. With a growing international cohort of creators and submissions from the U.K., Australia, Canada, Germany, Qatar, and beyond, Signal Awards Winners reflect not just individual achievements, but the maturation of podcasting itself as a mode of creative expression.
“This year’s Signal Award winners illuminate how audio is shaping discourse,” said Jemma Rose Brown, General Manager of The Signal Awards. “From investigative work that exposes truth, to personal essays that make the intimate universal, and cultural commentary that reframes how we see the world — this year’s winners remind us why podcasting has become not just relevant, but essential.”
About PBS Reno
As of November 2024, PBS Reno is enjoyed by more than 540,000 monthly viewers in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California across several platforms including three broadcast channels (PBS Reno 5.1, Reno Create 5.2, and PBS KIDS on PBS Reno 5.3), a YouTube channel, YouTube TV, online, livestreams, and digital platforms. PBS Reno provides PBS national programming and award-earning, locally-produced content, with many local segments posted weekly to PBS Reno’s YouTube Channel. PBSReno.org provides engaging interactive content, including the video portal at watch.PBSReno.org that streams all locally-produced content and most PBS national content. PBS Reno serves students, teachers, parents and caregivers through immersive educational services including Curiosity Classroom Workshops that bring classroom lessons to life with standards-based lessons and activities. Through the support of local corporations and foundations, as well as thousands of individual members, PBS Reno has been delivering public television and educational services to the communities it serves since September 29, 1983.
About The Signal Awards
The Signal Awards are mission-focused on uplifting the podcast medium by recognizing the most potent, meaningful and unprecedented audio projects being made today. Now in its fourth year, entrants to The Signal Awards are reviewed by The Signal Awards Judging Academy, an esteemed collective made up of the architects, instigators and trailblazers of the medium. Once a year, The Academy collectively listens closely to thousands of hours of audio, selecting the strongest work to be elevated to the status of award-winning.
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Address: 1670 N. Virginia St. • Reno NV 89503