UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMMES HONOURED IN 1998 NEW YORK RADIO COMPETITION
Press Release
PI/1072
UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMMES HONOURED IN 1998 NEW YORK RADIO COMPETITION
19980708 Two United Nations radio programmes received finalist certificates at the recently concluded New York Festivals radio competition. The programmes are "Female Condom" and "Teenage Reproductive Health in Namibia". Both programmes were written, directed and produced by the staff of United Nations Radio Service.In 1997, two United Nations radio programmes won awards in this competition: "Child Sex Trade" won the International Silver Medal, and "A Story of War and Rape in Bosnia and Herzegovina" won a finalist certificate.
Also at this festival, there are three special United Nations awards given to honour radio programmes that best exemplify the aims and ideals of the Organization. This year, the Gold Award went to the BBC World Service for its series on the worldwide need for adult education on subjects such as drug awareness, AIDS education and women. The Silver Award was shared by two separate producers -- Jim Metzer Productions for "First Contact", a programme on the Korubo Indians of Brazil, and the BBC World Service for its Omnibus programme, also on these indigenous Amazonian people. ABC News Radio received the Bronze Award for "Straight Talk on Drugs"; this was a live broadcast from the White House hosted by Peter Jennings and taking the form of a dialogue between United States President Bill Clinton and a cross-section of children.
These special United Nations awards were established in 1996 by the United Nations Department of Public Information, in collaboration with the New York Festivals, to encourage radio broadcasters to cover the work and promote the goals of the United Nations.
The New York Festivals was founded in 1957 and ranks among the most heavily subscribed and prestigious awards competitions worldwide. This year, radio competition attracted some 2,000 entries from 30 countries.
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