New York Festivals-United Nations Department of Public Information Awards

 

for Radio Programming Presented on 20 June

 

Radio programming from the United States, China and Canada was honoured on Monday, 20 June, when the United Nations Department of Public Information awards were presented as part of the New York Festivals Radio Program and Promotion Awards at the Manhattan Penthouse in New York.  Juan Carlos Brandt, Chief, Advocacy and Special Events, Outreach Division, presented the awards on behalf of the United Nations Department of Public Information.

The Gold Award went to WNYC Public Radio, United States, for “Flushing Series”; the Silver Award to Radio Television Hong Kong, China, for “South Africa and Mandela”; and the Bronze Award to CBC The Sunday Edition, Canada, for “Habtom’s Path”. 

“Flushing Series” is part of the WNYC Radio Rookies initiative that teaches underserved teenagers from New York City how to make first-person documentaries about issues affecting their own lives.  The series features accounts from student reporters who ask questions such as why a father would choose to serve in Afghanistan, why Filipino-immigrant parents would refuse to pass on their dialect and why a teenager born in Jamaica would aspire to become a Korean pop music producer.

“South Africa and Mandela” chronicles the life of former South African President Nelson Mandela and how his efforts to make South Africa the first country on the continent to host the World Cup inspired a new era of democracy in his country.

“Habtom’s Path” tells the story of an Eritrean refugee in Canada who fought for his freedom, lost and ultimately took his own life rather than face deportation.  The piece features interviews with friends, advocates and community members who are struggling to understand what happened and why.

Jointly sponsored by the United Nations Department of Public Information and New York Festivals, the radio awards were established in 1990 to honour exceptional radio programming that best exemplifies the values and goals of the United Nations.

The International Awards Group has representation in 75 countries and organizes international advertising and programming competitions for the New York Festivals Awards for advertising, television, film and radio programming; AME Awards for Advertising Marketing Effectiveness; Hive Awards for the Unsung Heroes of the Internet; Midas Awards for Financial Services Communications and The Global Awards for Healthcare Communications.  Entries in each of the international competitions are annually judged online by hundreds of professionals in their respective industries.

For more information, please contact Daniela Sinobad, tel.: +1 212 963 3873, e-mail: sinobad@un.org; or visit www.newyorkfestivals.com.

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For information media • not an official record