The Association for International Broadcasting announced the winners of its inaugural international broadcasting awards at the AIB Regional Media Leaders Forum in London on 15 July.
The AIB invited entries in three categories: best radio news or current affairs programme for an international audience; best childrens or youth TV programme for an international audience; and most innovative use of technology for international broadcasting.
More than 60 entries from broadcasters and technology providers in every continent were submitted to the Awards judges who comprised the AIBs Executive Committee together with the Associations Chief Executive, Simon Spanswick. The shortlisted entries were:
Category 1 – radio BBC World Service: Crossing Continents/Assignment – North Caucasus; Radio Australia: Bhutan; Radio Netherlands: In Limbo: Gay Palestinians; Radio France Internationale: Prevention Against Aids in Rwanda; RTHK: Mixed Blessings
Category 2 – television AVRO: Lisa; CBC: nerve: How Bad Do You Want it; Miditech PVT Ltd: The Science of India; UNESCO: The New Beginning; UNICEF: Soul Buddiez
Category 3 – technology APTN: APTN Direct; Discovery Networks: Virtual History; EuroNews: Access to Euronews 7 languages via a custom built interactive application; Globecast: IP Delivery; Teletrax: NBC News Channel deployment of Teletrax for 2004 Olympics
The winners were:
Radio BBC News for Crossing Continents/Assignment
Television UNESCO for The New Beginning
Technology APTN for APTN Direct.
“We were delighted with the response to these inaugural AIB awards,” commented Anver Anderson, AIB Director of Business. “The judges faced an enormous task in evaluating the entries which were all of a tremendously high standard. The awards demonstrate the immense range of programmes broadcast by international television and radio broadcasters every day, and the technology that goes behind them.”
The 2006 AIB International Broadcasting Awards will be announced in December this year, with a closing date of May 2006.