MUMBAI: New York Festivals International Radio Program Awards, honouring the World’s Best Radio Programs, announced this year’s award-winning programs at the annual Radio Awards Gala at New York City’s Manhattan Penthouse.

The Grand Jury honoured RTÉ Ireland with the prestigious title of Broadcaster of Year and TBI Media UK with Production Company of the Year. In addition, three global companies earned the coveted Grand Award: TBI Media United Kingdom, DMC Studio Argentina, and Behind the Wire and The Wheeler Centre Australia.

RTÉ Radio Ireland was in the spotlight taking home the renowned Broadcaster of the Year Award for their illustrious achievements; this is the fourth time that RTÉ has been honoured with this title. The network earned an impressive ten Gold trophies, eight Silver, ten Bronze, and twelve Finalist Certificates.

Managing Director of RTÉ Radio Jim Jennings said: “For RTÉ to be named New York Festivals’ Radio Broadcaster of the Year amidst wide international competition is truly an honour. The win is a testament not only to the collective output of our radio stations but also to the broad appeal and quality of our programming. This is extremely important to us as a public service broadcaster. From the excellent Documentary on One series, the imagination of RTÉJr Radio, the skilled current affairs reporting, the creative hub of Drama on One, to the innovation of podcast series Voices, RTÉ programme-makers have been duly recognised with the awarding of a selection of gold, silver and bronze medals.”

TBI Media United Kingdom was in the winner’s circle earning the title of Production Company of the Year Award. The London-based production company earned the Grand Award (History) for ‘World Cup '66’ for BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 5 live. This complex musical undertaking featured, a composed film soundtrack, played by 22 musicians throughout the two-hour and 40-minute production. TBI Media was awarded in total six Gold trophies, five Silver and four Finalist Certificates.

“TBI is part of a really vibrant, and flourishing audio production community in the UK, and it’s always great to have our work acknowledged by our peers in the global radio industry at the New York Festivals. As well as The Grand Award for 'World Cup 66 Live' it was a particular thrill to win 'Independent Production Company Of The Year' which is quite simple thanks to a brilliant team at TBI, and the faith is shown in what they do by all who broadcast our work.” Phil Critchlow CEO and Founder - TBI Media

‘Blackout’ DMC Studio Argentina earned the Grand Award (Heroes) for the compelling story of a blind person who describes a day of his life through sounds in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The award-winning entry was recorded with binaural microphones, live and in the epicentre of the city. ‘Blackout’ received top honours earning an additional three Gold Trophies and a Silver Trophy.

“Winning the Grand Award at the New York Festivals is a great honour. This is because it is a worldwide recognition among colleagues around the world with whom we share the same passion of telling stories built with sounds,” said Diego Cannizzaro, Producer – Owner of DMC Studio - Productora de Contenidos.

‘The Messenger’ Behind the Wire and The Wheeler Centre Australia was honoured with the Grand Award (National or International Affairs) for their ten-part podcast series. The program is based on thousands of voice messages sent via burner phone by Abdul Aziz Muhammad, a refugee detained at the Australian-run detention centre on the Manus Island, Paua New Guinea, to a journalist, Michael Green. This award-winning series was also recognised with 2 Gold Trophies.

Michael Green, Presenter/Producer, Behind the Wire said, “I also know how eloquently and insightfully Aziz has described what he has seen and experienced throughout four years in Australia’s offshore immigration detention centre on Manus Island. We’ve been speaking most days for a year and a half, and it’s been a privilege and a joy to get to know him – and I think it’s like that for the listeners too. Our small team, who are mainly volunteers, has worked so hard on this show and it means a lot to us to be recognised by the Grand Jurors for New York Festivals.”

“Thank you for acknowledging our work on The Messenger. What I have seen in detention, what I have experienced – there is nothing on this planet that will make me forget. But I am really really grateful to each person who spent even one minute of his or her time to listen to The Messenger podcast. I send my thanks to the Behind the Wire team and the Wheeler Centre. I would like to send my special thanks to Michael Green,” said Abdul Aziz Muhammad.

Producer, The Wheeler Centre, Jon Tjhia said, “Along with each member of our small team, who have devoted so much time and work to our collective effort, I'm honoured, and grateful for this award's recognition of Aziz's long-term work with us, especially Michael; to our team's dedication to the craft of radio and journalism; and to the value of trust, independence and collaboration. We hope this award helps The Messenger reach more listeners.”

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation struck Gold taking home multiple trophies for Ideas, CBC’s eclectic program: ‘The Shadow of Charm City’ and ‘All in the Family.’ Other CBC programs earning Gold: ‘The Sunday Edition,’ ‘No Man's Land,’ and The Current for Best Coverage of Ongoing News Story.

With podcast listenership on the rise, on-demand audio is capturing the attention of listeners engaged by programming covering a robust number of genres and topics. Podcasts entries taking home the Gold include: ‘Majd's Diary: Two Years in the Life of a Saudi Girl’ ‘Radio Diaries; Phoebe's Fall’ Fairfax Media; Campus - CBC Radio One’s ‘The Virginia Tech Massacre’ Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; and Occupation in Eastern Oregon Oregon Public Broadcasting. Silver trophies went to: ‘The Siege Of Sarajevo’ RTÉ Voices by Evelyn McClafferty,” and ‘Back Story’ Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Entries garnering Bronze trophies: ‘Someone Knows Something’ Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; and ‘Pin Kings’ SportsCenter Features ESPN.

The New York Philharmonic was in the winner’s circle. ‘Zubin Mehta at 80’ was honoured with a Gold Trophy for Music and a Bronze for Best Director. ‘Celebrating the 175th Anniversary Season’ earned the Gold for Best Director and a Bronze for Best Music Special. ‘The New York Philharmonic This Week’ was recognised with a Silver trophy for Best Regularly Scheduled Music Program.

Documentaries provided a platform to showcase programs about notable people and topical events. Entries earning Gold Trophies: ‘David Bowie: Verbatim’ Des Shaw for BBC Radio 4; ‘Vocal Chords: Paul Brady and Iarla Ó Lionáird in Conversation’ RTÉ Lyric FM; and ‘Thelma and Michael: Love in the Cutting Room’ Trevor Dann's Company for BBC Radio 4; The Raqqa Diaries: Life Inside 'Islamic State' BBC Radio 4; ‘Syrian Woman Resists ISIS’ Radio Sawa; ‘Norman Corwin's’ by Champions of Justice; ‘Die Einzige, die uber left hat’ Radio Klassik Stephansdom; and ‘Citizen Smuggler’ Radio France. SiriusXM’s ‘Vin Scully: Voice of Generations,’ earned both Gold and Silver trophies. ‘Inside the National Recording Registry’ and ‘The Wild Side of Lou Reed’s Walk’ BMP Audio were each honoured with Silver trophies.

Outstanding Dramas were centre stage. ‘I, Robot’ B7 Productions Ltd was in the spotlight taking home a Gold trophy for Best Director and a Silver trophy for Best Drama Special. RTÉ Radio One Drama on One earned the Gold for ‘Flight Risk by Kevin Brew with Ellie Kisyombe’ and a Silver trophy for ‘Harder Faster More by Tracy Martin, Produced by Kevin Reynolds.’ RTÉ also received a Gold trophy for ‘A Matter of Modesty by Anne Marie Kennedy, Directed by Gorretti Slavin.’ And, ‘Black and Blue’ Corporation for Independent Media for BBC Radio Four Afternoon Drama received a Gold trophy

News Programs were in the winner’s circle. Entries honoured with the Gold Trophy include: ‘Occupation in Eastern Oregon’ Oregon Public Broadcasting; ‘12 days a refugee’ Radio France; and ‘Out of the Blue: 50 Years After the UT Tower Shooting’ Texas Standard. Westwood One News ‘Orlando Nightclub Shooting’ and ‘Dead People Voting’ each received Silver trophies.

The appeal of Audio Books showcasing the trend towards accessible spoken entertainment scored multiple awards. Gold winning entries include: ‘So, Anyway...’ Penguin Random House UK’s John Cleese autobiography, narrated by Cleese; ‘Opera in the Dark; La Bohme, A World Premiere of Barrier-free Opera for Visually Impaired People’ KNN (Korea New Network); ‘Baker's End: Gobbleknoll Hall’ Bafflegab Productions; and ‘Alligator Pie’ Soulpepper. And ‘Ha Ja Ba Ra La’ Radio Mirchi and ‘Eating Smoke’ RTHK, Radio 3 each earned Bronze trophies.

New York Festivals, in collaboration with the United Nations Department of Public Information, established the United Nations Awards in 1990 to honour programs highlighting global concerns of interest to the UN. Annually, the United Nations Department of Public Information convenes a panel to honour radio broadcasting that best exemplifies the ideas and goals of the United Nations. Their selections are awarded the prestigious United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI) Award. Recipients of the 2017 UNDPI Award: ‘15 Minutes from Mosul’ (Best Human Interest Story) BBC earned the UNDPI Gold Award, “The Last Mile”(Educational) SiriusXM earned the UNDPI Silver Award, and ‘Making Sense of the Noise Stories of Children with APD’ (Social Issues) Busan E-FM earned the UNDPI Bronze Award.

Prominent award-winning radio industry executives honored winners and presented segments: Mark Travis, New York Philharmonic USA; Joe Richman, Sarah Kate Kramer, Nellie Gilles, Ben Shapiro, Radio Diaries USA; Tim Desmond, RTÉ Radio 1 Ireland; Jennie Cataldo, BMP Audio USA; Sean Brocklehurst, Albert Leung, and Eric Van, CBC Radio One Canada; Jon Tjhia and Sophie Black, The Wheeler Centre Australia and Michael Green, Behind the Wire Australia and Clea Chang, Intelligence Squared USA.

Grand Jury selected 2017’s award-winners from entries submitted from 32 countries.