MUMBAI:  New York Festivals International Radio Programs & Promos Awards, honoring the World’s Best Radio Programs & Promos™, announced its winners Monday, 17 June at the 2013 awards ceremony held at Manhattan Penthouse in New York City. The Grand Jury awarded two Grand Trophies, one to Radio Netherlands Worldwide and the second to TBI Media UK. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation was recognized with the title of Broadcaster of the Year and TBI Media UK earned Production Company of the Year.

“Benghazi Blogger - The State We’re In” Radio Netherlands Worldwide earned the Grand Trophy for Best Coverage of an Ongoing News Story chronicling the journalist/blogger who posted a photo of Gaddafi’s forces during Libya’s Arab Spring.

Greg Kelly, editor, Radio Netherlands Worldwide had this to say, “Winning the Grand Award is more than a professional honour. It represents international attention to the plight of 'Mohammed' and others like him, who've put their lives on the line to tell the truth to power. Elation isn't our primary feeling right now: its hope that 'Mohammed' will be able to live his life fully without fear of judgment, and in good health.”

“Titanic - Minute by Minute” TBI Media UK received the Grand Trophy in the History category for their ambitious live program documenting the Titanic disaster in real time.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation was honored with the Broadcaster of the Year Award. In addition, the CBC took home 3 Gold Trophies, 3 Silver, 5 Bronze and 8 Finalists. Golds include “Genius Born of Anguish - Ideas” Religious Programs; “Return to Sarajevo -The Current” Best News Documentary or Special; and “Inside Syria -World Report” Best Coverage of an Ongoing News Story. 

“CBC Radio appreciates the opportunity to showcase our programmers’ most innovative work along with other international broadcasters. And this year, we're thrilled that the New York Festivals has honoured CBC with the Broadcaster of the Year award, recognizing that our many programs, created by our talented producers, have resonated and touched jurors...and listeners around the world,”  said Chris Boyce, executive director Radio & Audio, English Services, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The spotlight was on TBI Media, the UK based company earned the Production Company of the Year Award, and struck Gold with 4 entries: “Titanic - Minute by Minute” received 2 Golds for Best Music Special and History along with a Silver for Best Drama Special. “The Beach Boys at 50” garnered a Gold in Best Music Special; and “12 Hours to Please Me” received a Gold for Best Special Event and a Silver for Best Music Special. “Islam Without God” Religious Programs earned a Silver, and “Belongings” was awarded a Bronze for Social Issues.

“We are incredibly proud of the trophies we have from past New York Festivals Radio Awards, and so we’re completely thrilled with this year’s results. 4 Gold’s, 3 Silvers and a Bronze would have been unbelievable enough but for me personally, for the company I started with a list of ideas on a note pad 6 years ago to win Indie of The Year is absolutely fantastic and testimony quite simply to a wonderful team at TBI. I’m also particularly thrilled about the Grand award for Titanic minute by Minute. If there was one project of the over 500 programmes we made last year that I hope embodies our approach to programme making at TBI (which stands for The Big Idea) - it was Titanic.” - Phil Critchlow, founding director, TBI Media UK

The grand jury awarded multiple Golds in the Best Investigative Reporting category: Project Simoom” SR Ekot, Swedish Radio; “Underground Trade’ WGBH USA; and “The Strange World of the People's Mujahedin” BBC World Service, Wise Buddah Creative UK.  “Solitary Confinement” Vahid Pourostad, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty – Radio Farda Iran; and “This American Life #468 Act II: Forgive Us Our Press Passes” This American Life USA each received Silver Trophies.

Craft categories scoring Gold Trophies include: “The New York Philharmonic This Week” USA, Best Sound; “Gleeful Barbarians” Falling Tree Productions, Sarah Boothroyd, Canada, Best Editing; “Tom Crean - Endurance” Henchman Productions for Radio Kerry, Ireland, Best Writing; and “BBC Radio 2 Jingle Package 2012” Wise Buddah Jingles UK, Best Sound.

Social Issues took center stage with multiple Gold Trophies:“The Marriage Breakers of Bangladesh” Crossing Continents, BBC UK; “Philosophy Talk” Ben Manilla Productions USA; “Take No More” Grey Heron Media for RTE Radio 1 Documentary On One Ireland; and “After the Abortion” Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company.

Award-winning radio executives presented this year’s award segments: Karen Shrosbery and Aaron Kearney, ABC Australia; Ben Manilla, Ben Manilla Productions, USA; Habiba Nosheen, Reporter/Producer of the This American Life episode "What Happened at Dos Erres?" USA; and Chris Straw, Senior Director, Network Talk, CBC.

Each year the New York Festivals in collaboration with the United Nations appoint a panel to select work that exemplifies the aims and ideals of the United Nations. Their selections are awarded the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI) Award. “Underground Trade” WGBH USA earned the Gold UNDPI Award in the Best Investigative Report category; “The Oliver Twist of Kabul - The State We're In” Radio Netherlands Worldwide was recognized with the Silver UNDPI for Best Human Interest Story; and “It's their Life - The Sunday Edition" Canadian Broadcasting Corporation received the Bronze UNDPI in Health/Medical category. Stephane Dujarric, director of News and Media Division of the United Nations Department of Public Information presented the awards.

The 2013 grand jury awarded 40 Gold Trophies, 44 Silver, 47 Bronze, and 102 Finalist Certificates from entries submitted from 36 countries

All entries were judged online by the NYF Radio Awards grand jury of radio experts from stations and companies around the globe.