FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 7, 2009
Contact:
John Estrella 202 530 4900 estrellaj@rfa.org
Rohit Mahajan 202 530 4976 mahajanr@rfa.org
Radio Free Asia Named Broadcaster of the Year at 2009
New York Festivals
RFA Reporters, Services Take Record 7 Awards
WASHINGTON, DC – Today,
Radio Free Asia was named Broadcaster of the Year by the New York Festivals for
winning the largest number of awards among participating broadcasters.
Four of Radio Free Asia’s nine language services won top honors for
excellence in journalism in the international competition, which included three
gold, one silver and three bronze medals.
“While Radio Free
Asia has consistently been honored at the New York Festivals over the years, it
is deeply gratifying that the outstanding work by our staff won a record number
of awards this year,” said
Libby Liu, President of Radio Free Asia. “RFA reporters
work tirelessly under the most difficult circumstances to bring uncensored news
to our listeners. On a daily basis, they overcome seemingly
insurmountable obstacles in environments that are hostile for
journalists.
“We are inspired by
this high recognition. We will continue our quest for journalistic
excellence to make an even bigger impact on the lives of those we serve.”
Information about the
winners and their submissions follows:
·
Broadcaster
Shohret Hoshur of the RFA’s Uyghur service won a gold medal in the Best
Human Interest category for her exclusive story on an ethnic Uyghur woman in
China facing a forced, third-term abortion. International pressure
resulting from the story led to authorities releasing the woman, who was able
to give birth to a son.
·
RFA’s
Burmese service won a gold medal in the category of Best Ongoing News Story for
its excellent coverage of Cyclone Nargis, which both warned listeners of the approaching
storm and, after it made landfall, helped survivors find desperately needed
food, shelter, medical attention and other humanitarian aid.
·
Reporter Ding
Xiao of RFA’s Mandarin service won a gold medal in the category of Best
Investigative Report for her story on a petitioner from China’s eastern
Jiangsu province who was held by authorities without due process in a
“law study group” detention center for disciplinary re-education.
·
Reporter Peter
Zhong of RFA’s Mandarin service took a silver medal in Best Investigative
Report category for his four-episode story titled “Crime without
Punishment” in which he exposed the extent of Guilin’s police-run
underworld through his extensive coverage on female prisoner abuse.
·
Reporter Jill Ku
of RFA’s Mandarin service won a bronze medal in the category of Best
Special Report for her exclusive story, which caught on audio and video Chinese
police arresting a petitioner, who was being interviewed by RFA, during the
Beijing 2008 Olympics.
·
RFA Mandarin
Service’s Asia Pacific Report was awarded a bronze medal in the Best
Newscast category for its story on Chinese lawyers attempting to file a civil
lawsuit on behalf of the families of victims of the tainted milk powder scandal
that left at least six infants and children dead and 300,000 suffering from
related ailments.
·
Giao Pham of
RFA’s Vietnamese service was awarded a bronze medal in the
National/International Affairs category for his timely coverage on young
Olympic protestors being arrested and beaten by police for demonstrating
against China’s torch carrying in Hanoi – a story which was not
covered by media inside Vietnam.
To follow Radio Free
Asia’s breaking news and developing stories happening throughout East
Asia, please visit our Web site at www.rfa.org
and sign up for RFA’s news in English via Twitter at https://twitter.com/RadioFreeAsia.
# # #
Radio
Free Asia is a private, nonprofit corporation broadcasting and publishing
online news, information, and commentary in nine East Asian languages to
listeners who do not have access to full and free news media. RFA’s
broadcasts seek to promote the rights of freedom of opinion and expression,
including the freedom to “seek, receive, and impart information and ideas
through any media and regardless of frontiers.” RFA is funded by an
annual grant from the Broadcasting Board of Governors.
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Rohit
Mahajan
Communications
Radio
Free Asia
2025 M
Street, NW
Washington
DC, 20036
(202)
530-4976