Grands Go to ESPN Films “30 for 30 Podcasts” and Almost Tangible’s “Macbeth”

RTÉ Ireland Earns Broadcaster of the Year Award, Almost Tangible UK is Production Company of the Year.

New York Festivals Radio Awards Grand Jury awarded a wide spectrum of radio content submitted from 35 countries around the globe. Award-winning, podcasts and audiobooks, live events, dramas and documentaries, breaking news coverage, and multi-genre music specials were celebrated at the 2019 New York Festivals Radio Awards ceremony in Manhattan. For the complete list of award-winning radio entries, please visit: HERE.

RTÉ Ireland was honored with the prestigious title of Broadcaster of Year for the third consecutive year. The network earned a robust number of awards, Gold trophies winners include “The Summer Of Astral Weeks” (RTÉ Radio 1), “The Yellow Line” (RTÉ Radio 1), “The lyric Concert” (RTE Lyric FM), “The Announcement” (RTÉ Radio 1), and “Finding Private Branch” (RTÉ Radio 1).

“At RTÉ Radio we are immensely proud to be ‘Broadcaster of the Year’ for the third successive year at the New York Festivals. The ultimate listening experience at RTÉ is a tribute to the production, research, sound quality, presentation and storytelling of dedicated and professional broadcasters. We look forward to ‘Trumpeting’ our success and continuing to ‘make Radio great!”—Tom McGuire, Head of RTÉ Radio

Almost Tangible, UK earned the title of Production Company of the Year and the distinguished Grand Award for “Macbeth” (Best Digital Drama Program). The award-winning podcast was recorded live on location at Glamis Castle with a cast and crew of 25. Macbeth also earned 4 Gold trophies for Best Digital Drama Program, Best Director, Best Sound, and Drama Podcast.

“We are absolutely delighted to receive a Grand Award for 'Macbeth' and to be named Production Company Of The Year.  Alongside the incredible response from our audience, being recognised by the NYF Radio Awards proves there is a growing appetite and appreciation for immersive audio experiences.  It's hugely exciting to enter the next phase of our development at a time when audio is booming.  We are expanding our collaborative network and brand partnerships, growing our community and putting together a season of work that will champion new voices and new writing alongside more established pieces of work.”—Charlotte Melén, Founder, Almost Tangible 

ESPN Films 30 for 30 Podcasts was recognized with the Grand Award for 30 for 30 Podcasts: “Juiced” “All In: Sparking the Poker Boom” and “The Six Who Sat” (Narrative/Documentary Podcast) highlighted compelling people and iconic events in sports history. The series also earned a Gold trophy for Narrative/Documentary Podcast and Bronze trophy for Sports Broadcast.

“One thing we love about the New York Festivals is how widely they listen. Winners come from all over the world and take all sorts of creative approaches to this medium. So, we’re particularly honored to be among such a diverse and inspiring group of radio-makers.” —Jody Avirgan, Producer/Host, ESPN Films 30 for 30 Podcasts

On-demand audio’s wealth of content engaged listeners with accessible spoken entertainment. Audio Book entrants earned multiple trophies. Penguin Random House UK earned an impressive 2 Gold and 4 Silver trophies, Harper Collins UK received 2 Gold trophies and a Bronze. Swedish Radio, Major Label Germany and ACSR Belgium were each recognized with a Gold and Nova Entertainment Australia earned a Silver trophy.

Podcast entrants received Gold trophies including CBC’s Serialized Podcasts “Someone Knows Something: Kerrie Brown” and “Uncover: Escaping NXIVM”.  Additional Podcasts entrants earning Gold include BBC, Al Jazeera Media Network, The Age newspaper, Melbourne, Australia, NASA/JPL, Radio New Zealand, TBC Audio, Vox Media, and University of Wollongong. 

Documentaries engaged listeners with riveting stories and distinctive points of view. Gold winners include: “The Walk: For Richer, For Poorer” TBI Media, “Frankenstein In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence” Zoe Comyns, “Robert Manne's Voice” Robyn Ravlich , “From The Ground Up” BBC, “Madre” DMC Studio Argentina, “The King Of Alabama” Alabama Public Radio, “I'm Lucky That I'm Always Lucky” ORF Austrian Broadcasting Corp.,” Beyond Kate” Radio New Zealand, and “The Rescue” Clare FM.

Entertaining Dramas were in the winner’s circle. Gold trophy winners include “Dangerous Visions: Shadowbahn” Communications International Media, “The 70th Anniversary Of 'Suni-Samchon'” Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), “The King Of The Flat White As Narrated By Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II”, and “A View From A Hill” Bafflegab Productions.

Music and Sound entries entertained listeners and earned Gold: “The White Album” Howlett Media Productions Ltd.,” Magic Soul” TBI Media, “The Cult Of Aphex Twin” Reduced Listening, “Inside the National Recording Registry” BMP Audio, “The Summer Of Astral Weeks” RTÉ Radio 1, and “Deep Time And The Sparrowhawk” Jaye Kranz. Silver trophy winners include “JONI 75: A Celebration Of Joni Mitchell” The Strombo Show and “The Keith Urban Playlist: TBI Media.

New York Philharmonic’s “100 Years of Leonard Bernstein” earned 2 Gold trophies (Best Mini- Series and Music) for their five-week series of Bernstein-themed programming. The program also received a Silver trophy for Best Director.

News, Investigative Reports and Talk/Interview programs provided information on events and issues unfolding on the world stage, entries recognized with Gold trophies: “Parkland Shooting” Westwood One, “Rough Justice: Can The NT Keep Its Kids Safe?” Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and “The Interview Which Uncovered An Alleged Torturer” SBS. The Kalb Report: Cokie Roberts National Press Club Journalism Institute was honored with a Silver trophy.

Anna Maria Tremonti, host of CBC Radio One's The Current since its November of 2002 debut, earned a Gold trophy (Best Talk Show Host). Wallace Chapman, host of Sunday Morning – a five-hour live interview program on Radio New Zealand National, received a Silver trophy (Best Talk Show Host). 

New York Festivals with the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI) honors programs highlighting global concerns of interest to the UN. Since 1990, the UNPI convenes a panel to honor radio broadcasting that best exemplifies the ideas and goals of the United Nations and their selections are awarded the United Nations Department of Public Information Award. 2019 Recipients: “Just To Have Had You” (CBC Radio) UNDPI Gold Award, “Impossible Dream Comes True” (WSHU.org) UNDPI Silver, and “Dark Snow & Emma” (RTÉ Radio 1) UNDPI Bronze Award.

Prominent award-winning radio industry executives honored winners and presented award segments: Richard Baker, Senior Investigative Journalist - The Age Melbourne Australia; Jennie Cataldo, Vice President of Programming - BMP Audio USA; Donal O’Herlihy, Producer, Documentary on One, RTÉ Radio 1 - RTÉ Ireland; Tanya Springer, Senior Producer, CBC Podcasts and Alisa Siegel, Producer CBC Radio - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Canada; and Mark Travis, Associate Director, Media Production - New York Philharmonic USA. Patrick Newman, United Nations Department of Public Information presented the UNDPI Award segment.

For a complete list of all the 2019 New York Festivals Radio Award winners, please visit: HERE.