Australian entries, The Last Voyage of the Pong Su, Gerties Law and Escape from Iran have all won Gold Awards at the New York Festivals Radio Awards that were announced overnight.
Pariya Taherzadeh, who produced Escape from Iran that feature details of how she and her mother escaped from Iran on camel back following the 1979 Iranian revolution, says that winning means more than just getting two shiny medals.
Pariya told radioinfo, “Having come straight out of AFTRS and producing the feature was daunting, but also really special because the story is so personal. When I was younger my mum would tell me how she escaped Iran, but I never understood the gravity of it all until I decided to do this documentary.
“I actually didn’t think I was going to get nominated let alone win a gold and silver medal.
“Winning doesn’t just mean I have two shiny medals for everyone to see, it means that my mum didn’t risk her life for nothing. I know that sounds extreme but it’s exactly how it is. She gave me the chance to get an education and work in the creative field. Something I wouldn’t have been able to do as a woman if we stayed in Iran.
“Having produced Escape From Iran opened a lot of doors for me, one of them being that I now work as a podcast producer for Australia largest independent women’s media company, Mamamia.”
The awards were announced overnight and VP/ Executive Director, Rose Anderson, says “New York Festivals also wanted to honour our commitment to honour the men and women of the creative community around the world whose work so impressed the Grand Juries this year by keeping to the original date of the storytellers gala even though we are all at home.”
ABC Radio Sydney’s Afternoons with James Valentine has been named as one of the world’s best talk programs and picked up a Bronze Award for “Best Two-Way Telephone Talk/Interview Show” in the Morning, Drive/Afternoon category.
James said he was “very excited” as he hadn’t won anything “since coming second in the junior Saxophone solo (popular melody) section. As it is an award for talkback radio, I’m going to take a picture of the trophy and share it with all my callers. Without them, I don’t think we could have been successful.”
ABC Radio Sydney Manager, Melanie Withnall, said: “The international jury has discovered what Sydney and audiences across NSW have known for a long time: that James and ( longtime producer Jennifer Fleming) present and produce a world-class show that is absolutely unique. Where else can you listen to segments like ‘Rant’ and ‘This is What I Live With’ or an entertaining half-hour based on ‘nothing at all’?”
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation was honoured with the 2020 Broadcaster of the Year Award with the network ‘s award-winning entries exploring News, Entertainment, Sports, and Music.
Gold-trophy winning entries from CBC Radio & Audio include, Tai Asks Why, Uncover the Village, Alone: A Love Story – Season 3, The Band Played On and PlayMe.
Australian awards went to the following entries
Gold Award
Narrative/Documentary Podcast
The Last Voyage of the Pong Su, The Age newspaper, Melbourne, Australia
Educational Podcast
Gerties Law, The Supreme Court of Victoria
Documentary/History
Escape From Iran
ABC Radio National, produced by Pariya Taherzadeh
Silver Award
Religious Programs
The Call: Inside the Christian Brothers
ABC Radio National
Social Issues
Escape From Iran
ABC Radio National, produced by Pariya Taherzadeh
Bronze Award
Culture & The Arts
Dreams of New Mexico: in the footprints of Georgia O’Keeffe
Robyn Ravlich, The History Listen, ABC Radio National
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