Irish Documentaries Win Five Prestigious International Awards

RTÉ Radio wins five radio awards at New York Festivals

More: www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone

http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/main.php?p=2,7

RTÉ Radio 1 has taken one gold and four silver medals at the prestigious New York Festivals Awards. The NYF oversees six international awards competitions in Television and Radio Advertising; Design, Print and Outdoor Advertising; Film & Video; Television Broadcasting; Radio Broadcasting; and Interactive and Alternative Media. The awards are judged by a panel of peers in their respective industries from around the world.

RTÉ Radio 1's Documentary on One series won an unprecedented five awards at the New York Radio Festivals last night. The Irish documentaries competed against 18 countries, a host of international broadcasters and hundreds of award-winning programme makers.

The RTÉ winners are:

Gold World Medal Documentary on One -The Boys of Foley Street Social Issues/Current Events

Silver World Medal Documentary on One - A Piece of Cloth Religious Programs

Silver World Medal Documentary on One - With These Hands Human Relations

Silver World Medal Documentary on One - Anatomy of a Recession Editorial/Viewpoint Program

Silver World Medal Documentary on One - Mary X - A Partial Life Social Issues/Current Events

Lorelei Harris, Editor of Arts, Features and Drama, RTÉ Radio 1, commented: "Over the years, we have come to expect that the Documentary on One team will consistently deliver thought-provoking, beautifully made documentary programmes for our listening pleasure. This year's New York Radio Festival International Awards have surpassed our greatest expectations of the team. To win one medal is an achievement. To win five, up against the world's finest radio documentary makers, is magnificent. I am absolutely thrilled and would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the programme makers whose commitment and talent have brought them to this place of high honour on the world stage".

Founded in 1957 the New York Festival's Radio Programming and Promotions Awards have recognized the World's best work in radio broadcasting with entries from radio stations, networks and independent producers from over 30 countries. The competition is judged by top level industry professionals from international radio stations and companies from five continents and over 25 countries and is recognised by many as the international highlight of the radio broadcasting year.

Coinciding with the Documentary on One's success at the festivals is the launch of its new website - http://www.rte.ie/radio1/doconone. The website is the largest on-line radio documentary archive in the world and contains close to 240 radio documentaries, all of which can be listened to on-line or podcast. The new site also contains a range of features especially designed to meet the needs of today's growing RTÉ Radio 1 audience. With easy and immediate access to listen online or download as mp3 (podcast), the site also features a keyword search, a ratings system, a facility to email friends a documentary that the user has just listened, and the option to bookmark the website on a myriad of applications, from Facebook to MySpace.