NYF announces 2020 Radio Awards finalists, with two SA entries

The 2020 NYF Radio Awards international grand jury evaluated entries submitted from 40 countries around the globe and selected Finalists based on production values, organisation, presentation of information, creativity and use of the medium. All entries achieving finalist status advance to the medal round of judging.

Prominent broadcasters took the lead including RTÉ Ireland, 2019 Broadcaster of the Year, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 2015 Broadcaster of the Year, CBS News Radio and Radio New Zealand. To view the complete list, please click here

Podcasts, Audio Books and Documentary entries were prominent this year, scores of entries submitted by content creators from around the globe advanced to the medal round.

South African podcast finalists

As mentioned, two of the finalists announced are from South Africa. "My Only Story" is a four-part true-crime podcast and live investigation, created by Deon Wiggett, the founder of Fairly Famous, an activist progressive agency. The podcast has been announced as a finalist in the Serialized Podcast category.

Gareth Cliff's CliffCentral podcast, "Babies Behind Bars", tells the stories of women in prison, how they ended up pregnant and the experience of having their babies behind bars. It has been recognised as a finalist in the Narrative/Documentary Podcast category.

Other podcast finalists include: “30 for 30 Podcasts: Season 6” ESPN Films, “Amy Schumer Presents: 3 Girls, 1 Keith” Spotify, “Altamont” The Washington Post, “Hunting Warhead” CBC Radio and Audio, “Music Life” BBC World Service, “Dolly Parton's America” OSM Audio/ WNYC Studios, “The Last Voyage of the Pong Su” The Age Newspaper Australia, “Stardust” Journal Media, “Bad Batch” Wondery, “Sleepwalkers “ iHeartMedia, “On the Green Fence” Deutsche Welle (DW), “Breaking Kids News” Swedish Radio, “Babies Behind Bars” CliffCentral.com, and “The Take by Al Jazeera” Al Jazeera Digital.

Audiobooks, documentaries and investigative reports

Compelling Audio Books entries advanced including “The Handmaid's Tale,” “War of The Worlds” and “The Secret Commonwealth” Penguin Random House, “The Beast of Buckingham Palace” and “Nightingale Point” Harper Collins Publishers, “The Little Match Girl” Almost Tangible, “Wizenard Book Series” Granity Studios, “Rose: An Inspiring New Musical “ Soulpepper, and “To the Infernal Rhythm of the Bomba” ACSR.

Documentaries dominated, compelling documentaries captivated listeners with riveting stories and unique points of view. Finalists include: “One Giant Leap” CBS News Radio, “Abbey Road Phase One and Two” Howlett Media Productions Ltd./Sirius XM Radio, “Virtues of Vulnerability” TBI Media, “The Whistleblower” RTÉ Radio 1, “On Gladys Avenue” CBC Radio & Audio, “Stories from the New Silk Road” BlokMedia, “Selling Kids: Human Trafficking in Alabama” Alabama Public Radio, “China’s Great Famine: Sad Songs of Peasants in a Food War” Radio Free Asia, “Berlin 30 - The Fall of the Wall” BFBS Radio and “Forgotten Men of a Forgotten War” Radio National -Australian Broadcasting Corporation. To view all entries advancing, visit: Finalists.

Breaking news, feature and investigative reports captured events and provocative topics unfolding on the world stage. Finalists include: “Christchurch Terror Attacks” Radio New Zealand, “America in the Morning” and “75th Anniversary of D-Day” Westwood One, “Protests Grip Hong Kong” Bloomberg LP, “CBS World News Roundup” and “Notre Dame“ CBS News Radio, “Stroke of Luck” Radio Metro S.A., “Delhi Is Injurious To Health” Radio Mirchi and “13 North Koreans’ 10,000 km Journey in Search of Freedom” Radio Free Asia.

Entertainment, children/young adult programmes and sound art

Entertainment Finalists include: “Voices in the Hall” BMP Audio, “Conversation with Margaret Atwood” CBC Radio and Audio, “Northern Lights by Stephen Jones” RTÉ Radio 1 “Passport To Oblivion” Spiteful Puppet Entertainment, “The Ash Tree” Bafflegab Productions and “Sunday Playground: The But's Theatre” R2, Radio Television Hong Kong, “Sound & Vision” BBC 6 Music, “Ricky Gervais is Deadly Sirius” SiriusXM Satellite Radio, “Blockbuster: George Lucas, Steven Spielberg & the 1970s Movie Revolution” Epicleff Media, “Absolute Radio Stories” Absolute Radio “Celebrating James Galway at 80” RTÉ Lyric FM, “Magical History Tour” SiriusXM Satellite Radio, “The Sound Odyssey : Loyle Carner in Guyana” BBC 6 Music, “The Putumayo World Music Hour” Big Toe Audio, and “50th Anniversary of Apollo 11” FM Communications.

Best Children/Young Adult Program entries advanced: “The Punies” Granity Studios, “The Brothers Lionheart” Swedish Radio, “Dhrighangchu” Radio Mirchi, and “Kids Commute” Interlochen Public Radio.

Sound Art finalists include “Soundwalk Collective with Patti Smith and Werner Herzog - The Peyote Dance” Soundwalk Collective, “ZENScapes | Stadt, Land, Fluss” Götz Naleppa and “The Skewer” Unusual.

To view all the finalists, please click here. New York Festivals Radio Awards will announce the 2020 award winners on Tuesday, 21 April.