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NYF announces finalists for Radio Awards

The New York Festivals (NYF) Radio Awards has announced the finalists for 2021.
NYF announces finalists for Radio Awards

The 2021 Radio Awards Grand Jury of creative media professionals and content creators from around the globe selected finalists based on production values, writing, creativity, direction, achievement of purpose, and audience suitability. Entries achieving finalist status will advance to the next round to determine gold, silver, and bronze trophies.

Rose Anderson, executive director of NYF Radio Awards, said, “Once again, this year’s finalists, in addition to appealing to their own listeners, also impressed the Grand Jury with their mastery of the audio medium. Across all genres, they proved that radio – the original social medium – is robust and thriving. From podcasts and audiobooks to sound art and breaking news, these talented storytellers bring the world together and engage in real time.”

Global broadcasters led the way including the 2020 NYF Broadcaster of the Year, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and RTÉ Ireland, 2019 Broadcaster of the Year. Additional prominent broadcasters moving on to the medal round: BBC, CBS Radio, Bloomberg, Radio New Zealand, Westwood One, SiriusXM, ESPN, and National Radio of Argentina.

Four 2021 new categories were unveiled across all genres to shine the spotlight on Social Justice. Finalists include:

  • How fracking could threaten Australia's Paris target (Australian Broadcasting Corp.),
  • Black Lives Matter: From Protests to Police Reform (Westwood One),
  • Say Their Name (DCP Entertainment),
  • Birds Eye View (StoryProjects).

Audio books

Audio book listening saw an uptick in 2020 and a robust number of compelling audio book entries featuring celebrity narrators advanced, including:

  • Mary Poppins Comes Back, read by Olivia Colman,
  • The Hobbit, read by Andy Serkis.

Penguin Random House titles moving on to the medal round include:

  • A Life on Our Planet, read by Sir David Attenborough,
  • To the Lighthouse, read by Rita Wilson,
  • Imaginary Fred, read by Ciarán Hinds,
  • Judge Dredd: America, read by Joseph Fiennes.

Podcast finalists

Finalists for the podcast category include:

  • Where Is George Gibney? and I'm Not A Monster (BBC),
  • Unlocking Bryson's Brain (CBC),
  • Nut Jobs: Cracking California's Strangest $10 Million Dollar Heist (Audible),
  • Billie Was a Black Woman (ViacomCBS),
  • The Battersea Poltergeist (Bafflegab Productions).

Documentaries

Documentaries give a voice to unique points of view, shine the spotlight on real-life events past and present, inform, educate, and captivate. Finalists include:

  • Fight of The Century (TBI Media),
  • Digging For Fire (RTÉ Radio 1 Extra),
  • Black Culture, Civil Rights and Change (BBC Radio 4),
  • Stuff The British Stole (ABC Radio Australia),
  • Voices from Antarctica (Radio New Zealand).

Drama

Drama Finalists include:

  • No One Ever Asked Me That (RTÉ Radio 1 Extra),
  • Miss Julie, from the balcony of ICI Première (Radio-Canada/CBC),
  • The exorcism in Eksjo (Sveriges Radio),
  • The Keith Urban Playlist Series 2 (TBI Media).

Music Specials moved to the medal round:

  • "The Lyric Concert - John Lennon Special" (RTE Lyric FM),
  • "Musicals: The Greatest Show" (TBI Media),
  • "Get Back: The Beatles in Britain" (Somethin Else),
  • "War & Peace and Rock & Roll" (BFBS Radio).

Mini Series entries achieving finalist status include:

  • Blockbuster: The Story of James Cameron (Epicleff Media),
  • Roll Over Beethoven - A Sitcom from Old Vienna in Nine Acts (Swiss Radio & Television),
  • Tous les chats sont gris (Radio-Canada/CBC), 
  • Journeys In Sound (Nemone Metaxas).

Reporting

Breaking News, features, and investigative reporting captured events as they unfolded, revealed the truth about provocative topics, and unearthed critical facts from around the globe. Entries moving on to the medal round include:

  • “Road To November” (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation),
  • “The Great Post Office Trial” (Whistledown),
  • “Century of Sound” (CBS News Radio),
  • “Guyon Espiner” (Radio New Zealand).

The Radio Awards received entries from radio stations, networks, and independent producers from over 30 countries around the globe. The mission of the competition is to honour the achievements of the people who make up the global audio storytelling community.

To view the complete list of the New York Festivals Radio Awards finalists, go here.

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