RTÉ HAS BEEN named Broadcaster of the Year at the 2015 New York Festivals International Radio Awards.

Selected from finalists spanning 32 countries, this is third time RTÉ has won this coveted radio award in recent years.

In 2011, RTÉ radio services became the first Irish stations in the award ceremony’s 55 year history to be awarded the accolade of Broadcaster of the Year. The following year, in 2012, RTÉ brought home the top prize once again.

This year, RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ lyric fm saw off competition from several broadcasters, including the BBC, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), US National Public Radio (NPR), Radio France and Radio New Zealand.

Winners in the television and film categories include broadcasting heavyweights CNN, ESPN, HBO, Showtime, Al Jazeera and National Geographic.

Rose Anderson, Executive Director of the awards, said RTÉ won the award because of its “exceptional and innovative programming – from drama to documentary and reporting”.

“Demonstrating the power of the individual voice, the depth of their subject matter and their storytelling ability has captured the attention of RTÉ’s radio listeners and the New York Festivals International Radio Awards Grand Jury.”

‘Best investigative reporting’

Jim Jennings, Managing Director of RTÉ Radio, described winning the award as “an honour”.

The win is testament not only to the collective output of our radio stations, but also to the global appeal of our programming. In this digital age it is important that our content appeals to our international audience as much as our listeners in Ireland.

In addition to being named Broadcaster of the Year, RTÉ also received a total of 34 awards in the radio categories, including 23 medals at the 2015 New York Festivals for individual programmes on RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ lyric fm.

The awards include 11 for RTÉ Radio 1’s documentary strand, Documentary on One; six for Drama on One; eight for programmes from RTÉ Radio 1’s music, comedy and entertainment department.

RTÉ Radio 1 reporter Brian O’Connell took home a gold medal for ‘best investigative reporting’ for his series on Today with Sean O’Rourke, Direct Provision, which focused on the direct provision system in Ireland.

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