Accra, Nov. 17, GNA - Ghanaian youth broadcasters were among other winners named at the 2008 International Children's Day of Broadcasting Award held at a ceremony in New York.
A statement issued by UNICEF in Accra on Monday said producers from the "Curious Minds" youth programme on Ghana Broadcasting Corporation won the radio award.
It said this was the first time since establishing the award in 1994 that UNICEF had selected a radio broadcaster as well as a television broadcaster as recipients. Ms Naa Aforkor Tetteh, a 16 year-old producer, who received the award, said: "I'm very excited. I'm even short of words. We're going back home and tell our friends we really made it." The awards ceremony held last Tuesday under the theme: "The World We Want" included other regional winners from Nepal, Brazil and Iran for radio broadcasting.
The television finalists were Channel I from Bangladesh for its feature on children with autism; Germany's Der Kinderkanal von ARD und ZDF (KI.KA) for "TRICKBOXX in Arabia"; Channels Television in Nigeria; Peru's Association Nacional de Television Red TV; and Spacetoons Kids TV in Iraq.
UNICEF launched the ICD award in 1991 to encourage broadcasters worldwide to spread awareness of children's issues. The awards provided the avenue for young people to participate by writing, reporting, producing and presenting programmes on the issues that affect them.
"Over the years, ICDB has grown to incorporate broadcasters on every continent," said ICDB Executive Producer Karen Cirillo. "In recent years, it has also encouraged higher levels of youth participation, which has led to many all-youth broadcasts," she added. The next ICDB would take place on March 1, 2009 with the theme "Unite for Children: Tune in to Kids!"