New Dawn FM wins international media award

New Dawn FM, the pioneering Bougainville community radio station, has won this year’s Communication and Social Change Award offered by the University of Queensland’s School of Journalism and Communication.

Head of School, Prof Michael Bromley, said 19 entries were received for the Award, which recognises and honours outstanding contributions to the theory and practice of communication and social change.

“On behalf of the Jury and all of us here at the university, I wish to congratulate New Dawn FM on winning this prestigious Award,” Prof Bromley told New Dawn chairman and manager, Aloysius Laukai.

The jury for the Award included ABC Foreign Editor Peter Cave, AusAID Deputy Director General Annmaree O'Keeffe and former Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Hugh Leonard. They were joined by chair Prof Ken Wiltshire AO and three senior Queensland University academics.

Award nominations came from 14 countries - Bangladesh, Burundi, Canada, Congo, New Zealand, Nigeria, Philippines, Fiji, India, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda and the USA as well as Papua New Guinea.

The Award constitutes a commemorative plaque and a cash prize of $2,500. Mr Laukai will be flown to Brisbane next month to receive the award at a special ceremony at Queensland University.

New Dawn FM was established with the assistance of a group of Australians who had worked in broadcasting in PNG, including Keith Jackson AM, Phil Charley OAM and Prof Martin Hadlow.

Comments

[Maria Buka Meri]

Go New Dawn!! Another conduit in keeping the Bougainvilleans informed.

[Soft Cialis]

I heard on the radio a few minutes ago (fox fm) that Breaking Dawn is already selling in Australia?!

Has anybody checked this out? Do you know? Please tell me!

[Axel G. Sturm - President of the ESBC]

New Dawn in today's Pacific Beat (ABC):

Listen here:

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacbeat/stories/200911/s2730273.htm

[Michael Luakenu]

Congratulation on winning the Award for The Autonomous Bougainville Region. You have succeeded in putting us on the World Map. That's the way forward.

Your brother Mikes

[Oswald Gimoths]

Wow, that's great.Congratz..! I'm also a Bougainvillian studying abroad, and such news just reminds me of home.

Ossy

[Linus Billy]

Congratulations.. to New Dawn Bougainville Radio for wining this prestigious award for 2009.. to have won the award from other established radio from around the world is a milestone.

A remarkable achievement.. As a Bougainvillean I am very proud especially as a student at the University of Queensland

This Award is history for Bougainville.

Linus

[David Ulg Ketepa]

Congratulations on your award and all the best in broadcasting in the years ahead.

Cheers,

David