PROUD TO BE KAPUSO. New York Festival winners (from L to R) Jiggy Manicad, Sandra Aguinaldo, Arnold Clavio, Maki Pulido, Howie Severino, and Jun Veneracion during the NYF gala night in Manhattan , New York.
GMA Network's News and Public Affairs bagged an unprecedented five world medals at the prestigious 2008 New York Festivals.
The New York Festivals International Television Broadcasting Awards recognize “The World's Best Work” in news, documentary, information and entertainment programming as well as in music videos, infomercials, promotion spots, openings and ID’s. Now entering its 48th year, the total number of entries in TV Programming continues to grow. The prestigious accolades were presented at a formal gala held February 1, 2008 at the Tribeca Rooftop in lower Manhattan.
Reporter’s Notebook’s episode titled “Batang Kalakal” won the gold medal in the Human Interest category. Reporter’s Notebook is hosted by veteran broadcast journalists Maki Pulido and Jiggy Manicad.
I-Witness’ “Iskul Ko, No.1,” which was written and produced by Sandra Aguinaldo won the silver medal in the Social Issues/Current Events category.
Another I-witness documentary, “Huling Hala Bira” by Howie Severino, won the silver medal in the Community Portraits category.
“We feel grateful and vindicated…the award this documentary has won is a message from the cosmos that our efforts were not for naught, and that Huling Hala Bira has a second life beyond television,” Severino said.
Jun Veneracion’s Reporter’s Notebook’s episode titled “Engkwentro” won the bronze medal for the Coverage of an Ongoing Story category. Emergency’s “Mga Batang Nagsusunog,” hosted by Arnold Clavio, received a bronze medal from the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI), a special award at the New York Festival.
GMA Network received 14 nominations in various categories of this year’s New York Festivals – a first for any Philippine broadcast company.
“GMA has never had 14 nominations before at the NYF… and no local network has ever brought home five medals. This is a testament to the phenomenal hard work our public affairs teams have been putting into their shows, especially our off camera people. The unsung producers, staff and crew of Reporter's Notebook, I-Witness and Emergency are some of the most gifted documentarists in the industry. I am so proud of them, their output is world-class and they so deserve these awards,” GMA VP for Public Affairs Nessa Valdellon said.
Other finalists from GMA-7 included “Art Angel,” “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,” “Tok! Tok! Tok!, Isang Milyon Pasok!,” two more I-Witness episodes, “Panata” plug; QTV’s “At Your Service, Star Power,” “Sana’y Muling Makapiling,” and “Sapulso.”
Kapuso director Louie Ignacio also won a gold medal for his “Power to Unite” MTV, directed for an independent production company. Call your preferred pay TV operator now and subscribe to GMA PINOY TV. For more information, please log on to www.gmapinoytv.com.