United States Agency for Global Media

Springfield, VA — The shortlist for the 2022 New York Festivals TV and Film and the 2022 New York Festival Radio Awards were announced and 11 of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc.’s (MBN) entries were selected. MBN’s digital team led the way with five reports, followed by three entries from creative services, two episodes of the podcast “Chapters” and an Alhurra Investigates two-part report. MBN’s submissions that were shortlisted include:

• com’s report on the data voids in the digital landscape that create openings for disinformation campaigns to flourish was shortlisted for Best Social Justice Reporting.
• com’s (Raise Your Voice) in-depth examination of the journey of Gilgamesh’s Tablet back to Iraq after it disappeared 30 years ago, was selected for Best Special Report.
• In the category of Best Reporting on Heroes, ElSaha.com’s Sophie’s World tells the story of a single mother who is raising a daughter with Down’s syndrome. She hopes to erase misconceptions about the condition and hopes society will become more accepting.
• Another report in the Heroes category was ElSaha.com’s interview with Demiana Nassar Hanna a woman who lives in a small rural village in Egypt. She dreamt of becoming an actress, then was lifted from obscurity and selected as the heroine of the movie “Feathers” which went on to win the Cannes Critics’ Week Grand Prize.
• com’s profile of Nael, a Sudanese teenager living in Egypt, was shortlisted for the Best Human Interest Report. Nael was beaten so severely that he wanted to return to Sudan. He talked about racism in Egypt and the fear that was instilled, along with the compassion he felt for his attackers.
• Alhurra Investigates’ episodes on ISIS wives trying to return home was selected in the category of Best Documentary on Social Issues. The program discussed how many of these women and their children are no longer welcome in their home country and the challenges they incur if they do return.
• The podcast “Chapters” was selected as a finalist for two episodes. The first episode discussing female genital mutilation was named in the category of Best Social Justice Podcast. The second nomination was a two-part episode that profiles Dahlia, a first responder struggling to survive in Yemen in the Best Personal Lives Podcast category.
• Alhurra’s augmented reality production of Air Force One, which was selected for the Best Use of Technology, gives viewers a sense of what it is like to be on the presidential aircraft.
• The television network’s augmented reality production highlighting the potential ecological disaster the Safer ship poses in the Red Sea was shortlisted for Best Use of Special Effects.
• The promotional video highlighting MBN’s podcast “Chapters” was selected for the Best Documentary/Informational Program Promotion.

New York Festivals TV & Film Awards and the New York Festival Radio Awards honors content in all lengths and forms from over 50 countries. Embracing all aspects of the television, film and radio industries, categories mirror today’s global trends and encourage the next generation of storytellers by recognizing innovators.

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