Channel Five Wins Big at 2015 CBU Awards
The Forty-Sixth Annual General Meeting of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union is currently taking place in Grenada. One of the highlights of the week-long event is the Caribbean Broadcasting Awards which are presented to journalists from across the region whose work captured the attention of a panel of eminent judges from the Caribbean. At the event on Tuesday night, Great Belize Productions/Channel Five won awards in the news, as well in the production departments. The awards were snagged in the health, culture and public service categories from among a hundred and ninety submissions. I am humbled to have won two awards granted by UNESCO and CARPHA for a feature titled Deaf Girl in Hearing World and for my story on another youth living with diabetes. That story is titled ‘Lifesaving Skills for Sugar Bellies’. My colleague Duane Moody’s piece on the re-enactment of the Crucifixion in Benque Viejo was also compelling, earning a special mention by the judges. Those stories were all edited by Jorge Tabora. We also picked up an award for Best Public Service spot for bringing to our audiences the perils of drunk driving. Rick Romero worked on that PSA for the Road Safety Project. Earlier today, I sat with reporter Isani Cayetano to talk a little about the winning stories.
Marleni Cuellar
Marleni Cuellar, CBU Award Recipient
“We all work in this field and we don’t necessarily look for the awards that we will get for it. It’s mostly about getting the stories out. And while I don’t do hard news like you guys, the reporters, I do have my health segment that I tend to collect medical advice for the public to be able to know more about what they can be prone to. However, every now and again I get a person or an individual who has a story that’s really worthwhile to tell and that links very well to different health issues and thankfully, I had those stories, documented them and I submitted them for awards this year. So two of the three submissions I made were selected for awards and I am proud, I’m excited and still a bit surprised.”
Duane Moody
Duane Moody, Honorary Mention
“I think for the most part Isani, it’s really, you just feel proud to know that, you know, you’re with an organization that’s recognized regionally and locally and being able to add to that, you know, add to the many awards and to the many certificates of commendation that Channel Five has received. For the most part, I have kind of been the only one that hasn’t been recognized in the region from Channel Five and so now to just join the ranks with you guys it’s just, it’s really just an honor.”
Marleni Cuellar
“The children’s issues with the young lady Omika Chun who was a first form student at the time who is hearing impaired, I had been told about her that she has been excelling at Nazarene High which is a high school here in Belize City and everyone kept telling me, I had to meet her, I had to meet her, I had to meet her. So I decided that if she had impressed so many people then it was something that was worthwhile pursuing. Inclusive education is extremely important, I’m very passionate about it so I thought it would be a great example to show that no matter what challenge you may face you can still be able to take on anything that anybody else does.”
Duane Moody
“When we went out there it was just really to do that story. We received so many information from the people, the residents there, the Institute of Creative Arts out there, the House of Culture reached out to us and asked, you need to come there and experience this burst of culture and history. And so when I decided to take it on, really going there and seeing all this that they put in place, the hard work that they put in place, it was only right that I give it justice. And I think the mention is kind of like a win not only for myself, not only for Channel Five but also for the residents there in Benque Viejo Del Carmen, you know, and those actors that took part and all the youth that took part in the reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.”
C.E.O. Amalia Mai, who is a director of the CBU, is attending the forty-sixth Annual General Assembly. The winning stories will be re-aired during the week.
