The Slovak Republic's Rádio Expres and Romania's PRO TV will receive this year's NAB International Broadcasting Excellence Award at the NAB Show All-Industry Opening Keynote, sponsored by Accenture, on Monday, April 20. The awards recognize international broadcasters who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and uniqueness in successfully serving their audience through broadcast innovation or service to their community.
Bratislava's Rádio Expres informed their community about the Slovak Republic adoption procedures through radio broadcasts and investigative reporting. Despite the large number of pre-screened families waiting to adopt a child, hundreds of orphans were left in state care because nursing homes failed to effectively carry out steps in the adoption process. In 2008, close to 1 million Slovaks tuned in to hear Rádio Expres report on the situation. Rádio Expres generated more coverage on this issue by convincing a member of the Social Parliamentary Committee to make a public investigation into nursing homes. Additionally, an employee at Rádio Expres spearheaded a petition that was later signed by thousands of Slovaks, leading to the creation of new legislation that improved the adoption process of Slovak children under state care.
PRO TV, Romania's first private TV station, developed four major social campaigns in the past two years. The campaigns contributed to Romania's 50 percent increase in organ donation, and addressed the ecological consequences of land stripping. Additionally, PRO TV organized "STOP torturing the animals," a campaign initiated by PRO TV anchors and hosts that facilitated the development and passage of the Animal Protection Law in 2008. PRO TV's other initiative, "Any idea what your kid is doing right now," led to new legislation regarding the protection of abandoned children in Romania. For their efforts and news coverage on this issue, PRO TV received the International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' International Emmy Award for News and Current Affairs, the first News Emmy ever for Romania and Eastern Europe.
Established in 1995, the NAB International Broadcasting Excellence Award is recognized worldwide as one of the premier awards in the broadcasting industry. A complete list of previous award recipients is available here.
