Joy FM's Israel Laryea wins CNN Multi-Choice award

Joy FM's Israel Laryea Saturday night won the Radio News Award at this year's CNN Multi-Choice African Journalist Awards held in Accra.

The story that won him the award was the feature which exposed the domestic abuse of a young girl in Haatso, a suburb of Accra.

The story was described by the judges as creative and well researched.

Speaking to Joy News after receiving the award, Mr. Laryea said he took inspiration from the thousands of listeners who tuned in to Joy News in search of quality and balanced news.

He dedicated the award to Joy FM's listeners.

He said “this one goes to show that all the work that I have been doing for the past ten years has not been in vain”.

Mr. Laryea expressed the hope that the award will also inspire other Ghanaian journalists to aspire to do well and be recognised.

According to him, the award also showed that the work of the people of Haatso who called Joy FM to go and save the poor girls has been recognised.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Rugoho-Chin'ono won the most coveted award, the 2008 CNN Multi-Choice African Journalist of the Year Award.

His Television documentary on the everyday challenges of people living with HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe was adjudged the overall best entry.

The documentary also won an award for excellence in HIV/AIDS reporting.

Mr. Rugoho-Chin'ono told Joy News HIV/AIDS issues were not adequately reported because of the stigma attached to the disease.

He said some Journalists thought that reporting on HIV had the tendency to portray one as having the disease.

Speaking at the awards, President Kufuor applauded the African media for their role in mobilising support for national programmes aimed at improving the lives of ordinary people.

He said a vibrant and responsible media is necessary if developing countries are to make significant progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals.

According to him the media must justify their watchdog role by sharing governments' responsibility of ensuring development and equal opportunity for all.

Media practitioners he said “must discharge their duties with exceptional sense of responsibility for the welfare and proper development of the society.

“This calls for their always placing our societies first and indeed in the proper context and perspective”.

Story by Malik Abass Daabu