TV6 reporter Cindy Raghubar-Teekersingh has been awarded by the Caribbean Broadcasters Union (CBU) for her coverage of issues facing migrant children.
Raghubar-Teekersingh won the award for “Responsible Coverage of Children’s Issues”, announced at the 2021 CBU Caribbean Media Awards on Tuesday at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex in Tobago.
She was awarded for her April 2021 film, entitled “Venezuelan immigrants want help for school children”, which highlighted the plight of Venezuelan immigrant families living in Icacos and the lack of access to education for their children.
Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT Ltd) won two awards for Best Magazine Program and Best Entertainment Program for two episodes of its Penny on Point TV show.
Also from T&T, WESN Content Capital won the award for “Best Comedy Article” for We Comedy.
The awards, held annually, aim to highlight and recognize outstanding work in television and radio across the Caribbean.
The 2021 awards ceremony held on Tuesday was the first to be held in person since 2019, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
CBU president Dr Claire Grant said the awards provided an “opportunity to celebrate excellence produced in challenging circumstances”.
“CBU wanted to acknowledge the work done by the entire Caribbean media sector, not just its 37 member organisations,” she said.
“It is encouraging to note the wide range of organizations across the region, small and large, which have produced award-winning work.”
Telecommunications Authority of T&T (TATT) chairman Gilbert Peterson said the awards represented excellence in broadcast journalism and “we stand strongly behind recognizing such excellence”.
Peterson emphasized the importance of the media and pointed out that freedom of the press is a right enshrined in the Constitution.
“As media practitioners, I call on you, in your daily activities, to ensure that you conduct the business of the sector in such a way that society can develop and society can truly understand that the protection you have enjoyed under the constitution it is good – deserved”, he said.
Applications for the 2021 award were assessed by a five-member panel comprising lead judge Enrico Woolford, Dr Sharon Marshall, Dr Yvonne Weekes, Zadie Neufville and Andrew Millington.
According to the CBU, applications were invited in 46 categories – all but seven of them open to non-members. Of the total entries, the CBU said 231 were from 16 CBU members, while a total of nine non-member media houses together submitted 27 entries, adding to a grand total of 258 entries, the highest number for the past three years.
The full list of winners can be found on the CBU website at www.caribroadcastunion.org.
