CNN International has been awarded ‘Cable & Satellite Channel of the Year’, ‘Best News Story’ and ‘Best Social Awareness Programme’ at the 2013 Asian Television Awards held December 6, 2013 in Singapore. CNN’s Hong Kong-based international correspondent Anna Coren won the prestigious ‘Best News Story 10 minutes or less’ for her exclusive report for Afghanistan Taliban Firefight where she came under enemy fire for more than 90 minutes in Nejrab alongside U.S. Special forces. This is the third Asian Television Award for Coren – she won ‘Best News Presenter or Anchor’ in both 2011 and 2012
CNN’s senior international correspondent Sara Sidner also collected her second Asian Television Award, this time for the CNN Freedom Project documentary Operation Hope in the ‘Best Social Awareness Programme’ category. The award follows Sidner’s original recognition in 2011 as she chronicled the extraordinary against-the-odds journey of a seven-year-old Bangladeshi boy who was viciously attacked, castrated and left for dead because he refused to be forced into begging. In Operation Hope she followed up his story to relate how people around the world had seen her report and subsequently helped fly the boy to the US for life-changing surgery, meaning that ultimately his terrifying ordeal ended happily.
CNN’s senior international correspondent Sara Sidner
The award for Operation Hope represents the latest recognition for the CNN Freedom Project, an initiative that shines a light on the horrors of modern-day slavery.
Executive Vice President and Managing Director for CNN International Tony Maddox commented: “I am thrilled that CNN ends 2013 as it started it, namely with recognition and awards from prestigious peers for the outstanding quality of our journalism. These awards stand as a testament to the excellence and dedication of our people in Asia and around the world, with both Anna and Sara’s remarkable reports demonstrating their tenacity and fearlessness in bringing vital stories to our global audience. It is also especially pleasing to see the CNN Freedom Project once again honoured as the initiative has repeatedly delivered crucial, hard-hitting but compassionate reporting to increase awareness of this appalling trade.”
The Asian Television Awards took place in Singapore, Thursday December 5, 2013. Senior International Correspondent Sara Sidner attended the gala ceremony and collected the awards on behalf of CNN.
