Rana Barua and Nirupam Sonu on NYF 2009 jury panel

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent | Mumbai
Two representations from the Indian radio industry has been sought on the jury for the Radio category at the New York Festivals (NYF). Rana Barua, executive vice-president and national head, programming and marketing, Radio City and Nirupam Sonu, vice-president, programming, Big FM has been invited to join the list of jury members for the Radio Programming and Promotion Awards of the NYF 2009.

Barua and Sonu joins 31 others from across the globe on the panel. Some of them include Ally Ballingall of Bauer Radio, Scotland, UK; Peter A Musngi of Manila Radio Division, ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation; Paul Baxter of Risk Sound, Port Melbourne, Australia; and Dr. Dolkum Kamberi of Radio Free Asia, Washington DC, USA.

The Radio Programming and Promotion Awards honour the most original and innovative works in radio broadcasting, with entries from radio stations, networks and independent producers from around the globe.

This is Barua's first stint on the panel of the NYF and on an international radio jury platform. He has been a part of the jury for other Indian awards such as the Emvies and the Promax, apart from other advertising awards.

Leslie Rasimas, executive director, AME Awards, NYF Radio Programming and Promotion, says, "As India emerges as an important country in the role of the media, it is an honour to have our first jury members from India for the 2009 Radio Programming and Promotion Awards. Rana joins the assembly of world renowned judges for the Radio category – each of them a specialist in their respective fields of radio communications.

Speaking about Sonu, Rasimas says, "Nirupam Sonu will join other world class judges invited from all over the globe and from India to come together and judge the world's best work in Radio Programming and to laud excellence in each of the categories put before the jury and decide and deliver their judgment for the International Gold, Silver and Bronze awards."

Barua says, "Indian creativity has been accepted worldwide across the realm of media, advertising and communications. With cross cultural boundaries making way for a global marketplace, more and more Indians are getting into the fray. While radio makes its mark in India, it will be particularly interesting to observe how brands are leveraging the medium worldwide to optimise on the power of aural suggestion."

"I feel honored to be part of such a prestigious jury and am looking forward to hearing some of the world's best work on radio. Novel and creative offerings which puts meaning to the phrase 'theatre of the mind', making the most of this aural medium." said Nirupam Sonu.

Barua has an advertising career spanning 13 years, wherein he has worked hands-on on client management, innovative and creative brand solutions and in-depth consumer understanding. He has the experience of launching a number of FMCG, consumer durable and entertainment brands. In his current role at Radio City, he heads the national marketing as well as programming initiatives, apart from working on the creative aspects of the programming mix.

Sonu has a varied experience in production and directing domains of TV and radio medium. He has made a mammoth contribution in the areas of content planning and programming at Big FM and is known to be a core strategist as well as a champion of innovations. He is one of those very few people in the industry exposed to all facets of content – planning, packaging, creative and programming.

The calling-in for entries for the Radio Programming and Promotion Awards was officially announced on January 19. Some other faces from the Indian advertising fraternity who will judge the award include Ryan Menezes, executive creative director, McCann Erickson (outdoor advertising jury); Carlton D'Silva, creative director, Hungama (digital and interactive jury); and Dhvani Desai, filmmaker, Metamorphosis, Mumbai (film and video).

Saurabh Dasgupta, executive creative director, Innocean, has been invited to be on the jury of Innovative Advertising – he is judging in the same category for the second time at the NYF. Nitesh Tiwari, executive creative director, Leo Burnett, has been invited to share the jury panel with Barua in the Radio category.

Kamlesh Mehta, senior creative director, RMG Connect, will judge entries in the Digital and Interactive category. Agnello Dias aka Aggie, managing partner, TapRoots India, is on the Print jury and KV Sridhar (Pops), national creative director, Leo Burnett is on the Television and Cinema Advertising jury.