WELSH BROADCASTING organisations have secured a number of awards at this year's Celtic Media Festival, which continues today in Galway.
BBC Wales and ITV Wales won several categories during the opening session of the three-day annual festival, which has attracted more than 400 delegates from media organisations in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany in France.
The best arts documentary was secured by BBC Wales. It was also presented with the inaugural award for interactivity, named as a tribute to the late Kieran Hegarty, BBC Northern Ireland's head of learning and interactive services, who died last year.
A total of 18 awards are being presented during the festival, now in its 29th year, and yesterday's recipients were presented with Bronze Torcs for Excellence by TG4's Daithí Ó Sé and Bernie Ní Chuinn of Raidió na Gaeltachta in the Radisson SAS Hotel Galway.
RTÉ's chairman and director-general Cathal Goan paid tribute to the opportunity which the festival gives to afford a voice to media organisations based in Celtic states.
The industry would have a chance to reflect, debate and get passionate about finding ways to have its voice heard through the various media - film, television, radio and online through the internet, he said.
Lyric FM presenter John Kelly interviewed Belfast actor Stephen Rea yesterday, while guests included the producer of the Big Brother television series, Phil Edgar Jones. Writer and actor Eugene O'Brien is due to speak at the event today on behalf of the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. He will explore the relationship between shared Celtic heritages and drama writing.
BBC Panorama reporter John Sweeney is due to be interviewed at tomorrow's session by RTÉ journalist Seán O'Rourke.