NHK wins Emmy for Chilean mine disaster coverage

Tuesday 27 Sep 2011
NHK’s Back from the Brink: Inside the Chilean Mine Disaster has won this year’s International Emmy Award for current affairs. The announcement was made at the 32nd News and Documentary Emmy Awards Gala in New York yesterday.

The Chilean mine disaster trapped 33 miners 700 meters underground in August 2010. The family of one of the miners asked NHK to send a video camera into the mine, resulting in exclusive footage showing the severity of the ordeal.

The NHK report depicted how the men survived 70 days underground and how the rescue efforts above ground proceeded. Broadcast just 10 days after the miners were rescued, the programme also used interviews with the miners and rescue workers to illustrate the miners’ miraculous return from the brink of death.

Most of NHK’s programmes are available internationally through NHK Enterprises.

TV Globo’s Jornal Nacional: War on Drugs, about a four-day raid in November 2010 by security forces to take control of a major drug dealer’s stronghold in Rio de Janeiro, won the International Emmy for news.

“Although TV Globo and NHK are both large and respected media organisations, this is the first time either has won an International Emmy for news. We congratulate them and the journalists behind these riveting reports,” said Bruce L. Paisner, the President and CEO of The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

All the winners of this year’s International Emmy Awards categories will receive their awards at a gala in New York City on 21 November.