Authors: WINNER: Ian Watson ORGANISATION: Community Broadcasting Association of Australia
Year: 2011
Event: 2011 TheMHS Awards
Subject:
Type of resource: TheMHS Awards
Award state: QLD
Award level: Special Media Award (Community Focus)
Award category: Broadcast
Abstract: The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia’s national suicide prevention project seeks to provide help-seeking and well-being messages to a wide and diverse network of communities nationally. This project utilises both satellite and local radio broadcasting to provide 24 hour a day national delivery of suicide, mental health and well-being messages through over 270 radio stations nationwide. It aims to raise awareness of mental illness, address the stigma surrounding mental illness, and encourage a diverse national audience to seek help if they are affected by mental illness. The project has produced and broadcast 20 audio segments each month since August 2008, including interviews with mental health service providers, and consumers and carers from Indigenous communities, rural and remote communities, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities. This entry is an example of the monthly content produced by Ian Watson, which reaches an audience of over 9 million Australians (McNair Ingenuity research, 2010). Ian Watson has over 15 years experience as a writer, radio producer and communications professional. He currently works as a consultant to the community radio sector, producing educational content focusing on improving awareness of key health and mental health issues and services. In recent years, Ian has focused on communicating with Indigenous communities, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, older persons, and people in rural and remote areas of Australia. His work in this area has been recognised through winning a Queensland Media Award, and being nominated as a finalist in the United Nations Media Peace Awards, Premier’s Awards for Reconciliation, and Older People Speak Out Media Awards. Through developing and producing the national Community Radio Suicide Prevention Project, Ian hopes to raise awareness of mental illness, address the stigma surrounding mental illness, and encourage a large and diverse national audience to seek help if they are affected by mental illness.
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