The Star’s news platform bags second prestigious World Young Reader Prize

Teamwork: The R.AGE team celebrating with their award after winning the WYRP for Enduring Excellence.

PETALING JAYA: Youth news platform R.AGE scored a huge victory when it was awarded the prestigious World Young Reader Prize (WYRP) for Enduring Excellence by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (Wan-Ifra).

It was R.AGE’s second World Young Reader Prize after its 2012 win in the Editorial category, and its fifth award from Wan-Ifra, having won three Asian Digital Media Awards in as many years.

According to a press release by Wan-Ifra, R.AGE won the award for its “news and social media youth initiative that reinvented itself, going back to basics by adding face-to-face encounters – events, campaigns and joint actions – for its totally digitally connected young community”.

The Star’s acting group chief editor, Leanne Goh, said the award was a testament to The Star media group’s commitment to young Malaysians as well as to the innovative strategies of the youth programme.

“This award is particularly meaningful as it recognises The Star’s long-term efforts in engaging the youth over the years and not just through one-off projects.

“That is why we are proud of R.AGE’s success in connecting with this very important segment of Malaysians and we are confident that the team’s creativity and passion will take the youth programme to new heights,” said Goh.

The award took into consideration R.AGE’s work over the past two years, which included projects such as the R.AGE Against Bullying campaign, the BRATs young journalist programme, the CHEER national cheerleading competition and the Rising Star talent competition.

“This award – and all the others we have won in the past – is really a victory for the young people of Malaysia because all we do here at R.AGE is tell their stories and make their opinions heard. Without that, and all the amazing initiatives they have started, we really wouldn’t have anything to write about,” said R.AGE editor Ian Yee.

The R.AGE team consists of five journalists – Yee, Lim May Lee, JC Lam, Vivienne Wong and JayDee Lok – who manage all the platform’s content and campaigns.

The R.AGE, Singapore Press Holdings and Bra-zil’s Gazeta do Povo are joint winners in the Enduring Excellence category.

Note: To find out more about R.AGE’s award-winning work, check out today’s edition of R.AGE in Star2 and follow them on social media at twitter.com/thestar_rage and facebook.com/thestarRAGE.