Broadcaster and journalist Karen Tomkins has been shortlisted at the international 2022 New York Festivals Radio Awards for her series of children’s audio stories Big Breakfast Little Stories on WLR. Karen is a finalist in the ‘Best Children/ Young Adult Program’ category’. The Radio Awards received entries from radio stations, networks, and independent producers from over 30 countries around the globe.
Waterford native Karen wrote, presented, and produced the series of audio stories which aired on WLR's Big Breakfast Blaa. A mother of three children herself, Karen Tomkins wanted to give kids a voice on radio, a segment that was just for them and a platform that they could engage with and call their own. The 12-part-series offered children the chance to star in their own radio story. Listeners sent in details of their children and with their permission, Karen contacted parents to get a sense of who their child, or children were, and went recording and producing a weekly personal story – written all about them.
Some of the themes include children dealing with a learning disability, being bullied at school, LGBTQ+ families and missing out on so much during Covid-19 lockdown restrictions. Karen has already won two national IMRO Radio Awards with WLR for her first two series of Big Breakfast Little Stories in 2020 and 2021.
I just got news that I am a finalist at the New York Festivals Radio Awards for my children's audio series - Big Breakfast Little Stories on WLR. PINCHING myself here @wlrfm @NYFestivals pic.twitter.com/Y3R3Wj8XkO
— Karen Tomkins (@KarTomkins) March 30, 2022
“The little stories began as a little idea in my head during the early lockdown,” said Karen. “I’m always reading to my own children but they tell me they much prefer it when I make up daft stories for them – especially when they can become characters in the story themselves. I felt this might transpire well as a radio project and pitched the idea to Des Whelan (Managing Director) and Michael Byrne (Programme Director) in WLR - my radio home where I have worked for years. In fairness to them, it was a bit of a bonkers idea but they told me to go for it and really supported me and thankfully it took off with listeners.”
On making the final shortlist at the New York Festivals Radio Awards Karen says, “It’s fantastic that there is a category for children’s programmes. I am humbled and honoured to be among the finalists from all around the world and it’s fantastic to see a local station and an independent producer like me represented alongside national broadcasting corporations.
“I couldn’t get to a studio during lockdown so this series was all done at home – begging our dog not to bark and waiting for the noisy washing machine to spin before recording into a small microphone with my head under a duvet to recreate studio sound,” she laughs.
WLR's Programme Director Michael Byrne said, “This programme is a double award-winning IMRO winner and now to be recognised internationally is fantastic. Karen is very creative and when the idea was pitched to me for kids’ content during covid, it was something we hadn’t really had too much of in the past but Covid allowed us to expand our content. Karen produced excellent programmes and it’s great to get recognised by the team in New York. Here’s hoping for a big win”.
Winners of the 2022 New York Festivals Radio Awards will be announced at the Storytellers Gala virtual ceremony on April 26th.
You can listen back to each episode of Big Breakfast Little Stories, here.
