News-O-Matic's Coronavirus Coverage Earns Honor From the World Association of News Publishers for Engaging Young Audiences
The World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) names News-O-Matic as a finalist for engaging kids through the coronavirus pandemic, connecting them with medical experts, strengthening their media literacy skills, and helping them make sense of our new normal.
NEW YORK, April 16, 2020 (Newswire.com) - News-O-Matic has been announced as a finalist for a North American Digital Media Award from the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA). The award honors news publishers that have successfully engaged children, teens and/or millennial audiences with digital initiatives, including news literacy. Previous winners include The Washington Post and NBC Universal.
News-O-Matic is an educational resource for children in grades K through 8 that fosters global curiosity through daily news. Since the spread of the coronavirus, News-O-Matic has made all of its original daily content 100% free in order to grant access to the largest possible number of kids.
As part of its mission to keep kids informed, News-O-Matic’s editorial team has interviewed medical doctors, child psychologists, and a patient who has recovered from COVID-19. It’s also given young readers a safe space to ask questions about the virus, react to the news by creating artwork, and connect to a global community of their peers while schools are closed worldwide.
“Kids have a lot of questions about the coronavirus,” said Russell Kahn, chief content officer of News-O-Matic. “In many cases, they are not being told what is happening — and they don’t have a kid-friendly resource to help them make sense of the situation. That’s what this News-O-Matic project has been about. We are helping all children navigate this global crisis, providing them with a critically important remote learning tool. Most importantly, we give kids a safe place to let their feelings be heard — and to learn that their voice matters.”
The winners of WAN-IFRA’s Digital Media Awards will be announced on May 15. All News-O-Matic content is completely free to teachers, students, and parents through June 30. For more information, visit https://newsomatic.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About News-O-Matic
News-O-Matic was founded in 2013 as an educational resource designed to make nonfiction accessible and engaging for readers in grades K through 8. Every weekday, News-O-Matic publishes interactive daily news content that teaches children 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, media literacy, and global awareness. The news stories are written across various reading levels and are available in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic — in text and audio. Thousands of schools incorporate News-O-Matic articles into their literacy and social studies curricula. News-O-Matic has more than 5 million downloads from the App Store in 148 countries. It has also been recognized as a 2020 Teachers' Choice Award Winner. News-O-Matic is available on the web, in the App Store, and on Google Play.
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Media Contact:
Janine Perri
Marketing Manager, Press4Kids
Email: Janine@Press4Kids.com
Source: News-O-Matic
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