News-O-Matic's Coronavirus Coverage Earns Honor From the World Association of News Publishers for Engaging Young Audiences

NEW YORK, April 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.

Media Contact:
Janine Perri
Marketing Manager, Press4Kids
Email: [email protected]

Related Images

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News-O-Matic Cover
Throughout the coronavirus outbreak, News-O-Matic has shared news stories and actionable advice for kids about topics like nutrition and exercise.

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Child's Drawing
Readers can submit artwork to react to the news. This is one example of a drawing that a reader shared in response to the coronavirus.

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALxmhQvMaow

SOURCE News-O-Matic