World Service wins Webby award

The site previously won in 2001

The website for BBC World Service has been named the winner of Best Radio Website at the 2008 Webby awards, which acknowledge excellence on the Internet.

A previous winner of the award in 2001, the site for the BBC's international radio station was completely revamped and relaunched in December 2007.

The Webbys are viewed as the "Oscars of the internet," and the award means the site is effectively the best online radio site.

"It is fantastic to have received recognition from the international internet industry," said Sally Thompson, head of BBC World Service Future Media.

"The quality and creativity of the BBC World Service Future Media team has been acknowledged through the Webby Awards, the internet's most respected symbol of success - and we are thrilled to have won."

BBCWorldService.com is one of three BBC websites to win Webby awards this year.

The others are the BBC News website, which won a People's Choice award, and the BBC Radio One site, which won in the Music catagory for its Meet The DJs blog.

"With nearly 10,000 entries from all 50 US states and over 60 countries worldwide, the 12th Annual Webby Awards is the biggest in our history and continues to be the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet," said David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of the Webby Awards.

"Your work truly represents the best of the Web."

A ceremony in which the awards will be presented will take place in New York on 10 June.