 BBC reporter reporter Rageh Omaar hosted last year's ceremony |
This year's Ethnic Multicultural Media Awards (Emmas) have been cancelled, after the sponsor pulled out. NatWest bank has withdrawn its backing for the 2005 Multicultural TV Awards show after two years.
The awards ceremony, which honours ethnic talent in the entertainment industry, was due to be held in May.
Emma organisers said they will continue with plans to organise an awards ceremony at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel in September.
Alternative sponsors
A spokesperson for the awards said they had to "sadly announce that this year's May awards will have to be cancelled after seven successful years on television".
NatWest - who have been involved with the awards since 1997 and sponsors for the last two years - said they advised Emma organisers of their decision in October last year.
In a statement, NatWest said: "In October 2004, we advised the organisers that we would no longer be sponsoring the Emma awards, giving them ample opportunity to seek alternative sponsors.
"Just like any commercial organisation, NatWest regularly reviews the events that it sponsors and following such a review, decided not to continue with its sponsorship of the Emmas."
Last year's award ceremony honoured former BBC director general Greg Dyke, who was named media personality of the year, and Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ.
One-Minute World News 
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