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Pop singer Ricky Martin, music mogul Russell Simmons and HBO TV drama True Blood have won awards from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

The annual Glaad awards ceremony in New York hailed Martin for appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show to discuss his decision to come out as gay.

The Latino singer also spoke of life as a single working father of twin boys.

Other winners included NBC comedy 30 Rock and CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 for its series on gay teen suicides.

The awards recognise fair, accurate and inclusive representation of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives in the media.

Simmons, who co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam, received the Excellence in Media Award while pop band Scissor Sisters were named outstanding music artists for their album Night Work.

Peter David won a prize for his Marvel comic book X-Factor while Winfrey's O magazine article, What Happens When You Find the One... And He's Nothing - Nothing - Like You Expected?, was also honoured.

The website Essence.com won its prize for outstanding digital journalism.

Winners were revealed in 25 of this year's 32 media categories. The remaining awards will be presented at ceremonies to be held in Los Angeles and San Francisco in April and May, respectively.