News

Nominations Announced For 28th Annual Sony Radio Academy Awards

• 8th Apr 2010

The nominations for the 28th annual Sony Radio Academy Awards, the UK’s most coveted radio honours, were announced this evening at a launch hosted by Heart 106.2’s Jamie Theakston, himself a nominee.

The shortlists for the 35 Awards were presented live to guests drawn from all sectors of the industry, with Stations from around the country tuning in via the live webcast. The Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards will be presented on Monday 10th May at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, and hosted by Radio 2’s new breakfast presenter, Chris Evans.

The last 12 months have again demonstrated what an important role radio plays in the cultural life of the UK and how its machinations and output creates passionate and heartfelt responses from its loyal listeners: whether it’s the comings and goings of DJ’s or the threatened closure of much loved stations or tackling difficult subjects with compassion and care. The 2010 nominations celebrate a radio industry that is diverse, both creatively and geographically, is buoyant and brimming with a new-found confidence. The 2010 Sony nominations also throws a spotlight on an exciting new generation of young broadcasters coming to the fore and challenging the more familiar presenters.

Nick Ferrari of LBC 97.3 is already a winner, receiving a record-breaking five nominations for Speech Radio Personality of the Year, Speech Broadcaster of the Year, Breakfast Show of the Year (10 million plus), Best Speech Programme and News Journalist of the Year.

The five blue riband Station of the Year Awards sees commercial radio dominating the short lists: Station of the Year (up to 300,000) is contested by Andover Sound, BBC Guernsey and Moray Firth. Station of the Year (300,000 – 1 million) sees Oxfordshire’s 106 JACKFM take on BBC Hereford & Worcester and BBC Radio Derby. In the Station of the Year (1 million plus) BBC Radio Wales is challenged by rivals Kiss 100, the recipient of three nominations this year, and Real Radio Scotland.

Planet Rock, previous winner of Digital Station of the Year, receives some strong opposition from Absolute Classic Rock and BBC Radio 5Live Sports Extra. The Absolute Radio brand crowned its strongest ever showing at the Sony nominations, a whopping eleven, by making the shortlist for the big one: Station of the Year, joined in battle by heavyweights, talkSPORT and BBC Radio 5Live.

This year is the first time that the fiercely contested Breakfast Show of the Year has been split into two, allowing the considerable power of local radio shows to be fairly reflected. The Breakfast Show of the Year (10 million plus) nominees were both refreshingly eclectic and controversial for some notable big name absentees: last year’s Gold Winner, 5live Breakfast, gets a chance to defend its crown against Kiss Breakfast with Rickie, Melvin & Charlie, Nick Ferrari at Breakfast LBC 97.3, The 1Xtra Breakfast Show with Trevor Nelson & Gemma and Today, Radio 4. The Breakfast Show of the Year (under 10 million) pits North versus South, with nods for BBC Radio Kent, Heart Sussex, BBC Radio Berkshire, Galaxy North East and Real Radio Yorkshire.

The 2010 nominations features a strong showing by women broadcasters, with two nods each for 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne, Radio 4’s Jenni Murray and three for Radio 5Live’s Victoria Derbyshire. Laverne will be fighting 6Music’s corner in The Best Music Programme taking on the Dermot O’ Leary Show Radio 2, In tune BBC Radio 3, The A-Z of Classic FM Music, Classic FM and The Radcliffe and Maconie Show, Radio 2. Laverne is also in the thick of it for Music Radio Personality of the Year, relishing the challenge of taking on Radio 1’s Chris Moyles, Absolute Radio’s Christian O’Connell, Scott Mills for Radio 1 and Key 103’s Mike Toolan & Chelsea Norris. Victoria Derbyshire takes on a Knight, a Lord, a soft fruit and a fast car for the Speech Broadcaster of the Year: Sir David Attenborough, Radio 4, Lord Melvyn Bragg, Radio 4, Andrew Peach, BBC Radio Berkshire and Nick Ferrari, LBC 97.3

Beleaguered stations, 6Music and Asian Network gave their supporters a boost, with an impressive nine nominations. BBC 6 Music are contesting Best Music Programme, Music Radio Personality of the Year, Music Broadcaster of the Year, Best Comedy, Specialist Contributor and Station Imaging. The BBC Asian Network are contesting the Best Speech Programme and Best News Special.

This year’s high level of nominations for speech broadcasting reflects a year of uncertainty and economic difficulties, with listeners tuning in to gain insight, information and reassurance. Multiple Sony Gold winner, Eddie Mair, will be looking to spoil Nick Ferrari’s party, when they contest Speech Radio Personality of the Year, as will the other nominees for News Journalist of the Year: Andover Sound’s News Team, Ian Pannell for Radio 4, Real Radio North West News Team and Lyse Doucet for BBC World Service.

Sport is part of the UK’s DNA and talkSPORT certainly hit the target, with shots on goal for Speech Radio Personality, Best Single Promo/Commercial, Best Sports Programme and the Cup-Final, UK Station of the Year. Sport also featured in Best Live Event Coverage where BBC Radio Sport’s Test Match Special take guard against Absolute Blur for Absolute Radio, Radio 1’s Comic Relief, The Kilimanjaro Climb, London Jazz Festival for BBC Radio 3 and The Funeral of Harry Patch, BBC Somerset & BBC Radio Bristol.

Two of this year’s new awards, Best Single Promo/Commercial and Best Promotional/Advertising Campaign feature the X Factor. The former award has an entry, ‘Tourism Ireland: Apology for Apology for Jedward’ produced by 750 mph broadcast on Heart 106.2 Magic 105.4 and Capital 95.8, while the latter appeals to Joe McElderry’s fans to reach No 1, ‘Vote Joe’, Real Radio Programmes for Real Radio North East.

The 28th Sony Radio Academy Awards are judged by over 130 industry and media professionals. The judges are required to reach their decisions based solely on the content of the entry submitted, and not based on any wider knowledge they may have. One of the reasons why the Sony Awards are so well respected is that every level of professional radio has an opportunity to shine, as demonstrated by this year’s nominees.

Tim Blackmore, Chairman of the Sony Radio Academy Awards said: “This is another encouraging year for these awards. Once again the number of entries has increased and the nominations reveal just how broad is the range of radio programming and radio stations that are celebrated by this event. The nominated entries represent the very best of UK Radio, and happily there is a very great deal about which we can be very proud indeed.”

The 2010 Gold Award and Special Award are in the gift of the Awards Committee and will be announced at the Ceremony on 10th May.

The shortlist for the Sony DAB Rising Star Award, the only people’s choice award which celebrates new radio talent, was announced at the launch by Steve Dowdle, Managing Director of Sony UK. Contenders for 2010 are: James Lister & Dave Chipman – Silk FM, Jarvis Cocker – BBC 6 Music, Lucy Jones – Banbury Sound, Max Dickins – Absolute Radio and Waqas Saeed – BBC Asian Network. The public can place their vote at link.