aaamusic | On 30, Mar 2011

Absolute Radio score stunning 14 nominations, including three for Frank Skinner

Triple nominee Victoria Derbyshire, challenged by Jeremy Vine and Anne Diamond for Speech Broadcaster Award

talkSPORT in six contests, including UK Station of the Year

Chris Moyles, Scott Mills, Jarvis Cocker and Ronnie Wood battle for Music Radio Personality of the Year

Radio 2’s Gordon Brown interview nominated

The nominations for the annual Sony Radio Academy Awards, the UK’s most respected and coveted radio honours, were announced this evening at a launch hosted by 95.8 Capital FM & Classic FM’s Margherita Taylor and BBC 6music & Radio 2’s Huey Morgan.  The shortlists for the 35 Awards were announced live to guests drawn from across the entire UK radio landscape, with Stations tuning in via the live webcast.  The hotly contested Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards will be presented on Monday 9 May at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, and hosted by Radio 2’s Chris Evans, himself a nominee.
The first Sony Radio Academy Awards ceremony in 1983 recognised the achievements of radio programming from 1982 making this year’s 2011 Awards ceremony a landmark celebration of 30 years of radio excellence.

2010 was an eventful year – not only was there the FIFA Football World Cup in South Africa, but also a General Election in the UK, and both were superbly covered by radio, reflected in many of this year’s nominations.  Radio industry news continued to make the headlines, from the comings and goings of DJ’s, the reprieve of radio stations, the roll-out of brands nationwide, to the speculation about the date of digital switchover. The constant was that the British public are passionate about radio in all its guises and will make its voice heard to support and lobby.

The 2011 Sony nominations reflect the strength in depth of UK radio, both in front and behind the mic, and across the commercial, BBC, internet and community radio sectors.  Absolute Radio are cock a hoop with 14 nominations, including Breakfast Show of the Year (10 million plus) with Christian O’Connell and The Frank Skinner Show receiving three nods for Best Entertainment Programme, Music Radio Personality of the Year and Speech Radio Personality of the Year.

talkSport, in World Cup year, are on the pitch in six contests, including Breakfast Show of the Year (10 million plus) with The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast and a chance to defeat BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4 for UK Station of the Year. In the four other Station of the Year Awards, commercial dominates in Station of the Year (up to 300,000), with Central FM (103.1FM) and Isle of Wight Radio both nominated, while it’s an all-BBC challenge by BBC Radio Cumbria, BBC Radio Derby and BBC Somerset for Station of the Year (300,000 – 1 million). Station of the Year (1 million plus) has 105.4 Real Radio North West up against Liverpool’s Radio City 96.7 and BBC London 94.9.  Digital Station of the Year has last year’s winner, Planet Rock, challenged by BBC Radio 1 Xtra and Fun Kids.

The blue-riband Breakfast Show of the Year (10 million plus) is a fascinating heavyweight tussle between past Sony Gold Winners – Chris Evans for Radio 2, Christian O’Connell for Absolute Radio, LBC’s Nick Ferrari and 5 Live Breakfast. Breakfast Show of the Year (under 10 million) sees commercial radio taking four of the five nominations, with JACK’s Morning Glory for 106 JACK fm Oxford, Juice FM Breakfast Show with Adam and Leanne, 107.6 Juice FM, Key’s 103 Mike and Chelsea in The Morning, Simon James and Hill, Kerrang! Radio, and The Graham Mack Breakfast Show, BBC Radio Wiltshire.

Music Radio Personality of the Year is a mouth-watering contest between a comedian, two DJ’s, a Rolling Stone and a member of the ‘Common People’ – with Frank Skinner, Avalon for Absolute Radio, Radio 1’s Scott Mills and Comic Relief record-breaker Chris Moyles, Ronnie Wood for Absolute Radio & Absolute Classic Rock and 6 Music’s Jarvis Cocker all nominated.

Radio 5 Live’s Victoria Derbyshire is already a winner becoming the first female broadcaster to win three Sony nominations: she is nominated for Best Speech Programme, Best News & Current Affairs Programme and Speech Broadcaster of the Year. Other seasoned broadcasters that made the list are BBC London’s Danny Baker, Radio 2’s Mark Radcliffe, perennial nominee Stephen Nolan for BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Ulster, Magic 105.4’s Neil Fox, and Simon Mayo for Radio 2.

One of the most intriguing contests for Sony Gold is for Best Interview, with Jeremy Vine’s jaw-dropping interview with Gordon Brown challenged by Danny Baker with Sir Elton John, John Humphrys and Wikileaks’ Julian Assange, Neil Fox with Robbie Williams and John Wilson with Peter Mandelson.

The Sony Radio Academy Awards are judged by industry and media professionals, and this year includes Fi Glover, Peter Bazelgette, Mary Ann Hobbs, John Inverdale, Eve Pollard, Natasha Kaplinsky, Sue Lawley and Miranda Sawyer. The judges are required to reach their decision based solely on the content of the entry submitted and not based on any wider knowledge they may have.  One of the great strengths of the Sony Radio Academy Awards is that every level of professional radio has an opportunity to shine.

Tim Blackmore, Chairman of the Sony Radio Academy Awards said: “Once again, more than 1,000 entries have demonstrated the huge

diversity and the impressive standards delivered by Britain‘s radio

industry. The power of audio continues to enrich all our lives through

the ever increasing range of platforms celebrated by these Awards.”

The 2011 Gold Award, Special Award and Station Programmer of the Year are in the gift of the Awards Committee and will be announced at the Ceremony on 9 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.  The contenders are:  Matt Edmondson BBC Radio 1, Robbie Savage BBC Radio 5 Live, Ronnie Wood Absolute Radio/Absolute Classic Rock, Sarah Thompson Roundhouse Radio and Simon Conway Metro Radio.  The public can vote at www.sony.co.uk/risingstar.