Six major award successes for community radio at the Sonys
There were 34 shortlists in the Sony Radio Academy Award Categories.
The Prison Radio Association and Electric Radio, Brixton had
nominations in the Speech Award, the Listener Participation
Award, the Interview Award, and the Community Award.
The Omagh Community Radio Group for Strule FM was nominated for the
Community Award.
Clifton Diocese.com had been nominated in the Internet Programme Award category.
Katey Wallace of Radio Teesdale had a nomination in the
Dab Rising Star Awards.
The results are as follows with commentary from the Sony Radio Academy Awards 2009.
Listener Participation Award:
GOLD – Prison Radio Association for Electric Radio Brixton
Station Manager/Producer: Andrew Wilkie
Radio Station Tutor/Producer: Kim Townsend
Producers/Presenters: Prisoners of HMP Brixton
Producers: Katy Watson & Lila Allen
Executive Producer: Phil Maguire
“In a world of restricting budgets and resources, the professional radio industry could be forgiven for feeling like it is getting closer to its community radio counterparts. But if truly great radio is a reflection of the love, passion and commitment put into making it, rather than the money spent on it, then the future of radio is safe. Electric Radio Brixton is an example of what can be achieved when radio is used for what it does best – an intimate connection to deliver powerful, meaningful content that targets an audience who have a genuine need to be fulfilled. Everyone interested in making great radio would do well to follow its example of powerful simplicity”.
Interview Award:
BRONZE – Prison Radio Association for Electric Radio Brixton
Electric Radio Brixton interview with Jonathan Aitken
Station Manager/Producer: Andrew Wilkie
Executive Producers: Phil Maguire & Kieron Tilley
Producer/Presenter: Tis
“This was an impressive interview of Jonathan Aitken by Tis, a prisoner at HMP Brixton. The straightforward, unconditional questioning was well structured, eliciting a revealing and enthralling account of Mr Aitken’s prison experience”.
Speech Award:
BRONZE – Prison Radio Association for Electric Radio Brixton
Prisoners’ Voices
Station Manager/Producer/Presenter: Andrew Wilkie
Radio Station Tutor/Producer: Kim Townsend
Panellists: Prisoners of HMP Brixton
Executive Producer: Phil Maguire
“The winner of the Bronze Award may broadcast to the country’s smallest and most captive audience. What that audience gets is a programme of searing, matter-of-fact honesty dealing with deeply personal subjects and brought to life by the voices of the listeners themselves”.
Community Award:
GOLD – Prison Radio Association for Electric Radio Brixton
A Sound Fix
Producers: Steve Urquhart & Adam Fowler
Executive Producers: Phil Maguire & Andrew Wilkie
“An entry which combined powerful use of the medium in a highly effective and unusual way, combining high production values with real life experiences. The personal stories of those involved provided gripping and engaging radio which altered the perceptions of the listener and increased our understanding of prisoner rehabilitation. The judges were left in no doubt that this initiative made a significant difference to the prisoners involved”.
BRONZE – Omagh Community Radio Group for Strule FM
Omagh Community Radio Group
Producer: Sean Cuthbertson
Presenters: Tom Sweeney, Declan Forde, Andy Gordon, Gerarda McCann,
Don McGurgan, Emma Teague, Brian McNamee, Joe Culby & Danny Quick
“Real life stories and experiences which may have been forgotten or overlooked had it not been for this impressive example of how a station can utilise the people within its own community to engage and enthral the listener”.
The Internet Programme Award:
GOLD – Clifton Diocese.com
The Budgerigar and the Prisoner
Producer: Mary Colwell
Contributors: Les Tanner & Robert King
Music: Gareth Davies-Jones
“A beautifully and subtly crafted programme which used the simplest materials to tell a compelling story and deliver profound emotional impact. It was perfectly adapted to the medium, breaking genre boundaries to deliver its message to the target audience with perfect pitch”.
DAB ‘Rising Star’ Awards:
Runner Up – Katey Wallace, Radio Teesdale
The Guardian has a story on Electric Radio Brixton here.
The BBC here.
And The Times here.
