The Australian Commercial Radio Awards (the ACRAS) winners list has just been announced!
While there may have been no live event this year due to the pandemic, there are stills some very lucky and worthy winners that have helped drive radio through a very unpredictable time.
Drum roll!
In a big year for talk radio, 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham has won Best Talk Presenter. Fordham has now won this award six times but this is his first since moving into the breakfast slot, having previously won for his work in drive slot.
Of course, this win is off the back of Fordham killing it in the ratings, he really found his feet this year and this award proves it.
The ever-popular The Kyle & Jackie O Show won Best On-Air Team (Metro FM). The KIIS 1065 breakfast duo, who have been on-air together for 21 years, notched up an impressive record seventh win in the category (2006, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018) and cemented their place as the king and queen of radio.
Also, let’s not forget Sandilands bought us the ‘Vax Vax Baby’ anthem this year. So perhaps an ARIA is also in his future!
The successful new pairing of 3AW Breakfast with Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft was named Best On-Air Team in the Metro AM category.
Adman turned broadcaster Howcroft only started his radio career when he joined Stevenson in August last year, and if you aren’t in the industry you probably know him from Gruen.
The Best Newcomer On-Air award was taken out by comedian Joel Creasey, who joined Kate Ritchie and Tim Blackwell on NOVA Entertainment’s Kate, Tim & Joel drive show a year ago.
The show also won the Best Networked Program and Best Syndicated Australian Program awards – the show has carved out it’s own path by staying away from covering the pandemic and focusing on fun.
Winners of other major awards included:
- Best Entertainment Presenter – Jackie ‘O’ Henderson (KIIS 106.5, Sydney)
- Best Current Affairs Presenter – Neil Mitchell (3AW, Melbourne)
- Best Music Presenter – Chris ‘Becko’ Beckhouse (Triple M, Sydney)
- Best Sports Presenter – Tim Lane (3AW, Melbourne)
- Brian White Award for Radio Journalism – Gareth Parker (6PR, Perth) and Jaclyn Underwood (2BS, Bathurst)
- Best News Presenter FM – Steve Blanda (smoothfm 95.3, Sydney)
- Best News Presenter AM – Amie Meehan (2GB, Sydney)
- Best Original Podcast (Unbranded) – Zero Waste Baby (Veronica Milsom, Southern Cross Austereo).
Joan Warner, the chief executive officer of awards organiser Commercial Radio Australia, said:
“Congratulations to the winners who have displayed enormous dedication to their listeners and continue to drive live broadcasting to new levels.
“All the radio teams across metro and regional Australia should be very proud of the way they served their communities through the challenges of the past two years.”
The black-tie ACRAS event was scheduled to take place in Sydney in October this year but was moved to February and subsequently cancelled by the Commercial Radio Australia board due to concerns around COVID.
The awards cover all metropolitan, provincial and country commercial radio stations, with winners announced in 39 categories including news, sport, music, community service and podcasting. The ACRAS are peer judged by industry members.
