WSFM breakfast hosts Jonesy and Amanda (Brendan Jones and Amanda Keller), have been crowned Best On-Air Team (Metro FM category) at the 31st Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs).
They previously won the coveted award in 2012 and 2014.
2GB’s drive time host Ben Fordham won Best Talk Presenter for the fifth time and 2GB morning presenter Ray Hadley was awarded Best Current Affairs Presenter, bringing his career tally of ACRAs to 33 across all categories.
The Best On-Air Team (Metro AM) was won by Afternoons with Erin Molan & Natalie Peters, the first female duo to host a news/talk show on 2GB and the first all-female team to win this award in ACRAs history.
NOVA’s popular drive show Kate, Tim & Marty won Best Networked Program and Best Syndicated Australian Program. Best Entertainment Presenter went to Triple M funny man Lawrence Mooney, while Rebecca Morse, half of Hit107 Adelaide’s new breakfast duo Bec & Cosi, won Best Newcomer On-Air.
Winners of other major awards included:
· Best Sports Presenter – Peter Sterling (Triple M, Sydney)
· Best Music Presenter – Kent “Smallzy” Small, Nova Network
· Best Community Service Project – Kennedy Molloy’s trip to Yuendumu for Red Dust, Triple M.
· Best News Presenter (Metro AM) – Mel Usher, FIVEaa, Adelaide
· Best News Presenter (Metro FM) – Ange Anderson, Nova 106.9 Brisbane
· Brian White Award for Radio Journalism – Matthew Pantelis, FIVEaa, Adelaide
· Best Music Special – Carrie Bickmore & Tommy Little, Southern Cross Austereo
· Best Original Podcast (Unbranded) – Hamish & Andy, PodcastOne Australia.
Broadcasting icon and trailblazer Doug Mulray was inducted into the Hall of Fame, recognising his outstanding lifetime achievement and contribution to radio.
The former Triple M breakfast host’s quick wit and outrageous character skits in the 1980s gained him a massive following on radio and later TV.
He has been a major influence on following generations of comedians and performers. Mulray, who rarely makes public appearances, accepted the accolade via video.
Commercial Radio Australia CEO Joan Warner said: “Tonight has been about celebrating the amazing talent – both on and off air – that works in the commercial radio industry and continue to producing outstanding radio and audio content in all its forms. We congratulate all the winners, both behind the scenes and in front of the mic.”
Entries for the ACRAs were received from 260 metropolitan and regional radio stations across Australia. Stations outside the metropolitan areas are well represented at the ACRAs with more than 200 finalists from country and provincial stations.
Organised by Commercial Radio Australia, the national awards cover 39 categories. Winners are announced in each category across four areas: metropolitan, provincial, country and syndication/production company and encompass all areas of commercial radio broadcasting including news, talk, sport, music and entertainment.
The ACRAs are peer judged by industry members.
