KIIS 106.5 breakfast duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie “O” Henderson have won the Best On-Air Team (Metro FM) category at the 30th Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs).
Held on Saturday night at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, and hosted by The Chaser’s Chris Taylor and Andrew Hansen, the ACRAs celebrated the best and brightest talent in Australia’s commercial radio industry.
Sandilands and Henderson, who have previously won the hotly contested award in 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013 and 2015, claimed the Best On-Air Team (Metro FM) gong for the second time since joining the Australian Radio Network in 2014.
For the second consecutive year, the Best On-Air Team (Metro AM) gong was won by 2GB’s Continuous Call Team (Ray Hadley, Bob Fulton, Darryl Brohman, Erin Molan, Mark Riddell, Chris Warren and Mark Levy)
Kate Ritchie, part of Nova’s national drive team since 2014 with Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold, won Best Entertainment Presenter. The drive show, Kate, Tim and Marty, took out both the Best Networked Program and Best Syndicated Program awards.
Ben Fordham, 2GB’s drive-time host, won the Best Talk Presenter for the fourth time and was also awarded the prestigious Brian White Award for Radio Journalism.
Best Current Affairs presenter was won by 3AW morning presenter Neil Mitchell, bringing his ACRA award winning total to 21.
Grant Denyer, a member of 2DayFM’s breakfast show, won Best Newcomer On Air, while Best Music Presenter was won by smoothfm presenter Melissa Doyle.
New podcast categories were introduced to the ACRAs this year to celebrate the best commercially produced podcasts in Australia by commercial radio networks and their partners.
Best Radio Show Podcast went to Nova’s Chrissie, Sam & Browny (Chrissie Swan, Sam Pang and Jonathan Brown), Best Original Podcast was won by Mum Says My Memoir is a Lie (Rosie Waterland, PodcastOne – Southern Cross Austereo) and Best Original Podcast Branded was won by Modern Babies from Genea and NOVA Entertainment.
The awards also saw Melbourne radio legend Lee Simon – who recently announced his retirement after 47 years in the industry – inducted into the Hall of Fame, recognising his outstanding lifetime achievement and contribution to the radio.
Commercial Radio Australia CEO Joan Warner said: “The awards are a celebration of on air and behind-the-scenes talent across the Australian commercial radio industry.
“Congratulations to the entire industry on providing listeners throughout the year with informative, entertaining, live and local radio.”
This year’s ACRAs received entries for 37 categories from 260 metropolitan and regional radio stations across Australia.
You can check out the full list of winners below:
BEST ON-AIR TEAM
Country: Brekkie with Courtney & Lippi – Matt Lipiarski and Courtney McIntyre, Mixx FM (ACE Radio Broadcasters)
Provincial: Rabbit & Julie Goodwin – Dave Rabbetts and Julie Goodwin, Star 104.5 (NOVA Entertainment)
Metro AM: Ray Hadley’s Continuous Call Team – Ray Hadley, Bob Fulton, Erin Molan, Darryl Brohman, Mark Riddell, Mark Levy and Chris Warren, 2GB (Macquarie Media)
Metro FM: Kyle & Jackie O – Kyle Sandilands and Jackie Henderson, KIIS 106.5 (Australian Radio Network)
BEST ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTER
Country: Michael Moffett – Triple M, Southern Cross Austereo
Provincial: Tanya Hennessy – hit104.7, Australian Radio Network/Southern Cross Austereo
Metro: Kate Ritchie – Nova network, NOVA Entertainment
BEST TALK PRESENTER
Country: Sarah Boorer – 2BS Gold, Bathurst Broadcasters
Provincial: Brian Carlton – LAFM, Grant Broadcasters
Metro: Ben Fordham – 2GB, Macquarie Media
BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS PRESENTER
Non-metro: Katie Woolf – Mix 104.9, Grant Broadcasters
Metro: Neil Mitchell – 3AW, Macquarie Media
BEST SYNDICATED AUSTRALIAN PROGRAM
Kate, Tim & Marty – Kate Ritchie, Tim Blackwell, Marty Sheargold and the NOVA Entertainment syndication team (NOVA Entertainment)
BEST SPORTS PRESENTER
Country: Martin Agatyn – 7AD, Grant Broadcasters
Provincial: Tom King – K rock, Grant Broadcasters
Metro: Isa Guha – Triple M, Southern Cross Austereo
BEST NETWORKED PROGRAM
Country: The Morning Rush – Jon Vertigan and Kate Meade (ACE Radio Broadcasters)
Provincial: Australia by Night with Stephen Cenatiempo – Stephen Cenatiempo, Triple M regional network (Southern Cross Austereo)
Metro: Kate, Tim & Marty – Kate Ritchie, Tim Blackwell and Marty Sheargold (NOVA Entertainment)
BEST MUSIC PRESENTER
Country: Bryce Ruthven – Edge FM, ACE Radio Broadcasters
Provincial: Josh Olek – K rock, Grant Broadcasters
Metro: Melissa Doyle – smoothfm, NOVA Entertainment
BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN
Non-metro: Triple M’s ‘Give Me 5 For Kids’ – Southern Cross Austereo marketing team, regional Triple M network (Southern Cross Austereo)
Metro: KIIS 1065 and Kyle & Jackie O – ARN marketing and KIIS 1065 content team (Australian Radio Network)
ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE
Voyager2.0: API-powered asset management – Phil Elzerman, Dan Jackson and Cameron St. Clair, Triple M (Southern Cross Austereo)
BRIAN WHITE AWARD FOR RADIO JOURNALISM
Non-metro: Katie Woolf – Mix 104.9, Grant Broadcasters
Metro: Ben Fordham – 2GB, Macquarie Media
BEST NEWCOMER ON-AIR
Country: Paris Humphrey – OneFM, Super Radio Network
Provincial: Christie Hayes – i98FM, WIN Network
Metro: Grant Denyer – 2Day FM, Southern Cross Austereo
BEST SPORTS EVENT COVERAGE
Non-metro: 2018 Grand Final call – Ben Casanelia and Tom King, K rock (Grant Broadcasters)
Metro: The 2017 AFL Grand Final – Triple M Football, Triple M (Southern Cross Austereo)
BEST NEWS PRESENTER
Country: Lance White – 3CS and Mixx FM, ACE Radio Broadcasters
Provincial: Caitlin Unger – Star 104.5, NOVA Entertainment
BEST NEWS PRESENTER
Metro AM: Erin Maher – 2GB, Macquarie Media
Metro FM: Ron Wilson – smoothfm, NOVA Entertainment
BEST DIGITAL RADIO FORMAT
Coles Radio – Coles Radio team, NOVA Entertainment
BEST STATION PRODUCED COMEDY SEGMENT
Country: ‘Parenting the Teenagers Maiden’ – Jon Vertigan, 3YB (ACE Radio Broadcasters)
Provincial: First World Problems – Nick Gill, Jess Farchione, Simon Baggs, Ashleigh Smith and Mark Brewer; hit106.9 (Southern Cross Austereo)
Metro: ‘Sam Pang joins smoothfm’ – Chrissie Swan, Sam Pang, Jonathan Brown and Dean Thomas; Nova 100 (NOVA Entertainment)
BEST SHOW PRODUCER – ENTERTAINMENT/MUSIC
Non-metro: Nicole Levey – Tanya & Steve, KOFM (Southern Cross Austereo)
Metro: Sacha French – Hughesy & Kate, Hit Network (Southern Cross Austereo)
BEST SHOW PRODUCER – TALK/CURRENT AFFAIRS
Non-metro: Eddie Williams – 2CC Breakfast with Tim Shaw, 2CC (Capital Radio Network)
Metro: Paul Christenson – The Alan Jones Breakfast Show, 2GB (Macquarie Media)
BEST MUSIC DIRECTOR
Country: Mike Ormond-Birch – Sea FM, Grant Broadcasters
Provincial: Trent Towson – Sea FM, Southern Cross Austereo
Metro: Jack Ball – hit105, Southern Cross Austereo
BEST PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR
Non-metro: Molly Perrett – bay 93.9 and K rock, Grant Broadcasters
Metro: Andy Procopis – KIIS and GOLD networks, Australian Radio Network
BEST PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Country: Angela Frino – 2QN and Edge FM, ACE Radio Broadcasters
Provincial: James Speed – K rock, Grant Broadcasters
Metro: Adrian Brine – FOX FM, Southern Cross Austereo
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Non-metro: Everybody’s Sister Connie Johnson – Kristen Henry, Mix 106.3 (Australian Radio Network/Southern Cross Austereo)
Metro: Danny Frawley with Hamish McLachlan – Hamish McLachlan and Danny Frawley, SEN 1116 (Pacific Star Network)
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION
Country: Andrew Andrews – Real FM, Super Radio Network
Provincial: Matthew Fulton – Hot Tomato, Hot Tomato
Metro: Jerimiah Busniak – Hit Network, Southern Cross Austereo
BEST MUSIC SPECIAL
Country: ‘Zoo FM turns 21’ – Melanni Heldon, Zoo FM (Super Radio Network)
Provincial: ‘A-Z of Forever Classics’ – Peter Davidson and Marc McCreadie, 2CA (Capital Radio Network)
Metro: ‘Paul McCartney ONE-ON-ONE with Amanda Keller’ – WSFM Content, Campaigns & Activations and Amanda Keller, WSFM (Australian Radio Network)
Syndication/production company: ‘Fleetwood Mac – Rumours’ – Barry Bissell, Jeff Jenkins and Andy Wells (Andy Wells Media)
BEST STATION SALES ACHIEVEMENT
Non-metro: 4SB sales, Resonate Regional Radio
Metro: 1116 SEN direct sales team, Pacific Star Network
BEST AGENCY SALESPERSON
Anne Sutherland – The Radio Sales Network, Grant Broadcasters
BEST DIRECT SALESPERSON
Country: Kristy Cooper – 2DU and Zoo FM, Super Radio Network
Provincial: Mandy Mills – Sea FM and Gold FM, Southern Cross Austereo
Metro: Duncan Fosdike – hit107 and Triple M, Southern Cross Austereo
BEST STATION PRODUCED COMMERCIAL – SINGLE
Country: Dela-Vee Hair Studio – Ray Adams, 3HA and Mixx FM (ACE Radio Broadcasters)
Provincial: Music Box – Anna Cook, Star 104.5 (NOVA Entertainment)
Metro: WAAPA Carousel – Aussie Moore, Mitch Mitchell and Carl Step, Mix 94.5 (Southern Cross Austereo)
BEST STATION PRODUCED COMMERCIAL – CAMPAIGN
Non-metro: Wyong Family Practice, Bad Ink – Cameron Horn and David Horspool, Sea FM (Southern Cross Austereo)
Metro: Pancake Parlour – Darren Collins and Chris Gates, FOX FM (Southern Cross Austereo)
BEST SALES PROMOTION
Country: ‘Lucky $5 Note’ – Jeanette Loring, 7BU (Grant Broadcasters)
Provincial: ‘Block Your Street’ – KOFM promotions team, KOFM (Southern Cross Austereo)
Metro: ‘Tradie-oke’ – Fifi Box, Brendan Fevola and Byron Cooke, FOX FM (Southern Cross Austereo)
BEST MULTIMEDIA EXECUTION – SALES
Non-metro: Mixx FM and Coles Colac store opening promotion – Nick Hay and Anne Sutherland, Mixx FM (ACE Radio Broadcasters)
Metro: ‘Quit with Haydo’, The Studio Adelaide – Triple M, Southern Cross Austereo
Metro: Kyle & Jackie O’s ‘You Get A Car’ – KIIS 1065 campaigns and activations, content, integration and sales; KIIS 106.5 (Australian Radio Network)
BEST MULTIMEDIA EXECUTION – STATION
Country: The Danihers vs The All Stars AFL Legends game – Leigh Ryan, Mandy Page, Triple M Riverina and Triple M Riverina MIA production team; Triple M Riverina and Triple M Riverina MIA (Southern Cross Austereo)
Provincial: Hit104.7 Skyfire 30 – Zak Davies, Ned Breward, Josh Torney, Matty Heap, Rod Cuddihy, Adam Jansen, Bethany Larsen, Taylor Hunt, Alexandra Carlon and Georgia Duck; hit104.7 (Australian Radio Network/Southern Cross Austereo)
Metro: #Yes2Love – Tim Arnold, Julia Foskey, Madaline Edye and Eleni Paneras; Hit Network (Southern Cross Austereo)
BEST STATION PROMOTION
Country: ‘The Big Sherrin’ – Triple M Riverina MIA promotions team, Triple M Riverina and Triple M Riverina MIA (Southern Cross Austereo)
Provincial: ‘Eviction Bus’ – Sea FM team, Sea FM (Southern Cross Austereo)
Metro: Nova’s Red Room Global Tour 2017 – Nova’s Red Room project team, Nova Network (NOVA Entertainment)
BEST COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT
Country: Walking Tall – Matty Stewart and Matt Monk, Coast FM (ACE Radio Broadcasters)
Provincial: i98FM’s Illawarra Convoy – i98FM convoy team, i98FM (WIN Network)
Metro: Radiothon – Katherine Tonkin, Peter Clay, Alex Martin, Polly-India Morcillo, Polly Goodchild and Vanessa Butcher; smoothfm (NOVA Entertainment)
BEST NEWCOMER OFF-AIR
Country: Alexandra Knock – 3YB and Coast FM, ACE Radio Broadcasters
Provincial: Nat Penfold – The Edge, Australian Radio Network
Metro: Pedro Cuccovillo Vitola – KIIS 1065, Australian Radio Network
BEST ORIGINAL PODCAST – UNBRANDED
Mum Says My Memoir is a Lie – Rosie Waterland, PodcastOne (Southern Cross Austereo)
BEST ORIGINAL PODCAST – BRANDED
Modern Babies – Genea and the Nova Entertainment podcast team, NOVA Entertainment
BEST RADIO SHOW PODCAST
Chrissie, Sam & Browny – Chrissie Swan, Sam Pang and Jonathan Brown; NOVA Entertainment
