THE BBC Radio Scotland football show, Sportsound, has been chosen a winner at arguably the most presitigious radio awards in the UK: the Sony Radio Academy Awards.
The programme – broadcast most days of the week, given the range of fixtures in Scottish senior football – took the gold medal in the Best Sports Programme category. In doing so, it beat off the challenge of talkSPORT’s The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast (silver) and BBC World Service Sport for BBC World Service (bronze). Also nominated were BBC Radio Merseyside’s Blue Remembered Thrills, Everton at Wembley and BBC Radio 5 live’s Sportsweek.
There was victory too for Inverness-based Moray Firth Radio, chosen the best radio station serving a population of up to 300,000. In the Station of the Year (serving a population in excess of one million) category, Real Radio Scotland was a nominee.
Meanwhile, BBC Radio Scotland’s news and current affairs team was nominated in the Best Breaking News category, for its reporting of the release of the Lockerbie Bomber. It was also nominated for the Best Drama prize.
Scot, Eddie Mair, took a silver in the Speech Radio Personality of the Year category, for his work on BBC Radio 4. Mair also took a silver in the Best Interview section, following an interview of John Hutton.
Says Tom Connor, Sportsound’s editor: “Sport is a very important part of BBC Radio Scotland’s content and Sportsound provides the staple diet of daily sporting events for enthusiasts, fans and those who just like to listen to the banter. I am delighted that the superb effort of the production team pulling together the daily coverage of Scotland’s sport, has been justly rewarded.”
In a survey, three-quarters of Scottish Premier League fans say the programme is their first stop for football news, with around 200,000 tuning in to the Saturday programme.
The BBC stations – BBC 6 Music and the Asian Network – both threatened with closure, each took gold medals.
The full list of winners:
Breakfast show of the year (ten million plus)
GOLD: Today – BBC Radio News for BBC Radio 4
SILVER: The 1Xtra Breakfast Show with Trevor Nelson & Gemma – BBC Radio 1Xtra
BRONZE: 5 live Breakfast – BBC Radio 5 live
NOMINEE: Kiss Breakfast with Rickie, Melvin & Charlie – Kiss 100
NOMINEE: Nick Ferrari at Breakfast – LBC 97.3
Breakfast show of the year (under ten million)
GOLD: Dixie & Gayle, The Real Breakfast Show – Real Radio Yorkshire
SILVER: Heart Breakfast with Tom, Lynsey & Jack – Heart Sussex
BRONZE: The Andrew Peach Show – BBC Radio Berkshire
NOMINEE: Breakfast with John & Jules – BBC Radio Kent
NOMINEE: Steve & Karen at Breakfast – Galaxy North East
Best music programme
GOLD: Dermot O’Leary Show – Ora Et Labora for BBC Radio 2
SILVER: The A-Z of Classic FM Music – Classic FM
BRONZE: The Radcliffe and Maconie Show – Smooth Operations (Productions) for BBC Radio 2
NOMINEE: In Tune – BBC Radio 3
NOMINEE: Lauren Laverne – BBC 6 Music/BBC Audio & Music for BBC 6 Music
Best specialist music programme
GOLD: Zane Lowe – BBC Radio 1
SILVER: Jools Holland – BBC Radio 2 Live Music for BBC Radio 2
BRONZE: Sounds Of The Sixties – BBC Radio 2
NOMINEE: Huw Stephens – BBC Radio 1
NOMINEE: World Routes – BBC Radio 3
Best entertainment programme
GOLD: The Capital Breakfast Show – 95.8 Capital FM
SILVER: Frank Skinner on Absolute Radio – Absolute Radio
BRONZE: Steve & Karen at Breakfast – Galaxy North East
NOMINEE: Heart Breakfast with Jamie & Harriet – Heart 106.2
NOMINEE: The Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show – Absolute Radio
Best speech programme
GOLD: Nihal on BBC Asian Network – BBC News for BBC Asian Network
SILVER: Nick Ferrari at Breakfast – LBC 97.3
BRONZE: Witness – BBC News & Current Affairs for BBC World Service
NOMINEE: Behind Bars – Prison Radio Association for Electric Radio Brixton
NOMINEE: Woman’s Hour – BBC General Factual for BBC Radio 4
Best sports programme
GOLD: Sportsound – BBC Radio Scotland Sports for BBC Radio Scotland
SILVER: The Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast – talkSPORT
BRONZE: World Football – BBC World Service Sport for BBC World Service
NOMINEE: Blue Remembered Thrills, Everton at Wembley – BBC Radio Merseyside
NOMINEE: Sportsweek – Front Page Media for BBC Radio 5 live
Best news and current affairs programme
GOLD: Newshour – BBC World Service News & Current Affairs for BBC World Service
SILVER: Victoria Derbyshire – BBC Radio 5 live
BRONZE: Today – BBC Radio News for BBC Radio 4
NOMINEE: PM – BBC Radio 4
NOMINEE: The Andrew Peach Show – BBC Radio Berkshire
Best breaking news coverage
GOLD: Alzheimer’s Tragedy – BBC Radio Current Affairs for BBC Radio Ulster
SILVER: Corus Teesside Mothballing – BBC Tees
BRONZE: The Peckham Fire – BBC London 94.9
NOMINEE: Cumbria Floods – BBC Radio Cumbria
NOMINEE: The Release of the Lockerbie Bomber – BBC Radio Scotland News & Current Affairs for BBC Radio Scotland
Best live event coverage
GOLD: Absolute Blur – TBI Media with Absolute Radio for Absolute Radio
SILVER: The Funeral of Harry Patch – BBC Radio Bristol & BBC Somerset
BRONZE: London Jazz Festival – BBC Radio 3, BBC Scotland, BBC Wales, Unique the production company & Somethin’ Else for BBC Radio 3
NOMINEE: Comic Relief: The Kilimanjaro Climb – BBC Radio 1
NOMINEE: Test Match Special: The Ashes – BBC Radio Sport for BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio 5 live & BBC Radio 4 LW
Best community programming
GOLD: The New Ballads of Reading Gaol – BBC Radio Berkshire & Company Paradiso for BBC Radio Berkshire
SILVER: Ali Booker’s Cancer Diaries – Oxfordshire’s 106 JACK fm
BRONZE: Behind Bars – Prison Radio Association for Electric Radio Brixton
NOMINEE: BBC Academy Great Ormond Street Hospital Audio Podcasts – BBC Connect & Create for Children First for Health
NOMINEE: Yvette’s Early Christmas – Beacon Radio (Black Country)
Best internet programme
GOLD: Hackney Podcast – HackneyPodcast.co.uk
SILVER: Answer Me This! – answermethispodcast.com
BRONZE: Media Talk – Guardian News & Media for guardian.co.uk
NOMINEE: Remembering Hillsborough – Real Radio North West for RealRadio.co.uk
NOMINEE: Richard Herring: As It Occurs To Me – Sky Potato, Avalon & Ben Walker for The British Comedy Guide Podcast
Music radio personality of the year
GOLD: Scott Mills – BBC Radio 1
SILVER: Chris Moyles – BBC Radio 1
BRONZE: Christian O’Connell – Absolute Radio for Absolute Radio & Absolute Classic Rock
NOMINEE: Lauren Laverne – BBC 6 Music/BBC Audio & Music for BBC 6 Music
NOMINEE: Mike Toolan & Chelsea Norris (Mike & Chelsea in the Morning) – Key 103 Manchester for Key 103
Music broadcaster of the year
GOLD: Zane Lowe – BBC Radio 1
SILVER: Mark Lamarr – BBC Radio 2
BRONZE: Huey Morgan – Wise Buddah Creative for BBC 6 Music & BBC Radio 2
NOMINEE: Loz Guest – Kerrang! Radio
NOMINEE: Steve Lamacq – BBC 6 Music/BBC Audio & Music for BBC 6 Music
Speech radio personality of the year
GOLD: Frances Finn – BBC Radio Nottingham
SILVER: Eddie Mair – BBC Radio 4
BRONZE: Nick Ferrari – LBC 97.3
NOMINEE: Adrian Durham – talkSPORT
NOMINEE: Jon Gaunt – SunTalk
Speech broadcaster of the year
GOLD: Sir David Attenborough – BBC Natural History Unit Radio for BBC Radio 4
SILVER: Victoria Derbyshire – BBC Radio 5 live
BRONZE: Nick Ferrari – LBC 97.3
NOMINEE: Andrew Peach – BBC Radio Berkshire
NOMINEE: Melvyn Bragg – BBC General Factual for BBC Radio 4
News journalist of the year
GOLD: Lyse Doucet – BBC World Service News & Current Affairs and BBC Newsgathering for BBC World Service
SILVER: Andover Sound News Team – Andover Sound
BRONZE: Real Radio North West News Team – Real Radio North West for Real Radio
NOMINEE: Ian Pannell – BBC Newsgathering for BBC Radio 4
NOMINEE: Nick Ferrari – LBC 97.3
Best specialist contributor
GOLD: Mark Kermode – BBC Radio 5 live
SILVER: Chris Skinner – BBC Radio Norfolk
BRONZE: Maxwell Hutchinson – BBC London 94.9
NOMINEE: Alan Dedicoat – BBC Radio 2
NOMINEE: Steve Levine – Magnum Opus Broadcasting Ltd for BBC Radio 2 & BBC 6 Music
Best interview
GOLD: Jenni Murray interviews Sharon Shoesmith – Woman’s Hour, BBC General Factual for BBC Radio 4
SILVER: Eddie Mair interviews John Hutton – PM Programme for BBC Radio 4
BRONZE: James O’Brien speaks to Frank Lampard – LBC 97.3
NOMINEE: Toby Foster interviews the Mayor of Doncaster – BBC Radio Sheffield
NOMINEE: Victoria Derbyshire interviews Peter Bacon – BBC Radio 5 live
Station programmer of the year
GOLD: Euan McMorrow – Radio City 96.7
NOMINEE: Ed Baxter – Resonance FM
NOMINEE: Paul Jackson – 95.8 Capital FM
Best use of branded content
GOLD: NME Radio for Skins Radio – NME Radio
SILVER: The Southern Comfort ‘Big Easy’ – Jazz FM Productions and UM London for Jazz FM
BRONZE: One Last Dream with Guitar Hero – Absolute Radio for Absolute Radio & Absolute Classic Rock
NOMINEE: Coca Cola – The Gift of Giving – 95.8 Capital FM
NOMINEE: NME Radio Topman Takeover Show – Carat Sponsorship for NME Radio
Best single promo/commercial
GOLD: Dear Stan – talkSPORT Creative for talkSPORT
SILVER: Tourism Ireland: Apology for Apology for Jedward – JWT London & 750 for Heart 106.2 fm, Magic 105.4 fm and Capital 95.8 fm
BRONZE: Capital’s Summer Time Ball, Boris Johnson – 95.8 Capital FM
NOMINEE: Bristol’s Big Give – Heart Bristol
NOMINEE: James Neale (for The Stop Smoking Service) – Maximum Productions for Pirate FM
Best promotional/advertising campaign
GOLD: Vote Joe – Real Radio Programmes for Real Radio North East
SILVER: MI6: A Century in the Shadows – BBC World Service Promotions for BBC World Service
BRONZE: BBC Radio 3: Composers of the Year – BBC Radio Cross Trails and Pure Tonic Media for BBC Radio 2 & BBC Radio 4
NOMINEE: Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball – I can’t get tickets – 95.8 Capital FM
NOMINEE: Save JACK – Oxfordshire’s 106 JACK fm
Best competition
GOLD: Who’s Calling Christian? – Absolute Radio
SILVER: Chain Gang: Paper, Scissors, Stone – BBC Radio 7
BRONZE: Battle Of The Boroughs – Heart 106.2
NOMINEE: Beacon Radio’s Midnight Drop – Beacon Radio (Black Country)
NOMINEE: Sunday Sinners on Absolute Radio – Absolute Radio
Best station imaging
GOLD: Oxfordshire’s 106 JACK fm
SILVER: Kiss 100
BRONZE: Absolute Radio
NOMINEE: BBC 6 Music
NOMINEE: Gold Network
Best music special
GOLD: Elvis By Bono – White Pebble Media / Ten Alps Radio for BBC Radio 4
SILVER: Angel of Harlem: The Billie Holiday Story – Document Productions for BBC Radio 2
BRONZE: The Woodstock 40th Anniversary – Ten Alps Radio for BBC Radio 2
NOMINEE: Liquid Assets: Tracing Handel’s Thousands – BBC Radio 3
NOMINEE: The Elbow Story – TBI Media with Absolute Radio for Absolute Radio
Best news special
GOLD: Crossing Continents: Chechnya – BBC Radio Current Affairs for BBC Radio 4
SILVER: The Return to Hillsborough – Real Radio North West News Team for Real Radio North West
BRONZE: Passport To Murder – BBC Birmingham for BBC Asian Network
NOMINEE: Hacked To Pieces – BBC Bristol for BBC Radio 4
NOMINEE: The Afghan Diaries: On The Front Line – Radio City 96.7
Best feature
GOLD: Archive on 4: Working for Margaret – Brook Lapping Productions for BBC Radio 4
SILVER: Kegworth 20 Years on – Trent FM Programming for Trent FM
BRONZE: Now Wash Your Hands – Loftus Audio for BBC Radio 4
NOMINEE: Child of the State – Above the Title for BBC Radio 4
NOMINEE: Six Minutes Past Three: Hillsborough Remembered – BBC Radio Merseyside
Best comedy
GOLD: Adam and Joe – BBC 6 Music/BBC Audio & Music for BBC 6 Music
SILVER: Mark Steel’s In Town – BBC Radio Comedy for BBC Radio 4
BRONZE: Bleak Expectations – BBC Radio Comedy for BBC Radio 4
NOMINEE: Down The Line – Credit Crunch Special – Down The Line Productions for BBC Radio 4
NOMINEE: News Quiz – BBC Radio Comedy for BBC Radio 4
Best drama
GOLD: People Snogging in Public Places – BBC Radio Drama for BBC Radio 3
SILVER: The Day that Lehman Died – BBC World Service Drama & Goldhawk Essential Production for BBC World Service
BRONZE: The Loop – BBC Radio Drama for BBC Radio 4
NOMINEE: Daniel and Mary – BBC Radio Scotland Drama for BBC Radio Scotland
NOMINEE: Restless – BBC Radio Drama for BBC Radio 4
Station of the year (up to 300,000)
GOLD: Moray Firth Radio (MFR)
NOMINEE: Andover Sound
NOMINEE: BBC Guernsey
Station of the year (300,000 – one million)
GOLD: BBC Radio Derby
NOMINEE: BBC Hereford & Worcester
NOMINEE: Oxfordshire’s 106 JACKfm
Station of the year (one million plus)
GOLD: Kiss 100
NOMINEE: BBC Radio Wales
NOMINEE: Real Radio Scotland
Digital station of the year
GOLD: Planet Rock
NOMINEE: Absolute Classic Rock
NOMINEE: BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
UK station of the year
GOLD: BBC Radio 5 live
NOMINEE: Absolute Radio
NOMINEE: talkSPORT
