The 2025 National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters’ Council (NEMBC) conference, where multicultural broadcasters from across the country come together to strengthen, innovate, and shape the future of community media, wrapped up with a gala dinner where the NEMBC Awards winners were announced.
The nominees were reviewed by an independent assessment panel with one panelist saying, “It was not easy narrowing down the field — there are so many great people doing amazing work.”
The winners were:
- Youth Broadcaster of the year: Deema Jalloul (2MFM)
- Emerging Broadcaster: Mohan Dharmalingam (1CMS)
- Outstanding Women in Multicultural Media: Accent of Women Team (3CR)
- Excellence in Journalism & Storytelling: Hamdi Ali (3CR)
- Innovative Multicultural Program: Abeer Nafeh (2MFM)
- Community Impact: Pradeep Timalsina (1CMS)
- Ethnic Program of the Year: Rajeev Arora (3ZZZ)
- Multicultural Station of the Year: 2MFM Muslim Community Radio (main picture)
- Voices Through Time: Gina Agustin (Gippsland FM), Hannelore Luetjens (Gippsland FM), Mario Sammut OAM (Gippsland FM), Hanadi Alshelh (2MFM), Ena Lewis (3ZZZ), and Viet Tran (4EB).
Ena Lewis was one who received a Voices Through Time Honour. She has been convenor and broadcaster of the Dutch Program on 3ZZZ since its inception in 1987, 38 years ago.
Ena is pictured above with the CEO of the Community Broadcasting Foundation (CBF), Jo Curtin, at the awards. Jo and Ena have known each other two decades when both were at 3ZZZ with Jo saying:
“Her programs connect generations of Dutch Australians with their heritage, while her mentoring, community outreach, and resilience, broadcasting even after recent surgery, demonstrate her unwavering commitment to cultural preservation and storytelling.”