David Morrow OAM was posthumously awarded Best Sports Presenter Metro at last night’s ACRAs. Morrow’s wife Christine and daughters Emily and Lucy came backstage, shortly followed by Morrow’s Continuous Call Team colleagues, who won for their coverage of the 2023 NRL Grand Final.

In the resulting scrum of hugs and teasing comments, I accidentally turned my recording off.

Morrow’s family were understanding. We laughed and acknowledged David’s hands in proceedings and started a second one.

I’m so glad we did.

I’ve been thinking about Lucy Morrow’s reflections on her dad, which you can listen to in full below. She said:

“He’d never come home and speak about any of this (receiving awards). To be honest I didn’t even know that a lot of this existed.

He would come home and talk about a call, a listener, someone he’d met at a game. He never came home and talked about players.

He believed his listeners in the back shed in Walcha should have the same experience as a kid in the front row at Allianz.

He honestly came home and talked about someone who listened to him. He really did.”

Justy Rogers’ memories of her father Bob, who was last night deservedly inducted into the Hall of Fame were similar, in his devotion to his craft, listeners but most importantly his family.

Although Bob would ring Ray Hadley when he was nipping at his heels in the ratings, just to stir the pot. You can listen to that audio below too:

Externally the ACRAs look like radio celebrating ourselves, because that’s what you see in the headlines. But last night was also one to acknowledge the broadcasts, podcasts, activities, promotions and people that are actively supporting the communities they work in.

Nine Radio‘s 2GB, in Sydney, had a particularly big night with Breakfast Presenter Ben Fordham winning three individual awards, Best Talk Presenter, Best Current Affairs Presenter and Individual Talent of the Year.

What you won’t know is how much Ben deflected the attention to those who surround and support him, including Liam McGuire, who won Best Radio Show Producer as Ben’s EP, with Liam saying in his Radioinfo chat things of Ben that Ben wouldn’t say of himself.

When the Bondi attacks occurred on Saturday April 13, 2024, the Continuous Call Team were mid game call. Ben Fordham heard of the incident, phoned them, and headed into 2GB to be on hand to update listeners. The rest of the weekend the station and network worked around the clock, live, to be a port in the storm for not jut Sydneysiders but all of us who were shocked and devastated at the unfolding events.

That Saturday night Ray Hadley received a phone call from his longtime friend, and previous 2GB and 2CH owner, John Singleton asking if Ray knew anything about his daughter Dawn, who had been shopping in Bondi that afternoon.

Ray would tell John that Dawn had died.

The 2GB team won the Best News Event Coverage ACRA for this, but it has left all who were part of that weekend, and the aftermath, indelibly changed.

I felt that last night.

I also felt that for Jess Lodge, Melissa Downes and Adam Buncher who are behind the podcast Hannah’s Story, with Adam saying that he doesn’t think he will ever work on anything that affects him so profoundly again. And for Amelia Oberhardt, Joey Watson and their colleagues, for their respective (and exceptional) LiSTNR Secrets we Keep series.

Lest this seem dour I did also witness so much ACRA joy, as some finally received a trophy that has been a life dream, and certain promotions that have brought a sprinkle of fun, hope or Taylor Swift to their audiences were duly rewarded.

It’s been a big year. I too am filled with hope for the future of radio and podcasting.

Whether you won or were nominated, congratulations. I look forward to seeing you all again in 2025, plus plenty of new faces too.

All the winners here. And the winner’s speeches.

Jen Seyderhelm is a writer, editor and podcaster for Radioinfo

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