The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA) has opened entries for the 2026 Community Broadcasting Awards, recognising excellence across Australia’s community radio sector.

The annual Awards, this year to be held in Geelong, celebrate the achievements of stations, programs and individuals who deliver innovative content, strong community engagement and vital local services to audiences nationwide.

The 2026 Awards have some changes and updates:
• Criteria for the Outstanding Presenter and Outstanding Presenter: News & Current Affairs categories have been revised to better capture the skills required of contemporary presenters.
• The Small Station of the Year category returns, recognising the significant contribution of stations operating with limited resources.
• Fundraising and Sponsorship are now recognised as separate categories.

The Awards provide a national platform to highlight everything from specialist music programming and grassroots journalism to community engagement initiatives and technical innovation.

Entries must relate to activities undertaken between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026 and require approval from a Station Manager or President prior to submission.

Full details, including category information and entry requirements, are available via the CBAA Conference website’s Awards page: https://conference.cbaa.org.au/awards.

Entries close at 11.59pm AEST on Monday 22 June 2026. Winners will be announced at the Community Broadcasting Awards ceremony, which takes place immediately following the CBAA Conference which this year is held in Geelong, Victoria from 22-24 October.

Image: James (Jim) Parish OAM receiving the Michael Law Award in 2025 recognising his outstanding and sustained contribution to community broadcasting – supplied.