Further ACRA Award Finalists have been announced in the categories of Best Music Director, Brian White Memorial Award, Most Popular Station Manager, Best Station Sales Achievement, Engineering Excellence Award and a new category, Best Salesperson.

The new Best Salesperson category recognises an individual’s performance in sales and is open to metropolitan, provincial and country radio stations. The Brian White Memorial Award was named in honour of one of the industry’s most respected radio journalists and recognises excellence in this field.

Commercial Radio Australia CEO, Joan Warner, says: “It’s important we acknowledge and encourage outstanding radio journalism and the list of finalists in the category this year reflects the impressive wealth of talent working in metropolitan and regional stations throughout Australia.”

The last remaining category, Best New Australian Artist on Radio, will be announced later this month.

Organised by Commercial Radio Australia, on behalf of the radio industry, there are 28 award categories, which cover all areas of radio broadcasting including news, talk, sport, music and entertainment. Australia’s Commercial Radio Awards differ from television’s Logies, in that they are peer judged, with judging panels comprising industry members.

Winners of the 2004 Awards, the 16th annual event, will be announced at a gala ceremony to be held at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on 16 October. Master of Ceremonies for the night is Austereo’s Kyle Sandilands.

Warner says a feature of the Awards is the Hall of Fame, which acknowledges a lifelong commitment to the Australian radio industry and, last year, was bestowed on John Laws. Hall of Fame recipients are nominated by industry colleagues and decided by a high level judging committee.

The 2004 ACRAs will once again enjoy the sponsorship support of Arbitron, Nielsen Media Research, Australian Retirement Fund, RCS Sound Software, Comsyst and The Music Network.

BEST MUSIC DIRECTOR

Ryan Khay – 98.3 NOW FM, Supernetwork Radio C

Ben Hope – 1503 2BS Gold/B-Rock FM 99.3, Bathurst Broadcasters C

Nick Lowther – Real FM, Supernetwork Radio C

Drew Michel – Kiss 95.3, Mid-West Radio C

Damien Willoughby – 97.7 Snow FM, Capital Radio C

Steve Goode – 93.9 Bay FM, Grant Broadcasting P

Dan Veling – 95.5 K-Rock, Grant Broadcasting P

Jarrod Graetz – Sea FM 101.3, RG Capital Radio P

Glenn Mintern – 102.3 4TO FM, DMG Radio Australia P

Simon Mountain – 102.9 FM, Hot Tomato P

Shaun Gough – FOX FM, Austereo Network M

Russell Clarke – Mix 94.5, Austereo M

Dave Cameron – 2DAY FM, Austereo Network M

Andrew Very – B105 FM, Austereo M

Michael Price – Triple M Brisbane, Austereo M

Dan Bessant – Nova 96.9, DMG Radio Australia M

BRIAN WHITE MEMORIAL AWARD

Janice McGilchrist – 1503 2BS GOLD “Local Government Reform”, Bathurst Broadcasters C

Michelle Gardner – 2MG 1449 “The Abattoir Closure”, Supernetwork Radio C

Lois Chislet – 3YB 882, ACE Radio Broadcasters C

Greg Hendricks – C91.3 FM, WIN Corp P

Ian Crouch – 1143 2HD “Caves Beach Missionary Beheaded”, Supernetwork Radio P

Darren Cutrupi – Mix 106.3/FM 104.7 “Police in Crisis”, Canberra FM Radio P

Neil Mitchell – 1278 3AW “Morning Program”, Southern Cross Broadcasting M

Ahron Young – 1278 3AW “3AW News”, Southern Cross Broadcasting M

Justin Kelly – 2GB “Bali 2003/Welcome Home/Slim Dusty”, Macquarie Radio Network M

Leanne Lincoln – 2GB “Redfern Riots/Families at War/Shocking Crime”, Macquarie Radio Network M

BEST STATION SALES ACHIEVEMENT

4LM Mount Isa – DMG Radio Australia NM

KOFM Sales Team – KO FM 102.9, Austereo NM

NX FM Sales Team – NX FM 106.9, Austereo NM

Gold 104.3 – Australian Radio Network M

Mix 94.5 FM – Austereo M

4BC Sales Team – 4BC, Southern Cross Broadcasting M

2GB 2003 – 2GB, Macquarie Radio Network M

5AA Local Sales Team – 5AA, DMG Radio Australia M

BEST SALESPERSON

Karen Egan – 2NM Power FM, Grant Broadcasting NM

Tracey Davis – 4LM/102.5 Hot FM, DMG Radio Australia NM

Tracey Kol – 3YB/Coast FM, Ace Radio Broadcasters NM

Kirstin Bullen-Mann – 104.9 Star FM Albury, DMG Radio Australia NM

Angie Bonavia – SA FM, Austereo M

Vickie Allan – 4KQ, Australian Radio Network M

Nikki Rooke – 2DAY FM/Triple M, Austereo M

Justin Thompson – 1278 3AW, Southern Cross Broadcasting M

Julie Thorne – 5AA, DMG Radio Australia M

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD

Jason Davis – 1503 2BS Gold/B-Rock FM 99.3 “Production-Mate”, Bathurst Broadcasters

Matt Brown – Mix 94.5 FM/92.9 FM “Cable Pro”, Austereo

Austereo Engineering – Triple M Sydney/Triple M Melbourne “Triple M ‘Cyber Studio’ Program Sharing System”, Austereo

Bryan Amos and Jason Covacci – B105 FM “TOMP3”, Austereo

Max Healey and Alastair Reynolds – Southern Cross Syndication “Radio Monitoring”, Southern Cross Broadcasting

NOMINEES FOR MOST POPULAR STATION MANAGER

Ivan Scott – 107.3 MAX FM/2RE, Supernetwork Radio C

Phil Cole – 1503 2BS Gold, Bathurst Broadcasters, C

Peter Upton – 7BU, RG Capital Radio C

Keith Bellamy – 4LM/102.5 Hot FM, DMG Radio Australia C

Roger Dunn – 3HA/Mix FM, Ace Radio Broadcasters C

Mal Rock – 2MG/Real FM, Supernetwork Radio C

Brett Johnson – 6AM Radiowest Northam, DMG Radio Australia C

Belinda Johansson – 4ZR/Hot Fm Roma, DMG Radio Australia C

Peter Rossberg – 4HI/Hot FM Emerald, DMG Radio Australia C

Vin Dawes – 6NA/Hot FM Narrogin, DMG Radio Australia C

Leanne Hulm – Sun FM 96.9/Sun Mt Buller 93.7/3SR FM 95.3, R.G. Capital Radio C

Mike Toone – 92.7 Mix FM/Sea FM Sunshine Coast, RG Capital Radio P

Nick Scott – 92.5 Gold FM/Sea FM 90.9, RG Capital Radio P

Wendy Gee – Wave FM 96.5, Grant Broadcasting P

Alison Clark – 99.5 Sea FM Cairns, RG Capital Radio P

Steven Cox – 4AM/Hot FM Mareeba, DMG Radio Australia P

Ashley Myatt – 4CA/Hot FM Cairns, DMG Radio Australia P

Paul O’Connor – 4MK/Hot FM Mackay, DMG Radio Australia P

Neil McKinley – HOT FM Townsville, DMG Radio Australia P

Declan Kelly – 96 FM, Southern Cross Broadcasting M

Mandi Wicks – Nova 96.9, DMG Radio Australia M

radioinfo congratulates all finalists for getting this far and wishes all entrants good luck in the awards!