For the first time, the Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards will be open for non-RadioCentre members to compete.
Until recently, most commercial stations and groups were members of RadioCentre but in the last few years a small amount of groups have left the organisation making them unable to submit entries.
Now groups including UKRD, UTV and Anglian Radio Group can submit applications making it a competition for the whole of commercial radio.
Bosses at UTV Media, owners of stations including talkSPORT, Swansea Sound and Wish FM have told RadioToday they welcome the move and will be looking at the entry criteria, as have Anglian Radio. However, UKRD stations will not be taking part.
For the first time this year an entry fee of £45 per submission will be payable for members, whilst non-members will be charged £85.
There are a total of 24 categories celebrating achievement across the whole spectrum of commercial radio, including a new award launched for 2014, Unsung Hero.
The Unsung Hero award aims to recognise the myriad skills, experience and importance of many ‘unsung’ heroes who go above and beyond their day job to make an outstanding contribution to the success of their station(s).
Linda Smith, Interim Chief Executive of RadioCentre said: “The Arqiva Awards will be opened up to non-members for the first time making our awards truly representative of the whole industry and we look forward to seeing increased competition and an even bigger entries bag.”
Lisa Kerr, who has worked in commercial radio for more than twenty years and is an award-winning presenter and producer in her own right, has been reappointed as Chair of Judges.
Kerr commented: “I’m thrilled to be Chair of Judges for the Arqiva Commercial Radio Awards for a second year. The awards celebrate a vast array of content from the smallest radio station to the largest, as well as recognising a huge pool of talent, which makes our industry so loved by listeners and valuable to advertisers.”
Breakthrough UK Artist of the Year and the Most Played UK Artist on Commercial Radio will once again be sponsored by PPL, RCS sponsor the Programmer of the Year, with the Local Sales Team of the Year sponsored by NRS Media.
The closing date for entries is Friday March 7th, with nominations announced in early May and the awards ceremony taking place in London on July 3rd at the Westminster Bridge Park Plaza.
More information on the awards and how to enter can be found at commercialradioawards.org
Categories for 2014
People Awards
Presenter of the Year (under 2 Million TSA)
Presenter of the Year (over 2 Million TSA)
Programmer of the Year (sponsored by RCS)
Unsung Hero of the Year
Journalist of the Year (Ali Booker Memorial Award)
Station Awards
Station of the Year (<500,000 TSA)
Station of the Year (500,000 to 2M TSA)
Station of the Year (2 Million + TSA)
Programming Awards
Breakfast Show of the Year (under 2 Million TSA)
Breakfast Show of the Year (over 2 Million TSA)
Feature(s) of the Year
Single Programme or Broadcast of the Year
Specialist Programme of the Year
Social Action Initiative
Station Imaging Award
News Coverage of the Year
Sales and Marketing Awards
Marketing Award
Local Sales Team of the Year (sponsored by NRS Media)
National Sales Award
Radio Station Event of the Year
Advertiser Awards
Advertiser of the Year
Media Agency of the Year
Music Industry Awards
PPL Breakthrough UK Artist of the Year
PPL Most Played UK Artist on Commercial Radio
Posted on Tuesday, January 28th, 2014 at 9:07 am by RadioToday UK