BBC local radio award nominations out

The shortlists for this year’s Gillard Awards have been released, with BBC Coventry and Warwickshire leading the field with a total of five nominations.

Thirteen awards in all will be handed out at the ceremony recognising the best of BBC Local Radio, which takes place next month.

We’re told more than 230 entries were received this year, with the hotly-contested Station of the Year for 2011 being a battle between BBC Radio Bristol, BBC Essex and BBC Newcastle on the shortlist.

The Programme Presenter award will be between Anne Diamond (BBC Radio Berkshire), Sally Naden (BBC Radio Lancashire) and Graham Mack (BBC Wiltshire) who was a Sony Gold winner for his breakfast show earlier this year.

The Breakfast show award meanwhile is between Coventry and Warwickshire, Kent and Stoke. BBC Coventry and Warwickshire is nominated five times in total, while Bristol and Kent have three nominations each.

The Gillards are named after Frank Gillard, the founder of BBC Local Radio and have been running since the year 2000. This year’s prizes will be handed out in Sheffield on 20th October by BBC Director of News Helen Boaden.

Here is the shortlist in full:

Breakfast Programme
Coventry and Warwickshire – Shane O’Connor
Kent – John Warnett and Clare McDonnell
Stoke – Peter Morgan

Programme Presenter
Berkshire – Anne Diamond
Lancashire – Sally Naden
Wiltshire – Graham Mack

Original Journalism
Bristol – Robin Markwell, political reporter
Sheffield – guns and gangs culture
York – original journalism across the output

Breaking News
Berkshire – Swinley forest fire
Kent – Pfizer closure
Merseyside – Ten days that shook The Kop

Journalist of the Year
Bristol – Robin Markwell
Derby – Chris Doidge, political reporter
Sheffield – James Vincent, political reporter

Impact
Coventry & Warwickshire – Beyond the Blitz
Manchester – Sex in the City – a fresh look at the world’s oldest profession
Shropshire – In Your Arms – the Royal Irish Regiment in Afghanistan

Best Mid-Morning
Coventry & Warwickshire – Annie Othen
Three Counties – Jonathan Vernon Smith
Tees – Neil Green

Community
Coventry and Warwickshire – Beyond the Blitz
Leicester – The Street Party
Newcastle – Metro – The Musical

Sports Coverage
Jersey – Rugby Union play off
Manchester – Rugby League coverage
Norfolk – Lotus
Northampton – Football play offs

Best Multi Media Treatment
Coventry and Warwickshire – 70 Stories for 70 Years
London – Tube Strike
WM – The Pope’s visit to Birmingham

Faith Programming
Derby
Hereford and Worcester
Lancashire

Radio Promotion Campaign
Essex – County Cricket
Lincolnshire – Tell a Friend
Tees – If you’re talking about it, we’re talking about it!

Station of the Year
Bristol
Essex
Newcastle