Top award for BBC Newcastle at Gillards

BBC Newcastle picked up the prestigious Station of the Year prize at this year’s Gillard BBC Local Radio awards.

Ed Doolan also got an Outstanding Contribution prize after more than 30 years in local radio in Birmingham – first with BRMB and then BBC WM since 1982.

BBC Newcastle was honoured after a busy year that included reporting of the Raoul Moat case as well as their community musical about the Metro light railway system.

In the news categories, Radio Sheffield’s James Vincent won journalist of the year, Radio York triumphed in original journalism and Radio Kent collected the breaking news award for their reporting on the closure of drug giant Pfizer’s research site, which resulted in the loss of around 2000 jobs.

Graham Mack won best programme presenter for BBC Wiltshire, while Radio Stoke’s Peter Morgan picked up the award for best breakfast programme and Jonathan Vernon Smith from BBC Three Counties topped the mid-morning category.

Other winners included Radio Manchester (sports), Radio Lancashire (faith) and BBC Lincolnshire (radio promotion campaign).

Toby Foster compered the ceremony last night with BBC News director Helen Boaden presenting the prizes.

Full list of winners:

Station of the Year
GOLD – Newcastle
SILVER – Essex
BRONZE – Bristol

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

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

Original Journalism
GOLD York – original journalism across the output
SILVER Bristol – Robin Markwell {political reporter}
BRONZE Sheffield – guns and gangs culture

Breaking News
GOLD Kent – Pfizer closure
SILVER Berkshire – Swinley Forest Fire
BRONZE Merseyside – Ten Days that Shook The Cop

Journalist of the Year
GOLD Sheffield – James Vincent {political reporter}
SILVER Bristol – Robin Markwell {political reporter}
BRONZE Derby – Chris Doidge {political reporter}

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

Best Mid-Morning
GOLD Three Counties: Jonathan Vernon Smith
SILVER Tees: Neil Green
BRONZE Coventry & Warwickshire: Annie Othen

Community
GOLD Coventry and Warwickshire – ‘Beyond the Blitz’
SILVER Newcastle – ‘Metro – The Musical’
BRONZE Leicester – ‘The Street Party’

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

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

Faith Programming
GOLD Lancashire
SILVER Derby
BRONZE Hereford and Worcester

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

Outstanding Contribution
Ed Doolan, BBC WM