Nick Grimshaw gets first Sony nomination

New BBC Radio 1 breakfast show presenter Nick Grimshaw has been shortlisted for his first Sony Radio Academy Award in the 2013 nominations.

He’s up for an award in the Best Use of Multi-Platform category along side Radio 2’s Ken Bruce, Absolute Radio’s Christian O’Connell, Charlie Sloth from BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra, Lauren Laverne from 6 Music and Classic FM’s John Suchet.

Classic FM, Radio 5 live and BBC Asian Network contest UK Station of the Year as commercial radio dominates the Station of the Year nominations. Christian O’Connell wins three nominations and fights Chris Evans and KISS FM for Breakfast Gold.

Women also contest a record number of Awards with Lauren Laverne, Cerys Matthews, Victoria Derbyshire, Becky Milligan, Kate Lawler, Michelle Livesey and Suzy Klein nominated.

BBC Radio 5 live have 10 nominations, including the blue riband UK Station of the Year, which is also contested by the digital station BBC Asian Network, just two years after it was threatened with closure, and niche music station Classic FM. For Classic FM, last year’s ‘Special Award’ winner, 2013 brings further sweet music with five nominations, including the new award category UK Radio Brand of the Year.

The four top Station of the Year Awards see commercial radio dominating with a Station of the Year (under 300,000) tussle between KL.FM 96.7, National Prison Radio and Touch FM. Station of the Year (300,000 to 1 million) pits JACKfm Oxfordshire against BBC Tees and BBC Radio Humberside, while Fun Kids, Metro Radio and BBC Newcastle challenge for Station of the Year (1 million plus). UK Radio Brand of the Year is an all-commercial affair, between Classic FM, KISS and Smooth Radio UK. Best Station Imaging scores another nod for Classic FM, with tough competition coming from 106Jackfm (South Coast), BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music and the Capital FM network.

Prison Radio Association gets a nomination in Best Community Programming, one of which was made for and broadcast on BBC Radio 1Xtra. Real Radio North West and Free Radio (Birmingham) will be fighting to ensure that the top honours are theirs.

Breakfast Show of the Year (10 million plus) has nominations for old adversaries, Absolute Radio’s Christian O’Connell, Radio 2’s Chris Evans and reigning champions KISS’s Rickie, Melvin & Charlie, with strong challenges also coming from Radio 4’s Today Programme and BBC Radio 3’s Breakfast. Christian O’Connell’s Sony winning streak is impressive – could he be adding to his Sony trophy cabinet? He is the only presenter with three nominations, also challenging for Music Radio Personality of the Year and Best Use of Branded Content.

The nominations for Best Entertainment Programme offer an intriguing tussle between new faces in radio and seasoned operators. In the former camp there’s 1Xtra’s Charlie Sloth, Kerrang! Radio’s Kate Lawler and Radio 1’s Greg James and looking to take on last year’s Beryl and Betty’s winning ways are the sprightly Geoff Lloyd’s Hometime Show for Absolute Radio and The Danny Baker Show, BBC Radio 5 live.

The Best Music Programme sees two musicians taking on the ‘professional broadcasters’, with Jarvis Cocker for 6 Music and Absolute’s Ronnie Wood challenging multi-Sony winner Zane Lowe for Radio 1, Dermot O’Leary for Radio 2 and Lauren Laverne for 6 Music.

Proving that you can’t keep a good man down, Radio 5 live’s Danny Baker makes his point to ex-employee Radio London with two nominations, including Speech Broadcaster of the Year, but will he be trounced by Boris Johnson’s nemesis Eddie Mair for Radio 4, or will Radio 5 Live’s Nicky Campbell and Victoria Derbyshire triumph? Or will the World Service have the last word with Stephen Sackur?

Women make a strong challenge for the coveted Radio Journalism of the Year, with Radio 4’s Becky Milligan and Key 103’s Michelle Livesey, up against Jon Donnison for BBC Radio 4 and BBC World Service, Capital East Midlands News Team and the indomitable John Humphrys for BBC Radio 4.

The team list for Best Sports Programme shows that the Olympics was not the only game in town last year, as talkSPORT’s Keys and Gray get a chance to defend their title against BBC Radio 5 live’s Not Just Cricket, Rugby Nation for Nation Radio, Radio Pembrokeshire, Radio Carmathenshire, Bridge FM and Nation Hits!, BBC Radio York’s Mary and the Minstermen and 5 live Olympics with Peter Allen and Colin Murray for BBC Radio 5 live. Best Coverage of a Live Event sees sport dominate the nominations list with talkSPORT and Radio 5 live teams on the pitch, but Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend makes a strong argument for a music win.

Other nominations are for Jamie Cullum (Radio 2), Nick Ferrari (LBC 97.3), Cerys Matthews (6 Music), Johnnie Walker (Radio 2), Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie (6 Music).

This year’s judges include Sky News’s Kay Burley, presenters Janet Ellis, Sarah Greene and John Inverdale, journalist Miranda Sawyer, EMI’s Andrea Vidler and Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera. The judges are required to make their judgements based solely on the content of the entry submitted and not on any wider knowledge they may have.

John Myers, Chairman of the Sony’s organising committee, said: “In 2012 radio proved that it’s an audio visual medium, as it conjured vivid pictures from its stunning coverage of those once-in-a-lifetime events. This year’s nominations make me proud to be part of the UK radio industry; the sheer range of talent across stations of all shapes and sizes is inspiring. I’m particularly delighted to see many new faces appearing amongst the nominations as these will ensure the continued vibrancy of an industry we are all so passionate about.”

The 2013 Gold Award and Special Awards are in the gift of the Awards Committee and will be announced at the Ceremony on 13th May.