BBC Social Affairs correspondent, Richard Bilton is the latest in a long line of well known BBC Local Radio alumni to host the seventh Frank Gillard Awards which celebrate the best of BBC Local Radio.
The coveted miniature busts of the founder of BBC Local Radio will be presented to the winners by BBC Director General, Mark Thompson.
Last year’s ‘Station of the Year’ award winner, BBC Radio Cumbria, has chosen this year’s venue – the Low Wood Hotel at Lake Windermere. The ceremony will take place on Thursday 28 September 2006.
There are 14 categories in this year’s Frank Gillard Awards:
Breakfast Programme
Programme Presenter
Coverage of a News Story
Interactive Programme
Reporter
Sports Coverage
Social Action Campaign
Radio Feature
Outside Broadcast
Diversity
Radio Promotion
Religious Programming
Station of the Year
Outstanding Contribution to BBC Local Radio
The 39 judges have been recruited from the ranks of active broadcasters and editors in local and national radio, along with major figures from the media and advisory bodies. Most of the judges have strong connections to BBC Local Radio.
Judges include:
Craig Doyle, Grandstand presenter
Sophie Raworth of BBC News
Carolyn Quinn, presenter of the Today programme on BBC Radio 4
Nina Nannar, ITN media and arts correspondent
Dotun Adebayo, Radio Five Live presenter
Mary Rhodes, Eleanor Oldroyd and Gordon Farquhar, BBC Sport broadcasters
John Bradford, Director of the Radio Academy
Ana Leddy, Head of RTE Radio 1 Diane Reid, from the Community Media Organisation.
Chris Van Schaick, Chairman of the Awards said: “In 2005 the Frank Gillard Awards attracted 262 entries from 41 radio stations and services. Over the last seven years, the awards ceremony has earned its place in our calendar. It’s proved to be a great opportunity to celebrate the best in BBC Local Radio and for our stations to learn from each other.”
All BBC Local Radio stations and services are invited to enter the awards, which are highly regarded within the radio industry. The awards are named in honour of the founder of BBC Local Radio in England, Frank Gillard, who died in 1998.
The deadline for entries is Friday 30th June. Entry forms for Frank Gillard Awards 2006 can be downloaded from the BBC website at http://england.gateway.bbc.co.uk/gillards.