4MBS Classic FM recognised for broadcasting excellence at National Community Radio Music Awards

Winners of the 2017 National Community Broadcasting Awards have been announced, including those taking out music categories celebrating programs and initiatives that support world music, Indigenous artists, female sound artists and classical music.

The 2017 CBAA Community Radio award for Excellence in Music Programming was presented to Melbourne station 3CR’s program Sisters Akousmatica. A city-scale orchestra celebrating radio arts, auditory-spatial practice and the intersection of gender and emergent art forms, Sisters Akousmatica presented seven sound artists, over seven hours, in seven locations.

On 8 May 2016, sound artists Julia Drouhin and Pip Stafford began a slow-walking transmission journey around Melbourne’s Yarra River armed with 28 radios. Simultaneously, 3CR began a broadcast featuring seven female sound artists and pre-programmed content highlighting the contribution of women to sound technology.

Best New Radio Program – Music was awarded to Phoenix FM’s World Music Safari – Sounds From Other Lands, a two-hour program broadcast every Sunday and featuring everything from French vintage pop, to Congolese soukous, Cape Verdean morna, Ghanian Highlife, Colombian cumbia, Sami music, Mexican mariachi, devotional music from Pakistan and India, calypso worldwide and so much more.

This year’s Contribution to Australian Music was awarded to Noongar Radio’s Indigenous Beats, brought to listeners by Western Australian of the Year nominee Phil Walley-Stack and Marissa Pell. Showcasing vast local and national talent, the program includes live regular outside broadcasts and promotes less-heard-of gigs. It’s Perth’s only radio program showcasing 100% Indigenous talent.

This year, the prestigious Tony Staley Award for Excellence in Community Broadcasting went to 4MBS Classic FM. 4MBS Classic FM’s mission is to use the classics to “entertain, educate, engage and employ”. Focusing on supporting local musicians, the station is known for recording and broadcasting 100 concerts annually, including the 4MBS Festival of Classics, which has been ongoing for 24 years.

Australia’s largest classical music festival, it employs only Queensland musicians, and this year, housed 500 musicians in 28 concerts across 15 venues. There are over 350 volunteers involved in the station’s operation, covering a wide range of ages, backgrounds and skills, and all drawn together by their passion for classical music.

The CBAA’s Chief Executive Officer Jon Bisset said the awards are a fantastic insight into the incredible work happening in the community radio sector across the year.

“Community broadcasting is vital to the diversity, vitality and independence of Australia’s strong democracy, open society and vibrant culture and we are proud to support stations which broadcast to over 5.3 million people each week.”

“The CBAA Community Radio Awards are an inspiring showcase of the hard work, dedication and forward-thinking of the sector’s staff and volunteers and the calibre of entries in this year’s awards was immensely high. We congratulate all finalists and winners, as well as thanking the 100 judges who assessed them.”

A full list of winners is available below.

2017 CBAA Community Radio Award Winners

Michael Law Award – Ian Stanistreet (VIC)

Tony Staley Award – 4MBS Classic FM (QLD)

Outstanding Small Station Award – Radio 2RDJ-FM 88.1 FM (NSW)

Excellence in Community Participation – CHYFM (NSW)

Outstanding Volunteer Contribution – Rosemary Penn, Vision Australia Radio – 5RPH (SA)

Outstanding Youth Contribution – Dylan Storer, SYN Media (VIC)

Excellence in Digital Media – Just Words, 2SER (NSW)

Excellence in Training – Share the Load, Harvey Community Radio (WA) joint winner with PBS Access and Diversity Program, PBS 106.7FM (VIC)

Best New Radio Program (Talks) – The Alice Birth Project, 8CCC (NT)

Best New Radio Program (Music) – World Music Safari – Sounds From Other Lands, Phoenix FM (VIC)

Best Station Production – Great Minds, FBi Radio (NSW)

Contribution to Australian Music – Indigenous Beats, Noongar Radio (WA)

Excellence in Indigenous Engagement – Noongar Radio (WA)

Excellence in Ethnic and Multicultural Engagement – 3ZZZ (VIC)

Excellence in Music Programming – Sisters Akousmatica, 3CR (VIC)

Excellence in Spoken Word, News and Current Affairs Programming – Saturday Brisbane Line, 4ZZZ (QLD)

Best Station Promotion or Fundraising Campaign – Triple R 40th Birthday, Triple R (VIC)

Most Innovative Outside Broadcast or Special Event Broadcast – Twang 20^th Birthday, Triple R (VIC)

Troy Garner Excellence in Sports Programming – Chicks Talkin’ Footy, JOY 94.9 (VIC)

Excellence in Technical Services – Shaun Dennis, 8EAR Gove FM (NT)

National Features and Documentary Series – Kaarina Lindell, Triple R (VIC)