Radio Today & RCS launch Station of the Year Awards, entries now open

UPDATE: You will now have until 11:59pm (AEDT) on Thursday, November 12 to submit your entry.

2020 may have been a stinker of a year, but Australia’s commercial radio stations rallied and continued to deliver content, music, news and entertainment for audiences across the country.

So to celebrate the achievements of commercial radio stations, and to finish the year on a high, Radio Today and RCS are launching the Station of the Year Awards.

There will be a winner crowned for Metro, Regional, Provincial, DAB+ and Internet Radio.

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, December 1. 

In recognition of the economic environment and the budget constraints facing many media companies this year, entry into the Station of the Year Awards will be free.

And entry is simple with lots of room for creativity and showcasing what your station does best.

Entrants will need to answer just one question regarding the station’s biggest achievements this year using a maximum of 500 words, and submit before entries close on November 12.

In addition, a 60-second audio pitch to the judges is required. This could be a monologue, performance, mock ad or snippets of your broadcast – whatever audio you think best showcases why your station is the Station of the Year.

Entries need to be submitted by a general manager or content director (or equivalent).

SUBMIT YOUR STATION OF THE YEAR AWARDS ENTRY HERE.

Radio Today editor Vivienne Kelly said she hoped this would be an opportunity for teams to come together, and remember all the positive things they’ve created, curated and crafted this year, despite all the challenges.

“This year has been tough for everyone, and with no ACRAs to celebrate the few bright spots of 2020, we thought it would be great to bring everyone together and remind them of the moments of fun, connection, entertainment and inspiration working in radio has provided,” she said.

“It’s also an opportunity to showcase the fantastic work radio stations and staffers did in the darker moments – from regional radio newsrooms throughout the bushfire crisis, to stations’ responses to COVID-19.

“We can’t wait to see the creative ways stations of all shapes and sizes pitch themselves.”

Keith Williams, RCS’ vice president for Asia Pacific said this is a chance for individual stations to stand out.

“I think it is important to have a benchmark of the best radio stations in Australia in 2020. Without this initiative from Radio Today, there would not be an award for the Metro, Provincial and Country radio stations.

“RCS works with almost every commercial radio station in Australia and this opportunity is for everyone to show their best. In a world of networks and networking, this opportunity is for individual stations to show their uniqueness and creativity.

“After what can only be described as a shocker year, RCS is proud to sponsor this idea and have some fun listening and deciding who are the Australian radio stations of the year.”

Radio Today advises potential applicants to highlight what makes their station unique, rather than focusing on high-rating syndicated shows or just the talent line-up.

The judging panel will include the Radio Today team as well as seasoned ex-programmers and radio executives no longer affiliated with a particular station.

SUBMIT YOUR STATION OF THE YEAR AWARDS ENTRY HERE.

Winners will be announced on Tuesday, December 1.