ACRAs 2019: All the highlights from the radio awards

Amanda Keller was in tears after winning the radio industry’s biggest award, just three months after she missed out on the Gold Logie.

Amanda Keller broke down in tears backstage after winning radio’s biggest award.

Keller and her WSFM breakfast co-host Brendan “Jonesy” Jones won the radio equivalent of the Gold Logie at Saturday night’s ACRAs (Australian Commercial Radio Awards).

The pair picked up the award for Best On-Air Team (FM) beating out Nova’s Kate, Tim and Marty, KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O, Fox FM’s Fifi, Fev and Byron, Nova’s Chrissie, Sam and Browny and Triple M’s Kennedy Molloy.

Winners are grinners.

It’s the third time the Keller and Jones have won the award since they started co-hosting the WSFM breakfast show since 2005.

Speaking to news.com.au after her tears had subsided, Keller said, “This just means the world to me. It’s an energy boost and it means we’re heading in the right direction.”

The duo, whose show is second in the Sydney FM breakfast ratings behind KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie O, recently announced they’ve extended their contracts with WSFM and will remain on the station beyond 2022.

“I’m so grateful that we’ve got another few years, but it’s funny, I don’t like knowing what I’m going to be doing,” Keller told news.com.au about their contract extension. “I don’t want to do anything else but I don’t like knowing I’m going to be doing, so it sits strangely with me.”

Keller’s big win at the ACRAs comes just three-and-a-half months after she missed out on the Gold Logie to comedian Tom Gleeson who ran a controversial “smear” campaign in the lead-up to the event.

Keller, who was arguably the sentimental favourite to win the Gold Logie, later told Andrew Denton on his Channel 7 show Interview that she was “unimpressed” with the Hard Quiz host’s acceptance speech.

“I wasn’t unimpressed that he won — I think I was a little unimpressed with the speech,” Keller said.

“There was a lack of graciousness. He wanted to make it a joke, and I get that … (But) I thought it was unfortunate that we were made to feel that we were needy or up ourselves for wanting it, or for thinking it mattered. I didn’t mind that I didn’t win — I’d been nominated before and didn’t win, that’s fine. This felt more personal this year.”

Amanda Keller and Brendan "Jonesy" Jones st the 31st Australian Commercial Radio Awards. Picture: Marc Grimwade/Getty Images

OTHER BIG WINNERS AT THE ACRAS

2GB’s Ben Fordham won Best Talk Presenter for the fifth time and 2GB morning presenter Ray Hadley was awarded Best Current Affairs Presenter, bringing his career tally of ACRAs to 33 across all categories.

The Best On-Air Team (Metro AM) was won by Afternoons with Erin Molan & Natalie Peters, the first female duo to host a news/talk show on 2GB and the first all-female team to win the award in ACRAs history.

Nova’s national drive show Kate, Tim & Marty won Best Networked Program and Best Syndicated Australian Program and Best Entertainment Presenter went to Triple M’s Lawrence Mooney.

This year’s Commercial Radio Hall of Fame inductee was the legendary Doug Mulray.

Andrew Denton, who worked with Mulray at Triple M, paid tribute to the broadcasting icon and said: “You broke the mould. In fact, you reinvented the idea of a mould. You single-handedly, as far as I could see, put commercial FM radio on the map. You were the first ever to take a commercial FM radio station to number one against the then dominant AM radio.”

Mulray accepted the honour via video and joked: “It’s nice to be included, to be inducted. I’ve never been inducted before, I hope it doesn’t hurt.”

Kate Ritchie and Tim Blackwell from NOVA Entertainment.

THE CHASER’S HILARIOUS OPENING MONOLOGUE

The Chaser comedians absolutely destroyed Kyle Sandilands during their hilarious opening monologue at the ACRAs (Australian Commercial Radio Awards).

Andrew Hansen and Chris Taylor hosted the event which was held on Saturday night in Brisbane.

Kyle and his KIIS FM co-host Jackie O weren’t at the ACRAs and it’s probably for the best given the number of gags that were hurled their way at the start of the show.

Not long into their opening speech, Taylor joked: “The Masked Singer, of course, has been a huge hit for Channel 10. Must be a lovely change for Jackie O to work on a show alongside an incredibly round, pink-faced monster.”

Andrew Hansen and Chris Taylor are hosting the awards. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

Kyle and Jackie O.

Hansen then referenced Kyle and Jackie O’s recent contract extension with KIIS FM which will see the pair earn more than $35,000 each for every single show between now and the end of 2024.

“They’ve just signed new contracts giving them each $8 million dollars a year,” Hansen said. “$8 million dollars. If you break that down, that works out as roughly $4 million dollars for every interesting, new thought that Kyle has per year.”

“I don’t know how many of you were at Kyle’s ‘Radio Alive’ session yesterday, but he said his two favourite things in the world are cars and masturbation: so he basically just loves emissions,” Taylor continued. “He’s Greta Thunberg’s worst nightmare.”

Kate Ritchie ready for the Radio Awards. Picture: Liam Kidston

Jonesy & Amanda ready for the Radio Awards.

Kyle and Jackie O weren’t the only ones who copped it from The Chaser comedians during their opening monologue.

Sydney’s 2Day FM was also on the receiving end of a brutal joke after the station recently sacked its sixth breakfast show in six years due to poor ratings.

“Another year, another axed 2Day FM breakfast show,” Taylor said. “Man, even racehorses get put down more humanely. And now, no-one wants the gig. Literally nobody! George Pell, Julian Assange — they’ve all said, ‘No, we’d rather stay in jail than do 2Day FM breakfast’.”

Triple M’s Hot Breakfast host Eddie McGuire, who didn’t attend the awards, was also the butt of a joke with Taylor saying, “Please don’t use the disabled toilets, they’re specifically reserved for Eddie McGuire to make fun of whichever disabled people he finds in there”.

Ed Kavalee, Ash London and Grant Denyer were recently dropped form the 2Day FM breakfast slot.

More than 900 radio professionals from around the country are attended the awards at Brisbane’s Royal International Convention Centre.

The full list of winners is below:

Please note: Category Finalists are denoted with the following letters:

C = Country - P = Provincial - NM = Non-Metropolitan - M = Metropolitan - S = Syndication/Production Company

BEST ON-AIR TEAM — METRO FM

Jonesy & Amanda; Brendan Jones & Amanda Keller, WSFM, Sydney NSW, Australian Radio Network M

BEST ON-AIR TEAM — METRO AM

Afternoons with Erin Molan & Natalie Peters; Erin Molan & Natalie Peters, 2GB, Sydney NSW, Macquarie Media Limited M

BEST ON-AIR TEAM COUNTRY & PROVINCIAL

Monkey in the Morning; Matt Monk, Lachi Rooke & Danielle Keilar, Coast FM, Warrnambool VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters C

Mike E & Emma; Michael Etheridge & Emma Chow, The Edge 96.1, Western Sydney NSW, Australian Radio Network P

BEST TALK PRESENTER

Sarah Boorer; 2BS, Bathurst NSW, Super Radio Network C

Tim Shaw; 2CC, Canberra ACT, Capital Radio Network P

Ben Fordham; 2GB, Sydney NSW, Macquarie Media Limited M

BEST NETWORKED PROGRAM

Country Today with Libby Price; Libby Price, ACE Radio Broadcasters C

Australia By Night with Stephen Cenatiempo; Stephen Cenatiempo, Southern Cross Austereo P

Kate, Tim & Marty; Kate Ritchie, Tim Blackwell & Marty Sheargold, NOVA Entertainment M

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS PRESENTER

Stephen Cenatiempo; Triple M Regional Network, Southern Cross Austereo NM

Ray Hadley; 2GB, Sydney NSW, Macquarie Media Limited M

BEST ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTER

Alo Baker; Hit93.5, Dubbo NSW, Southern Cross Austereo C

Jeremy Ryan; Triple M, Newcastle NSW, Southern Cross Austereo P

Lawrence Mooney; Triple M, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

BEST MUSIC PRESENTER

Gemma Maddox; Hit104.7, Canberra ACT, ARN/SCA NM

Kent “Smallzy” Small; Nova Network, NOVA Entertainment M

BEST SPORTS PRESENTER

Kate Meade; 3YB, Warrnambool VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters C

Tom King; K rock, Geelong VIC, Grant Broadcasters P

Peter Sterling; Triple M, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

BEST SYNDICATED AUSTRALIAN PROGRAM

Kate, Tim & Marty; Kate Richie, Tim Blackwell, Marty Sheargold & the Nova Entertainment Syndication Team, NOVA Entertainment

BEST STATION PRODUCED COMEDY SEGMENT

Brad’s Big Black Box; Brad Blissett, Power FM, Bega NSW, Grant Broadcasters C

Disclaimer Man; Luke Bradnam, Gold 92.5, Gold Coast QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P

Back to School Specials; Radio Chaser, Triple M, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

BEST DIGITAL RADIO FORMAT

Triple M Classic Rock Digital; Adam Williscroft, Southern Cross Austereo

BEST NEWCOMER ON-AIR

George Sargent; 2BS, Bathurst NSW, Super Radio Network C

Erin Ramsay; Star 104.5, Gosford NSW, NOVA Entertainment P

Rebecca Morse; Hit107, Adelaide SA, Southern Cross Austereo M

BRIAN WHITE AWARD FOR RADIO JOURNALISM

Katie Woolf; Mix 104.9, Darwin NT, Grant Broadcasters NM

Matthew Pantelis; FIVEaa, Adelaide SA, NOVA Entertainment M

BEST COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT

Tathra Radiothon; 2EC & Power FM, Bega NSW, Grant Broadcasters C

Stand Up To Domestic Violence; Bridget Daley & Spida Everitt, Gold 92.5, Broadbeach QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P

Kennedy Molloy’s trip to Yuendumu for Red Dust; Jane Kennedy, Mick Molloy, Chris Marsh & Whitney Plowman, Triple M,

Melbourne VIC, Southern Cross Austereo M

BEST RADIO SHOW PODCAST

The Jimmy & Nath Podcast; Jimmy Smith & Nath Roye, Hit100.9, Hobart TAS, Southern Cross Austereo NM

Ricky Gervais One-On-One with Christian O’Connell; The Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show, Gold 104.3, Melbourne VIC,

Australian Radio Network M

BEST ORIGINAL PODCAST — BRANDED

Focus On Ability; Nova Employment & the Nova Entertainment Podcast Team, NOVA Entertainment

BEST ORIGINAL PODCAST — UNBRANDED

Hamish & Andy; Hamish Blake & Andy Lee, PodcastOne Australia

BEST SPORTS EVENT COVERAGE

2018 AFL Grand Final Call; K rock Football Commentary Team, K rock, Geelong VIC, Grant Broadcasters NM

State of Origin Game II; Ray Hadley’s Continuous Call Team, 2GB, Sydney NSW, Macquarie Media Limited M

BEST DOCUMENTARY

David Collins — Goodbye, Farewell, Amen; David Collins, Tanya Wilks, Mark Brewer & David Dollin, Southern Cross Austereo NM

Jimmy Barnes R U OK Day; Triple M Content, Southern Cross Austereo M

BEST MUSIC SPECIAL

Alana and Robbie’s David Guetta Music Special; Alana McLean & Robbie Klitzing, Red FM, Regional WA, Redwave Media C

Jai Waetford Special; The Edge & Jimmy Manning, The Edge 96.1, Western Sydney NSW, Australian Radio Network P

Backstreet Boys Live in Las Vegas; Carrie Bickmore & Tommy Little, Melbourne VIC, Southern Cross Austereo M

BEST MULTIMEDIA EXECUTION — STATION

Hit104.7 Skyfire; Zak Davies, Tarryn Evans, Adam Jansen, Alexandra Carlon, Georgia Duck, Josh Torney, Ned Breward, Matt Heap,

Bethany Larsen, Gemma Maddox & Rod Cuddihy, Hit104.7, Canberra ACT, ARN/SCA NM

Fifi, Fev & Byron’s Real Slim Tradie; Fifi Box, Brendan Fevola & Byron Cooke, 101.9 The Fox, Melbourne VIC, Southern Cross

Austereo M

BEST MULTIMEDIA EXECUTION — SALES

Jesse & Juelz’ Busselton Jetty Swim; Grant Fletcher, Jesse Watkins, Juelz Jarry, Simone Butland & Amy Collett, Hit 95.7, Bunbury

WA, Southern Cross Austereo NM

Afterpay Presents Nova’s Red Room with Gang of Youths; Stephanie Loupelis, Claire Marshall, Aleksei Plinte, Lynette Churchill,

Danielle Kosoric, Briar-Louise Rose, Oriel Guthrie, Mitchell Jones, Amy Don, Tara Wyllie, Amanda Ong, Leesa Ogilvy, Brendan Taylor,

Tony Thomas & Jane Elliot, Nova 96.9, Sydney NSW, NOVA Entertainment M

BEST MARKETING CAMPAIGN

Sea FM Sing It Out; SCA Marketing, Sea FM, Gold Coast QLD, Southern Cross Austereo NM

Kennedy Molloy DUOS Version 2; Jane Kennedy, Mick Molloy & SCA Marketing, Triple M, Melbourne VIC, Southern Cross Austereo

M

BEST STATION PROMOTION

Stolzy & Damo’s Town Songs; Glenn Stolzenhein, Damien Leith & Sam Arenson, Power FM, Muswellbrook NSW, Grant

Broadcasters C

Mow The MMM’s; Jay Shipston, Dave Peters, Angela Julian & Annita Mckinnon, Triple M, Mackay QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P

Fitzy & Wippa’s Backyard Cricket Match at the PM’s House; The Fitzy & Wippa Backyard Cricket Team, Nova 96.9, Sydney NSW,

NOVA Entertainment M

BEST SALES PROMOTION

Tanya & Steve’s Mine OB; Triple M Newcastle Promotions Team, Triple M, Newcastle NSW, Southern Cross Austereo NM

Jonesy & Amanda’s Sydney Lunar Festival World Record Yum Cha; Brendan Jones, Amanda Keller & The WSFM Team, WSFM,

Sydney NSW, Australian Radio Network M

BEST SHOW PRODUCER — ENTERTAINMENT/MUSIC

Rhea Gillie - Fairsy’s Big Breakfast; LAFM, Launceston TAS, Grant Broadcasters, NM

Leon Sjogren - Fifi, Fev & Byron; 101.9 The Fox, Melbourne VIC, Southern Cross Austereo M

BEST SHOW PRODUCER — TALK/CURRENT AFFAIRS

Melissa Redman - Tasmania Talks with Brian Carlton; LAFM, Launceston TAS, Grant Broadcasters NM

Zac McLean - The Ben Fordham Show; 2GB, Sydney NSW, Macquarie Media Limited M

BEST PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Glenn Stolzenhein; Power FM & 2NM, Muswellbrook NSW, Grant Broadcasters C

Ryan Khay; TRFM, Traralgon VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters P

Georgie Page; smoothfm Network, NOVA Entertainment M

BEST MUSIC DIRECTOR

Mike Ormond-Birch; Sea FM, Devonport & Burnie TAS, Grant Broadcasters C

Andrew Very; Gold 92.5, Gold Coast QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P

Jack Ball; Hit105, Brisbane QLD, Southern Cross Austereo M

BEST PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR

Molly Perrett; K rock and bay 93.9, Geelong VIC, Grant Broadcasters NM

Melissa Ratchford; ARN Melbourne, VIC, Australian Radio Network M

BEST NEWS PRESENTER - METRO AM

Mel Usher; FIVEaa, Adelaide SA, NOVA Entertainment M

BEST NEWS PRESENTER - METRO FM

Ange Anderson; Nova 106.9, Brisbane QLD, NOVA Entertainment M

BEST NEWS PRESENTER COUNTRY & PROVINCIAL

Michael Prevedello; 2GN, Goulburn NSW, Capital Radio Network C

Renee Criddle: i98FM, Wollongong NSW, WIN Network P

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE

Project Typhoon - SCA Playout System Rollout; James Dearness, Cameron St Clair & the Project Typhoon Team, Sydney NSW,

Southern Cross Austereo

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION

Brendan Egan & Troy McInnes; Hitz 939, Bundaberg QLD, Grant Broadcasters C

Allison Rasmussen; Triple M, Townsville QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P

Jeff Nielsen; WSFM, Sydney NSW, Australian Radio Network M

BEST STATION PRODUCED COMMERCIAL — SINGLE

Macquarie Medi Spa “We’re for Blokes”; Janeen Hosemans, Daniel King, Nicolas Cook & Karla McDiarmid, 2BS & B-Rock, Bathurst

NSW, Super Radio Network C

Apple Song; Josh Robins, Nat Marshall & Ethan Kavanagh, Hit Southwest, Bunbury WA, Southern Cross Austereo P

Walk a Mile in My Boots; Demi Williams & Eddie Bye, Nova 91.9, Adelaide SA, NOVA Entertainment M

BEST STATION PRODUCED COMMERCIAL — CAMPAIGN

Brisbane Waters Private; Cameron Horn, David Horspool & Ally Kallis, Sea FM, Gosford NSW, Southern Cross Austereo NM

Speeding Ads; Garry Dean, Magnus Newman & Drew Barrett, Nova 93.7, Perth WA, NOVA Entertainment M

BEST AGENCY SALESPERSON

James Paton; 2GB, Sydney NSW, Macquarie Media Limited

BEST DIRECT SALESPERSON

Jim Walker-Broose; 2XL & SNOW FM, Cooma NSW, Capital Radio Network C

Termira Speer; i98FM, Wollongong NSW, WIN Network P

James Byron; 4BC, Brisbane QLD, Macquarie Media Limited M

BEST STATION SALES ACHIEVEMENT

3NE & Edge FM Sales Team; Wangaratta VIC, ACE Radio Broadcasters NM

Crocmedia Melbourne Direct Sales Team; 1116 SEN, Melbourne VIC, Pacific Star Network M

BEST NEWCOMER OFF-AIR

Leona Chan; 2QN & Edge FM, Deniliquin NSW, ACE Radio Broadcasters C

Anthony Badolato; The Edge 96.1, Western Sydney NSW, Australian Radio Network P

Will Porter; Triple M, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo