The 1995 Sony Radio Awards

Kim Diment reviews the 1995 Sony Award winners

"There's no doubt that the Sony's are the top awards Feature/Documentary category was the feature made in radio and people desperately want to win them. by BBC Radio Wales. 'The Fly' was "a surprising Everyone on the team was delighted by our Gold and delight, taking an original angle on a dull, even Silver Awards and- so were our listeners who wrote in repellent subject and bringing it vividly to life." It was to congratulate us". Roger Mosey, Editor of 'Today', a good year for BBC Wales who also won a News BBC Radio 4. and Current Affairs Gold award for their weekly "It was an unbelievable experience, I didn't walk on investigative programme, 'Eye on Wales' which had, stage to collect the Award - I floated. It was in the winning edition, "tackled head-on an ugly particularly gratifying to win because we'd made this outbreak of organised racism in South Wales." documentary with very few resources." Liam Radio 5 Live's success in its first year of O'Donoghue, Chief reporter, City FM/Radio City Gold broadcasting as a combined news and sports station was reflected in the Gold award for Response to a Two very different stations from opposite ends of News Event which covered the IRA cease-fire. In the radio spectrum celebrating their respective addition, the network's controller, Jenny Abramsky successes at the 1995 Sony Radio Awards. was the recipient of the Award. In the Described by the judges as "the most authoritative, opinion of the Academy the launch of this new agenda-setting programme available on British radio," national service represented the highest standards of Radio 4's 'Today' programme won a Gold in the professionalism. Speech-Based Breakfast Show category and a Silver Former hostage Terry Waite presented the for News and Current Affairs. Reporter of the Year Award to his cousin John Waite Winning the Documentary Gold award, Radio who reports on the BBC Radio 4 weekly series, 'Face City's programme about the Child Support Agency the Facts'. The judges felt his work stood as "a fine 'CSA: Making Daddy Pay' was, said the judges, "a example of the sort of investigative programme that shining example of the power of a documentary, if radio does so well." Radio's ability to examine networked we believe that it would have had an difficult subjects with tact and sensitivity was impact on Government thinking." demonstrated by BBC GMR's winning Topical The steadily-growing increase in the number of Debates entry. Their 'Talkback' edition on bullying entries submitted from independent production showed "excellent quality of preparation, the presenter companies was reflected in clutcha of Sony Awards in Mike West handled sympathetically and the 1995. All but Productions won the Magazine programme provided enlightening insight into verya Programme award with 'Out This Week' broadcast on common problem." BBC Radio 5 Live. Wise Buddha Music Radio's mix For the first time ever, the world's most famous of "intelligent music journalism" in 'Collins and cycle race, The Tour de France, reached British shores Maconie's Hit Parade' broadcast on BBC Radio 1FM and Southern FM's four-hour coverage of the won the Popular Music Programming category. gruelling race won the Sports Award. Two independent production companies were "It was gratifying" said the judges with their pipped at the post for the Popular Music Programme tongues firmly in their cheeks, " to present the which was won by BBC Radio Humberside for 'It Comedy Show Award to a team of young performers Was Thirty Years Ago', inspired by the Beatles' visit taking their first faltering steps on the showbusiness to Hull in 1964. Another cultural icon, Leonard ladder." With that, the ever-youthful team of BBC Cohen, was the subject of a series for BBC Radio Radio 4's perennially popular 'I'm Sorry Haven'tI A I FM which made "for an utterly compelling listen", Clue' leapt on stage to receive the Gold from June picking up the Gold for Arts/Music Feature. In the Whitfield and- it took some time to get them off category for Specialist Music , BBC Radio 3's 'Music again! of Madagascar' was adjudged "a masterpiece, using For the second year running, Liz Green of BBC all the elements that make radio most magical - Radio Leeds was named Local Broadcaster of the atmosphere, reportage and vivid journalism." Year. The judges praised her "animated style and Captivating the judges in the Short-Form natural warmth combined with her local knowledge."

1 0 1996 RAM LiSTENERS' GUM