4 weeks of ACRA’s Finalists Fever 2013 #10

There are thousands of hard-working, dedicated and amazingly creative people throughout the radio industry – and every year a small fraction of those people make the short list as a finalist in the ACRA’s.

4 weeks of ACRA's Finalists Fever – where we count down the days to the big event on October 12 by profiling the finalists across all categories. You can get involved by emailing us here.

In #10 we feature an image producer from Nova Brisbane, Ellie Mobbs from 2Day FM who is a finalist for best music presenter, and we chat to someone who is a finalist in 7 categories this year !!!

ELLIE MOBBS

BEST MUSIC PRESENTER (M)
2Day FM, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background

16,000 hours of unpaid work, 480 Black Thunder crosses, 300 talk breaks into a new P!nk hit and 1 awkward stutter on the word country!!!! I started as a 16 year old who loved the idea of getting paid to play your favourite songs so I pestered the staff at FM 104.7 Canberra to let me have a go! Straight out of school I moved to Melbourne to attend Swinburne & studied the radio course, Jim Barbour is a legend!! My first fulltime gig was at Snowy Mountains 2XL doing afternoons then Snow FM doing breakfast (crap it was cold!!!). In 2007 I got a call from Craig Bruce asking me if I’d move to Perth. Next thing I’m on a plane bound for the west heading to work at 92.9 doing mornings! 2 and half years later I got the call up from DB to head back east and do my dream job – doing afternoons at 2Day FM Sydney. 4 and a half year later, I’m still here living that dream.

Please outline your ACRA’s entry

The audio I sent through showcased all sorts of my best breaks. They were emotional, fun, engaging and listener focus. DB wrote my letter and Craig Bruce also threw in his lovely 2 cents “Mobbsy is, in my opinion, the most natural sounding announcer on Top 40 radio in Australia right now. She combines a natural gift of break structure with an ability to sound completely authentic with her callers.” Thanks Bru!
https://radiotoday.com.au/music/ACRAEllieMobbs.mp3
or hear it here

What’s the best part of your job ?

I get to come into work, play my favourite music (I’m the biggest top 40 lover), get to give away amazing prizes, hang out with an awesome team and get to chat to fans. That’s one of the highlights, getting to chat to those passionate listeners and helping to brighten their day. I love helping out up and coming announcers and training people. Being able to pass on my craft is fantastic; after all being a music jock isn’t that easy. You try talking for 10 seconds passionately selling a song without crashing a vocal. If it were easy, we’d all do it!

What are your key achievements over the past 12 months ?

Being a part of the number 1 FM station in Sydney team is a huge achievement! I pinch myself every day I come in here because I work with the best radio team in the country. Personally I was so proud to win the Southern Cross Austereo Next Top Jock award tying with MC at Fox. To be recognised by the best programmers in the country like Craig Bruce, Dave Cameron, DB and Jamie Angel as one of our companies best jocks that I’m very proud of! Also to be a finalist at the ACRA’s is an honour, and to be the only female in my category extra proud to be doing it for the girls. It’s a girl’s turn to win this award this year!!!!

You can’t make a speech on the night but you can here. So let’s pretend you won…. what would you say…

Thanks to those who’ve helped me become the person I am today like DB and The Bru, and Jamie Angel I’m catching up to you! (He loves bringing up he’s won 6 ACRA’s and I have none).

BENNY HOPE

FINALIST IN 7 CATEGORIES
2BS / B-Rock, Bathurst NSW, Bathurst Broadcasters

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background

Started in community radio in Bathurst in 1992 at age 13. When I finished school I joined 2BS & B-Rock and did nights and production. 2001 I was moved to Breakfast and took on the role of Music Director for both stations. 2004 made a move to Star 105.9 Orange before spending 5 years in telecommunications. Rejoined B-Rock FM in March 2010 doing Breakfast and Content & Music Director Roles. Bathurst is a great place to live and work!

Please outline your ACRA’s entries

I have been lucky enough to be a finalist in seven categories this year. Best Music Presenter (C), Best Program Director (C), Best Music Director (C), Best On-Air Team (C), Best Sales Promotion (C) (two finalists) and Best Station Promotion (C). I’m proud of this achievement as I’m the type of person that rolls up the sleeves and gets stuck into my work. I relish the opportunity to work with such a talented and committed team here at Bathurst Broadcasters.

What’s the best part of your job ?

I love the grass roots level that we’re at in regional radio, especially Bathurst. In the morning we may be talking to V8 Supercar Legend Craig Lowndes, and in the afternoon we’re speaking to the local rural supplies advertiser regarding the change of his commercial copy to advertise dynamic lifter. Being part of the greater community is very rewarding. 

What are your key achievements over the past 12 months ?

In the past 12 months we’ve seen great response to our 2BS & B-Rock mobile apps we released and our growth with social media. We’ve managed to find our feet well with these. I’m also happy to say we successfully managed to integrate more sports into our programming, particularly local sport. We’re always very big with motorsport (of course being in Bathurst). I’m also proud of being able to turn a non-radio person into a well rounded and capable announcer on the air. I’m also particularly proud of our in-house weekly countdown program on B-Rock that is nearing its 100th episode.

You can’t make a speech on the night but you can here. So let’s pretend you won…. what would you say ? 

I’d have to thank the wonderful and committed team of Ron & Stephanie Camplin, the owners of Bathurst Broadcasters, who have an unwavering passion for the industry and they continually pass that down to everyone under the roof at 109 George St. I’d also like to thank the talented staff at 2BS / B-Rock who are sensational to work with. I like always say to my fellow workers, “Remember, you get to wear jeans to work everyday. There are worse jobs!”

JOSH BURTON

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION (M)
Nova 106.9, Brisbane QLD, dmg radio australia
 

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background

11 years ago started out in a Brisbane community station doing commercial production. Since then I’ve been production manager / imaging producer at K-Rock and Bay FM, involved in the launch of DMG’s digital station’s Novanation and Koffee, and worked on a bunch of show’s for the Nova network including Meshel, Tim and Marty, Ryan Monty and Wippa, and Meshel Ash and Kip with Luttsy.

Please outline your ACRA’s entry

A couple things I’ve done across the last 12 months while working on 2 shows… Ash Kip and Luttsy, and Meshel Tim and Marty.
https://radiotoday.com.au/music/ACRAJoshBurton.mp3
or hear it here

What’s the best part of your job ?

Setting my alarm for 4 o’clock every day… I guess the people I work with are ok too – a team that is creative and crazy enough to keep me sane, and fun enough to allow a game of daily double’s ping pong.

What are your key achievements over the past 12 months ?

Finishing and starting a new position while moving my wife, 2 kids, and dog interstate in a weekend. That’s an achievement right?

You can’t make a speech on the night but you can here. So let’s pretend you won…. what would you say?

Well I’d start by saying thanks to Ben Ryan for the daily inspiration, and opportunity to be part of the best production team in the country. Obviously he’s even sacrificed his nomination this year for me as well… what a guy! Also a big thanks to Ash, Kip, Luttsy, Mitch, Ange, and my crazy boss ‘The Bear’ Jay for putting up with me day in day out while doing this wild thing we call ‘Breakfast Radio’.

See all the ACRA's fever so far (and 2012's) here.

If you're a finalist in Metropolitan, Non-Metropolitan, Provincial or Country drop us a line and we'll shine the spotlight on you. Email Halesy here.