4 weeks of ACRA’s Finalists Fever 2013 #12

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 still get involved by emailing us here.

With 5 more sleeps until the big night, today in #12 we feature a best documentary finalist, a best current affairs presenter from the Super Radio Network, and we start with 3 entries from Nova 106.9 in Brisbane, as told to us by their PD Jay Walkerden.

JAY WALKERDEN

MAROON RADIO – BEST DIGITAL RADIO FORMAT (SHORT TERM) (M)
NOVA'S OLD SKOOL – BEST MUSIC SPECIAL (M)
ASH: THE MUSICAL – BEST STATION PROMOTION (M)
Nova 106.9, Brisbane QLD, dmg radio australia

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background

I have been in radio for a long time (about 20 years) and have worked across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and the UK. I started out as a street team member, have been on-air across all shifts and have been a programmer for 10 years.

Here's the audio from these 3 entries :-

Maroon Radio – Sarah Fletcher, Luke McKew, Jay Walkerden & Scott Tonges
https://radiotoday.com.au/music/ACRAMAROON.mp3
or hear it here

Nova's Old Skool – Nova 106.9 Production Team
https://radiotoday.com.au/music/ACRAOLDSKOOL.mp3
or hear it here

Ash: The Musical – Nova 106.9 Product Team
https://radiotoday.com.au/music/ACRAASHMUSICAL.mp3
or hear it here

What’s the best part of your job?

Working with a bunch of people who I like and who share the same passion for coming up with great ideas and executing them flawlessly, or at least trying to.

What are your key achievements over the past 12 months ?

Ash the Musical, the world record for longest ever slip’n’slide and the fact that we have a lot of nominations for this year’s ACRA's across all facets of the radio station.

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

MERYL SWANSON

BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS PRESENTER (NM)
2HD, Newcastle NSW, Super Radio Network

Please outline your ACRA’s entry

The category is Best Current Affairs Presenter (non-metro) – the program is made in Newcastle at the 2HD studios and networked across the Super Network into Sydney via 2SM across much of NSW (including 2BH Broken Hill which reaches into South Australia) and QLD (north to Gympie). Many people also get the show via the net from right across the country and world. We get almost daily emails from someone listening in the most far flung place!

My entry covered one of the biggest issues in current affairs for the past twelve months, the asylum seekers. We sent audio of coverage and my opinion of the way this issue has been distorted to create fear and loathing amongst ordinary Australians. This is in contrast to our own history and character when we are a land of second chances and a fair go… I did take to task coverage of some of the tabloid newspapers and calling it for what it was – scare mongering and an easy target try to sell papers.

I feel privileged to be an ACRA Finalist for Best Current Affairs Presenter Non Metro for this issue and how we sought to provide balance, real information and give listeners a chance to air their feelings on it.

Here's the audio from Meryl's entry :-
https://radiotoday.com.au/music/ACRAMERYLSWANSON.mp3
or hear it here

What’s the best part of your job ?

The best part of my job is getting to talk with a broad range of Australians from Steve the Truckie to Tony Abbott the Prime Minister; from Leanne the Bus Driver to Barry Jones the Brain…each and every conversation is a part of how people are feeling and living their lives. I love the fact that radio brings that into people homes. People are excellent judges of character and have finely tuned BS radars – radio lets them hear it for themselves and make their own judgements, I love being able to bring that to people. Talk back also gives people doing real things a chance to tell others about their lives. Sometimes we get bogged down by the big stories when there are really great people out their living their lives making their communities tick and getting on with it…I love bringing this to the fore. I also love to have a laugh with people.

What are your key achievements over the past 12 months ?

Obviously being a finalist for an ACRA is a wonderful feeling. Also conducting some great interviews with people like Julian Assange (from the Ecuadorian Embassy whilst being tapped); Tony Abbott talking to me whilst driving a truck down the Pacific Hwy; Andre Rieu from his home in Maastrich.

Also being asked to be involved in some really great events and causes – helping raise awareness and money for victims of domestic abuse, disabled people and community groups – I love this stuff – it makes it worthwhile.

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 just like to thank my parents and my husband and my kids watching at home; kindergarten teacher, cat lotto and….(music plays and I’m unceremoniously led off stage by glamorous trophy presenter)

Seriously my family are tops and encourage me everyday to do my best, also my Producer Rebecca Purse is along with my husband my biggest fan. She is loyal, hardworking and smart – the golden trio in my opinion. The two of us alone produce four hours of live network talkback and current affairs five days a week – it's hard and we don't get paid enough! What more can I say!

Lastly thanks to all the people who tune in every day in their kitchens, sheds, cars and offices – they make the show what it is and we love them for it. Thank you it is an honour to be recognised by your peers and our peak industry body – to own an ACRA – woohoo…..cue music

TARA BEAUTYMAN

TITANIC 100th ANNIVERSARY
BEST DOCUMENTARY (M)
2UE, Sydney NSW, Fairfax Radio Network

Give us a quick snapshop of your radio background

I've been in the industry for nearly 8 years, 6 of them have been with 2UE working in Production. Previously I was volunteering in community radio stations and studying.

Please outline your ACRA entry

My ACRA entry this year was for the 100th Anniversary of the Titanic, commerating the survivors of the tragedy.

What are your key achievements over the past 12 months?

Being nominated for an ACRA is a pretty big highlight and striving to make great radio everyday is always an achievement.

You can's make a speech on the night but you can here. So let's pretend you won .. what would you say?

"O'Doyle Rules!" (Billy Madison fans know what I'm talking about!)

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.