4 weeks of ACRA’s Finalists Fever 2013 #14

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've been counting down the days to the big event by profiling the finalists across all categories.

With only 2 more sleeps until the big night, today in #14 we feature a couple of station produced ads, a sales promotion from the Gold Coast, and we start by getting to know more about Nova 106.9's Music Director.

GEORGINA INGHAM-MYERS

BEST MUSIC DIRECTOR (M)
Nova 106.9, Brisbane QLD, dmg radio australia

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background

I did a post graduate diploma of Broadcasting (Radio/TV) at WAAPA (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts) in 2008. Partway through the course I got a job reading/writing news at Nova 93.7. After a few months I moved into announcing before moving back to Brisbane in 2009. I started work at Nova 106.9 on-air doing weekends/floating while also helping out Nova’s digital stations Koffee and Novanation. I then filled in as Nova’s Music Director for 6 months in 2011. In 2012 I worked at Brisbane’s 97.3FM as Music Director/mornings announcer before heading back to Nova Brisbane where I’ve been the permanent Music Director for just over a year.

Please outline your ACRA’s entry

I displayed our ratings success over the past year and how much support we give to Australian artists. Also the songs we’ve championed over the past year that went on to be hits such as Child – 360, Feel the Love – Rudimental, Bangarang – Skrillex, Little Talks – Of Monsters and Men, Swedish House Mafia – Don’t You Worry child, Icona Pop – I Love It, Ho Hey – The Lumineers, Flume – Holdin On, Bastille – Pompeii, Imagine Dragons – It’s time and Robert De Long – Global Concepts.

What’s the best part of your job?

Listening to lots of great tunes. It’s great discovering new music, giving it airplay and watching it become a hit!

What are your key achievements over the past 12 months?

I’d say I took over as Music Director pretty seamlessly. We’ve had some great ratings success. And on a personal note – being nominated for an ACRA!

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 like to thank all the people who’ve helped me get to where I am. Mum and Dad for their ongoing support and advice. Peter Holland and Jo McManus for taking a risk on a girl with a broad Queensland accent and accepting me into the course at WAAPA. Leigh Kuhlmann for letting me on the air. Ryan Rathbone, Nozz and Kate Casey for teaching me the skills I needed to be a Music Director. Barry Drinkwater for giving me a go. And lastly Jay Walkerden for putting up with me playing him songs really loudly, over and over again.

LUKE PARSONS

BEST SALES PROMOTION (M)
Gold FM's $10K Ball Drop
Gold FM, Gold Coast QLD, Southern Cross Austereo

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background

10 years in media, working with the product teams across TV and radio on the Gold Coast then moving to Brisbane where I am currently Head of Response and Activation.

Please outline your ACRA’s entry

10K Ball drop (basically a lot of golf balls dropping from a helicopter and the closest one wins – the trick was having all the winners on the green without getting a golf ball hit their head) and Give Me 5 for Kids (a great initiative to help the children’s hospital) ….

What’s the best part of your job ?

Being in the middle (integration) so you're not accountable for anything…Obviously if anyone that is reading this and has a future say in my career it’s a joke, the kind that’s not overly funny.

What are your key achievements over the past 12 months ?

Thinking that I beat my arch nemesis, the office coffee machine, then realising that instant coffee doesn’t work well as grinded coffee, then realising the coffee machine still wins!

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

I would like to thank my teachers for saying I would amount to nothing, this award proves you wrong….doesn’t it? Plus you are still working with people that aren’t even grown up and shout out incoherent things, and I am working with…..okay you got me there….

MATT LYGOE & THOM WOOD

BEST STATION PRODUCED COMMERCIAL – SINGLE (P) : Tiny Tuff Stuff Hobbies
BEST STATION PRODUCED COMMERCIAL – CAMPAIGN (P) : High Class Limousines
Star 104.5, Central Coast NSW, dmg radio australia

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio backgrounds

Thom: Being just two years young in the radio world, I guess I’m still a toddler. My background is traveling around the countryside playing tunes and clearing tables in restaurants. I now feel very blessed to have a career that allows me to use my creativity and grow!

Matt: 2 BOB FM (community) …. 2RE Taree (overnights announcer / commercial, imaging producer / dog’s body) … Wave FM, Wollongong (copy writer) …. i98FM, Wollongong (production manager / creative writer) …. Star 104.5 (Creative Director)

Please outline your ACRA’s entries

Thom: Getting a nod for Best ‘single’ and ‘campaign’ (produced in house) is just grouse! Yup. Said it. Naturally you think every gag you write is hilarious, but having it on a statue would be just swell.

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

What’s the best part of your job?

Thom: Getting giggles from reps as you present audio. Oh and results!

Matt: Working with Wood

What are your key achievements over the past 12 months?

Thom: (nerd alert!) Having a greater understanding of the brain ie: how it processes sound/ what tickles it/ and how to write to that.

Matt: Growing Wood.

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

Thom: Big ups to my mate and mentor Matt Lygoe for teaching me to ‘hone my skills’- General Manager Paul Moltzen for giving me endless opportunities and guidance for the future- And Anthony Zibara for his ongoing enthusiasm in producing the ever growing facebook.com/time with thom  *plug

Matt: Wood is good, thank you.

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

Good luck for Saturday night !!!