4 weeks of ACRA’s Finalists Fever 2012 #8
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.
The Radio Today team think it's about time to shine a brighter spotlight on the best of the best.
See all the ACRA's fever so far here
Today in #8 we spotlight a Best Newcomer Off-Air, Simon Valentine from Star 104.5 and 2 nominee's for Best Music Personality, one Country and one Metro.
CRAIG HUGGINS
BEST MUSIC PRESENTER (M)
Gold 104.3, Melbourne VIC, Australian Radio Network
Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background.
This is my 12th nomination in this category, so my fingers are crossed!
I started on-air as a teenager at Melbourne's number one station 3XY going to school during the day and did mid-dawns each night, and weekend breakfast. Many people think I won the job, I didn't. I won a Junior DJ Contest; a 1 hour spot on 3XY. PD Greg Smith liked it, and offered me a trial job. After a year or so I decided I needed to get more experience and left heading to 3WM and then Radio 10 Brisbane, all the while I kept working at XY on holidays and weekends. I eventually went back to 3XY, then on to EON FM, 3MMM, KZFM and now Gold 104.3.
I've also done 'working holidays' at 3SH, 2XL, 6SE Radio 747, 3CV, 7QT, and a few others!
As well as currently doing 'mornings' on Gold 104.3 Melbourne, I have also been the 'arvos' jock on Cruise 1323 Adelaide for the past 7 years.
Describe your ACRA entry…
It's just normal me, an everyday bloke. We are a family friendly station so it's non-offensive, it hits the demo, it's got a bit of fun, a bit of music, and a genuine caller. It's 90 seconds of the 67,680 I've been on-air over the past 12 months.
What’s the best part of your job ?
I get to play music for a living. My job is everyone elses leisure activity. I love all sorts of music, not just the stuff I play. My iPod is very eclectic. I love current music as well as the great classic hits we play. I'm into Good Charlotte, Maroon 5, Panic!, Carly Rae Jepson, Wiz Khalifa, as well as The Eagles, The Sweet, Fleetwood Mac and so on… you get the idea.
Meeting stars, getting free movie tickets, and wearing concert T-Shirts and runners to work is a bonus too!
What are your key achievements over the past 12 months ?
I was part of an Aussie Rules Premiership team, I've always played footy.
On the radio front I guess it's an achievment in itself to be nominated two years in a row as Best Music Presenter. I try to imagine I'm hearing each song I play for the first time, even though it may be the 1000th. I consider GOLD104.3 a current contemporary station playing great songs. Over the past year it's also been great to have several No. 1 FM figures for my show, although I concentrate mainly on the demo.
You can’t make a speech on the night but let’s pretend you’ve won, here’s a chance to have your moment in the spotlight, go for it…
Radio's changed a lot over the years I've been in it. Listeners aren't content with just winning a new record, they need a car, or a house, or $100,000, but the thing that hasn't changed is the passion of the real radio guys, the ones who love the music, want to create great content, get annoyed when a fraction of dead-air happens, and get really excited when the perfect segue comes off. I can hear those passionate guys when I listen around.