What's New August 31, 2016

ACRAs Finalists Fever – #2

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 ACRAs.

Just like we did last year, over the next few weeks, Radio Today will shine a spotlight on the best of the best.

The ACRAs Finalists Fever – counting down the days to the big event on October 8 by profiling the finalists across all categories. You can get involved by emailing us [email protected]

Today we feature, Jay and Dave, David Konsky and Don Plenty. Let’s Roll Out the Red Carpet….

BEST STATION PROMOTION

Jay & Dave’s Rude Awakening;Jay Shipston & Dave Peters, Sea FM, Mackay QLD, Southern Cross Austereo P

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background…

Jay: I started in Community Radio in 1996 at 997fm Brisbane. Worked for another community station (Switch FM) before going and doing Black Thunders at B105 for a couple of months. I moved to Melbourne and went to Melbourne Radio School. In 2004 i moved to Mackay and worked at Hot FM as a casual announcer and driver before landing the drive gig on Sea FM. After some breakfast changes i was moved into Breakfast and have been there since!

Dave: My best mate and I were DJ’ing in some of the bigger clubs together when we decided to get into community radio in Bankstown back in the 90’s. When he left to get a commercial gig, I ended up joining Hitz FM Sydney during their tests (which later turned into WILD FM Sydney…. I can lay claim to being their first announcer on air, mainly because everyone was still out partying – I ended up finishing at one of the clubs to go & do the breakfast shift there) and from there was fortunate to move to Inverell in Nth West NSW for my first commercial gig. After moving back to the club scene, I was lucky enough to get back into the game again and into stations such as Power FM Bega & Muswellbrook, Dubbo for a short stint, Alice Springs (was lucky enough to win an ACRA while there) and have been in Mackay now for 6 years.Tell us about your Entry…

Tell Us About your ACRA Entry….

Best Station Promotion, for “Jay & Dave’s Rude Awakening.” Dave was live in a suburb of Mackay with a Brass Band (Jay in the studio). Live to air, they surprised a teenager on the first day of school to help them wake up and get out of bed with the Brass Band playing in the background (with parent’s dobbing them in).

The promotion is now done at the start of every school term, including using a Bagpipe player, a megaphone, and the next one yet to be formally approved (but it’s pretty cool).

Jay: Rude Awakening was something we thought would fit our show perfectly. Dave was on the ground and i was in the studio LIVE ready to capture the moment on air for those at home. It was hilarious to hear, and backed up with a video for those to see how it all unfolded.

Dave: The plan from the outset was to give parents a helping hand. Teenagers are notoriously difficult to get out of bed in time for the first day of school, so it was almost like karma coming back to bite them on the arse! Kaylah was a good sport about it for the first day of the school year, and since then we have done the same thing each first day of term – in fact the 2nd recipient was woken with bagpipes…. He’s now being trained as one of our promo team, how cool is that!

Your speech, if you were able to make one…

Jay: Just thank our team, and the listeners who respond to our show and like to get involved. Kayla who was a good sport and to her parents who dobbed her in!

Dave: Parents first & foremost, for not telling to get a real job – they saw early on that music was more than just a hobby. Our listeners as well – we have come to call a lot of them friends. And the content team in Mackay. We may be small, but we punch above our weight…. Oh, and Rick Astley….. because he’s Rick Astley, and got involved with Rick Astley Day with us (think Empire Records)…..

BEST NETWORKED PROGRAM

Country Today Don Plenty, ACE Radio Broadcasters C

Your Career so far…

Started at 5AU Port Augusta in 1987 and have worked in a variety of roles in the industry including DJ, program manager, music director, copywriter and news journalist. Highlights include an 11 year stint in Adelaide at 5AD/Mix FM and 7 years in Dubai at channel 4/Coast FM. I currently work as a journalist for the ACE radio network based in Colac.

Tell Us About Your Entry…

‘Country Today’ has been nominated for best networked show and runs Mon to Fri on the ACE radio network. The show, which is aimed at farmers, features the latest agriculture news, finance and market reports along with interviews from journalists based at ACE stations across the network. Guests include politicians, CEO’s, industry experts, inventors and farmers from across the country. My entry is a reflection of the many topics covered by the ‘Country Today’ team on a daily basis.

Your speech… let rip.

I would like to thank all the ‘Country today’ team for helping to make the show a success – Lois Chislet and Liam Fitzgerald at 3YB in Warrnambool, Nick O’Connell at 3HA in Hamilton, Ben Williamson at 3WM in Horsham and Trent Rose at 3SH in Swan Hill.

What’s the Best Part of your job?

Knowing that a good interview can have a real impact on the lives of the many farming families who listen

BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION

David Konsky;2Day FM, Sydney NSW, Southern Cross Austereo M

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background…

2 mates from high school lured me into community radio and I got hooked. Completed a bachelor of business and put that to great use with a career in radio production. From working weeknights and weekends with the Triple M Footy Team, to commercial production, nights with Lowie (managed to mix Rammstein and Slapstick together in a night show), breakfast with Kyle & Jackie O, Imaging 2DAY to head of production for the hit network.

Tell us about your Entry…

Extremely fortunate to score two nominations this year – Best Music Special with Matt Nikolic & Dom Evans for the world famous rooftop series and best achievement in production.

Your Speech to the crowd…

Cheers to an amazing team and network who challenge each other, always strive for excellence, celebrate and showcase every achievement and that allow to me to do what I love with a blank canvas everyday. To my wife – no kid tonight, look out!