ACRAs Finalists Fever – #8

Staff Writer

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.

Today we feature, Brebdan EganEmmaline Gallagher and Natali Brabant.  Let’s Roll Out the Red Carpet….

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] 

 

BEST ACHIEVMENT IN PRODUCTION

Troy McInnes & Brendan Egan;Zinc 96, Gympie QLD, Grant Broadcasters C

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background…

 

I got a start in Radio when I was 13, working for Hitz 939 in Bundaberg as a Panel Op and Production Assistant. From there i ended up doing nights, afternoons, mornings and then finally breakfast. I also had the pleasure to be the Music Director and Production / Imaging Manager. In the last couple of years i have moved on to a network role as the Queensland Imaging Manager for the Grant Broadcasters Network. Working along side Troy McInnes it has been extremely rewarding to help shape the sound of all of our QLD stations.

Tell us about your Entry…

Our entry sums up the Queensland Imaging Team to a tee, it shows the variety of what we get up to on any given week. The ideas that constantly come through and the fun and creativity that we are allowed to have with all of the script makes our job so much more exciting.

Your speech, if you were able to make one…
Production is such a fun and creative field and it attracts so many talented and inspirational people to it, to even be considered a finalist let alone winning is a dream. The fact that we get to sit in a chair and have fun all day creating sound that shapes the direction and perception of our radio stations makes this the best job in the world without feeling like one. Congratulations to all the finalists and everyone that put in an entry because that is were it all starts, if you keep entering you will still have a chance to one day walk away with a win.

 

BEST NEWCOMER OFF-AIR

Emmaline Gallagher; Hot 91.1, Maroochydore QLD, Grant Broadcasters P

Tell us about your Entry…

 

I’ve been a familiar face in Sunshine Coast’s Hot91/Zinc96 resource centre building for many years now.

But if that’s true, I’m not a newcomer at all…  

It IS true. Before I gained employment with the Grant Broadcasters Maroochydore creative hub, I was their coffee lady.  

Twice a day, 5 days a week I’d drive the bright yellow VW Transporter into the carpark here at Hot 91/Zinc 96. 

I’d peddle the caffeine, while looking on and dreaming of a satisfying career in radio. An outlet for my creative talents. A team of like-minded creative thinkers. 

One day I said to Selina, the Creative Manager, ‘I really want to work here.’

Literally THE NEXT DAY, Selina received an unexpected resignation letter from a member of the creative team. 

It was like an omen. I was just meant to be here!

Since then, I’ve delighted in being a member of our team. I love the fast-paced environment, I love the creative ideas, the words, the sounds, the craft.

I love getting a new brief, pulling it apart, asking ‘What? Why? Who? How?’ and piecing together a commercial that gets real results for our clients. 

I love working in radio, and I especially love that we are keeping up with the times; transcending and embracing new technologies.

Radio is an amazing dissemination and communication tool, live and local… because of this, it stands to reason that radio and modern technologies – in particular social media platforms such as Facebook etc – can grow and evolve together.

 

You get it, so let rip with the speach,,,

Finally, a big THANK YOU to Selina for taking a chance and employing me (she once told me that in hindsight, I was ‘the best hiring decision she’s made’),  my team in Creative Maroochydore,
And our Production team as well (I’ll be CRASHing their party soon, as I’ve recently requested to put in a few hours a week learning the production side of the radio-commercial-making coin)
my Mum, sister and my partner *sob* you guys are my rocks! And thanks ACRA for giving me the opportunity to make this speech/write this bio. 

It feels amazing to be recognised for hard work and commitment, both of which I’ve signed up for wholeheartedly in this fantastic industry.

Bring it on, my next year in radio!!  

BEST PROMOTIONS DIRECTOR

Natali Brabant; KIIS1065, Sydney NSW, Australian Radio Network M

How did you get your break..

I started out doing a Law degree at Macquarie University, ‘Legally blonde’ was my nickname and I was always the one wearing pink in a sea of grey sweaters!
After a couple of years I realised I’d never be one to have the 9 to 5 desk job, rather wanted to do something where I could come to work, do something different each day, and love what I do.
I finished a Bachelor of Media Journalism, and so sparked my passion for radio. I became the promo chick handing out the free CDs on the street team at 2DayFM, and put my hand up to do anything and everything, until I got a job as a Tactics Co-ordinator. From there I worked my way up to becoming a Campaigns Manager on the Kyle & Jackie O Show, and have now been with the show for nearly eight years, after making the move from 2DayFM to KIIS 1065.

 

Tell us about your Entry…

My vision as Campaigns Manager is to make each campaign different, bigger and better than the last. I wanted to put my hand up for “Best Promotions Director” because I love what I do, and I wanted the chance to celebrate it. I love creating more than just radio promotions, rather unique moments that stand out and get everyone talking. Passion is key and I endeavor to infiltrate this passion into everything I do, anything from pulling together a media first execution, to driving an outcome for a tricky brief, down to setting aside my phobias and fears to ensure the snakes and cockroaches are in place for the celebrity stunt. I thrive on asking “what’s next” and “what more”?

What are the 3 promotions you’re most proud of from the last 12 months ?

1. Kyle and Jackie O’s Cash Rules – A media first in collaboration with My Kitchen Rules, where over 10,000 listeners stepped up to a giant plate and shared in $50K, as a ball of cash mechanically rained money down on them.
2. Kyle and Jackie O’s Bieber Island Outside Broadcast – Kyle and Jackie O broadcast live from Cockatoo Island. Listeners won their way in (the competition line went into meltdown with 1.7million calls) and I got to say hey to Bieber.
3. Kyle and Jackie O’s Haunted House – last year we secured a partnership with the Sydney Royal Easter Show, and as part this launched a Kyle and Jackie O branded Haunted house that was the talk of the Show. Due to popular demand it is coming back for Halloween, and will be back again at the 2017 Easter Show.

Your Speech to the crowd…

Every promotion we create and execute on KIIS creates talk. With the scale of each execution and the huge reach, we create ‘moments’ ensuring the KIIS brand remains at the top of its game. KIIS 1065’s success is a testament to a passionate and extremely hard working team. I feel privileged to work alongside such a great group of people, people I consider not only respected colleagues, but family. There are so many people I’d like to thank (don’t wrap me up) but I wouldn’t be here without Kyle, Jackie and DB. Kyle is just a big teddy bear, Jackie is probably one of the smartest people I know, and DB, well he is a force to be reckoned with, oh and Intern Pete (well what can I say, gotta love the Intern)! From the bottom of my heart I’d also like to thank my Campaigns team… Toohey, Char, Drezza, Dee, Aish, Maree, Grassy, Sammy, Kitty, Claire, Netty and Tash! They make coming to work each day so fun and I couldn’t imagine life without them.

Oh… and my MUM (love you mum).

 

Are You an ACRAs Finalist?

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 Blair  here.

 

 

 
 
 

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