What's New September 18, 2016

ACRAs Finalists Fever – #9

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, Jon & Maria and Georgie Page. 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 NETWORKED PROGRAM

The Morning Rush; Jon Vertigan, Maria Foundas & Richard Kew, ACE Radio Broadcasters C

Give us a quick snapshot of your radio background…

Jon – I Grew up with radio in my blood – my dad (John) was in the game for over 50 years, so I never really stood a chance! My career began in 1992. 3SH, 3WM, 3SR, 3TR, MIX101.1, MIX106.5, and COASTFM/3YB COAST FM (where for the past 12 years.)

Maria – I graduated from Swinburne Uni’s radio course back in 1993, to be employed at 5RM Berri as a copywriter/announcer for nearly 3 years. Leaving there for work in television creative and promotions, I made my return to radio 12 years later in 2007 at 5MU/Power FM. I have been working with Jon on the networked AM breakfast show The Morning Rush out of Warrnambool since June 2013.

Tell us about your Entry…

We are lucky enough to have two finalist entries this year. One for Best Networked Program for our breakfast show ‘The Morning Rush’. The show airs on 5 ACE Radio AM stations weekday mornings. We also have a ‘Best Station Produced Comedy’ entry for a piece we did about Jon’s son throwing a tantrum, to the tune of a Taylor Swift song.

Your speech, if you were able to make one…
Thanks to the ACE Network for allowing us to do what we love, and thanks also to our listeners who are great contributors to our program, and for allowing us into their homes/cars/lives each morning!

BEST SHOW PRODUCER – ENTERTAINMENT/MUSIC

Georgie Page;smoothfm Celebrity Weekends, smoothfm, NOVA Entertainment M

Tell us about you..

I started my career volunteering and then running the FOX FM Community Switch in Melbourne. I was desperate for a producing gig so worked with Hamish & Andy’s Almost Midday Show on Saturdays.

After a call from Craig Bruce, I moved to Adelaide to produce Breakfast at SAFM then to Sydney to work on The Kyle & Jackie O Show.

I’ve been at NOVA Entertainment since 2010, EPing National Nights before a move to Drive and Breakfast with Fitzy & Wippa and now I’ve been at smoothfm for almost two years.

Tell us about your Entry..

made sure to exhibit both key aspects of my job in my entry – producing our regular weekend talent Melissa Doyle, Richard Wilkins and David Campbell, as well as sourcing and producing our guest announcers. I’m really proud of some of the big names that I’ve secured exclusively on the station this year – like Elton John and Neil Diamond – so I made sure to highlight this. I also included some kind words from Mel Doyle, love you Mel!

What’s the best part of your job?

There’s lots I love about my job – I’m insanely passionate about the smooth brand so it’s such a joy coming to work every day on something I’m such a fan of (don’t even get me started on the music – I LOVE it).

My favourite part of my job is being able to work some of the biggest names in music – like Rod Stewart, Tom Jones and Beach Boy Mike Love – and create the best radio I can with them. I’m so proud to hear my work go to air every weekend.

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

I’d have to thank the fabulous producers who let me sit in on their shows, answer phones and learn from their brilliance at the start of my career – Mel Murphy, Sam Cavanagh, Brad Hulme and Kelly Warner…

A huge thanks to Paul Jackson, Peter Clay and the whole smooth team because they’re the best in the biz and I love working with them all…

And my husband who puts up with a LOT of off-key singing to smooth 24/7 at home. I like to think I’m Whitney… but he assures me I’m not