Oh what a night: Stories from the ACRAs. Part 2

It’s now almost three years since our radio industry lost a truly remarkable broadcaster in Glenn Daniel.

The former Smooth FM Sydney Breakfast co-host and News Director at NOVA Entertainment died not long after his 60^th birthday celebrations in 2021, sending shockwaves through the industry.

But his legacy lives on at the ACRAs, with the Glenn Daniel Award for Best FM News Presenter (Metro) won for the second straight year by Patrina Jones from The Christian O’Connell Show on Melbourne’s Gold 104.3.

Speaking to Radio Today after accepting the award, Patrina paid tribute to Glenn, describing him as an incredible human being.

“Glenn hired me to go back to ARN and I’m so grateful for that,” she says. “I’m one of few from that special group for whom Glenn had an influence over our career. I’ll never forget that. It almost feels like a heavenly intervention.”

“Glenn was one of those mentors who made you want to do the job and made you want to be better, and also one of those people that – when he was in the newsroom – just picked things up, just made it feel like a better place. He gave so much to the industry.”

Also notching up back-to-back ACRAs for ARN was the WSFM Breakfast team of Amanda Keller and Brendan ‘Jonesy’ Jones again claiming the crown as Best On Air Team (Metro).

Off stage, Amanda talked about the challenges of Breakfast radio, the dynamic with her on-air colleague Jonesy … and the importance of knowing when not to push each other’s buttons

“We’re an interesting mix, because I’ve got bruises all over the surface which Brendan can press at any given moment. Some days I think it’s funny when he does and some days I take it very personally, because at six in the morning, it’s hard … you don’t have your armour on.”

“Sometimes I say (to him) ‘Don’t poke a spider and be surprised when I act like a spider.’”

Amanda and Jonesy were overjoyed to see Ugly Phil O’Neil awarded the ACRA Best Music Host (Metro), an honour they say is thoroughly deserved.

“Ugly Phil … he is a machine,” says Jonesy. “The guy is a big deal, and the fact he works at our station just makes me happy.”

News of another great industry loss came earlier this year, with the passing of the legendary Bob Rogers, who was posthumously inducted into the Commercial Radio Hall of Fame.

Rogers’ family expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the recognition. “This award is a welcome acknowledgment of the genuine passion Bob had for the medium of radio and for his audiences. We knew he couldn’t survive even a week away from his natural ‘home’ behind the microphone,” said his daughter Justy Rogers.

Veteran broadcaster Ray Hadley says Bob was a dear friend and colleague, held in enormously high regard.

“There was a sense of well-being at 2GB and 2CH when he was there,” he says.

“The young ones respected the fact that an icon was in the building. I respected that fact – having encountered him at 2UE when I was a young bloke.”

As radio colleagues, Hadley remembers “We used to have great fun together, taking the mickey out of each other and carrying on.”

“For all his commercial success, he was just completely and utterly unaffected, which is a lesson for all of us who work in the media.”

“Bob was as big as anyone could be in radio.”

The Gudinski Award for Australia’s Music Champion was won by Triple M’s Home Grown with Matty O, but as far as host Matthew O’Gorman is concerned – all the nominees are winners … not to mention great mates.

O’Gorman is a huge rap for his fellow finalists in Brett ‘Nozz’ Nossiter, Chris Holland and Maddy Rowe.

“I live for them,” he says. “We’ve got our own group chat. I listen to Maddy’s show, obviously Chris worked with me and I’ve been a big fan of Nozz for ages.”

“It could have been any of us.”

Chris Holland says his favourite part of the night was that all 4 nominees for the Gudinski Award made a point of meeting up, chatting and congratulating each other, encouraging each other’s passion.

The ACE Radio Network also triumphed in the music category, with Sarah Grigg from Mixx FM in Swan Hill winning Best Music Host (Country).

“It’s just a really supportive place to work,” says Sarah. “A fun, lively place full of such knowledgeable people as well.”