{"id":759,"date":"2024-10-16T07:50:13","date_gmt":"2024-10-16T07:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.radioindustrynews.com.au\/?p=759"},"modified":"2024-10-16T07:50:13","modified_gmt":"2024-10-16T07:50:13","slug":"aftrs-alumni-shine-at-the-35th-acras-celebrating-excellence-in-australian-radio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/radioindustrynews.com.au\/index.php\/2024\/10\/16\/aftrs-alumni-shine-at-the-35th-acras-celebrating-excellence-in-australian-radio\/","title":{"rendered":"AFTRS Alumni Shine at the 35th ACRAs: Celebrating Excellence in Australian Radio"},"content":{"rendered":"

Energy is running high from last weekend\u2019s 35th\u00a0Australian Commercial Radio Awards<\/a>\u00a0(ACRAs), a night that brought together the brightest talent\u00a0of the radio industry at The Star in Sydney. The yearly ACRAs\u00a0honours the on-air and off-air achievements that shape the world of Australian radio, podcasting, news, and entertainment. With over 1159 entries from radio stations across the nation, the competition was fierce, and the talent set the bar for excellence on the industry.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This year, 71 winners were selected from 361 finalists, representing the metropolitan, provincial, and country commercial radio stations. From impactful local news to engaging entertainment, the ACRA winners\u00a0showcase the diverse voices and practitioners that drive Australian radio.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The AFTRS community had plenty to celebrate, with alumni taking home awards in seven distinct categories across country, provincial, and metropolitan markets, ranging from recognition for excellence in journalism to music and creative promotion.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For the third consecutive year,\u00a0<\/span>Clinton Maynard<\/a>\u00a0was awarded the prestigious\u00a0<\/span>Brian White Award for Excellence in Journalism (Metro)<\/span><\/i>\u00a0for his outstanding work with 2GB, Nine Radio. The Brian White Award is one of the highest honours in radio journalism, recognising sustained excellence and above-and-beyond efforts in news coverage.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the on-air talent category,\u00a0<\/span>Matt Lipiarski<\/a>\u00a0from Mixx FM in Colac, VIC, took home the\u00a0<\/span>Best On-Air Team<\/span><\/i>\u00a0award for his work on\u00a0<\/span>Mixx Brekky with Jimmy & Lippi<\/span><\/i>, alongside James Thwaites. This marked their second consecutive win, showcasing their unique ability to\u00a0deliver engaging, entertaining content to the Great South West.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AFTRS alumni also made waves in the music categories, with awards in three key areas. The\u00a0<\/span>Gudinski Award for Australian Music Champion<\/span><\/i>\u00a0went to\u00a0<\/span>Triple M Homegrown with Matty O<\/span><\/i>, featuring AFTRS alum\u00a0<\/span>Andrew Very<\/a>. Andrew\u2019s passion for Australian music was further recognised with his win for\u00a0<\/span>Best Music Feature<\/span><\/i>\u00a0for the\u00a0<\/span>Taylor Swift Triple M Versions<\/span><\/i>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Adding to the list of music accolades,\u00a0<\/span>Cam Hilder<\/a>\u00a0was named\u00a0<\/span>Best Music Host (Provincial)<\/span><\/i>\u00a0for his work at i98FM at WIN Network in Wollongong. His win follows last year\u2019s success of AFTRS alum\u00a0<\/span>Sean Brown<\/a>, who also received recognition for his work in the music hosting space.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AFTRS proudly sponsors the\u00a0<\/span>Best New Talent Off Air<\/span><\/i>\u00a0award, which recognises up-and-coming talent in the radio industry. This year, the award went to\u00a0<\/span>Ella Kanna<\/a>\u00a0from KIIS 1065 (Metro) and\u00a0<\/span>Leesa Singleton<\/a>\u00a0from 864 Triple M (Non-Metro) in Toowoomba\/Darling Downs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From news and talk to sport and music, the winners of this year\u2019s ACRAs demonstrate the immense talent that fuels the commercial radio industry. The diverse voices and creative minds celebrated at the event highlight the power of local content in engaging audiences and delivering impactful stories that resonate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

AFTRS is incredibly proud to be a part of this thriving industry and to see our alumni consistently recognised for their contributions. Their achievements reflect the School\u2019s ongoing commitment to developing the next generation of radio professionals and leaders.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the roundup of AFTRS alumni awarded and the teams they work with. You can see all the ACRA winners\u00a0<\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n