Commercial Radio industry’s big weekend – awards and conference details

Austereo’s Hot 30 Countdown host Kyle Sandilands will host the 15th annual Australian Commercial Radio Awards this Saturday evening. An audience of 800 radio and music industry figures will be there to see this year’s winners receive their Awards.

The awards night is part of Commercial Radio Australia’s two day Radio Fest, which will also include a conference tomorrow, featuring the newly appointed Communications Minister Daryl Williams, and a charity luncheon with Astronaut Buzz Aldrin. For details of the conference sessions and luncheon, click below.

Sandilands, whose program is in the running for the Best Music Special Award, joked: “I’m very pleased to be hosting the radio awards because they’re the Oscars of the radio industry and once you get too big to win ‘em, all you’ve got left is to host them.”

Vying for the coveted Best On Air Team Award are: the 2DAY FM Morning Crew; Merrick and Rosso from Nova 969; Jonesy and Kayley from WS FM; Melbourne’s Nova 100 breakfast team Hughsey, Kate and Dave; Tracy Bartram and Matt Tilley from Fox FM; Brisbane’s B105 Morning Crew and Perth’s Botica’s Bunch for Breakfast on Mix 94.5 FM.

In the Best Talk Personality Award, 2GB breakfast host Alan Jones will be up against his morning colleague Ray Hadley, 3AW’s Neil Mitchell and Derryn Hinch, Steve Price from 2UE and Leon Byner from 5AA.

Delta Goodrem, Bec Cartwright, Sophie Monk, the Androids, Emmanuel Carella and Amiel are in the running for the Best New Australian Artist on Commercial Radio Award.

Personalities presenting awards include: Sammy Power, Jason Bouman, Jonesy and Kayley, Mikey Robbins, Fifi Box, Bianca Dye, Dave O’Neil, John Burgess, Alan Jones, Steve Price and John Stanley. Celebrity guests include singer Mark Lizotte (Diesel) and man on the moon Buzz Aldrin.

Entertainment on the night will be provided by international country sensation Keith Urban, singer-songwriter Alex Lloyd, well-known entertainer David Campbell and rising star Amiel, who will all perform live at the ceremony.

A radio luminary will be inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, which honours outstanding lifetime contribution to Australian broadcasting excellence.

The 2003 Australian Commercial Radio Awards cover all metropolitan, regional and provincial commercial radio stations with winners announced in 28 categories. The awards encompass all aspects of commercial radio including news, talkback, sport, music and programming, and are judged by a panel of industry experts.