Entries have opened for the 2023/24 running of the Irish Audio Awards.
Launched by Radiocentre Ireland in 2022 as a joint venture between the IBI (Independent Broadcasters of Ireland) and RTÉ, the aim of the Irish Audio Awards is to showcase the unique strength and power of audio by recognising and rewarding work done in the audio realm, celebrating creativitiy in audio advertising and championship the teams behind the winning work.
Per the official website, “It’s the art of audio, coupled with science, sonic properties, dynamic audio, awesome and massive and big. Audio has such potential, it’s so big, bigger than we imagine. The best radio engages emotionally, it’s not a passive experience and we are great storytellers, great talkers. The innovation is always changing and there’s respect in the presence of a good idea. Creatives are competitive people and audio is one of the most creative medium, we should be world leaders and we are scratching the surface.”
There are 10 categories open for entry this year and an additional Grand Prix award will be announced on the night. These are
Business (B2B advertising)
Consumer (B2C advertising)
Audio for Change (where audio is created for a charity, not-for-profit, social movement, for government etc. and the goal will be positive societal change)
Use of Music (recognising exceptionally creative or innovative use of music or sound design in audio advertising)
Sound Design (rewarding the process of composing, specifying, acquiring, manipulating, or generating audio elements including sound effects, location recordings, ‘atmos’ etc.)
Copywriting Craft
Casting (where voice performance is integral to the success of the spot)
Innovation (recognising the innovative use of technology in audio advertising)
Speculative (not yet aired or published)
Broadcaster (original work by a radio broadcaster)
The Grand Prix category is awarded by the jury from entries made across the other general access categories, but can’t itself be entered. Full category details, 2022 winners audio and submission guidelines can be found here. Last year’s Grand Prix award went to Publicis Dublin for their Pick Up The Pace campaign for Virgin Media, a collaboration with JyellowL to release the fastest hip-hop track in Ireland. Take a listen below.
This might sound a bit strange to some, particularly if you’ve never dabbled in martial arts, but working in radio or broadcasting is more like Brazilian jiu-jitsu than you might imagine.
I”ll preface this by saying I’ve a couple of years of BJJ under my belt, training at Team Ryano Kilkenny (now Myalo), though work and life changes mean it’s also been a few years since I’ve been back on the mats. As it happens, the last time I was on the mats was close enough to the last time I hosted the afternoon shift, something I’ve been back covering for the past two weeks. I’d like to think that the skills you pick up on the gym floor are much like the skills you pick up in a studio environment – they stick with you, but ultimately they need nurturing if you’re going to develop.
Sure, muscle strains, chipped elbows and rapid rises in your heart rate every five to ten minutes aren’t typically associated with a live radio show but stick with me for a minute. Here are five reasons I think Brazilian jiu-jitsu and radio are more alike than you think.
1. Discipline and practice
Success in the worlds of radio and Brazilian jiu-jitsu relies heavily on discipline and consistent practice. On the BJJ side, you get out what you put in, something that’s made very evident early in your BJJ journey. Let’s say you do one 60-90 minute class a week. That class is usually divided into time spent learning a technique, time spent implementing that technique with a partner, and time in a live ‘rolling’ session, putting everything you’ve learned into play. That’s a very short amount of time you’ve got to hone your craft.
Similarly, in radio, you’ve got schedules to adhere to and hours to clock up to perfect your craft. As a beginner (let’s call you a white belt broadcaster), one 45-50 minute show a week or month is only going to get you so far. To advance, you’ve got to clock up the hours, put the work in, perfect your techniques and test them in the live environment. Saying practice makes perfect isn’t just for the craic.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Photo: Hugazo Boss / Pexels
2. Continuous learning
Both radio, especially commercial radio and Brazilian jiu-jitsu require a commitment to continuous learning. From an on-air perspective, you’re staying up to date with the latest trends, technologies, content creation techniques, libel and defamation, changes to the law, software, hardware and more. With BJJ, you’re constantly learning new techniques, strategies, gameplans, and different ways to chain moves to help you advance positions and improve your skills.
Some of the learning for BJJ takes place on the mats while other instruction is more from the live environment that gives you experiences to draw on. Maybe you watch YouTube tutorials (just don’t piss off your coach with the latest YouTube trend on the mats) but if you’re watching content on YouTube, similarly for radio you should always be listening. Not just to your colleagues or your own station’s content, but broaden your horizons and listen to more podcasts, make notes, and listen to other radio shows and presenters at home and away. Note their approaches to links, content, and interviews.
If you really want to further your learning in the radio game, why not make use of the regular Learning Waves courses open to those working in the industry in Ireland. Particularly with libel, defamation, social media and more, there’s always something to be brushing up on.
3. Handling adversity – getting comfortable being uncomfortable
BJJ has long been referred to as ‘the gentle art’ when it comes to martial arts. The running joke is that you extend the phrase to ‘the gentle art of folding clothes with someone still in them’. I’ve been there on both sides, doing the folding and getting properly folded. One thing that was drilled into me from day one in the gym was that you will – and need to – learn to get comfortable being uncomfortable. You’ll find yourself under pressure, running tight on time in rounds with the clock ticking down, in the pressure cooker of a competition environment, you’re trying to avoid effectively getting strangled or contorted all while trying to get your own job done.
The same applies to radio and for anyone considering getting into live radio in particular, be it at community or commercial level, local or national, get comfortable in being uncomfortable. Whether that’s handling a particular topic or a difficult guest (we’ve all had guests who only communicate in yes or no answers), changes to programming, your playout system not working, a lull in a live game when you’re supposed to be in full commentary flow – whatever the situation is, if you can be comfortable in those uncomfortable situations, you’ll be all the better a presenter for it.
As a broadcaster, you’ve got to be able to think on your feet and solve problems quickly. Pre-show, that means being able to work through creative ideas and content, how you’re tackling particular issues to make sure the right, balanced message, comes across. Hand-in-hand with point three above, it also means you’ve got to be able to adapt in the moment should you run into any ‘live’ problems.
For BJJ, I think the whole sport is problem-solving, especially if you’re opponent is the problem. Have they taken your back? Are the hooks in? Is their arm under your chin? This could be a problem. In a sport that’s all about action-reaction, you learn very quickly to troubleshoot and problem-solve your way out of trouble and on to the win. Unless you get yourself out of one submission attempt only to fall into another, we’ve all been there, but that’s also part of the continuous learning…
5. Teamwork and collaboration
As a presenter, you might be the face of your show but radio isn’t really an industry with room for solo runs. Listen to some of the talk shows around the country (I’m sure it’s the same elsewhere as it is in Ireland) and you’ll hear a credit list of researchers, producers, executive producers, reporters, engineers and more who have contributed to the successful running of a programme on air.
And sure, you may be on your own on air, and you may not have a producer, but I’m sure you’ll have colleagues you can bounce off, sales teams you’ve worked with for competitions, reception teams answering phones and calls and more. There’s an awful lot of teamwork and collaboration that goes into making radio happen, and it’s exactly the same on the gym floor for BJJ players. True, it could be seen as an individual sport as it always comes back to one-on-one encounters, but you don’t ever get into a one-on-one encounter without having trained and sparred with your coaches, training partners, and clubmates. It takes a village and all that.
So as much as you think the worlds of radio and Brazilian jiu-jitsu might be worlds apart, they both take a fierce amount of dedication, resilience and a willingness to learn and adapt that makes them more alike than you might think.
By way of a plug for my own parish, if you’re looking to explore the world of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and fancy getting comfortable being uncomfortable, or indeed folding clothes with people still in them, give the lads at Myalo a shout in Kilkenny. They’ll either open their doors to you or point you in the right direction for a club or academy near you.
If you’re a regular KCLR listener, you may recognise a change in presenter this week and next between the hours of 1pm and 4pm.
Beginning after the lunchtime news tomorrow (Monday) and continuing through Monday 27 November, I’ll be making a short return to the afternoon lineup in place of John Keane. Have no fear, he’ll be back in your ears from Tuesday 28 November but between now and then you’ll find me keeping Carlow and Kilkenny company during the week.
The face of a lad back on afternoons on @kclr96fm this month.
It’s over three years since a Covid-induced schedule change saw me step out of KCLR Drive in the afternoons (3pm to 5.30pm) to concentrate on what was then a relative unknown – how were we going to ensure the continuity of operations, the introduction of remote working for virtually the entire station and more.
Overseeing sporting operations for the past two years meant a return to air in a different capacity, primarily as the voice of sport on Monday and Tuesday mornings but there’s nothing quite like the feeling of steering your own ship for a few hours a day.
Now, I say ‘own’ ship but it’s very much keeping the show flowing as it has been. If there’s one thing you pick up as a radio presenter, if you’re asked to cover a show whether for a day or a week or a month, it would be wise to begin by covering the show ‘as is’. Should you find yourself in a position where you’re covering a show or you’re hoping to pick up cover work, it’s wise to chat to the regular presenter of the show to look at the placement of features, links, music, competitions and more. Then bring your own personality and away you go.
So, running order in hand and with some new station-wide competitions kicking off in a few days’ time, if you’re looking for me Monday to Friday you’ll find me live here, here and here and across Kilkenny and Carlow on 96 to 96.9 FM from 1.15pm to 4pm until 27 November.
Looking forward to this one!
Listen: KCLR Drive in 2020
One of the last interviews from KCLR Drive before the country went to hell in a handbasket saw Hermitage Green join me in studio to talk about an album and tour that would eventually get pushed out courtesy of the pandemic. The live tunes were on fire that day though. So, if you’ve never heard me on air before, here’s a clip. I won’t have changed too much since.
The awards for Round 50 of the Sound & Vision funding for radio and television through Coimisiún na Meán have seen €2.4m in additional funding announced for commercial radio stations in Ireland.
Round 50 sees 29 funding awards in total, ranging from €35,000 to €95,000, with funding set to be used for programming specific to a range of topics including media literacy, digital transformation, GEDI (gender, equality, diversity and inclusion) and developing communities and communities of interest. Per media development commissioner Rónán Ó Domhnall, this latest round of funding “will also assist stations to explore opportunities that increase audience engagement through training and outreach activities, in particular for minorities and newer communities.”
The majority of independent radio stations around Ireland are included in the awards list (PDF) among them, FM104 who have secured €70,000 for their project Dublin: Rainbow Rising, Midlands 103 and KCLR who both take the maximum €95,000 award for two projects respectively, Collective Communities and Amplifying Voices Less Heard.
Bauer Media have also secured €200,000 in funding to be split between Spin 1038, Spin South West, 98FM and Cork’s Red FM.
Other projects set to begin development include Futurescape: Shaping Tomorrow’s Waterford (WLR) and Ctrl Shift Save – Life in a Digital Age (Newstalk).
Round 51 funding open
While Round 50 may have been a special round, Round 51 is currently open for applications from broadcasters and independent producers, for both television and radio. In all, €6.9m has been made available for the final funding round of the year.
Per CNAM, Round 51 “will also have a specific focus on programmes that support gender, equality, diversity, and inclusion, with a particular focus on integration and the voices of new Irish communities. “
This week saw the release of the 2023 Irish Radio Report, bringing with it some key findings about the listenership habits of the general population in Ireland.
From the most recent JNLR data (up to the end of June 2023) we already know that 80.2% of people listen to radio on average daily, translating to around 3.3 million sets of ears. Not only that, but the average time spent per listener per day on radio is four hours, and seven minutes. Since 2018, JNLR figures will also show you that the daily audience for live radio in Ireland has gone from 3.1 million to 3.3 million listeners.
What the 2023 Irish Audio Report shows is that when it comes to our consumption of audio content is live radio is very much the dominant force when it comes to audio listening. Audio content in itself is up at 98% of the adult population weekly with live radio commanding a 92% share of that audience.
Bring that back to an average day in relation to time spent listening to any audio and live radio takes a 74% share of the market, the remainder given over to on-demand content. Interestingly, within on-demand audio, podcasts only account for 3% when compared to other music streaming (12%) or YouTube Music (7%) While streaming services gain more ground with young adults (15-24 years old) at a 29% share, podcast consumption still remains at 3%.
Other key points of note show that smart speaker ownership is up from 13% to 45% in four years while almost 40% of adults are now paying for a subscription service on one or more online platforms – either for ad-free audio streaming, YouTube premium (again, ad-free) or podcasts.
The Gibson Hotel in Dublin’s docklands provides the backdrop with the day bringing together a number of speakers on the world of podcasting, monetisation, sound design, podcasts for radio stations and more, all under the one roof.
It’s a one-day affair, kicking off at 11am with comedian and podcaster Jarlath Regan the keynote speaker. There are two sessions booked before lunch and in the afternoon. Here’s how the schedule is looking…
11am: Introductions
11.10am: Keynote speaker – Jarlath Regan
11.50am: Radio stations making podcasts: Why, the wins and the watchouts with Aisling Moore (Senior Producer, Newstalk, and Producer of Inside the Crime), Liam Thompson (Programme Director, Classic Hits, and Co-Founder of The Smart 7), Darren Cleary (Bauer Media) and Ian Doyle (Head of Podcasting at Wireless Group)
12.40pm: Achieving world-class sound design in your podcast with Niall Breslin (Where Is My Mind?) and Lochlainn Harte (Imaging Manager, Newstalk)
1.15pm: Lunch
2pm: Fireside chat with Doireann Garrighy (RTÉ 2FM) in conversation with Patrick Haughey (AudioBrand)
2.40pm: The International Perspective – UK and Germany with Martin Liss (audio entrepreneur & management consultant) and Meera Kumar (multi award-winning podcast producer)
The day is aimed at all those interested in podcasting, currently working in the independent radio sector in Ireland.
As such, you must be currently working with an independent radio station to book.
Much like I penned in September (for October), we’re back with a few more ideas to get the creative juices going for the month of November.
I’ll be doing a series of posts like these over the course of a calendar year, giving some light tips and suggestions for on-air competitions and promotions that might be useful for the following month. They’ll be seasonal, some a little easier to integrate into your on-air offering than others while every now and again you might get something that will take an extra few weeks for planning and execution.
Either way, if you’re looking at some ideas for standalone promotions or show integrations in November 2023, you’ve come to the right place. Here are seven suggestions to get you thinking.
1. Thanksgiving recipe contest
I’ll drop this one in here for the visitors from across the Atlantic as the US gets set for Thanksgiving at the end of the month. That said, you’ll find a lot of Irish radio stations around Thursday 23 November (that’s the date this year) tapping into their book of American contacts and contributors to discuss Thanksgiving traditions. If you’re jumping on that bandwagon, then how about a Thanksgiving recipe contest?
Get listeners to put their best recipes forward, get them shared and get voting. Prizes could include cooking equipment, gift vouchers for local butchers or supermarkets, or go all out and offer a catered Thanksgiving dinner in a listener’s home (or even bring them into the station instead and get a few of the team around for food). If you’re considering commercial possibilities, target local food stores, kitchen appliance brands, or dealers.
2. The Winter Warmup song contest
In Ireland we love a good song contest so if you’re looking for a bit of craic this November, why not try out the Winter Warmup Song Contest? After all, there’s no point in waiting for the Eurovision to roll around in May when you can get stuck into the singing in just a few weeks.
With the cold weather likely to set in for November, invite listeners to submit their favourite ‘warmup’ songs, something that gets them moving or warms their spirits. It could be a classic hit, something hot or if you’re willing to play your Christmas music early, it could be something a little festive. Best song goes to the top of the class with your prize offerings the likes of gig tickets, wireless headphones and the likes. Get listeners to send in their songs and get your final list down to 10-15. If you’ve got the songs in your library, why not shape a clock from them or get them on a playlist, spinning them across the month with a vote at the end of the month on the ultimate Winter Warmup song.
3. Movember awareness campaign
Is your mo’ ready for November? It’s that time of year again where those with a penchant and ability for growing facial hair can go all out on the moustache or bear front across the month before trimming it all off in the name of charity. Movember has grown into a focus on mental health, suicide, prostate cancer and testicular cancer. Grow a mo, move for mental health, host a mo-ment or just “mo your own way”. Read all about it here.
If you’re looking at a campaign to target male listeners, why not get involved with Movember? Encourage the moustache-growing movement, share progress and stories, get some WhatsApp or social interaction going. You could go the whole hog and open up a voting system, team up with some men’s grooming products suppliers, maybe a local health clinic or even a barbers, with prizes on the line including grooming kits, health checkups, a hot towel shave etc.
4. Black Friday scavenger hunt
Production departments around radio stations in Ireland (and presumably globally) will likely be chock full of Black Friday requests, ads, campaigns and the rest. What was very much “a thing” in the US market has certainly been adopted by Irish retailers in recent years as businesses look to make the most of pre-Christmas sales with the hope of tempting customers in with some day-only to week-only offers.
One option that’s primed for local radio stations or particular local/regional markets is a Black Friday scavenger hunt, with clues leading to local businesses offering Black Friday deals. Provide your clues on air, via social media or look to an outside broadcast for some live event participation. If single retail stores are out of reach for sponsors, look at shopping centres, town groups, maybe even e-commerce platforms or online shops. For prizes, think exclusive deals, vouchers or one-off Black Friday goodies.
5. Thankful thoughts
This is a little like point number one in that it has to do with giving thanks, but it could help generate some feel-good content for air. What are people thankful for? The clocks will have changed, the evenings are drawing in and November is a good month for reflection before planning ahead for Christmas and the new year. Did someone do a listener a good turn over the course of the year? Did a neighbour come to the rescue during the flood weather? Maybe you’ve got a listener who’s thankful to be alive, to have found work, found a home, got a promotion, started a new job, or taken up a new hobby?
Whatever the case is, make a spot for sharing thankful thoughts on air and look at how they could be rewarded – do something nice in return for someone. A prize for the story of the day, or one that tugs at the heartstrings of your audience?
6. Countdown to Christmas fitness challenge
This November, why not encourage listeners to get out, get healthy, and boost their fitness with an on-air challenge? Like it or loath it, there will be plenty of people hoping to shed a few pounds ahead of the festive social season, and plenty more who would like to get out and about, get moving and improve their health. While gyms and fitness centres will be the target of much hype for the January market, why not get ahead of the curve and link up with a local gym, sportswear brand or health food store?
You could offer online registration, work it in conjunction with a health/nutrition slot on-air or online, or offer up prizes like a gym membership, a fitness tracker, or an activewear wardrobe makeover. The cold and dark nights will be closing in so why not make the most of it!
7. Photo contest: “My November”
Years ago (and this may well be still a thing), you would have companies calling out for photos to make their annual calendar. Texaco or Top Oil may have been the front-runners in the Irish market but I stand to be corrected. How about running something similar online where you put the call out for listeners to capture what the month of November means to them in a photo – maybe it’s the turn of the leaves, their town at night, a frosty morning. Instead of a calendar, why not make the winning photograph (because you’ll need to pick a winner) your Facebook / Twitter cover photo for the month of December and show it some love on your website.
Got something to add?
If you’ve got something to add yourself or have a competition or promotion that you keep returning to in November and fancy sharing it with the rest of the class, drop a note in the comments area below.
An interesting one coming out of the UK sees System1 and Radiocentre release Listen Up!, a new publication exploring the role of emotion in audio advertising effectiveness.
Radiocentre is the industry body for commercial radio in the UK with a focus on advertising, policy and clearance. System1 is the Creative Effectiveness Platform that harnesses the power of emotion to drive growth for the world’s leading brands. They also allow brands to compare their ads against competitors thanks to a database of over 100,000 ads. The Irish equivalent, Radiocentre Ireland, was established in 2022 by the IBI and RTÉ to promote audio as a marketing medium, with the core aim to promote the benefits of audio to advertisers and advertising agencies.
Listen Up: Key findings
The analysis in the publication is based on 131 radio ads, featuring effectiveness and emotional data collected from over 50,000 radio listeners and non-listeners.
Audio ads that make listeners feel more positive drive consumer behaviour change and deliver longer-lasting brand effects.
Radio is as likely to cause long-lasting effects through an emotional response as TV advertising.
Well-branded (fluent) radio advertising creates bigger trust effects.
Audio ads with more right-brain features are more likely to cause longer-lasting brand effects.
Per Andrew Tindall, Listen Up! author and Global Director of System 1, “Listen Up! demonstrates how radio is the ideal environment to entertain for commercial gain. The creation of mental availability, trust & behaviour change with right-brain creative features can inspire a new generation of audio advertising.”
The publication reveals six key take-outs that will help brands and agencies develop compelling creative for audio platforms. At the heart of these findings is the important role that feeling (i.e. positive emotion) plays in audio advertising’s short and long-term effectiveness.
Download Links
If you’re working in commercial production or advertising, be it radio, TV or the online space, this could be worth an hour of your time for reading.
The 2023 IMRO Radio Awards are set to take place at Kilkenny’s Lyrath Estate Hotel once more on Friday 6 October.
It’s the annual gathering of the majority of the Irish radio industry, from on-air talent to front-of-house, sport, sales, production and more, save for the few souls left behind on cover shifts or late broadcasts while the party gets going on the old Dublin Road.
In recent years we’ve seen the addition of the Local/Regional awards section, opening up more opportunities for the non-RTÉs and Newstalks of the world to be recognised for news and sports programming (or to stand more of a chance) while the award categories have also extended to the addition of Radio Station Podcast of the Year.
While there may be certain favourites for categories, the variety of the judges for each category and the judging process itself means there are no usually dead certs on the night, adding to the buzz in the room.
Last year’s big awards saw Sarah McInerney’s RTÉ Drivetime interview with Yuri Filatov scoop gold for Radio Moment of the Year, with WLR taking the gold for Local Station of the Year. Cork’s Red FM, since bought over by Bauer Media Group, was named as Music Station of the Year while the overall National Station of the Year went to Today FM, seeing off competition from Newstalk and RTÉ Radio 1.
While serving to recognise the best of work in radio in Ireland over the past year (typically a June to May cycle), each year also sees the induction of members to the IMRO Radio Awards Hall of Fame. This year, that honour is going to Joe Finnegan (Shannonside Northern Sound), Paddy Halpenny (former CEO, Communicorp), John Bennett MBE (BBC Radio Ulster) and Mary Wilson (RTÉ Radio 1), their induction made formal earlier this month.
Take a look at the full list of nominees below for this year’s awards and keep an eye on Twitter/X for results on the night.
A: Music Programming Awards
A1: General Music Programme
Dave and Fionnuala, iRadio
Dermot and Dave, Today FM
Pamela Joyce, Today FM
The Darren and Joe show, SPIN1038
Weekend Mix with Nadia Sakni, Live 95
A2: Specialist Music Programme
Ambient Orbit, RTÉ Lyric FM
American Country Show, Tipp FM
FM104’s Freaks on Friday, FM104
The Music Tree, Radio Kerry
The Tom Dunne Show, Newstalk
A3: Breakfast Programme
Beat Breakfast, Beat 102-103
SPIN’s Fully Charged with Ed and Valerie, SPIN South West
The Big Breakfast with Rebecca and Brendan, 98FM
The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, Today FM
2FM Breakfast with Doireann, Donncha and Carl, RTÉ 2FM
A4: Music Special / Music Event
Barrscéalta – A Live Musical tribute to those lost Creeslough Tragedy, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Lalla Roukh (Opera Night with Paul Herriott), RTÉ Lyric FM
Live at the Ulster Fleadh, BBC Gaeilge
RnaG 50 – Cúige Uladh, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
The Belfast Mixtape, BBC Radio Ulster
A5: IMRO Irish Music Programme or Initiative
Ceol for the Soul, Galway Bay FM
iRadio’s iLoveIrish, iRadio
Irish Music Month on SPIN, SPIN1038
RTÉ Choice Music Prize – Song of the year – with Tracy Clifford, RTÉ 2FM
Sessions from Oblivion, RTÉ 2XM
B: News and Sports Programming Awards
B1: News Story / News Event
Creeslough – John Cooke for RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ Radio 1
Drug Debt and Intimidation, WLR FM
Fr Sheehy and The Sinners, Radio Kerry
Lunchtime Live – Bullying in the HSE, Newstalk
The Queen’s Death, Evening Extra, BBC Radio Ulster
B2: News Programme – Full Service
Morning Ireland – Tragedy Unfolds in Creeslough, RTÉ Radio 1
The New Prime Minister, Evening Extra, BBC Radio Ulster
The Stephen Nolan Show, BBC Radio Ulster
This Week – Creeslough, RTÉ Radio 1
Today FM’s 5@5, Today FM
B3: News Programme – Local / Regional
FYI Galway, Galway Bay FM
Ocean FM Lunchtime News, Ocean FM
The 5.45, Tipp FM
Creeslough, Highland Radio
WLR News @ One Tricolour Special, WLR FM
B4: Current Affairs Programme – Full Service
Good Morning Mr. President, Good Morning Ulster, BBC Radio Ulster
Newstalk Breakfast, Newstalk
On the Record, Newstalk
Taking Stock, Newstalk
The Hard Shoulder, Newstalk
B5: Current Affairs Programme – Local / Regional
Deise Today with Damien Tiernan, WLR FM
Knock Knock The American President is There – The Joe Finnegan show, Shannonside Northern Sound
The Michael Reade Show, LMFM
The Morning Show with Declan Meehan, East Coast FM
Violent Schooldays, Galway Bay FM
B6: Sports Story
A Faithful Legacy, Midlands 103
Cliona Darcy Wins Boxing Gold, Galway Bay FM
Frank Greally: Running Full Circle, Midwest Radio
Ón Taobhlíne: Blianta Órga: Ard Mhacha 2002, BBC Gaeilge
The Making of Chiedozie Ogbene, Newstalk
B7: Sports Programme – Full Service
Game on, RTÉ 2FM
Jacqui’s Christmas Sporting Selection Box, RTÉ Radio 1
Off The Ball, Newstalk
B8: Sports Programme – Local / Regional
Connacht Club Championship Special, Galway Bay FM
Foyle Sportsound – FAI Cup Final, BBC Radio Foyle
Radio Kerry Weekend Sports, Radio Kerry
RedFM’s Big Red Bench, Cork’s RedFM
Remembering Paudie Palmer, C103 Cork
C: Speech Programming Awards
C1: Documentary
A Man from Cork, Newstalk
Bottler, Brendan Grace, Clare FM
Documentary on One: Blackrock Boys, RTÉ Radio 1
Documentary on One: Minding Mary, RTÉ Radio 1
Extraordinary Eire, Newstalk
Falsely Accused, Clare FM
C2: Music, Arts and Culture Documentary
Give The Beatles Back To The Irish, BBC Radio Ulster
Sing All Our Cares Away, RTÉ Radio 1
The Dawning of the Day (The Lyric Feature), RTÉ Lyric FM
The Irish Soundtrack, RTÉ Radio 1
Whatever Happened to Gertrude Page?, LMFM
C3: Short Feature
Dear Kerry – Letters to a Kingdom, Radio Kerry
Henry McKean Reports, Newstalk
Heritage Hunters, Radio Kerry
Park Bench, RTÉ Radio 1
The Day the Box Was Seen by Jackie Browne, Radio Kerry
C4: Magazine Programme
Late Lunch – Gerry Kelly, LMFM
Moncrieff, Newstalk
The Anton Savage Show, Newstalk
The John Toal Show, BBC Radio Ulster
The Saturday Social with Rachael Ryan, 98FM
C5: Drama
An Eachtra, BBC Radio Ulster
An End of Term, Newstalk
One Day, Galway Bay FM
Sniper Joe and Sister Jim, Newstalk
The Listener, RTÉJr Radio
C6: Specialist Speech Programme
Murmurations, RTÉ Radio 1
Stand out with Ian O’Connell, Radio Kerry
Talking History, Newstalk
Tech Talk with Jess Kelly, Newstalk
Tell Teresa, BBC Radio Ulster
C7: Craoltóireacht le Gaeilge
Abair Amach Éar WLR FM – Alzheimer’s Special, WLR FM
An Saol Ó Dheas, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Beo ar Éigean, RTÉ Radio 1
Dúshlán na Feirme, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
Snaoisín Bán, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
C8: Interactive Speech Programme
Focus on Fostering – The Jennifer Zamparelli Show, RTÉ 2FM
Lunchtime Live, Newstalk
Night Time Talk with Niall Boylan, Ireland’s Classic Hits Radio
Talkback, BBC Radio Ulster
The Stephen Nolan Show, BBC Radio Ulster
D: General Awards
D1: Community / Social Action
Coast to Coast Challenge – Paddleboard Scotland to Northern Ireland, Cool FM
Cork’s 96FM Giving for Living Radiothon, Cork’s 96FM
FM104’s Get Lewis to The Gig, FM104
Make A Wish, Newstalk
The Big Busk for Focus Ireland, Today FM
D2: On-Air Competition / Promotion
Blue Monday, 98FM
FM104’s Get Lewis to The Gig, FM104
Gallagher’s Grand Primera with Mick’s Garage on Morning Glory with PJ and Jim, Radio Nova
Ireland’s Greatest Accent – The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, Today FM
Pass the Parcel, 98FM
D3: Station Imaging
Q Radio
Cork’s 96FM
iRadio
SPIN1038
Today FM
D4: Entertainment Inserts
Bonner’s blessing on SPIN’s Fully Charged, SPIN1038
Emma, Dave and Aisling present Des Kelly the Musical, SPIN1038
FM104’S Strawberry Alarm Clock, FM104
Gift Grub on The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, Today FM
Mollie in the Morning, Galway Bay FM
D5: Digital and Social Innovation
Cathal’s Camino – Dermot and Dave, Today FM
Dublin Delish, 98FM
FM104’s #GetLewisToTheGig, FM104
FM104’s The Buzz, FM104
From Dreams to Victory: Sam Maguire Returns To The Kingdom, Radio Kerry
D6: Radio Station Podcast of the Year
As I Remember It: Bertie Ahern and The Good Friday Agreement, Newstalk
Inside the Crime: The Charles Self Murder, Newstalk
Let Me Explain, Newstalk
The Kinahans, Q102/Wireless/Urban Media
Leaving Cert Music Podcast, RTÉ Lyric FM
E: People Awards
E1: Music and Entertainment Presenter of the Year
Dara Quilty, Today FM
Dermot Whelan, Today FM
Emma Nolan, SPIN1038
Nathan O’Reilly, FM104
Pamela Joyce, Today FM
E2: Radio DJ of the Year
Dee Woods, Radio Nova
Michaela Hayes, SPIN1038
Paul Bonass, 98FM
Simon Murdoch, Cork’s 96FM
Tracy Clifford, RTÉ 2FM
E3: Specialist Music Broadcaster of the Year
Aedín Gormley, RTÉ Lyric FM
Ann Marie Kelly, Midlands 103
J.J. O’Shea, Radio Kerry
Kieran McGuinness, Radio Nova
Stephen McCauley, BBC Radio Ulster
E4: News Broadcaster of the Year
Ben Finnegan, Today FM
Bryan Dobson, RTÉ Radio 1
Chris Buckler, BBC Radio Ulster
Declan Harvey, BBC Radio Ulster
Justin McCarthy, RTÉ Radio 1
E5: News Reporter of the Year
Barry Lenihan, RTÉ Radio 1
Brian O’Connell, RTÉ Radio 1
Emma Tyrell, 98FM
John Cooke, RTÉ Radio 1
Sean Defoe, Newstalk
E6: Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service
Aisling O’Reilly » Newstalk
Damien O’Meara » RTÉ Radio 1
Joe Molloy »Newstalk
John Duggan » Newstalk
Nathan Murphy » Newstalk
E7: Sports Broadcaster of the Year – Local / Regional
Austin O’Callaghan » Ocean FM
Donal Ryan » Ocean FM
Luke Liddy » Live 95
Ruairí O’Hagan » Cork’s RedFM
Shane O’Keefe » KCLR
Tim Moynihan » Radio Kerry
E8: Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Full Service
Ciara Kelly » Newstalk
Pat Kenny » Newstalk
Sean Moncrieff » Newstalk
Shane Coleman » Newstalk
Stephen Nolan » BBC Radio Ulster
E9: Speech Broadcaster of the Year – Local / Regional
Alan Corcoran » South East Radio
Damien Tiernan » WLR FM
Gerry Kelly » LMFM
Neil Prendeville » Cork’s RedFM
PJ Coogan » Cork’s 96FM
E10: The Gay Byrne Award – Newcomer of the Year
David Hollywood » Midlands 103
David Nelligan » Radio Kerry
Donal Ryan » Ocean FM
Elizabeth Hearst » Dublin’s Q102
Matthew Matthews » SPIN1038
F: Station of the Year Awards
F1: Radio Moment of the Year
A Special GloryDaze – PJ Gallagher’s Story as told to Jim McCabe » Radio Nova
Losing My Boys To Suicide » LMFM
My Dying Wish » Cork’s 96FM
Radio One News at One Robert Troy Interview » RTÉ Radio 1
The Neil Prendeville Show: “Shane Will Shine On” » Cork’s RedFM
Local Station, Music Station and National Station of the Year will be announced on the night.
One of the world’s best-loved microphones just got a massive upgrade that’s coming to come as welcome news to broadcasters and podcasters alike.
Considering I’ve recently put four SM7Bs into a live studio space, the SM7db will be a welcome upgrade for those who have been putting off a purchase given the typical need for extra gain in the chain. As dynamic mics go, the SM7B needs a lot of “welly” thanks to its low sensitivity. Whether you’re using something like a Cloudlifter for an extra 25db gain or another third-party preamp or maybe adding some digital gain from your console, to date, getting more from the SM7b has usually meant spending more. In my case, I’m sending 60-65dB of gain to each mic channel using an SM7B in one studio being driven by Wheatstone’s split frame LXE console.
Now, in what should be welcome news for podcasters in particular for home podcasters, Shure have added a new member to the SM7 family some 50 years on from its introduction. The new edition brings all the traditional qualities of the SM7B and adds in a Shure-designed active preamp that provides an additional 18 or 28 dB of clean gain. That means no need for a separate preamp (that said, the technology is licensed from Cloud) and less chance of picking up hiss from other preamps or sound cards. If you don’t need the gain, you don’t use it, so you’ll still get that original SM7B performance.
The selector switches are mounted on the rear of the microphone (see the image above).
Cost-wise, it is pricey, roughly equating to the cost of adding a preamp, per microphone, to your setup. That is to say with the SM7B retailing around €389, the SM7dB will cost you around €589 from Thomann, £514 from StudioSpares, €591 from Amazon, so it doesn’t come cheap.
Pricing aside, it’s a smart move from Shure and may likely see the SM7dB gain some ground with content creators with some breathing room in their wallets. I’ve not had a hands-on look at the mic itself but the short B&H review below is worth exploring for more.
