Fox FM’s comic duo, Hamish and Andy, have take top honours for Best-On Air team at this year’s 20th Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs), announced this evening at a gala ceremony on the Gold Coast.

Taking the crown from last year’s winners, Kyle and Jackie O, the Melbourne pair’s Hamish and Andy Show also took home awards for Best Networked Program; Best Station Promotion and Best On-Air Team Producer for Sam Cavanagh.

Other major awards announced before a crowd of more than 900 commercial radio leaders and stars at Conrad Jupiters on the Gold Coast tonight were:

• Best Talk Presenter - Neil Mitchell, 3AW Melbourne (third consecutive year)

• Best Current Affairs Commentator - Derryn Hinch, 3AW Melbourne

• Best Sports Presenter - Ray Hadley, 2GB Sydney

• Best News Presenter - Steve Blanda, 2UE Sydney (AM) and Kristy Warner, Nova Sydney (FM) (second consecutive year)

• Best Newcomer On-Air - Ian “Dicko” Dickson, Vega Melbourne

• Best Music Personality – Mike Fitzpatrick, Triple M, Melbourne

• Laura Tunstall from 2GB took home the Brian White Memorial Award for excellence in journalism

Special guests at the Awards ceremony were Pakistan’s cricketing legend and politician, Imran Khan, and British television personality, Nigel Lythgoe, well-known for his work in light entertainment, and as a judge on the American hit show, “So You Think You Can Dance”.

The national Awards, organised by Commercial Radio Australia, cover all metropolitan, provincial and country commercial radio stations with winners announced for each of these three areas in 31 categories. The categories encompass all aspects of commercial radio including news, talkback, sport and music.

This year’s MC was Andrew G from Australian Idol who also hosts Australia’s biggest weekly radio countdown, “Take 40 Australia”.





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6PR breakfast news reader Deborah Kennedy will be leaving the stations newsroom next month after almost five years. At this stage it is understood she will continue to have some involvement with the station.

UK TV producer Nigel Lythgoe, who created So You Think You Can Dance, says it’s time to move on from reality television and the b grade nobodies that it creates.

Speaking at the National Radio Conference on the Gold Coast, Lythgoe said reality television was partly responsible for creating disposable celebrities who have no real talent.

An insider suggested there were some ears burning and beetroot faces amongst the audience, specially from one network head that once gave the direction to chase anything that showed 'promise' from numerous Reality TV programmes.

Wayne Roberts has quit as breakfast announcer at River 94.9 Ipswich. He made the announcement this morning

WHAT started out yesterday as gentle jibes between Nova's Nathan and Nat and 92.9 rivals Em and Wippa has turned nasty today.

The battle of 'he said, she said' over claims the audio clip of Beyonce’s new song was doctored during Nova 93.7 and 92.9’s radio broadcast yesterday morning has lifted a notch today.

It was suggested by Nova yesterday that 92.9 had recorded the song played on Nova and that you could hear breakfast host Nathan Morris at the end of the song played by 92.9. Full story PerthNow

Macquarie Southern Cross Radio news director, Greg Henricks, is recovering in hospital after surgery for Osophogeal Cancer.

Televisions Spicks and Specks regular, Alan Brough, is joining ABC 774 and will present Sunday mornings.

Brough recently filled in for Richard Stubbs who presents weekday afternoons on the station.

Metropolitan commercial radio stations generated advertising revenue of $164.67 million in the first quarter of this financial year, a drop of 0.52% compared to the same timeframe last year, according to the 2008 Metropolitan Commercial Radio Advertising Revenue as sourced by Deloitte, and released today by industry body, Commercial Radio Australia.

Chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, Joan Warner said this was a steady performance from the radio industry given the economic uncertainty and tough times facing many businesses.

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2GB's Alan Jones has signed with the station for a further 5 years and will be heard on air until at least 2013. Jones will soon revert his program back to a 9.00am finish as opposed to the current 10.00am.

Austereo have partnered with Nine MSN to launch a social networking tool for Windows Live Messenger.

The tool features Heidi, a unique “Windows Live Agent', who is a young hip 19 year old blonde girl that can be added as a contact on Windows Live Messenger and answer on-line questions about the Austereo HOT 30 countdown.