Popular radio duo Jimmy Smith and Nath Roye (100.9 Hobart, SCA) have been named the Best On Air Team in the provincial category. The duo, who were the Number One breakfast show in Hobart, moved to the national Hit Network in August 2022.

The winners of the national awards were revealed at a gala event attended by 1,000 radio personalities and executives from across the country. The ACRA Awards celebrate excellence in commercial radio broadcasting and audio across entertainment, news, talk. podcasting and sport. This year the awards also celebrated a century of radio in Australia.

Ford Ennals, Chief Executive Officer of Commercial Radio & Audio, organisers of the Awards, has congratulated all finalists and winners on their achievements.

“The ACRA Awards recognise the talent, commitment and passion that goes into making radio the enduring and influential medium that it is, and I thank our winners and finalists for their outstanding work,” said Mr Ennals.

“Tonight’s ACRA Awards saw 1,000 people celebrating 100 years of radio in Australia, while also showcasing Australian performers. The commercial radio industry is growing and evolving in a very exciting way – with new audio forms and new digital platforms.”

Two legends of Queensland radio were inducted into the Hall of Fame at tonight’s ceremony: Laurel Edwards (4BC, Brisbane, Nine Radio) and Steve ‘Pricey’ Price (Triple M Townsville SCA).

Laurel has been Brisbane’s ‘Queen of Breakfast Radio’ for more than 30 years. At 4KQ she became the longest serving female announcer of the same program in Australian history, before moving to breakfast at 4BC with Gary Clare and Mark Hine in 2022. Pricey has been on-air in Townsville for more than five decades, including 32 years on breakfast radio at 102.3 Triple M Townsville (originally 4TO). In May this year he announced his retirement from breakfast radio and will leave his beloved studio for the final time on Christmas Day.

It was a huge night for Katie Woolf from Darwin (Mix 104.9, ARN), who received the Best Talk Presenter (non-Metro) Award and the Brian White Award for Excellence in Journalism (non-Metro). It was the second time in a row that Woolf has won both ACRA awards, against finalists from across Australia.

The night was hosted by some of Australia’s most popular radio stars from across the networks and featured live performances from Australian artists. First nations world music star and proud Gamilaraay man Mitch Tambo opened the Awards, with performances by 21-year-old proud Coodjinburra man Budjerah and singer-songwriter Mia Wray. The legendary Ian Moss from Cold Chisel closed the Awards.

Winners on the night included:

• Best On-Air Team (Metro) – Jonesy & Amanda (Brendan Jones, Amanda Keller, WSFM, Sydney, ARN)
• Best On Air Team (Provincial) – Jimmy & Nath (Jimmy Smith, Nath Roye, HIT 100.9 Hobart, Tas, SCA)
• Best on Air Team (Country) – Mixx Brekky with Jimmy & Lippy (Matt Lipiarski, James Thwaites, Mixx FM, Colac, Vic, ACE Radio Broadcasters)
• Station of the Year (Metro) – KIIS 1065 (Sydney, ARN)
• Station of the Year (non-Metro) Mix 106.3; Canberra, ACT, ARN/SCA
• Best Networked Show – Kyle & Jackie O Hour of Power (Kyle Sandilands, Jackie Henderson, KIIS Network, ARN)
• Best Talk Presenter (Metro) – Neil Mitchell (3AW, Melbourne, Nine Radio)
• Best Talk Presenter (non-Metro) – Katie Woolf (Mix 104.9, Darwin, ARN)
• Best Current Affairs Presenter – Ben Fordham (2GB, Sydney, Nine Radio)
• Individual Talent of the Year (Metro) – Kyle Sandilands (KIIS Network ARN)
• Best New Talent On Air ‘The Brenno’ (Provincial) – Gina Jeffreys (Star 104.5, Central Coast, NSW, NOVA Entertainment)
• Best New Talent On Air ‘The Brenno’ (Country) – Isabella Roldan (Chilli FM, Launceston, Tas, ARN)

“The 34^th annual ACRA Awards highlighted Australia’s vibrant radio and audio industry, celebrating outstanding talent in 80 awards across eight categories, including talk, news and sport, entertainment and talent and podcasting,” Mr Ennals said.

“This year there were 372 finalists with entries received from 260 metropolitan and regional radio stations across Australia.  Commercial radio is thriving across Australia and stations outside the metropolitan areas were well represented at the ACRA Awards with more than 200 finalists from country and provincial stations.”