The PPI Radio Awards 2015 shortlist has been selected from a record breaking number of entries.
The PPI Radio Awards this year received the largest ever number of entries in its history with an increase of 25% on 2014.
The 2015 Awards, which are sponsored by PPI and BAI, will take place on Friday October 9th at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Galway. The evening will be attended by both those in front of and behind the mic, to celebrate the Awards 15th anniversary.
One final Award will be kept a secret to be announced on the night of the gala, it is the sole Award chosen by the Awards committee and is for Outstanding Achievement.
This years Hall of Fame inductees will be announced on September 16th with a ceremony on September 18th at the BAI, Dublin offices.
The PPI Radio Awards celebrates the art and skill of radio production and programming across the island of Ireland. In a year which saw digital radio stations included on the shortlist for the first time, 82 expert judges whittled down the long list of nominees to a final list of 166 shortlisted nominations across 36 categories. Judging took place over one week of 27 sessions.
Speaking about the entries, PPI Radio Awards Committee Chairperson Sean Murtagh said: “All 82 of this year’s judges, who put in time and dedication to evaluate entries, reported a significant increase in the quality with stations keen to win an Award. Just making the short list is a massive achievement in itself and whatever the final outcome, it’s something to be fiercely proud of.”
The BAI’s Chief Executive, sponsors of the PPI Radio Awards, Michael O’Keeffe said: “From an industry perspective, a PPI award is now recognised as one of the highest accolades that a radio station can receive in terms of its programme output and overall service quality. This is clearly recognised through the 25% increase in entries received in the current year. I wish all of the participating stations every success in at this year’s PPI Awards.”
This year, a new category was added: C9 (speech programming awards) Comedy.
The 2015 short list:
Category A1 General Music Programme
The Big Ride Home with Dara Quilty, 98FM
Dave Mac’s Drive, Red FM
Dermot & Dave, Today FM
The Gerry Kelly Show, BBC Radio Ulster
The Nicky Byrne Show with Jenny Greene, RTÉ 2fm
Category A2 Specialist Music Programme
American Country Show with Stephen Keogh, Kfm
Classic Song Investigation, Classic Hits 4FM
Country Time, RTÉ Radio 1
Great Moments in Classical Music, RTÉ lyric fm
Songs in the Key of Life with Nadine O’Regan, 105.2 TXFM
The Roadhouse Café – The Fans Remember Slane, Midlands 103
Category A3 Breakfast Programme
FM104’s Strawberry Alarm Clock with Jim-Jim and Nobby, FM104
Fully Charged, Spin 103.8
Pete Snodden in the Morning, Downtown/Cool FM
The KC Show, Red FM
The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, Today FM
The Ray Foley Show, 98FM
Category A4 Music Special/Music Event
98FM’s Naked Breakfast, 98FM
ALT, Spin South West
Ireland’s Experience: Songs for a lost generation, RTÉ Radio 1
Jim – Jim Meets U2, FM104
The Digital Groove ADE Special, RTÉ Digital
Category A5 New Irish Music/Musical Talent Programme
98FM’s Totally Irish, 98FM
ALT, Spin South West
The Listening Post – Blood Harmonies, TXFM 105.2
The Lyric Concert – Limerick City of Culture 2015: Linen & Lace , RTÉ lyric fm
The Open Mic with Ruairí Carroll – Luan Parle, FM104
Category B1 News Story
Cloudy with a Chance of Rainbows – Today FM News, Today FM
Donegal Republic – Moncrieff, Newstalk 106-108
Goodbye Saint Fionán, Hello Darth Vader, Radio Kerry
Ireland gets its first openly gay cabinet minister – Sunday with Miriam & others, RTÉ Radio 1
To Catch a Paedophile – The Neil Prendeville Show, Red FM
Tuam Babies – Drivetime reports by Philip Boucher-Hayes, RTÉ Radio 1
Category B2 News Bulletin
98FM News, 98FM
BBC Radio Ulster Bulletins – BBC news & current affairs, BBC Radio Ulster
Downtown & Cool FM News Team, Downtown/Cool FM
Newstalk News Bulletin, Newstalk 106-108
Red FM News Bulletins – The best of, Red FM
Category B3 News Programme
Ireland Decides 2015, Newstalk 106-108
The Hunt for the Hebdo Killers – Evening Extra, BBC Radio Ulster
The National Lunchtime News – The Day the Music Died, Today FM
The Wider View – The sound of silence, Shannonside
This Week, RTÉ Radio 1
Category B4 Current Affairs Programme
Cork Today, C103
Dancing with the Law – Kerry Today, Radio Kerry
Morning Focus, clare fm
Morning Mix with Alan Corcoran, South East Radio
The Pat Kenny Show, Newstalk 106-108
Category B5 Sports Story
A Cup on the Bus, clare fm
Goodbye King Henry, Today FM
No King but The Kingdom Reigns, Radio Kerry
Reputation on the Ropes – The Story of Andy Lee’s World Title Dream, Limerick Live 95FM
The Night the Lights went out – Game On, RTÉ 2fm
Category B6 Sports Programme
Off the Ball, Newstalk 106-108
Off the Ball Live, Newstalk 106-108
Red FM’s Big Red Bench, Red FM
Stories in Sound – A Diamond in the Rough, BBC Radio Ulster
The Last Word with Matt Cooper – Martin & Roy : The first joint interview, Today FM
Category C1 Documentary
Con Carey and the Twelve Apostles, RTÉ Radio 1
Mad about Danoli, KCLR96FM
Small Lives, Great Reputations, RTÉ Radio 1
Stories in Sound: Culchie and Proud, BBC Radio Ulster
Vice Girl or Victim?, BBC Radio Ulster
Category C2 Music Documentary
From Dancehall Days to Boogie Nights, RTÉ Radio 1
From Tipperary to Salonika: Ireland and the Music of the Great War – The Lyric Feature, RTÉ lyric fm
Generational Resistance: Granny’s Intentions and the Birth of the Irish Beat Scene – The lyric Feature, RTÉ lyric fm
When Bono met Tony – The Tony Fenton Show, Today FM
Whelan’s at 25, RTÉ Radio 1
Category C3 Short Feature
Henry McKean on Moncrieff, Newstalk 106-108
Scenes from the First World War – World War One on RTÉ, RTÉ Radio 1
The British who fought and died in the 1916 Easter Rising – Morning Ireland, RTÉ Radio 1
The Business – Shop Assistants on the Christmas Frontline Liam Geraghty for RTÉ Radio 1
The Four Elements: Water – Futureproof, Newstalk 106-108
Thought for the Day – Prisons Week, BBC Radio Ulster
Category C4 Magazine Programme
Moncrieff, Newstalk 106-108
Sunday with Miriam, RTÉ Radio 1
Talkabout, Radio Kerry
The John Toal Show, BBC Radio Ulster
Time of our Lives, BBC Radio Ulster
Category C5 Drama
“A Handful of Stars”, South East Radio
Coma, Newstalk 106-108
Drama On One – Charolais by Noni Stapleton, RTÉ Radio 1
Left Behind, Shannonside Northern Sound
Lusitania – Beneath the Surface, Radio Kerry
Category C6 Specialist Speech Programme
Electricity – Let’s Investigate, RTÉ Digital
Following Wexford’s Blue Whale to London, South East Radio
Futureproof: A Flick of the Wrist, Newstalk 106-108
Life Matters – Prayer, Colette Kinsella for RTÉ Radio 1
Phoenix from the Ashes – The Rise and Restoration of St. Mel’s Cathedral, Longford, Shannonside Northern Sound
The Foodie, BBC Radio Ulster
Category C7 Craoltóireacht le Gaeilge
Brendán Ó Beacháin – File Fiáin Fearúil, Newstalk 106-108
Mar Dhea, WLRFM
Muidne agus na Manannaigh, BBC Radio Ulster
Samlaigh, Red FM
Seachtain na Gaeilge ar an Tommy Marren Show, Midwest Radio
Category C8 Interactive Speech Programme
Opinion Line – Daniel’s Story, Cork’s 96fm
Talkback – Richard Dawkins and Down’s Syndrome, BBC Radio Ulster
The Neil Prendeville Show – Sticks and Stones -Autism Abuse Scandal, Red FM
The Niall Boylan Show, Classic Hits 4FM
The Tommy Marren Show, Midwest Radio
Category C9 Comedy
The Anton Savage Show – Cat Laughs Comedy Special, Today FM
The Blame Game, BBC Radio Ulster
Soft FM, Galway Bay FM
Category D1 Community/ Social Action
A Murray Christmas 2- The John Murray Show, RTÉ Radio 1
BBC Radio Foyle’s Gambling Campaign, BBC Radio Foyle
Galway Bay FM Radiothon – Making a Difference, Galway Bay FM
Live 95FM’s 95 Stop Tour, Limerick’s Live 95FM
Shave or Dye 2015, Today FM
Category D2 On-Air Competition/Promotion
98FM’s Money For Nothing, 98FM
Dublin’s Q102’s Crack The Code, Dublin’s Q102
The Driver, Beat 102-103
The Drop, Spin 1038
The Ray Foley Show €5000 Free Money Morning, 98FM
Category D3 Station Imaging
98FM
Beat 102-103
FM104
Radio Kerry
Red FM
Category D4 Entertainment Inserts
Dermot & Dave, Today FM
Gift Grub – The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show, Today FM
Happy Days, RTÉ Digital
Molly’s Moments – Molly in the Morning, Galway Bay FM
The Zoo Crew, Spin 1038
Category D5 Innovation
98FM’s Castle of Terror, 98FM
Dublin’s Q102’s Crack the Code, Dublin’s Q102
Dermot & Dave – It’s Okay to Boast, Today FM
Futureproof – Chasing the Eclipse, Newstalk 106-108
The Feed, RTÉ Digital
Category E1 Music Broadcaster of the Year
Dara Quilty, 98FM
Dermot Whelan, Today FM
Liz Nolan, RTÉ lyric fm
Martin Guilfoyle, Spin South West
Niall Power, Beat 102-103
Rick O’Shea, RTÉ 2fm
Category E2 Radio DJ
Becki Miller, Spin103.8
John Creedon, RTÉ Radio 1
Kelly-Anne Byrne, 102.5 TXFM
Luke O’Faolain, Beat 102-103
Steve Haze, Cork’s 96fm
Steve K, Spin 103.8
Category E3 Specialist Music Broadcaster of the Year
Colm O’Sullivan, Today FM
Darren Rice, Beat 102-103
John Toal, BBC Radio Ulster
Sinead Ní Mhordha, Radio Nova
Stephen Mc Cauley, BBC Radio Foyle
Category E4 News Broadcaster of the Year
Aideen Finnegan, 98FM
Gavin Jennings, RTÉ Radio 1
Jonathan Healy, Newstalk 106-108
Richard Crowley, RTÉ Radio 1
Will Faulkner, Midlands 103
Category E5 News Reporter of the Year
Cian McCormack, RTÉ Radio 1
Jordan Moates, Downtown Radio
Kieran Cuddihy, Newstalk 106-108
Philip Boucher-Hayes, RTÉ Radio 1
Shona Murray, Newstalk 106-108
Category E6 Sports Broadcaster of the Year
Colm Parkinson, Newstalk 106-108
Ger Gilroy, Newstalk 106-108
Jacqui Hurley, RTÉ Radio 1
Joe Molloy, Newstalk 106-108
Weeshie Fogarty, Radio Kerry
Category E7 Speech Broadcaster of the Year
Damien O’Reilly, RTÉ Radio 1
Eibhlín Ní Chonghaile, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
John Cooke, clare fm
Matt Cooper, Today FM
Sean Moncrieff, Newstalk 106-108
Sean O’Rourke, RTÉ Radio 1
Category E8 Newcomer Award
Dáithí Ó Muirí, BBC Radio Ulster
Derrick Lynch, clare fm
Louise Cantillon, Spin South West
Luke O’Faolain, Beat 102-103
Máire- Bríd Ní Chualáin, Raidió na Gaeltachta
Peter Collins, Spin South West
Winners for Local Station of the Year, Music Station of the Year and Full Service Station of the year will be announced at the Awards night on Friday 9th October.