There’ll be no gala dinner in Kilkenny this year for the IMRO Radio Awards due to the coronavirus, but the event will still go ahead online.
Full details of the virtual event will be announced in the coming weeks but entries are opening today with a closing date of 5pm on Thursday 23rd July 2020.
Main sponsor IMRO remains, along with secondary sponsor the BAI.
There will be some changes to the event though, including the introduction of the Gay Byrne Award which was previously the Newcomer award. A new Podcast of the Year category will also be awarded for the first time.
Radio stations will be entitled to submit the same number of entries in 2020 free of charge as they did in 2019 and there will be a reduced cost for any additional entries.
Speaking today, Chair of the IMRO Radio Awards committee, Chris Doyle said: “There is amazing content being produced on radio now and prior to the COVIS-19 crisis which fully deserves to be recognised.
“Without the support of IMRO, who have shown a great commitment to radio as an industry, we may not have been able to go ahead this year. We thank them for being our allies.
As an industry, this has been a challenging time but we have shown that radio is clearly an essential service, going the extra mile to be informing, entertaining and the best lockdown company our listeners could ask for.
“The uncertainty around gatherings continues which has made planning an awards ceremony difficult therefore we have decided to make this year’s Gala an online event.”