Today FM, Cork’s Red FM and WLR win top awards at the IMROs
All the winners from the IMRO Radio Awards 2022 have been announced including the top Station of the Year titles.
The Full-Service Station of the Year award went to Today FM, Music Station of the Year was won by Cork’s Red FM, whilst the Local Station of the Year award went to WLR FM.
They were given out at a ceremony in the Lyrath Estate Hotel Kilkenny, the first in-person awards since 2019, hosted by Dermot Whelan.
This year’s three Hall of Fame Inductees – Rachael English (RTÉ Radio 1), Keith Finnegan (Galway Bay FM) and Albert Fitzgerald RIP (Midlands 103) were also celebrated, having had their plaques presented in September at the offices of sponsors IMRO Ireland.
Speaking at the event, IMRO Radio Awards Committee Chair Chris Doyle said, “The atmosphere tonight was amazing with the industry celebrating together for the first time in many years. Well done to everyone across Ireland for another year of high-quality radio broadcasting across Ireland and congratulations to all the winners recognised tonight”
Eleanor McEvoy, IMRO Chairperson, said, “On behalf of IMRO, I would like to give my heartfelt congratulations to the winners of this year’s IMRO Radio Awards. We all witnessed over the course of the last 3 years just how much we relied on radio to keep us. informed, connected, and entertained during very challenging times.
The winners of these awards have been chosen because of their excellence in broadcasting, and I would like to say a profound thanks to them for their service to radio in Ireland.”
Celene Craig, BAI Chief Executive commented: “It is wonderful to see the return of the in-person Awards night and the BAI would like to congratulate all the nominees this evening. Recognising and celebrating the creativity and skill of those working across the radio sector is important. Each year the IMRO Awards serve to illustrate the breadth of talent in the industry, and the range of categories reflects the diversity of quality programming on offer for listeners across the country. The BAI is delighted to continue its support and extends its congratulations to all involved.”
| CATEGORY | GOLD | STATION | SILVER | STATION | BRONZE | STATION |
| GENERAL MUSIC PROGRAMME | IRADIO IN THE AFTERNOON | IRADIO | JAZ’S ZOO CREW | SPIN 1038 | DERMOT & DAVE | TODAY FM |
| SPECIALIST MUSIC PROGRAMME | MISE FRESHIN’ | RTÉ RADIO 1 | CLAIRE BECK’S SATURDAY SOUNDSYSTEM | TODAY FM | THE HOUSE PARTY WITH PHIL TAGGART | BBC RADIO ULSTER |
| BREAKFAST PROGRAMME | KC & ROSS IN THE MORNING | CORK’S 96FM | 98FM’S BIG BREAKFAST WITH REBECCA & BRENDAN | 98FM | MORNING GLORY WITH PJ & JIM | RADIO NOVA |
| MUSIC SPECIAL / MUSIC EVENT | MOVIES & MUSICALS: SONDHEIM SPECIAL | RTÉ LYRIC FM | MISE FRESHIN’ LIVE | RTÉ RADIO 1 | THE TOP 10 COUNTDOWN | LMFM |
| IMRO IRISH MUSIC PROGRAMME OR INITIATIVE | IRISH MUSIC MONTH | INDEPENDENT BROADCASTERS OF IRELAND | ATL INTRODUCING | BBC RADIO ULSTER | THE SATURDAY SESSIONS | IRADIO |
| NEWS STORY / NEWS EVENT | THE ADAM TERRY STORY: BRIAN O’CONNELL REPORTING FOR TODAY WITH CLAIRE BYRNE | RTÉ RADIO 1 | THE OWENACURRA CASE | CORK’S 96FM | KERRY MENTAL HEALTH SCANDAL: RTÉ DRIVETIME | RTÉ RADIO 1 |
| NEWS PROGRAMME – FULL SERVICE | THIS WEEK – THE FALL OF KABUL | RTÉ RADIO 1 | RTÉ RADIO’S NEWS AT ONE – DAY ONE OF THE WAR IN UKRAINE – 24 FEBRUARY | RTÉ RADIO 1 | GOOD MORNING ULSTER | BBC RADIO ULSTER |
| NEWS PROGRAMME – LOCAL/REGIONAL | THE BREAKFAST SHOW – BLOODY SUNDAY 50TH ANNIVERSARY | BBC RADIO FOYLE | OCEAN FM EVENING NEWS | OCEAN FM | FYI GALWAY | GALWAY BAY FM |
| CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMME – FULL SERVICE | THE PAT KENNY SHOW | NEWSTALK | NEWSTALK BREAKFAST | NEWSTALK | DRIVETIME WITH SARAH MCINERNEY & CORMAC Ó HEADHRA | RTÉ RADIO 1 |
| CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMME – LOCAL / REGIONAL | The JOE FINNEGAN SHOW – BE BUDDIES NOT BULLIES | SHANNONSIDE NORTHERN SOUND | THE HOLY WEEK MURDERS – NORTH WEST TODAY | OCEAN FM | WELCOME TO WICKLOW | EAST COAST FM |
| SPORTS STORY | “CARNAGE AT EURO 2020” – OFF THE BALL | NEWSTALK | THE TOKYO GAMES: HIGHS, LOWS AND LOOKING FORWARD | RTÉ 2FM | REMEMBERING KATE | GALWAY BAY FM |
| SPORTS PROGRAMME – FULL SERVICE | OFF THE BALL | NEWSTALK | OTB LIVE | NEWSTALK | SPORTSOUND | BBC RADIO ULSTER |
| SPORTS PROGRAMME – LOCAL / REGIONAL | IRADIO’S ISCORE | IRADIO | SUNDAY SPORT – OCEAN FM | OCEAN FM | WEEKEND SPORTS BREAKFAST ON DUBLIN’S Q102 | DUBLIN’S Q102 |
| DOCUMENTARY | ASSUME NOTHING: THE HEIRESS & THE GENERAL – EPISODE 1: A KNOCK ON THE DOOR | BBC RADIO ULSTER | RTÉ DOCUMENTARY ON ONE: I’LL SEND YOU BUTTERFLIES | RTÉ RADIO 1 | RTÉ DOCUMENTARY ON ONE: MIRACLE IN GALWAY BAY | RTÉ RADIO 1 |
| MUSIC, ARTS & CULTURE DOCUMENTARY | DON’T FORGET TO WASH YOUR HANDS | GALWAY BAY FM; FROM INDEPENDENT PRODUCER MAISIE LEE | A MOD WORLD | RADIO NOVA | I WANT MY OLD JOB BACK | RTÉ RADIO 1 |
| SHORT FEATURE | BIG BREAKFAST LITTLE STORIES | WLR FM | FAREWELL EILEEN’ | LMFM | THE CULTURE AND CONTROVERSY OF THE CRYPTO CURRENCY MARKET – SARAH MADDEN | NEWSTALK |
| MAGAZINE PROGRAMME | COUNTRYWIDE | RTÉ RADIO 1 | THE FRANCIE BOYLAN SHOW | OCEAN FM | THE SATURDAY SUPPLEMENT | RADIO KERRY |
| DRAMA | WHISPERS BY RUTH HAYES | NEWSTALK | ASSUME NOTHING: THE HANDLER – EPISODE 1: THE FIRST GOOD SOURCE | BBC RADIO ULSTER | THE PIANA MAN BY DEZY WALLS | NEWSTALK |
| SPECIALIST SPEECH PROGRAMME | CLIMATE CHANGE SPECIAL | WLR FM | SOMEONE LIKE ME | RTÉ JR RADIO | SPEAK UP | RADIO KERRY |
| CRAOLTÓIREACHT LE GAEILGE | ÓGIE | RTÉ RAIDIÓ NA GAELTACHTA – BARRSCÉALTA | SNÁMH FIÁIN | BBC RADIO ULSTER | SPLANC LE CUÁN Ó FLATHARTA | NEWSTALK |
| INTERACTIVE SPEECH PROGRAMME | A HEN TAKES FLIGHT ON THE NEIL PRENDEVILLE SHOW | CORK’S REDFM | LIVELINE: PLEASE DON’T GO | RTÉ RADIO 1 | OUR CHILDREN ARE MORE THAN A NUMBER | CORK’S 96FM |
| COMMUNITY / SOCIAL ACTION | HILL TO HILL FOR JACK & JILL | RADIO NOVA | THE BIG BUSK FOR FOCUS IRELAND | TODAY FM | JAZ’S JUMP FOR JOY | SPIN 1038 |
| ON-AIR COMPETITION / PROMOTION | TURNING EDFM FOR RED SHEERAN | CORK’S REDFM | SPIN’S 4 DAY WEEKEND | SPIN 1038 | WAFFLE | TODAY FM |
| STATION IMAGING | SPIN1038 | SPIN1038 | FM104 | FM104 | RTÉ 2FM | RTÉ 2FM |
| ENTERTAINMENT INSERTS | GIFT GRUB ON THE IAN DEMPSEY BREAKFAST SHOW | TODAY FM | 2FM BREAKFAST WITH DOIREANN, DONNCHA & CARL | RTÉ 2FM | PRODUCER CALLUM IS THE RAP GOD | SPIN 1038 |
| DIGITAL & SOCIAL INNOVATION | IRADIO’S TIKTOK MIC DROP 2.0 | IRADIO | SPIN ENTERTAINMENT WITH TARA | SPIN 1038 | ON THE RUN – THE INSIDE STORY | BEAT 102-103 |
| RADIO STATION PODCAST OF THE YEAR | ASSUME NOTHING: RAPE TRIAL | BBC RADIO ULSTER | YEAR ’21 | BBC RADIO ULSTER | LET ME EXPLAIN | NEWSTALK |
| MUSIC & ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTER OF THE YEAR | DERMOT WHELAN | TODAY FM | KC | CORK’S 96FM | RAY FOLEY | TODAY FM |
| RADIO DJ OF THE YEAR | DEE WOODS | RADIO NOVA | LORRAINE MURPHY | CORK’S 96FM | SHARRON LYNSKEY | IRADIO |
| SPECIALIST MUSIC BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR | RALPH MCLEAN | BBC RADIO ULSTER | STUART BANFORD | DOWNTOWN COUNTRY | GEMMA BRADLEY | BBC RADIO ULSTER |
| NEWS BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR | DECLAN HARVEY | BBC RADIO ULSTER | BRYAN DOBSON | RTÉ NEWS AT ONE | ELAINE MCGEE | BBC RADIO FOYLE |
| NEWS REPORTER OF THE YEAR | FRANK GREANEY | NEWSTALK | HENRY MCKEAN | NEWSTALK | SARAH MCKINLEY | DOWNTOWN RADIO & COOL FM – BAUER MEDIA AUDIO NI |
| SPORTS BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR – FULL SERVICE | NATHAN MURPHY | NEWSTALK | JOE MOLLOY | NEWSTALK | THOMAS NIBLOCK | BBC RADIO ULSTER |
| SPORTS BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR – LOCAL / REGIONAL | ERIC WHITE | BBC RADIO FOYLE | KIERAN O’CONNOR | WLR FM | AUSTIN O’CALLAGHAN | OCEAN FM |
| SPEECH BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR – FULL SERVICE | WILLIAM CRAWLEY | BBC RADIO ULSTER | STEPHEN NOLAN | BBC RADIO ULSTER | CIARA KELLY | NEWSTALK |
| SPEECH BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR – LOCAL / REGIONAL | NEIL PRENDEVILLE | CORK’S REDFM | DAMIEN TIERNAN | WLR FM | FRAN CURRY | TIPP FM |
| THE GAY BYRNE AWARD – NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR | MANDY JOHNSTON | NEWSTALK | MAX KANE | EAST COAST FM | EMMA HILL | TIPP FM |
| RADIO MOMENT OF THE YEAR | YURI FILATOV VERSUS SARAH MCINERNEY ON DRIVETIME | RTÉ RADIO 1 | HEROIN MEANT MY LATE SON COULDN’T RECOGNISE ME – THE NEIL PRENDEVILLE SHOW | CORK’S REDFM | SANTA CALLS LEBANON – KC & ROSS IN THE MORNING | CORK’S 96FM |
| LOCAL STATION OF THE YEAR | WLR FM – THE SOUND OF WATERFORD | WLR FM | CLARE FM | CLARE FM | RADIO KERRY | RADIO KERRY |
| MUSIC STATION OF THE YEAR | CORK’S RED FM | CORK’S RED FM | SPIN1038 | SPIN1038 | CORK’S 96FM | CORK’S 96FM |
| NATIONAL STATION OF THE YEAR | TODAY FM | TODAY FM | NEWSTALK | NEWSTALK | RTÉ RADIO 1 | RTÉ RADIO 1 |