Category : BBC
Date : 13.04.2004
Printable version
The annual
Frank Gillard Awards have been launched today with BBC News 24
anchor Jon Sopel hosting this year's ceremony.
The acclaimed awards celebrate excellence and achievement
in BBC Local Radio, and this year's event takes place on 14 October
at Birmingham's International Convention Centre (ICC).
There are 14 categories in this year's Frank Gillard Awards, with a
new addition for Religious Programming.
Ashley Peatfield, Editor, Religion and Ethics, BBC
English Regions, says: "This new award shows the importance of
religion and faith to the local radio audience and our commitment to
providing high quality religious broadcasting."
Entries in this category will need to bring religious
issues, ideas and events to life for the listener.
Jon Sopel is delighted to be fronting the awards: "I'm looking
forward to spending an evening celebrating BBC Local Radio.
"I began my BBC career at Radio Solent, so I appreciate
the wealth of services that radio stations all across England are providing
for their local communities."
Andy Griffee, Controller, BBC English Regions, and
the man behind the Awards adds: "BBC Local Radio has been connecting
with local communities since the first station was launched 36 years
ago.
"The contribution to their local area and to the
understanding of our audiences cannot be championed enough.
"The Gillard Awards honour this, together with
highlighting programming excellence."
39 judges have been recruited from the ranks of active broadcasters
and producers in local and national radio, along with major figures
from the media and advisory bodies.
They include: Matthew Bannister, Five Live; Sophie
Raworth, BBC News; Helen Boaden, Controller, Radio 4; Tazeen Ahmad,
BBC THREE News; Mary Rhodes, BBC Sport; Roger Mosey, Head of BBC Television
News; and John Bradford, Director of the Radio Academy.
All BBC Local Radio stations in England are invited to enter the awards,
which are highly regarded within the radio industry.
The deadline for entries is Thursday 1 July 2004.
The awards are named in honour of the founder of BBC Local Radio in
England, Frank Gillard, who died in 1998.
The 14 categories are: Breakfast Programme, Programme Presenter, Coverage
of a News Story, Interactive Programme, Reporter, Sports Coverage, Social
Action Campaign, Radio Feature, Outside Broadcast, Diversity, Radio
Promotion, Religious Programming, Station of the Year, and Outstanding
Contribution to BBC Local Radio.
Last year, BBC Radio Derby picked up four Gold awards, and Radio Suffolk
won the prestigious Station of the Year award.
