Grace Barlow, a student at Perth’s University of Notre Dame Australia, has been named the 2024 Brian White Scholarship winner, Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) has announced . This esteemed award grants Grace a unique opportunity to embark on a four-week paid placement, gaining invaluable experience across the newsrooms of ARN, SCA, NOVA Entertainment, and Nine Radio.

“This year’s competition set a new benchmark with the highest number of applicants in four years. Our finalists represent the future of radio news, and we are thrilled to see such remarkable talent emerging in our industry,” said CRA chief executive officer Lizzie Young.

The scholarship recipient was selected after an intensive workshop at ARN’s offices, where ten finalists were mentored by the industry’s top commercial radio news leaders. Led by Fiona Ellis-Jones (ARN), Michelle Stephenson (NOVA Entertainment), Erin Maher (2GB, Nine Radio), and Amy Goggins(SCA), each sharing their personal experiences and expertise on succeeding in radio.

“The level of skill and passion in the room is outstanding, it’s exciting to see the next generation eager to contribute to radio’s unique ability to reach audiences in a meaningful way,” said Fiona Ellis-Jones, ARN Head of News and Information.

“From breaking news to the everyday updates that matter, it’s often through radio that people first hear what’s happening in the world,” shared Michelle Stephenson, NOVA National Audio News Editor who has been a judge for the Brian White Scholarship since its inception in 2017.

“In the newsroom, no two days are the same, that variety keeps the work both challenging and exciting,” Amy Goggins, SCA Sydney News Editor, told the finalists.

“There’s no better place for a journalist than radio. It’s immediate, it’s intimate, it’s always evolving – offering endless opportunities for storytelling,” added Erin Maher, 2GB Radio Senior Newsreader and Editor.

The annual scholarship honours the legacy of radio legend Brian White, the first Australian commercial radio cadet journalist. White pioneered the news talk format and had a career spanning three influential decades.

Entries for the 2025 Brian White Scholarship will open early next year. The competition is open to recent graduates or students in their final year of a relevant course such as Communications, Media, Journalism, and Radio. For more details, keep an eye on our socials.