The 2023 Community Radio Awards were held on Saturday November 4 in Adelaide with over 350 entries. The CBAA Conference from November 2-4 included a Gala Dinner, where the awards were presented. The Excellence in Music Presenting Broadcasting was won by Matt Bern – Drive (Territory FM104.1). Below is a full list of this year’s winners. 

The Winners: 2023 Community Radio Awards

EXCELLENCE IN INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING AND CONTENT

• Bay FM 99.9 – Byron Farmers Market 20 Year Anniversary Special
• 2MFM – Unveiling Arab Cultures: 2MFM’s Captivating “Arab Countries Around the World” Series
• 4RFM Moranbah Community Radio – Untold Stories of the Coalfields Podcast
• MainFM – Dead Air
• RTRFM – Planet Perth
• Triple R – Live At RRR
• Vision Australia Radio – The Career Path

WINNER: Vision Australia Radio – The Career Path

BEST RADIO PROGRAM – TALKS

• 2MBS Fine Music Sydney – In Conversation
• 2RRR – Meet Me At The Movies
• Fresh 92.7 – Wavelength: Cybersecurity, Cystic Fibrosis, Markets & Spider Robots
• MainFM – Saltgrass
• Radio Adelaide – The Thursday Edition of Festival City
• Radio Eastern FM 98.1 Melbourne – Tales From The Pandemic
• Vision Australia Radio – Vision Australia Radio’s Seeing Eye Dogs Show

WINNER: MainFM – Saltgrass

CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTRALIAN MUSIC – INITIATIVE

• Casey Radio – Storytellers at the Station
• Edge Radio – I Love Tassie Music
• FBi Radio – FBi Radio Dance Class
• RTRFM – In the Pines 2023 – 30 Years of Pines
• Triple U – Young Sounds of the Shoalhaven Project

WINNER: Edge Radio – I Love Tassie Music

EXCELLENCE IN MUSIC PRESENTING

• Territory FM 104.1 – Drive – Matt Bern
• 2SER – Psychedelic Sundae
• 3MBS Melbourne – Mark Shepheard (The Early Music Experience)
• Phoenix FM Bendigo – World Music Safari
• RTRFM – Kael Driscoll

WINNER: Territory FM 104.1 – Drive – Matt Bern

BEST RADIO PROGRAM – MUSIC

• 3KND Kool N Deadly – Friends with Wendy and Pete
• 3MBS Melbourne – The Early Music Experience
• 6DBY Larrkardi Radio – Sprouts
• Plenty Valley FM 88.6 – When Vinyl Was King
• Coast FM 963 – Under the Covers
• MainFM – Virtual State with Joel Pearson
• Territory FM 104.1 – Fresh Mint

WINNER: Territory FM 104.1 – Fresh Mint

CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTRALIAN MUSIC – PROGRAM

• 107.3 HFM – Beats, Rhymes & Life
• 2MFM – Harmonising Diversity: 2MFM’s Showcase of Australian CALD and Youth Chanting Bands
• 3KND Kool N Deadly  – Friends with Wendy and Pete
• GEM FM 95.1 – The Alternative Goodness Session
• today’scountry94one – Indigenous Country
• RTRFM – Songlines
• SYN Media – The Hoist

WINNER: RTRFM – Songlines

BEST NEW RADIO PROGRAM

• 2MFM – “Empowering Safety Education: “Safe Kids R Us” – An Exceptional Program for Children’s Well-Being
• 3CR – PX Whanau
• 4ZZZ – Duck Stab
• City Park Radio – See Me – Stories of Ability podcast
• Sonshine (98.5FM) – Table Talk
• Triple R – Live At RRR
• Triple T 103.9fm – Yaruwala Karuwai First Nations LGBTIQA+ SB Program

WINNER: Sonshine (98.5FM) – Table Talk

BEST ONLINE CONTENT

• 2NURFM – Vinyl Vibes
• 3KND Kool N Deadly – 3KND Naidoc Week Celebration
• 3ZZZ – 3ZZZ Stories of Community Resilience
• Ngaarda Media – Koori Shearers Take On New Zealand
• RTRFM – The View From Here – Season 6

WINNER: RTRFM – The View From Here – Season 6

EXCELLENCE IN CREATIVE AUDIO

• 2NURFM – War on the Doorstep
• City Park Radio – The Misadventures of Agnetha Deveaux
• Denmark FM – Schools On Air
• MainFM – What’s Golden presents Dead Fest
• Radio Adelaide – Background Sound
• RTRFM – Planet Perth – Episode: The State UFO files
• SYN Media – Raise The Platform

WINNER: 2NURFM – War on the Doorstep

EXCELLENCE IN DIGITAL MEDIA

• 89.9 TheLight – Everyday Joy Podcast
• MainFM – Pride Across the Ages Podcast presented by Queer and Now
• Ngaarda Media – Save Me featuring Wimiya Woodley
• Umeewarra Aboriginal Media Association – NAIDOC Online

WINNER: MainFM – Pride Across the Ages Podcast presented by Queer and Now

BEST STATION PRODUCTION

• 2NURFM – 2NURFM Summer Holiday
• 3CR – Stay Tuned, Stay Radical
• Fresh 92.7 – Marty Haros – Best Station Production
• RTRFM – Artbeat Theme
• Vision Australia Radio – Let’s Move

WINNER: 3CR – Stay Tuned, Stay Radical

EXCELLENCE IN OUTSIDE BROADCASTING

• 2NURFM – Hunter Valley Airshow Live Broadcast
• 3CR – Pride Street Party Outside Broadcast
• 3KND Kool N Deadly – 3KND Outside Broadcast in Tamworth 2023
• 8CCC and 8PAW – Desert Harmony Festival 2022
• JOY Media – ChillOut 2023

WINNER: JOY Media – ChillOut 2023

BEST SPECIAL EVENT BROADCAST

• 2MFM – Embracing Cultural Diversity: The Grand African Mawlid Celebration Broadcast on 2MFM
• Noongar Radio – Rally For Justice, Boorloo (Perth)
• 2NVR Nambucca Valley Radio – 2NVR’s 30th Birthday Bash
• SYN Media – Always Live Soundbox Special
• Vision Australia Radio – White Stick Fest 2022 on Vision Australia Radio

WINNER: 2MFM – Embracing Cultural Diversity: The Grand African Mawlid Celebration Broadcast on 2MFM

TROY GARNER EXCELLENCE IN SPORTS PROGRAMMING

• Triple H 100.1 FM – Triple H Sports – Coverage of Men’s and Women’s NSW Rugby League Grand Finals
• 3ZZZ – 3ZZZ Football
• Lofty 88.9 FM – The Huddle Reformed
• 2NVR Nambucca Valley Radio – That’s a Wrap
• Vision Australia Radio – This Girl Can

WINNER: 2NVR Nambucca Valley Radio – That’s a Wrap

EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM

• 2DRY FM – 2023 Menindee Mass Fish Kill: How it happened
• 4ZZZ – State Budget Coverage
• Bay FM 99.9 – Tragedy in Paradise: Byron’s deadly homelessness crisis
• Ngaarda Media – Burrup Fertiliser Plant Scrutiny
• Noongar Radio – Jodi Hoffmann – Law Matters

WINNER: 2DRY FM – 2023 Menindee Mass Fish Kill: How it happened

EXCELLENCE IN NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMMING

• 2DRY FM – Water Watch
• 2SER – Razors Edge
• 3KND Kool N Deadly – Balit Dhumba
• 4ZZZ – The Pineapple Rebellion
• Bay FM 99.9 – Heard: independent commission hosts holiday letting inquiry in Byron theatre
• Fresh 92.7 – Wavelength: Data Breaches, Voice of Parliament & the Lord Mayor
• Wangki Yupurnanupurru Radio – Flood Report

WINNER: Fresh 92.7 – Wavelength: Data Breaches, Voice of Parliament & the Lord Mayor

OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTION

• 107.9 Life FM – Life FM Roadies
• 3CR – Dr Joe Toscano – 20 years on the CRN
• 97.9FM Melton Community Radio – Melvin Cerilo Mata and Good Vibes Pilipinas
• Lofty 88.9 FM – Geoff Cleggett
• Phoenix FM Bendigo – Anne Conway OAM

WINNER: Phoenix FM Bendigo – Anne Conway OAM

OUTSTANDING YOUTH CONTRIBUTION

• 2MFM – Deema Jalloul
• CMS Radio FM 91.1 – Saad Khalid
• Edge Radio – Corey Stephen
• Radio 4EB – Aryana Mohmood
• RTRFM – Madeleine Mitchell

WINNER: 2MFM – Deema Jalloul

EXCELLENCE IN INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT

• 2NURFM – Shane Peak
• 8PAW – NAIDOC Week 2022
• Phoenix FM Bendigo – Phoenix FM Bendigo

WINNER: 8PAW – NAIDOC Week 2022

EXCELLENCE IN ETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL ENGAGEMENT

• 2MFM – Elder Abuse; We Reject, Elder Safety; We Protect
• 2NURFM – 2NURFM’s Polish Program
• Casey Radio – Durshak Shingadia

WINNER: 2MFM – Elder Abuse; We Reject, Elder Safety; We Protect

EXCELLENCE IN INDIGENOUS BROADCASTING

• PBA FM – Feel Good Nunga Radio
• Ngaarda Media – From Meth to Fatherhood
• Phoenix FM Bendigo – Koori Shoutout
• Radio Adelaide – Nunga Wangga Show
• Wangki Yupurnanupurru Radio – Danggujarra – Wangki Yupurnanupurru Radio Breakfast Show

WINNER: Wangki Yupurnanupurru Radio – Danggujarra – Wangki Yupurnanupurru Radio Breakfast Show

EXCELLENCE IN ETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL BROADCASTING

• 2MFM – Ramadan Around the World
• 979FM Melton Community Radio – Good Vibes Pilipinas (Filipino-Australian Program)
• City Park Radio – Maria Elena Chagoya
• Edge Radio – Chinese Community News and Current Affairs
• Triple H 100.1FM – Radio Tagumpay

WINNER: 979FM Melton Community Radio – Good Vibes Pilipinas (Filipino-Australian Program)

EXCELLENCE IN TECHNICAL SERVICES

• 3MBS Melbourne – Howard Stoney – Technical Volunteer
• RTRFM – Stan Fotinos
• Yarra Valley FM – Phil Smith

WINNER: 3MBS Melbourne – Howard Stoney – Technical Volunteer

EXCELLENCE IN TECHNICAL INNOVATION

• 3ZZZ – 3ZZZ Analogue studios, Digital Backbone
• 8PAW – Remote Monitoring Setup in RIMOs (Remote Indigenous Media Organisations)

WINNER: 8PAW – Remote Monitoring Setup in RIMOs (Remote Indigenous Media Organisations)

EXCELLENCE IN TRAINING

• 3KND Kool N Deadly – Too Deadly Training
• 3ZZZ – 3ZZZ Broadcaster and Media Law Training
• Alive 90.5FM – Develop a Passion for Learning – and you will never cease to grow!
• Fresh 92.7 – Marty Haros – Radio Production Training Program
• SYN Media – SYN Press Club: Broadcast Journalism Training

WINNER: 3KND Kool N Deadly – Too Deadly Training

EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

• 2DRY FM – 2DRY FM
• 4ZZZ – 7 Days of Zedmas and Locked In Day
• MainFM – Able Radio and MainFM presents Castlemaine Celebrates International Day of People with Disabilities
• Sonshine (98.5FM) – Heart For The Homeless 2022
• Three D Radio – Three D Radio 93.7fm

WINNER: 2DRY FM – 2DRY FM

BEST STATION FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

• 2MFM – 2023 2MFM Ramadan Donation Drive
• 89.9 TheLight  – 89.9 TheLight November 2022 Appeal Partnership with Foodbank
• Eastside Radio 89.7FM – Thank You
• RTRFM – Radiothon 2022: Keep it Locked
• Sonshine (98.5FM) – Radiothon 2022

WINNER: Eastside Radio 89.7FM – Thank You

BEST STATION FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN: SMALL STATION

WINNER: 2MNO Monaro FM

OUTSTANDING SMALL STATION AWARD

• 2DRY FM
• 2SEA FM Southern Community Radio
• Phoenix FM Bendigo
• 2NVR Nambucca Valley Radio
• Triple Y

WINNER: Phoenix FM Bendigo

STATION LEADERSHIP AWARD

• 2NURFM – Ian Crouch
• 3KND Kool N Deadly – Erica Higgins
• 8CCC – Benjamin Erin
• Fresh 92.7 – Darren Pike
• MainFM – Stephanie Riddel

WINNER: 8CCC – Benjamin Erin

8CCC: TONY STALEY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY BROADCASTING

TONY STALEY AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY BROADCASTING: 8CCC

MICHAEL LAW AWARD: Dr Juliet Fox