Radio Indies show diversity of sector with strong RA Award showing

Independent radio production companies once again featured heavily in the Radio Academy Awards. A wide range of music and speech content, and innovative use of technology, made for both BBC and commercial radio, scooped up a total of 12 awards. These included four Gold, five Silver and three Bronze awards, in addition to a further 16 nominations. 18 different indie production companies featured in the awards and nominations.

Gold winning indie productions included The Jamie Cullum Show – (Folded Wing for BBC Radio 2); The Danny Baker Show (Campbell Davison Media for BBC Radio 5 Live); The Frank Skinner Show (Avalon for Absolute Radio), and Tempted by Teacher (Markthree Media for BBC Radio 1). Manchester‐based Smooth Operations won two silver awards for The People’s Songs (BBC Radio 2) and Radcliffe and Maconie (BBC Radio 6 Music).

Other awards including a silver award for Wise Buddah for Best Technical Innovation, for its multi player competition technology, silver for Best Creative Innovation for Now Playing @6Music – (Somethin’ Else’ for BBC Radio 6 Music), and a bronze for Best Branded Content, for The Manuscript, developed and produced by TBI Media with Absolute Radio. Matt Lucas’ John Stanley Productions featured among the bronze awards for Here be Dragons. 

Will Jackson, RIG Managing Director, commented: “These awards show how indie radio / audio companies are applying their skills to such areas as competition technology, as well as leading the way in branded content for commercial radio and international sales, whilst continuing to provide some the best programmes on the BBC networks.”

“We are continuing to talk to the commercial sector about ways in which indies can help more with innovation, as well as with the BBC and BBC Trust about ways in which indies could be allowed to compete to make more award‐winning programmes to benefit the licence fee payer.”

*** For press enquiries please contact Tim Wilson, RIG media and policy adviser, on 07909 560 374 or tim at twcentral.co.uk

Notes:

Notes 

1.  The Radio Independents Group (RIG) is the trade body representing the UK independent radio production sector. The sector is made up of approximately 150 creative companies, spread around the whole of the UK. RIG members represent around 95% of industry turnover, which we estimate as a whole to be some £40m. These creative companies make radio content for commercial networks as well as BBC networks. They also are engaged in producing a variety of other content for corporate clients, as well as overseas networks and companies. Audiobooks, podcasts, museum audio‐guides, audio games and other multimedia formats. It is estimated the sector employs well over 1,000 people, mostly in skilled production roles.

2.  More facts about the awards and nominations:

• Indie awards were spread across 16 different categories, an improvement on last year’s 13 and showing again the depth and breadth of content produced by the sector
• Indie winners and nominations ran across eight different BBC networks
• Three awards/nominations were for commercial radio programmes
• Two awards/nominations were for creating innovative services (Wise Buddah as above also TBI Media’s nomination for Minute‐by Minute interactive) 
• Jamie Cullum’s show has been syndicated widely internationally

3.  Full list of indie winners: