Rural successes in ABC Local Radio Awards

Rural journalists, presenters and radio stations scored well in the 2011 ABC Local Radio Awards announced earlier this month (September 2011) in Sydney.

Last year’s winner of the inaugural Rabobank Australian Star Prize for Rural Broadcasting, Sarina Locke, based in Canberra, was named Rural Reporter of the Year.

An ABC program covering the North and West of South Australia, Mornings with Ann Jones, was named the best regional Local Program of the Year.

ABC Kimberley in Western Australia was awarded Regional Station of the Year, with station producer and presenter Rober Mailer named Best New Talent.

Content Maker of the Year was presented to Kathy Bedford of Regional Drive, Victoria.

Heywire, the annual competition for young people from regional Australia, was named best regional Community Event of the Year.

An ‘Outstanding Contribution to Local Radio’ Award was also given to the entire team at ABC Local Radio Queensland for their work and dedication during the State’s flood disaster. This award is given at the discretion of the Director of Radio and only presented in years where there is a nominee who clearly meets the criteria.

The annual Awards, established in 2001, recognise and celebrate the best of local radio across nine metropolitan and 51 regional ABC radio stations around Australia.