Today wins big at Sony Awards

The Today programme won Breakfast Show of the Year and host John Humphrys scooped Radio Journalism of the Year, largely for his interview with George Entwistle that lead to the exit of the BBC director general.

The judges praised the interview as “event broadcasting.”

“No one who heard John Humphrys interviewing George Entwistle could be left with any doubt that they had listened to something momentous occurring and, sure enough, the director-general of the BBC stepped down later that same evening. But The Today Programme is so much more than one interview or one presenter,” said the judges.

BBC Radio 5 Live won UK Station of the Year, as well as Best Coverage of a Live Event, for its coverage of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and Best Sports Programme.

Indie producers won around 30% of the awards, despite being allowed to compete for less than 20% of the BBC’s radio programming, including notable wins for The Danny Baker Show producer Campbell Davison Media for Best Entertainment Programme and Radio 1 Review Show producer Somethin’ Else for Best Use of Multiplatform.

Phil Critchlow, chair of the Radio Independents Group and founder of Not Just Cricket-producer TBI Media said: “Winning a Sony Award is a huge creative accolade in our industry. This is therefore a really important show of creative strength by the indie production sector.”

Breakfast Show of the Year (10 million plus) – Today (BBC News for BBC Radio 4)

Breakfast Show of the Year (under 10 million) – Sam & Amy (Gem 106)

Best Music Programme – The Dermot O’Leary Show (Ora Et Labora for BBC Radio 2)

Best Entertainment Programme – The Danny Baker Show (Campbell Davison Media for BBC Radio 5 Live)

Best Speech Programme – Witness (BBC News for BBC World Service)

Best Sports Programme – 5 Live Olympics with Peter Allen and Colin Murray (BBC Radio 5 Live)

Best News & Current Affairs Programme – BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat (BBC News for BBC Radio 1)

Best Coverage of a Live Event – London 2012: The Olympic and Paralympic Games (BBC Radio 5 Live)

Best Community Programming – Ciaran’s Cause (Real Radio North West)

Music Radio Personality of the Year – Christian O’Connell (Absolute Radio)

Music Radio Broadcaster of the Year – Cerys on 6 (BBC 6 Music)

Speech Radio Broadcaster of the Year – Eddie Mair (BBC Radio 4)

Radio Journalism of the Year – John Humphrys (BBC News for BBC Radio 4)

Best Use of Branded Content – The Christian O’Connell Breakfast Show with Wickes (Absolute Radio)

Best Promotional/Advertising Campaign – The Gothic Imagination (BBC Radio 4 & 4 Extra Presentation for BBC Radio 4)

Best Competition – Coca-Cola Fan Reporter (TalkSport)

Best Station Imaging – BBC Radio 2

Best Music Feature or Documentary – The Story of Ed Sheeran (BBC Radio 1)

Best News Feature or Documentary – The Bombardment of Homs (BBC Radio Current Affairs for BBC World Service)

Best Feature or Documentary – Bruising Silence (Just Radio for BBC Radio 1)

Best Comedy – Isy Suttie: Pearl and Dave (BBC Radio Comedy for BBC Radio 4)

Best Drama – The Resistance of Mrs Brown (BBC Radio Drama London for BBC Radio 4)

Best Use of Multi-platform – Radio 1’s Review Show (Somethin’ Else for BBC Radio 1)

Station of the Year (under 300,000) – KL.FM 96.7

Station of the Year (300,000 to 1 million) – BBC Radio Humberside

Station of the Year (1 million plus) – Metro Radio

UK Station of the Year – BBC Radio 5 live

UK Radio Brand of the Year – Classic FM

The Special Award – Steve Lamacq

The Gold Award – Richard Park

The Sony Golden Headphones Award – Dan & Phil (Radio 1)