Radio Production Awards 2015 call for entries

By James Cridland for media.info
Posted 26 August 2015, 8.00pm edt

The Radio Production Awards (RPAs), which recognise and celebrate the creative skills of individual producers, are now open for entries.

In a year without the Radio Academy Awards, these are the only craft awards for radio that are open to the entire UK industry.

The awards, now in their sixth year, are organised by the Radio Independents Group (RIG) and supported by the Radio Academy. RIG is the trade body for the UK audio-led independent production industry, but the awards are open to all UK audio and radio creatives, including those based overseas if they supply UK organisations.

There are eighteen categories, including four new awards:

• Best audiobook / readings producer, "designed to recognise outstanding achievement in audiobook production"
• The Grassroots Production Award, which will go to an "individual, production company, radio station or community based organisation that has shown extraordinary achievement in identifying, nurturing or mentoring new and diverse talent to the radio and audio industry"
• The Best Nations and Regions producer, for producers "whose primary working base is outside the Greater London area, or in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland"
• The Presenter Hero Award, "designed to recognise an exceptional on-air talent (or presenter partnership), who in the eyes of their producers has gone over and above the call of duty on a regular basis".

It's not just radio - there are also categories for podcasts and multiplatform content creators - and there's a gold award. While the vast majority of the categories are aimed at individuals only, the hotly contested “Indie of the Year” award is open to companies of all sizes.

A wide-ranging panel of judges from across the radio sector will consider the quality of a nominated person’s work across a range of programmes during the qualifying period from July 2014 to June 2015. Innovation and experimentation will also be taken into account.

RIG Managing Director Will Jackson said:

“The RPAs are the leading radio awards celebrating the work of producers and we’re looking forward to seeing a large amount of entries from those seeking to get recognition for their great work.”

Producers need to be getting their entries in on or before the deadline of September 24th. Winners will be announced at a central London ceremony on 24th November at London's Hippodrome.

You can enter the awards here.