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We are thrilled to announce the launch of the first ever Sony Golden Headphones Award, a brand new award which gives the British public the chance to vote for their favourite radio presenter!

How It Works

You’ve got to be in it to win it! If you’re a radio presenter over the age of 18 with a regular slot on a UK-based radio programme, you can register NOW by visiting sonygoldenheadphones.com. It’s free to enter and registrations close at 5pm on Thursday 11th April.

Whether you’re a breakfast DJ on a national network or a volunteer presenter on a local hospital station, this is your chance to be in the running for this unique award. Likewise, if you’re a producer, assistant, editor, or maker of tea, make sure your show’s presenter gets registered!

The Listeners Decide

The Sony Golden Headphones Award will be decided entirely by public vote via the website. Voting opens on Monday 15th April, is limited to one vote per email address and will close at 5pm on Friday 10th May. A leaderboard highlighting the top 20 most popular radio presenters will be updated in real time, allowing presenters and the public alike to track their progress.

In the battle of the presenters, you’ll need to mobilise your fan army! Use your tweets and facebook as well as your show to spread the word, make sure they know about the Award and how to vote, and watch the leaderboard as your loyal listeners make their choice – it really could be YOU!

The Results

The winner of the Sony Golden Headphones Award will receive a specially created trophy, with a design based on Sony’s best-selling MDR-1 headphone range, which will be presented to the winner at the Sony Radio Academy Awards ceremony on Monday 13th May at the Grosvenor House Hotel.

Chris Bowen, Country Head of Sony UK, said: “This year, the team at Sony really wanted to create a new award category that allows any radio presenter in the country to battle it out and mobilise their fans to find out who is the people’s choice. We look forward to finding out who is the nation’s favourite presenter.“

Have a lovely Easter,

The Radio Academy Team

This week’s RadioTalk comes from Blackpool where the Hospital Radio Association held their annual conference and awards ceremony at the start of Hospital Radio Week. The programme is presented and produced by Sean Dunderdale, who’s joined by Jim Simpson (Chief Exec of the HBA), Dave Nicholson (Director of Radio Tyneside), who this week won the John Whitney Award for 40 years service to his station, Paul Sylvester (Absolute Radio), Barnie Choudhury (former Radio 4 Today Reporter) and Sean McGinty (BBC Radio Lancashire).

If this is not enough, we have another sizzling edition of Radio Moments from David Lloyd.

Next week, Ken Bruce is in conversation with Tim Blackmore.

Comments always welcome. Also available via iTunes.

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This week’s Radio Moments from David Lloyd features a pirate radio ship encountering some stormy waters, an unusual version of hangman on Virgin Radio and the first batch of commercial radio stations hitting the airwaves. Enjoy!

Comments always welcome. Also available via iTunes.

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David Lloyd brings us another huge round up of Radio Moments, including the start of commercial radio in the UK, this week in 1973 and the birth of the Radio 4 classic, You And Yours, this week in 1970. Grab a cuppa and take five minutes out to listen!

Produced by Jordan Thomas at Maple Street Studios in London with imaging from On The Sly.

Comments always welcome. Also available via iTunes.

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This week in radio history was one of change: the first commercial ‘Network Chart’; the launch of Hallam; the end of Opportunity Knocks on the Light Programme; and the launch of BBC Radio 1. For extra points, name the first song ever played on the station! No prizes but do feel free to have an extra biscuit if you know what it is without the use of either Wikipedia or Google!

David Lloyd recalls – in this week’s RadioMoments

Produced by Jordan Thomas at Maple Street Studios in London with imaging from On The Sly.

Comments always welcome. Also available via iTunes.

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