ACRAs: Jonesy and Amanda crowned best on-air team

19 October 2019
 

WSFM’s Jonesy and Amanda have been named the best on-air team at this year’s Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs).

The duo, Brendon Jones and Amanda Keller, took home the top prize for metropolitan FM radio for the third time in their 14 years together.

Other big winners at the ceremony in Brisbane tonight include 2GB’s drive-time host Ben Fordham who won Best Talk Presenter for the fifth time, and 2GB morning presenter Ray Hadley who was awarded Best Current Affairs Presenter. The win for Hadley brings his career tally of ACRAs to 33 across all categories.

The Best On-Air Team for metropolitan AM radio was awarded to Erin Molan & Natalie Peters, the first female duo to host a news/talk show on 2GB and the first all-female team to win this award in ACRAs’ history.

Nova’s drive-time show Kate, Tim & Marty won Best Networked Program and Best Syndicated Australian Program, while Triple M’s Lawrence Mooney won Best Entertainment Presenter and Rebecca Morse from Hit107 in Adelaide won Best Newcomer On-Air.

In podcasting, Hamish & Andy, on PodcastOne Australia, won best original unbranded podcast, while Nova’s Focus on Ability won best original branded podcast.

Radio icon Doug Mulray, also known as Uncle Doug, was inducted into the Commercial Radio Hall of Fame in front of nearly 1000 guests.

Mulray began his career at country station 2AD in NSW, eventually moving on to present Sydney’s Triple M, growing the show from a ratings share of 2.6% up to over 18% at one point.

Mulray followed his stint at Triple M with on-air roles in the drive-time slot on 2SM and 2WS, before signing off in 1999.

“There is no disputing the enduring place that Doug Mulray has in the fabric of the Australian radio industry,” CRA CEO Joan Warner says.

“His formative impact on breakfast radio and broadcast comedy still resounds through what is heard on air today, making him one of the most respected and unforgettable voices in Australian radio.”

TV host Andrew Denton, who worked with Mulray at Triple M, told Mulray he “broke the mould”.

“In fact, you reinvented the idea of a mould. You single-handedly, as far as I could see, put commercial FM radio on the map,” Denton says.

“You were the first ever to take a commercial FM radio station to number one against the then dominant AM radio.”

Mulray says he appreciates being remembered “fondly” be the industry.

“It’s nice to be included, to be inducted. I’ve never been inducted before, I hope it doesn’t hurt,” he says.

“It would be dumb for me to receive this award without acknowledging those people, generally if I can’t mention all the names. Genius people. And I think that too often when my success is discussed they’re overlooked and I really couldn’t accept this award without including them in my thank you.”

Click the below image for the full list of ACRA winners:

Acra

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