The war in Ukraine, in-depth investigations of political power and abuse and uncovering conspiracy theories are among the subjects nominated for this year’s Broadcasting Press Guild Audio awards.
Plus, established radio names Anita Anand, Jane Garvey and Fi Glover are up against a wide range of new voices for BPG prizes including India Rakusen, Sirin Kale, Yuriy Matsarsky, Lewis Goodall and Marianna Spring.
The chair of the BPG audio jury, journalist Simon O’Hagan, said the nominations reflect the need for information as well as entertainment. “In turbulent times, we listen to more radio and podcasts in the search for wider sources of information that we can trust. The jury was also impressed with some brilliant new voices who emerged in 2022 as the industry continued to expand, adapts and evolve.”
The 49th BPG Television, Streaming and Audio Awards – for work commissioned or premiered in the UK and released in 2022 – are prized by programme-makers because they are chosen independently by TV and radio correspondents, critics and previewers.
The Radio Programme of the Year category boasts brilliant investigations, vital information and a global perspective on the news. The Conversation (BBC World Service) listened closely to the voices of women around the world, from Ipswich to Iran, with host Kim Chakanetsa. In 28ish Days Later (BBC Radio 4) host India Rakusen explored the whole bloody story of the menstrual cycle. In Dark Corners (BBC Radio 4) saw Alex Renton investigate abuse at the nation’s most exclusive public schools. Tim Harford and the More Or Less (BBC Radio 4) team guided listeners through the complex array of statistics news nerds come up against, while Jane Garvey and Fi Glover (Times Radio) featured no-holds-barred conversation, four days a week.
The five nominations in the UK Podcast of the Year category cover topics across the globe. Empire (Goalhanger Podcasts) told us how empires rise and fall with hosts William Dalrymple and Anita Anand, while Fighting for Ukraine (Podbean) featured stories by Yuriy Matsarsky, a Ukrainian journalist turned civilian fighter against the Russian invasion. The Coming Storm (BBC Long Form Audio) took a journey into the dark undergrowth of modern American conspiracy theories; The Rest Is History (Goalhanger Podcasts) had Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook interrogating the past while also attempting to explain the present; and The Slow Newscast (Tortoise Media) investigated and reports on the stories that really matter each week with host Basia Cummings.
The Audio Presenter of the Year nominees are all first-timers for this award, but all enjoyed very strong years in 2022. Alan Dein’s Don’t Log Off programme on BBC Radio 4 collected remarkable oral histories from around the world, focussing on what unites us; Anita Anand was an outstanding voice on both Any Answers (BBC Radio 4) and the Empire podcast; journalist Lewis Goodall starred in the Global Media and Entertainment podcast The News Agents; Marianna Spring gained rave notices for her journalism on podcasts War on Truth and Disaster Trolls (both BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds); and Sirin Kale took a deep dive into cyber stalking on Can I Tell You a Secret? (Guardian podcast).
Further information from Adrian Lobb, BPG, 07986 379 452 or adrianlobb1@gmail.com
Notes to editors
- The winners of the Audio Awards announced today will be revealed at the 49th BPG Awards lunch on Friday March 24th 2023, at The Royal Horseguards
Hotel in Whitehall, London. - The BPG Twitter handle for the Awards is #BPGAwards @BPGPressGuild.
- The BPG Television, Streaming and Audio Awards are presented for work commissioned or premiered in the UK and broadcast in 2022.
- The Broadcasting Press Guild was founded in 1974 and has more than 130 members. They are journalists who specialise in covering television, streaming, radio podcasts and the media, and include critics, previewers, media correspondents and feature writers from national newspapers, broadcasters and leading trade journals and online publishers.
- Previous winners of the BPG Radio/Audio Broadcaster award include Aasmah Mir, Clara Amfo, Alistair Cooke, Sir Terry Wogan, Sue Lawley, Samira Ahmed, James O’Brien, Jane Garvey, Emma Barnett, Nick Ferrari, Eddie Mair, Lauren Laverne, Jonathan Ross, Evan Davis, Simon Mayo, Kirsty Young, Brian Redhead, Sir Mark Tully, Sandy Toksvig, John Finnemore, Michael Buerk and Susannah Simons.
- Warner Bros. Discovery and PACT are the commercial supporters of the 49th BPG Awards.
The full list of Audio Nominations for the 49th BPG Awards is:
Radio Programme of the Year
- 28ish Days Later (BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds)
- In Dark Corners (BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds)
- More or Less (BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds)
- Jane Garvey and Fi Glover (Times Radio)
- The Conversation (BBC World Service)
UK Podcast of the Year
- Empire (Goalhanger Podcasts)
- Fighting For Ukraine (Podbean)
- The Coming Storm (BBC Long Form Audio)
- The Rest is History (Goalhanger Podcasts)
- The Slow Newscast (Tortoise Media)
Audio Presenter of the Year
- Alan Dein, Don’t Log Off, (BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds)
- Anita Anand, Any Answers and Empire podcast (BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds)
- Lewis Goodall, The News Agents (Global Media and Entertainment)
- Marianna Spring, War on Truth and Disaster Trolls (BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds)
- Sirin Kale, Can I Tell You a Secret? (Guardian podcast)
Ends
