Radio nominees announced for the 2021 IRN Awards

The shortlist for the 2021 IRN Awards in association with Sky News has been revealed.

The nominations were announced by Sky News presenter Anna Jones ahead of a special video ceremony on Thursday 15th July at which the winners and the recipient of the IRN Gold Award will be revealed.

There are 12 categories including the Student Journalist of the Year prize, which is supported by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council.

And the nominees are:

Newcomer of the Year:

Amelia Beckett – Greatest Hits West Yorkshire and Pulse 1.
Alan Zycinski – Global's Newsroom Scotland
Hannah Makepeace – Rock FM
Sarah McKinley – Downtown Radio and Cool FM
Emma Corr – Global's Newsroom South

Newsreader of the Year (hubs or stations under 1.5m TSA):

Emma Kirwan – JACKfm Oxfordshire
Ben Bason – Bauer Yorkshire
Henry Winter – Greatest Hits West Yorkshire and Pulse 1
Chris Hubbard – Global's Newsroom East
Jo Summerbell – JACKfm Oxfordshire

Newsreader of the Year (hubs or stations over 1.5m TSA):

Katie Radley – Global's Newsroom Yorkshire and North-East
Selena Jackson – Clyde 1
Michael Gaffney – Global's Newsroom North West
Becky Cahill – Hits Radio
Adam Barber – Global's Newsroom London

Best Interview:

Adam Lawler: The Trial of Hashem Abedi – Global's Newsroom North West
A Paralysed Woman's Fight for Support – Hallam FM
Harry Dunn: A Family's Fight by Lindsey Alder – Global's Newsroom Midlands
A Coronavirus Survivor's Story: 'They were dying all around me.' – JACKfm Oxfordshire
128 Days Later: A Covid Survival Story – Global's Newsroom Scotland

Reporter of the Year (hubs or stations under 1.5m TSA):

Jo Summerbell – JACKfm Oxfordshire
Andrew Kay – Greatest Hits Radio, South Devon
Ben Bason – Bauer Yorkshire
Emma Kirwan – JACKfm Oxfordshire
Callum Clark – Radio Tay

Reporter of the Year (hubs or stations over 1.5m TSA):

Sarah Collins – Global's Newsroom North West
Matthew Thompson – LBC
Rosanna Robins – Bauer Yorkshire
Charlotte Elmore – Global's Newsroom Yorkshire and North-East
Rachael Venables – LBC

Campaigning Journalism Award:

Joan's Legacy – West FM
Exposing the Cladding Crisis – LBC
Securing a Stalking Bill for Northern Ireland – Downtown Radio and Cool FM
The Tyred Campaign – Radio City
Mental Health Monday – Greatest Hits Radio

Best News Special or Feature:

Beyond Home Farm: The HC-One Crisis – Global's Newsroom Scotland
The Knife Angel in Gateshead – Global's Newsroom Yorkshire and North East
On The Inside – Hallam FM
Behind The Walls of Forest Bank – Global's Newsroom North West
Justice for Harry Dunn – Global's Newsroom Midlands

Student Journalist of the Year – supported by the BJTC:

Jeannine Hyde – Bournemouth University
Nabil Mehdinejad – City, University of London
Alice Young – Leeds Trinity University
David Applin – Canterbury Christ Church University
Kayleigh Heckford – Bournemouth University

Best Sports Coverage:

Wilder v Fury II – talkSPORT
More Than Just a Game – Hits Radio and Greatest Hits Radio network England and Scotland
Global's North West Sports Coverage – Global's Newsroom North West
The Rise and Fall of Celtic Manager Neil Lennon – Clyde 1
GameDay Exclusive – talkSPORT

News Team of the Year (hubs or stations under 1.5m TSA):

MFR News
Radio Forth News
Hallam FM News
Northsound News
Radio Tay News

News Team of the Year (hubs or stations over 1.5m TSA):

Metro Radio News
Global's Newsroom Yorkshire and North East
Hits Radio News Team Manchester
Radio City
Global's Newsroom North West

IRN Editor and Chair of Judges, Dave Terris said: Despite the challenges of reporting the coronavirus pandemic, news teams have adapted superbly and continued to innovate to produce high quality journalism. These nominations demonstrate the importance of people focused stories, investigations and campaigns that affect the millions of listeners who rely on commercial radio news and sport. Congratulations to everyone who has been shortlisted and my thanks to the judges for supporting the Awards.