Community station up for three awards

PHOENIX FM has been named alongside some of the top community radio stations in the country, with three nominations for this year’s Community Broadcasting Association of Australia’s awards.

The Bendigo-based broadcaster is nominated for Excellence in Indigenous Engagement as well as Best Radio Program – Music category for Crimson Palace, hosted by Miss M and Excellence in Music Presentation for World Music Safari – Sounds from Other Lands hosted by Dawn Delaney.

“For our organisation, it shows the strengths we’ve gone from over the last couple of years, the quality and diversity of programming, and the engagement with our community,” said station president Samual Harrison.

“The work our presenters do for their shows each and every week is second to none, and that shows in the fact we’ve won awards in the past and we’re finalists in a number of categories this year.”

Dawn Delaney, who won a CBAA award for Best New Radio Program – Music in 2017 said she loves taking her listeners on journeys all over the world.

“I’m a music nerd and I love to do my research,” she said.

“My show’s about more than music, I’m a geography, politics, culture nerd as well. A lot of the shows and specials I do you’ll hear about the culture.”

Crimson Palace is targeted at an audience of Generation Y and Z with a mix of pop, rock and electronica, while also interviewing up and coming artists.

Miss M, who is also manages the music library at Phoenix FM, said she is “humbled and honoured” to be recognised among shows from Melbourne radio stations such as Joy 94.9 and 3RRR.

“I interview a lot of independent bands, a lot of bands coming up into the industry, many of them unsigned,” she said.

“I interview and play a lot of stuff that even Triple J doesn’t play, it’s good to give them decent airplay.”

Since 2008 Phoenix FM has been giving Indigenous Australians a voice through a weekly program, Koori Shoutout.

The program is hosted by First Nations presenters and promotes Aboriginal artists and events, inviting members of the public to come on the show.

Phoenix FM entirely volunteer-based and broadcasts from its studio in Kennington.

The winners of the CBAA awards will be announced in December, with a ceremony to be held next year.