- Irish Medical Media Award – John Cooke “Cancer – Man to Man”
- PPI 2012 – Silver “Local Station Of The Year”
- Media Award for Sports Coverage – HSE Community Games Media Awards 2012
- Justice Media Awards 2012; Certificate of Merit:Trudy Waters – Court reporting Certificate of Merit: Morning Focus – Free Legal Advice show
They say three’s a charm, but four is an even better cause for great celebration this week after Clare FM received one of Irish Radio’s Top accolades for the fourth year in a row.
The most listened to radio station in the Banner County won the Silver Award for Best Local Radio Station at the PPI Radio Awards on Friday night at a gala ceremony, held in the Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny.
Now in their 12th year – the Phonographic Performance Ireland (PPI) Awards aim is to celebrate the art and skill of radio production and programming.
Given the significant impact of radio on all of our lives nowadays, the PPIs salute the contribution of writers, broadcasters, producers, reporters, presenters and technicians alike, in informing, educating and entertaining listeners throughout the island of Ireland.
Clare FM has a proud history of awards, but, according to General Manager Susan Murphy, the PPI’s are like the “Oscars of the radio industry” as they’re the “most sought after prize for Local and National Stations alike”.
Accepting the Silver Prize for PPI Local Radio Station of the Year on Friday night, Susan expressed “surprise as well as delight”, as Clare FM took the Gold Prize last year, the Silver in 2010, and the Bronze Prize in 2009.
“We have been very lucky over the last number of years in terms of awards” the Clare FM Manager and Ballynacally native explained, “We’ve enjoyed great success in other award ceremonies particularly for our News and Sport. Radio is now fiercely competitive in this Country, however Local radio has been one of the great successes over the last twenty plus years and listeners have the right to expect the very best output from their local Station. We work hard to provide the County with the best radio we can, and while it’s great to be recognized by your peers, it’s just as important not to lose sight of what got you that recognition in the first place, in radio, it is all about the Listeners, those people who are willing to tell us their stories and allow us to share in their experiences whether they are happy or sad”.
But as it turned out on the night, Clare FM’s was up there among the top ranking local stations once again, coming second to WLR’s Gold Award, with Radio Kerry claiming the Bronze.
“We’re absolutely delighted with our consistency in performance, over the last four years”, said Ms Murphy, describing the latest award as “a great boost for Clare FM’s dedicated, hard-working staff”, a source of “pride for radio listeners in Clare”, and an “affirmation of confidence for advertisers who’ve supported the station over the years”.
Ms. Murphy thanked the people of Clare for their continued listenership and support, promising an exciting couple of months ahead with great promotions and giveaways.
Cancer Campaign Scoops National Award for Clare FM
The personal cancer stories of four well known Clare men have helped to achieve another national medial award for Clare FM.
Morning Focus Presenter and Clare FM’s Head of New & Current Affairs, John Cooke was presented with an Irish Medical Media award at a ceremony in Dublin on Wednesday night (October 24th) for a series of interviews entitled Cancer – Man to Man.
The entry featured Hurling Legend Ger Loughnane, Sixmilebridge Priest Father Harry Bohan, former Mayor of Clare Pat Hayes and Miltown Malbay Businessman Tony Cogan as they recounted their own experiences of cancer and encouraged health awareness among other men.
Other winners on the night included RTE’s Prime Time Programme and The Irish Times.
Sponsored by GlaxoSmithkline, The Irish Medical Media Awards recognise “outstanding contributions in the field of health related journalism” and entrants were judged by an independent and distinguished judging panel, chaired by RTE Journalist and former Questions and Answers presenter John Bowman, and included healthcare professionals, journalists and representatives from patient and support groups.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, Vice President and General Manager of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ireland Aidan Lynch said “The purpose of the GSK Irish Medical Media Awards is to recognise the important contribution of Irish medical and consumer healthcare journalists.
Here in Ireland, we’re extremely fortunate to have a strong, independent media that can, and does, challenge pre-conceptions, ask the hard questions and push for answers.”
Presenting the award in the Consumer Broadcast Category to Clare FM’s John Cooke, Dr. Bowman said the prize was in recognition of “the ‘Cancer: Man to Man’ campaign – a series of case histories which illuminated one of the most challenging of health issues”.
Accepting the prestigious national award John Cooke paid tribute to those who made the award possible.
“In radio – we’re always trying to make a difference”, remarked Mr Cooke, “but it’s the people who tell us their moving stories that can change other people’s lives, and in this case – even save them” he added “by encouraging others to seek medical help”.
Thanking the people who took part in his award winning interviews on Clare FM’s Morning Focus, John paid tribute to Fr. Harry Bohan, Tony Cogan, Pat Hayes and Ger Loughnane for “speaking out to help others”. He also wished them good health for the future.
The Irish Medical Media Award Success for Clare FM follows a recent Silver Award for Best Local Radio Station at the PPI Radio Awards in Kilkenny, and a number of other accolades for News & Current Affairs in recent years including a World Gold Medal at the New York Radio Awards and the Law Society’s Justice Media Awards in Dublin.
The HSE Community Games Media Awards were held in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Athlone, Co Westmeath on Saturday 28th April 2012. John Treacy, Chief Executive Officer of the Irish Sports Council presented the National and Regional Media with their highly coveted awards. Speaking to the guests including Paddy McCaul, President of the FAI, Dr Ailis Brosnan, HSE, Dympna Bracken, HSE and Mary Goode, AIT, John Treacy congratulated the Media for their support of the Community Games organisation and also paid tribute to the Community Games volunteers for their dedication and looked forward to building further links between the organisations.
“I would like to welcome all the representatives from the National and Regional newspapers and Radio stations; we are so appreciative of the support you afford us. I would also like to especially commend the HSE Community Games PRO’s who give so much time and effort to their role and their efforts are certainly paying off. The media have such an important role in building the profile of the Community Games and we are very eager to work with both the print and broadcast to develop our image further.” said Gerry Davenport, President of the HSE Community Games.
The HSE Community Games is an independent voluntary organisation operating in nearly 700 local communities throughout the entire island of Ireland. The HSE and the Community Games aim to promote healthy active lives and to have a positive impact on young people and their families in maintaining their health, in particular through being active and healthy eating.
Certificate of Merit: Morning Focus – Free Legal Advice show
JUSTICE MEDIA AWARDS, THURSDAY 7th JUNE 2012 –
WINNERS and Citations
The Law Society of Ireland has today (Thursday, 7th June, 2012) announced the winners of its annual Justice Media Awards 2012.
These awards, which are 20 years in existence, focus on published works or broadcasts that have helped to inform and educate Irish citizens on the role of law in society. The aim is to give national recognition to published works or broadcasts that:
Promote the highest standards in legal journalism;
- Foster greater public understanding of the law, the legal system or any specific legal issue;
- Inform and educate citizens as to the roles in society of the law, the courts, law enforcement agencies and the legal profession;
- Disclose practices or procedures needing reform so as to encourage the development and modernisation of Irish laws, courts and law enforcement agencies; and/or
- Assist the legal profession, the judiciary, and all others involved in the administration of justice in attaining the highest professional standards.
The Law Society wholeheartedly congratulates all of today’s winners of ‘Justice Media Awards’ and ‘Certificates of Merit’.
Trudy Waters of Clare FM for her report on the ‘Clare school abuse case’..
What the judges said:
“Trudy Waters is being acknowledged today for an excellent report on a case that had significant local interest, showing a great understanding of the main facts, and – under stringent time constraints – producing a report that was detailed yet comprehensive; colourful, yet highly informative.”
JUSTICE MEDIA AWARD – ‘LOCAL RADIO’
ONE ‘MERIT’ CERTIFICATE was awarded in this category to John Cooke (presenter) and Niamh McNamara (producer) for the radio slot: ‘Free legal advice – on Clare FM’s Morning Focus’.
What the judges said:
“This team produces a very popular legal advice programme that airs weekly, utilising the expertise of local solicitors who are members of their county’s Free Legal Advice Centre. They join the presenter live in studio to address specific legal issues and queries received from members of the public. Running for four years now, in the past year there has been an emphasis on recent changes to the law and how these will affect the public. Solicitors discuss topical issues surrounding the Criminal Law Defence and Dwelling Act, the Civil Partnership Act, new drink-driving laws, and advice on new business start-ups in the recession. These reports featured solicitors Mairead Doyle and Elaine de Courcey, both assisting the Free Legal Advice Centre in Clare.
The judges commented that the issued raised during the programme are extremely topical, the quality of questioning and interaction between the presenter and solicitors is superb, and the format devised by this radio station for explaining the law to the general public is to be commended.”
