Audio and Radio Industry Awards

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (August 2021)

The Audio and Radio Industry Awards (ARIAS, ARIAs, or UK ARIAs) are annual awards awarded for excellence in UK radio and audio presenting and production.^[1][2] Established in 2016 by the Radio Academy, they succeeded the Radio Academy Awards, the academy's honours system of 1983 to 2014 (there were no awards for 2015).^[1][2] They are awarded for productions in the previous calendar year. In contrast to many other media award ceremonies, three winners are selected by judging panels^[3] for each category and graded Gold, Silver or Bronze.

In May 2019 the Young ARIAs were inaugurated at the BBC Radio Theatre in London in a ceremony hosted by BBC Radio 1's Matt Edmondson and Kiss FM host Daisy Maskell.^[4] The very next year they were rebranded as the Young Audio Awards.^[5][6]

Since their launch, the Audio and Radio Industry Awards have been shunned by the biggest commercial radio group in the UK, Global Radio.^[7] Although the Radio Academy is not supported by Global Radio this does not preclude it from entering programmes or presenters from its stations, namely Heart, Capital, LBC, Capital Xtra, Classic FM, Smooth Radio, Radio X or Gold.^[8]

Nominations for the 16 inaugural award categories were unveiled on 19 September 2016 by Radio 1's Scott Mills and Pandora Christie of Kiss FM. The shortlist for each category was limited to five nominees.^[9]

Nominations were revealed on 18 September 2017 by Virgin Radio presenters Kate Lawler and Matt Richardson. The number of categories was increased to 23, each with a shortlist of six nominees.^[13]

Nominations were revealed on 17 September 2018 by Capital South Wales presenters Matt Lissack and Polly James. New categories introduced this year included Best Local Radio Show, Funniest Show, Best Commercial Promotion and Best Station Sound.^[16]

Fallow year (no awards ceremony was held in 2019).

The awards ceremony was moved to a spring slot from its traditional autumn fixture and took place at The London Palladium. Nominations were revealed on 15 January 2020.^[19]

The nominees were announced on 21 April 2021.^[8] Due to COVID-19 restrictions the 2021 awards ceremony was an hybrid event with just 100 invited guests in a small theatre at The May Fair Hotel. In recognition of content produced to support audiences in lockdown, new categories included The Creative Innovation Award, The Impact Award and The 2020 Special Award.

The nominees were announced on 5 April 2022.^[24] The awards ceremony was once again a live in-person event after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Ivor Norvello Award-winning Tom Odell and two-time BRIT award-winning Heather Small both performed at the awards, with Heather Small opening the ceremony. This year marked the inaugural Pioneer Award, which was bestowed on Janice Long.

The nominees were announced on 30 March 2023. Two award categories were retired; Best Independent Podcast and Best Marketing Campaign, and replaced by four new categories; Best Community Station of the Year, Best Audiobook or Reading and a split of Best New Show into Best New Radio Show and Best New Podcast. In addition, Best Fictional Storytelling which in previous years had included readings became Best Drama. There was also a one-off 2022 Special Award recognising audio coverage following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, bringing the total number of awards to 28. A change of venue was also announced.^[27]

On 21 April 2023 it was revealed that Tony Blackburn would be receiving this year's Pioneer Award for his near 60 years in broadcasting and contribution to the popularity of soul music in the UK.^[28] Tim Blackmore was announced as guest of honour at this years ceremony in recognition of his contribution to radio and audio over the past six decades.^[29]

• Official website