Every year the Hospital Radio Association throws a massive Oscars style awards do. Stations and presenters around the country submit audio to be judged by radio industry professionals. For the last three years I’ve entered, made the top 10 but never won the prize. “Always the bridesmaid but no cigar” or something like that! This year was different. On my fourth attempt I am delighted to say I struck silver.
Whenever anyone receives an award for anything they always say “I wasn’t expecting that”. It’s normally false modesty. I honestly wasn’t expecting to win anything. I didn’t even have space in my suitcase for the trophy! On the I night I was not expecting to win for two reasons 1. Because, our table was right at the back of the room (it turned out this had no bearing on anything, the award winners were scattered throughout the venue). 2. The phrase “fourth time lucky” is never used by anyone!
I’ve been doing a show on Hospital Radio Reading for six years now and regardless of awards nothing would make me want to give up my modest mission of cheering up ill people via the radio. However winning an award is wonderfully encouraging. I can’t wait to get back on HRR this Saturday (12pm-2pm).
Why YOU should enter the HBA awards
If you’re a hospital broadcaster and are yet to enter the awards here some reasons you should give it a go.
- You might think awards are irrelevant so long as you are entertaining the patients. Yes the patients are of paramount importance. However, putting together your award will force you to listen to your show and will give you the focus you need to improve and therefore benefit your audience more.
- The awards are a unique opportunity to get advice from the radio industry. You can never have enough good advice. Many of the judges started their radio career in hospital radio so can give the perspective from form both hospital radio and professional radio.
- You entering the award will help to raise awareness and stress the relevance of hospital radio. This ultimately helps hospital radio stay alive.
- Regardless of winning your entry will serve as a lovely souvenir of your time on hospital radio. In later life it would be terrible to sit back and say “if only I had a recording of all the fun I had on hospital radio”.
- What have you got to lose by entering? Absolutely nothing so go for it! There is no shame in not being nominated. The spirit of the awards means that you will be respected simply for having the courage to try.
Thanks
We weren’t allowed to give acceptance speeches; just as well really because due to how talkative radio people are we would probably still be there now! So I thought I’d thank people here.
In no particular order: Gerard Rocks the chairman of HRR for all his encouragement and for letting the overexcited teenage me join the station (I haven’t actually changed). Lou Remenyi my current co-host who for the last few years has put up with my forgetfulness and general nonsense, former cohosts Rob Pettafor, Rob Stevenson and Tarah Farrer for being great fun. Jonathan Sawyer for fixing things when I break them and providing the voice of Alexander Graham Bell in my award entry! Martin Rolfe for showing me the importance of storytelling on the radio and showing me that hospital radio can be different and creative. Louise Crooms for winning HHR’s first award in ages and inspiring me to give the awards a go. My parents are listening to my award entry countless times. Anyone who has led me their ears, I promise to give them back at some point.
Hear my entry
Rhodri “Rhodders” Buttrick HBA Silver Award winning entry by Rhodders on Mixcloud