media update’s David Jenkin was in attendance at the Sandton Convention Centre.

Formerly the MTN Radio Awards, the event has been growing steadily since its inception in 2010. Over seventy awards were given out this year, and, as such, proceedings needed to move rapidly. Master of ceremonies, comedian David Kau, kept a light-hearted energy rolling until the very end.

Notable winners included John Robbie, the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award, and the four winners under the banner of Best Station. They were MFM 92.6 – Campus Station of the Year, Hot 91.9 FM – Community Station of the Year, Umhlobo Wenene FM – PBS Station of the Year, and Kaya FM – Commercial Station of the Year. Mix 93.8 FM won in the Listener Votes category for Most Loyal Listeners, while Radio 2000 took the prize for Most Votes.

The CEO of the Awards, Lance Rothschild, said in his address, “We’re truly indebted to Liberty for the growth of the radio industry, and, just as the Liberty flame burns ever brighter, may the flame of excellence in radio continue to burn increasingly brightly.”

In his address, acting chief executive of Liberty Corporate, Jeff Hubbard, read lyrics from the song Video Killed the Radio Star, and remarked on how wrong that assertion was. “Forty years later and radio is stronger and more extensive as a medium than ever before.”

He went on to say that the occasion was not about Liberty, rather it was about the radio stars – people who commit their lives to fighting ignorance, exposing the truth, entertaining, or simply bringing smiles and laughter. He called them unsung heroes, with passion and a calling, and thanked them.

“Radio plays a critical role in the lives of almost 94% of all South Africans – it is their primary source of information and entertainment – sponsoring these awards enables us to contribute towards raising the standard of radio broadcasting, ultimately resulting in stations providing more compelling fare for their listeners,” said Sydney Mbhele, chief marketing officer of Liberty.

You can view the complete list of winners here.

For more information, visit libertyradioawards.co.za.

Interested in the background of the Liberty Radio Awards? Read more in our story, Using business to support excellence in radio: A Q&A with Lance Rothschild.