Panda story helps deliver news award to Real Radio Scotland

THE arrival of two giant pandas to Edinburgh Zoo, from China in December, has helped Scots radio station, Real Radio Scotland, win a news award.

The station was winner of the ‘And Finally’ category at the Independent Radio News awards, held earlier today and which celebrate the best of news reporting among commercial radio stations.

The awards also delivered runners-up prizes for Real Radio Scotland’s Corrie Martin (Newsreader of the Year) and for the station’s reporting of physical threats made against Celtic FC manager, Neil Lennon (Sports Story).

Real Radio Scotland’s owners, GMG Radio, won first or second place in seven of the eight categories it was nominated in.

In a GMG statement reacting to its awards, group programme director, John Simons, is quoted as saying: “We have some outstanding journalistic capability within our news teams and it is fantastic to see this talent recognised as among the best in the business once again.”

The full list of winners and runners-up reads:

Newcomer of the Year

Winner: Jessica Parker, 106 JACKfm Oxfordshire

Runner-up: Jennie Clark, Real Radio Wales

Best Original News Story

Winner: Domestic Violence Specials – Gem 106

Runner-up: Selby Rail Crash – Real Radio Yorkshire

Reporter of the Year

Winner: Katie Collins – GMG Radio North West

Runner-up: Daniel Freedman – LBC

Newsreader of the Year

Winner: Paul Lockitt – Key 103

Runner-up: Corrie Martin – Real Radio Scotland

Best Newsteam/ Newsroom <750,000

Winner: Radio Aire

Runner-up: Isle of Wight Radio

Best Newsteam/ Newsroom >750,000

Winner: GMG Radio North West News Team

Runner-up: Touch Radio (Quidem Midlands News team)

Best Sports Story

Winner: Carling Cup Final – BRMB

Runner-up: Neil Lennon Terror Target – Real Radio Scotland

‘And Finally’

Winner: Pandawatch – Real Radio Scotland

Runner-up: The Princess and the Pea…..Fritter – Metro Radio

IRN Gold Award 2012

Winner: John Pickford, Head of News, Key 103