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About The Awards

The Canadian Radio Awards celebrate the people who give it their all – on-air and behind the scenes, from across the country.

Entry Guidelines

Entries in each category MUST consist of supporting materials limited to an mp3 (no longer than 3 minutes in length), as well as a supporting jury brief limited to 200 words (and no longer than two pages max), including the program, station brand and call letters, and names of talent or staff heard in the entry. Ratings data and supporting social media materials can also be attached where applicable.

Broadcast Dialogue will select a maximum of five finalists per category, with a jury of past and present industry professionals to select a winner and a runner-up in each category.

Nominations open – October 6, 2023 (9am PST)
Nominations close – November 2, 2023 (11:59pm PST) – Nominations are now closed.
Winners will be announced – December 14, 2023

Rules + Regulations

To be eligible for the 2023 competition, entries must have been published by or aired on Canadian radio between Nov. 1, 2022 and Oct. 31, 2023. Winning entries will be showcased on our website. By entering you agree to Broadcast Dialogue’s publication and use on social media of all materials attached to your awards submission.

Only one entry per station is allowed in any particular category.

Jury Brief Requirements

To help our jury evaluate your work, include any relevant details that add context to your submission on why you deserve recognition in a particular category. This could include, but not be limited to ratings data, results, audience engagement, and overcoming challenges.

If your entry is not produced in English, a complete script in English for radio is required for the jury.

Any questions, concerns or suggestions, can be forwarded to info@broadcastdialogue.com

Market Size

Divisions:

Major (PPM-rated) – Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton

Medium (pop >100K) – Ottawa, Quebec City, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Halifax, Victoria, Windsor, Saskatoon, Regina, St John’s, Kelowna, Kingston, etc.

Small (pop <100K) – All other markets


2023 Categories and Criteria

Station Of The Year – NLogic

Recognizing overall excellence in radio broadcasting, this award goes to a local station demonstrating its ability to impact and engage with its target audience; including but not limited to personality strength, client effectiveness, community involvement, promotions and marketing, as well as creativity and innovation.

Program Director Of The Year – David Kaye

Awarded to a Program Director who demonstrates leadership, while promoting positive workplace culture, creativity, and the conception of unique programming that engages the station’s target audience. PD of the Year nominees may also be judged on community involvement, innovation, talent development, and efforts to promote the station’s identity and core values.

Music Director Of The Year – MusicMaster

The Music Director of the Year honour reflects excellence in tastemaking in the curation of station playlists. Nominees will be judged on their demonstrated ability to assess what will resonate with listeners, including the addition/discovery of new releases and new local talent if applicable to station format. Nominees may also be judged on conception of music-related station contests, giveaways, and other initiatives.

Best On-Air Solo Host (Music)

Awarded to an individual who displays an outstanding ability to engage, inform and entertain their target audience, judged on originality, and presentation, as well as community involvement and ability to convey station brand and identity.

Best On-Air Team or Host (Music)

Awarded to an on-air team who display an outstanding ability to engage, inform and entertain their target audience, judged on originality, presentation, and co-host synergy, as well as community involvement and ability to convey station brand and identity.

Best On-Air Team or Host (News/Talk/Sports) – HD Radio

Awarded to an individual or team who displays an outstanding ability to engage, inform and entertain their audience, judged on originality, and presentation, as well as credibility, relevance, and ability to approach complex topics with clarity and balance.

Best Canadian Multi-Market Network Program

Awarded to the on-air and production team behind programming, distributed either nationally or to multiple markets. Submissions will be judged on originality, presentation, and ability to entertain and demonstrate relevance to audiences across multiple stations and communities.

Best Anchor or Reporter

Awarded to an individual who demonstrates excellence in their ability to present news with clarity and credibility, including but not limited to live, breaking news, special events, and continuing coverage.  Nominees will be judged on presentation, creativity, ingenuity, and demonstrated ability to respond and pivot to bring emerging stories to air.

Best Podcast – Hippynet

Awarded to the producer, on-air personality or team, who demonstrate creativity, originality and excellence in podcasting.

Best On-Air Promotion – vcreative

Awarded to a station for excellence in contesting or station promotion. Nominations will be judged on audience engagement, creativity, programming integration, production value and on-air execution.

Best Commercial

Recognizing creative and technical excellence in commercial production, consisting of either an individual spot or client campaign.

Best Performance in a Commercial

Celebrates a strong voicing/acting performance, creativity and ability to paint realistic mental pictures, tone and pacing to enhance a commercial.

Best Imaging Voice

Awarded to the best Canadian voice over talent for station imaging produced for a Canadian station, including demonstrated ability to capture station brand and identity.

Best Imaging Production – Benztown

Recognizing creative and technical excellence in station i.d. imaging. Entry may be for a single station or network brand.

Best Achievement in Engineering

Awarded to an individual or station engineering/IT team that demonstrates excellence in technical problem-solving. Nominees are judged on their ability to navigate technical challenges, whether individual events or as part of a station build, transition or ongoing project, as well as ingenuity, knowledge, and adaptability.

Best Community Service Initiative

Awarded to a station that demonstrates creativity, engagement, and impact in the execution of a community service initiative. Nominees will be judged on programming integration, station creative and production values, and on-air and street team execution.

Best Community or Campus Station – Community Radio Fund of Canada

Recognizing overall excellence in broadcasting, awarded to a station operating as a not-for-profit , demonstrating its ability to impact and engage with its campus and/or community audience, including but not limited to community service and involvement, creativity, innovation

Sound of Success Award – Validate

The Sound of Success Award is open to stations, agencies and clients, recognizing a radio campaign that demonstrates how AM/FM Radio successfully contributed to business objectives, demonstrated by ROI, brand lift, and increased store or web traffic, in a local or national sales campaign.