The finalists for the 35th Australian Commercial Radio & Audio (ACRA) Awards have been unveiled, setting the stage for a thrilling ceremony at The Star in Sydney on Saturday, 12 October.

This year's competition saw a staggering 1159 entries, culminating in 361 finalists and 71 awards up for grabs. The Best On Air Team (Metro) category includes last year’s winners Brendan Jones and Amanda Keller (Jonesy & Amanda, WSFM, ARN), 2022 Hall of Fame inductees Kyle Sandilands and Jackie Henderson (The Kyle and Jackie O Show, KIIS 1065, ARN), The Christian O’Connell Show (GOLD104.3, ARN), Jase & Lauren (Nova 100, NOVA Entertainment), Carrie & Tommy (3FOX, SCA), and Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie (Nova 96.9, NOVA Entertainment).

Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) chief commercial officer, Jo Dick, said: “The talent on display is truly special, and we are thrilled to see such a diverse array of voices ready to shine as showtime approaches."

The Individual Talent of the Year Award has attracted the highest number of submissions across all categories. “It's great to see the increased prominence of female finalists in this year's Individual Talent of the Year lineup. These exceptional people are leading the charge and making a significant impact on the radio industry," said Dick.

The Station of the Year Award (Metro) finalists are B105 Brisbane; GOLD104.3 Melbourne; 2GB Sydney; Triple M Adelaide; and 2023 winners KIIS 1065 Sydney. The competition for the Best Networked Show Award includes last year’s winners, The Kyle and Jackie O Hour of Power (KIIS Network, Sydney, ARN) and Fitzy & Wippa with Kate Ritchie (Nova 96.9, NOVA Entertainment), among others.

The finalists for Best News Event Coverage include ARN’s MIX 104.9 for Alice Springs Chaos, Nine Radio’s 2GB for both Bondi Attacks and Sydney Car Pursuit, and others.

Nine Radio Managing Director, Tom Malone, said: “This is an outstanding result for Nine’s radio stations and podcast teams. They are a dedicated group of professionals who strive for excellence in all they do. At the heart of their purpose is serving our listeners, as a destination for live and local content – always relevant, always on. These nominations are a huge testament to their hard work and commitment, and a wonderful reflection on them, and all of their colleagues who strive for excellence every day.”

SCA CEO, John Kelly, said: "We are delighted with the scale and strength of the SCA network, which is well and truly on display with strong representation in many of the 2024 ACRA finalist categories. From more than 1,100 entries, SCA has achieved an outstanding 119 finalist nominations across more than 60 categories, and we are celebrating each and every one of them."

“Congratulations to all the finalists for their outstanding work and dedication. Their contributions are a significant part of what makes the Australian audio scene so exciting and dynamic," said Dick.