All of this follows the three nominations HOT 102.7FM received at last year's New York Festivals Radio Awards and the seven it received in 2023, HOT 102.7FM says.

This year, HOT 102.7FM says it is shortlisted in the following radio categories:

• Best News Report / Feature: Human Interest Feature — 'Blindspot', and
• Best News Programme: News Documentary / Special — 'Derailed'.

"I'm incredibly proud, because we've always wanted to measure ourselves against the world's best and not just our competitors in the local market," says Lloyd Madurai, Managing Director of HOT 102.7FM. "These nominations are just proof of the quality of the product we're putting out and the value we're in a position to offer our loyal listenership and commercial partners."

The two news nominations are a feather in the cap for HOT 102.7FM Head of News Tara Penny, who played a lead role in producing the two series in question, the station adds.

'Derailed' was produced in the run-up to World Mental Health Day and took the form of in-depth interviews with healthcare experts and those deeply affected by mental health issues, including listeners and celebrities the HOT 102.7FM audience could identify with. These interviews were then edited and inserted into compelling audio news pieces that played out in the station's news bulletins, the station says.

'Blindspot' was produced in response to the absence of working traffic lights across large parts of Johannesburg, with the HOT 102.7FM News team interviewing a range of experts to try and find out what was fuelling the anger on our roads, culminating in a series of reports that ran across the station over the course of a few weeks, HOT 102.7FM says.

“Our news department is one of our shining lights and they're a great example of how HOT 102.7FM likes to flip the script and do things differently," says Madurai. "I'm just glad that their incredible work has been recognised on such a prestigious platform."

The station says that the New York Festivals Radio Awards honours radio content in all lengths and formats and across all platforms, from radio stations, networks, and independent producers from around the globe. Embracing all aspects of the radio and audio industries, the categories "mirror today's global trends and encourage the next generation of story-tellers by recognizing innovators in 14 category groups".

The entries were judged online by the New York Festivals Radio Awards Grand Jury and the award winners will be announced at a gala event on  Thursday, 22 May, the station concludes.

For more information, visit www.hot1027.co.za. You can also follow HOT 102.7FM on Facebook, X or on Instagram. 

*Image courtesy of Facebook