Welcome to the PPI Radio Awards 2009 – a celebration of the art and skill of radio production and programming. Since their inception 9 years ago, the PPI Awards have gone from strength to strength, with both entries increasing in number and excellence each year.

The impact of radio on all our lives is a significant one, and the PPI Awards salute the contribution of writers, broadcasters, producers, reporters, presenters and technicians alike, in informing, educating and entertaining listeners throughout Ireland.

In radio, to stand still is to go backwards and the PPI Awards are no different. The organising committee constantly listens to Radio to see if changes should be considered and this year hosted a consultative workshop to review the Awards process and invite innovative comment. In response to suggestions at this workshop we are introducing three new categories – in Group B News Bulletin, in Group C a category for programmes broadcast in Irish and in Group E “ Music Broadcaster of the Year Specialist” . We are retaining the Silver and Bronze awards in each category in addition to the winner.

This year we have also made some changes to existing categories. Most significantly we have reviewed the category structure in Group F – the Station of the Year, to better reflect radio in Ireland to-day.

The closing date for your list of entries on-line this year is Friday 24th July 2009 and the closing date for the receipt of the actual entries on CD is Tuesday 28th July. To qualify, entries must have been broadcast between 1st August 2008 and 30th June 2009.

For our Awards celebration we are delighted to return to Lyrath House Estate Hotel which proved such a success last year. We look forward to welcoming you there on Friday October 2nd.

The shortlist of finalists in each category will be announced on Wednesday September 9th and as always the winners will be a closely guarded secret until the awards ceremony itself!

A great party is promised! We look forward to receiving your entries.

Dick Doyle Chief Executive, PPI
Michael O’Keeffe Chief Executive, BCI