ACRAs April 17, 2025
Sarah Patterson
Reporter
Commercial Radio Australia has informed its members in an internal memorandum that the 2025 Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs) will not be held this year.
The awards will return in 2026 and are promised to be bigger and better than ever.
The news came via an internal memorandum explaining that CRA will “reallocate resources” to “crucial priorities, including significant cost pressures incurred from ongoing legal matters with the PPCA.”
The PPCA is currently campaigning to increase the amount of royalties the radio industry pays to composers, musicians and the companies that hold the rights to recorded music. The Copyright Act of 1968 imposes a royalty payment of a 1% of revenue on the amount that radio broadcasters are required to pay for the broadcast of sound recordings on their stations. Every time the legislation is reviewed the music industry campaigns to raise the percentage of the cap. Previous attempts have not been successful, but the music royalty landscape has changed with the coming of music streaming services.
CRA will also “review and refresh… the categories, judging process, and events execution” to “reimage” how it “recognises excellence in Australian audio” for the annual commercial radio industry event.
A few years ago CRA reviewed its annual conference, which used to be held in conjunction with the awards, and refocused it towards advertising agencies, the resulting HEARD conference has proven to be successful.
The internal memo, leaked to Radio Today, says the decision “was not easy to make.”
Commercial Radio Australia is not making any further comment at this time.
2025 ACRAs ACRAs Australian Commercial Radio Awards CRA
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Recent comments (10)
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Fact Checker
17 Apr 2025 - 9:58 am
“Radio has never been stronger”
– CRA like 3 weeks ago
Shareholder #2
17 Apr 2025 - 10:06 am
The CRA v PPCA is going to end ugly
Launchpad McQuack
17 Apr 2025 - 10:20 am
Surely CRA could ask Kyle & Jackie O to borrow a few dollars…
Dave
17 Apr 2025 - 10:26 am
I wonder how many ARN staff were hoping to go with tickets and accommodation paid by the company?
Shareholder #2
17 Apr 2025 - 11:47 am
Looks as tho ARN staff – rather than spending valuable working hours putting together ACRA entries – might actually have to work on generating ratings and revenue and here’s a thought providing value for shareholders
Mick c
17 Apr 2025 - 1:10 pm
@ Dave
Your spot on there all those ARN staffers will not be impressed
Mick c
17 Apr 2025 - 1:12 pm
@ Shareholder #2 probably had it to easy for so long
Now have to start ” working” again
David D
17 Apr 2025 - 1:21 pm
Shareholder #2 seriously? This is your comment? These people create great moments all year, they are proud of them and they don’t mind spending hours outside of their work hours putting together entries in an effort to be acknowledged by their peers.
This sort of comment says a lot about the type of person you are, and it’s not the sort of person our industry needs.
Find somewhere else to be bitter and insult strangers.
SCA Insider
17 Apr 2025 - 3:27 pm
David D hasn’t disclosed his position as #1 K&J fanboy
SydneyCityTV
17 Apr 2025 - 3:38 pm
I personally hope if/when the ACRAs return, they receive the serious reform that virtually all other Australian media/entertainment industry awards also need. But my breath won’t be held for that.
Now don’t get me wrong, there have been some genuinely deserving winners in recent years. But at the same time, there’s also been some significant flaws: Eg, nominees and even some winners of “Best New Talent” awards often being people who’ve actually been in the industry for some time now – an insult to genuinely new talent.
