Sony Radio Awards triumph for under-threat 6 Music

Under-threat station BBC 6 Music triumphed in the face of adversity with a double win at the radio industry's biggest awards event - including a prize for chart star-turned-presenter Jarvis Cocker.

Despite being earmarked for closure by the BBC, the station - with high profile supporters and a listener campaign to save it - landed a pair of prizes at last night's Sony Radio Academy Awards.

Ex-Pulp star Cocker won the Rising Star award for his Sunday show, while 6 Music's presenting duo Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish won the Best Comedy prize at London's Grosvenor Hotel.

For the night's big award, self-professed "saviour of Radio 1" Chris Moyles lost out to colleague Scott Mills, who beat him to the title of Music Radio Personality of the Year.

Zane Lowe was another double winner as he walked away with the award for Best Specialist Music Programme for his Radio 1 evening show and Music Radio Personality of the Year. He pulled off the same feat in 2006.

BBC Radio 5 live also landed one of the biggest prizes as it was named the UK's national station of the Year.

And the key battle for top Breakfast Show was won by Radio 4's Today programme. The six-times-a-week agenda-setting show, hosted by a team including John Humphrys, Evan Davies and James Naughtie, last won the title in 2007.

Cocker used his acceptance speech to have a "rant" about the proposed closure of 6 Music.

He said: "The show that I do couldn't exist on any other station. I'm allowed to play whatever music I like, interview whoever I like and record jingles in my cellar.

"The BBC must offer licence players value for money and I'm not saying what we get paid but they do it for the love of music and it is certainly value for money.

"6 Music is never going to be the biggest station in the UK but it would be devastating if it was to close.

"6 Music isn't going to change the world, it just wants to make it a bit nicer. "Rant over, thank you very much."

The 6 Music triumphs will be a boost for the station, which is earmarked for closure under BBC director general Mark Thompson's strategic review of services.

Another BBC station threatened with the axe under the review also won a prize, with BBC Asian Network's Nihal being named Best Speech Programme.

Host Nihal Arthanayake defended the station while accepting his award.

He said: "The BBC Asian Network is something which is very close to my heart. I love the BBC and I just hope the BBC will stop bending over to politicians because it deserves to be left alone."

Elsewhere, London station Capital 95.8 breakfast hosts Lisa Snowdon and Johnny Vaughan won Best Entertainment Show, beating rival early duo Jamie Theakston and Harriet Scott of Heart FM.

Sir David Attenborough won Speech Broadcaster of the Year for his contributions to BBC Radio 4 and Dermot O'Leary reclaimed his 2008 prize for Best Music Programme with his Radio 2 Saturday afternoon show.

U2 singer Bono, more accustomed to winning prizes for his musical output, was also the unlikely recipient of a broadcasting award when his programme Elvis By Bono - in which he read his beat poet-style ode to the king of rock 'n' roll - was named Best Music Special.

It was one of six awards for Radio 4 at the event, which recognises broadcasting excellence and draws the key players from the world of radio.

Woman's Hour host Jenni Murray's R4 interview with Sharon Shoesmith, the former Haringey children's services director who was axed after the Baby P scandal and later sought compensation, was named best interview at the ceremony.

Presenter Trevor Nelson, who hosts shows for Radios 1, 1Xtra and 2, was given the annual Sony Gold for his ongoing contribution to broadcasting.

And local radio presenter Frances Finn of BBC Radio Nottingham triumphed over better known big-hitters - including Radio 4's Eddie Mair, talkSPORT's Adrian Durham and last year's winner Nick Ferrari of LBC 97.3 - to win Speech Radio Personality of the Year.

SONY RADIO ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS

* Sony Rising Star Award - Jarvis Cocker (BBC 6 Music)

* Best Community Programming - The New Ballads of Reading Gaol (BBC Radio Berkshire)

* Best Sports Programme - Sportsound (BBC Radio Scotland)

* Best Feature - Archive on 4: Working for Margaret (BBC Radio 4)

* Best News Special - Crossing Continents: Chechnya (BBC Radio 4)

* Best Competition - Who's Calling Christian? (Absolute Radio)

* Best Music Special - Elvis By Bono (BBC Radio 4)

* Best Internet Programme - Hackney Podcast (HackneyPodcast.co.uk)

* Best Specialist Contributor - Mark Kermode (BBC Radio 5 live)

* Best Single Promo/Commercial - Dear Stan (talkSPORT)

* Best Breaking News Coverage - Alzheimer's Tragedy (BBC Radio Ulster)

* Best News & Current Affairs Programme - Newshour - (BBC World Service)

* Best Use of Branded Content - Skins Radio (NME Radio)

* Best Live Event Coverage - Absolute Blur (Absolute Radio)

* Best Drama - People Snogging in Public Places (BBC Radio 3)

* Best Promotional/Advertising Campaign - Vote Joe (Real Radio North East)

* Best Interview - Jenni Murray interviews Sharon Shoesmith, Woman's Hour (BBC Radio 4)

* Best Comedy - Adam and Joe (BBC 6 Music)

* Best Specialist Music - Zane Lowe (BBC Radio 1)

* Breakfast Show of the Year (station with a potential audience under 10 million) - Dixie & Gayle, The Real Breakfast Show (Real Radio Yorkshire)

* Breakfast Show of the Year (station with a potential audience of 10 million-plus) - Today (BBC Radio 4)

* Best Music Programme - Dermot O'Leary Show (BBC Radio 2)

* Best Entertainment Programme - The Capital Breakfast Show (95.8 Capital FM)

* Best Speech Programme - Nihal (BBC Asian Network)

* Music Radio Personality of the Year - Scott Mills (BBC Radio 1)

* Music Broadcaster of the Year - Zane Lowe (BBC Radio 1)

* Speech Radio Personality of the Year - Frances Finn (BBC Radio Nottingham)

* Speech Broadcaster of the Year - Sir David Attenborough (BBC Radio 4)

* News Journalist of the Year - Lyse Doucet (BBC World Service)

* Station Programmer of the Year - Euan McMorrow (Radio City 96.7)

* Best Station Imaging - Oxfordshire's 106 JACK fm

* Station of the Year (with a potential audience of up to 300,000) - Moray Firth Radio.

* Station of the Year (with a potential audience of 300,000 - 1 million) - BBC Radio Derby

* Station of the Year (with a potential audience of 1 million-plus) - Kiss 100

* Digital Station of the Year - Planet Rock

* National UK Station of the Year - BBC Radio 5 live

* Sony Gold Award - Trevor Nelson

* Special Award - BFBS Radio.