The truth is, there is no mystery!  The Awards were started as a commercial venture by Alan Zafer in 1983 and ZAFER Associates produce and direct the direct the Sony Radio Academy Awards with the continuing support of Sony UK.

The Awards are funded by entry fees, ticket sales and Sony’s sponsorship and organised by an industry-wide Committee whose key responsibilities include the review and introduction of the categories and the appointment of the judging panels.

Since 1998, the Chairman of the Committee has been chosen by the Radio Academy, in conjunction with ZAFER Associates and together they choose each year’s Committee.  Committee members are chosen not as representatives of their own employers, but because of their personal standing within the industry.

The 2010 Committee includes an independent producer, a senior executive from the RadioCentre, a Community Radio director, seven senior programmers from commercial radio and seven senior programmers from the BBC.  As well as its Chief Executive, the Committee also includes five Radio Academy Trustees.