Gisborne's MoreFM radio breakfast host Bevan Chapman was named 'New Zealand Broadcaster of the Year' at the radio and podcast awards in Auckland on Thursday night.
Gisborne's MoreFM radio breakfast host Bevan Chapman was named 'New Zealand Broadcaster of the Year' at the radio and podcast awards in Auckland on Thursday night.
Gisborne broadcaster Bevan Chapman was named the prestigious Sir Paul Holmes ‘Broadcaster of the Year’ at the New Zealand Radio and Podcast awards in Auckland on Thursday night.
The MoreFM Breakfast host was honoured for the work he did in radio and in the Gisborne community last year.
That work included round-the-clock broadcasting during the Cyclone Gabrielle emergency.
Chapman spent several nights sleeping on a mattress in the studio at MoreFM while he was broadcasting.
“I just went on air and did what I do, on local radio passing on messages and hopefully keeping everyone informed as best as I could,” he was reported saying last year.
“I feel it’s special for the community because the cyclone response was a community effort and I share this award with everyone in Gisborne.
“We all got together during and after Gabrielle and helped each other get through.”
Chapman, 44, has spent more than 20 years broadcasting in Gisborne.
He received a Gisborne District Council Citizens Civic Award late last year for his work during Gabrielle and for his other community work.
“Bevan dedicates much of his time to community and fundraising events, often as MC. He was also a key link for communication with our community during Cyclone Gabrielle,” his council awards citation stated.
His top broadcaster award on Thursday night was sponsored by NZME.
NZME itself picked up seven awards including Best Music Breakfast Show (ZM), Best Talk Presenter (Mike Hosking), Best News or Sports story for Newstalk ZB’s coverage of Cyclone Gabrielle, Podcast of the Year (Tom Sainsbury), and the Network/Metropolitan Station of the Year – Newstalk ZB.
