Emma Pritchard

The finalists for the 2023 Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs) have been unveiled.

And as soon as she saw her name on the list, Hope Endean was so shocked, she wondered out loud, “is this for real?”

Well known and loved throughout the Clarence Valley for her engaging mannerisms, vibrant sense of humour, and passionate enthusiasm, Ms Endean is loving her first year of fulltime work at local radio station FM104.7, and has developed a loyal following with listeners who regularly tune in to her announcements and engaging segments on Drive Home With Hope every weekday between 2-5pm for the latest celebrity gossip and hottest tunes from the 1980s until now.

Speaking with the Clarence Valley Independent last week, Ms Endean described herself as completely stunned when she learned she had been nominated and was a finalist in the Best New Talent On Air (Country) category and was full of praise for her colleagues at FM104.7, her local community, and industry leaders who have inspired her during the early stages of her blossoming career on air.

“I was not expecting it (the nomination) at all,” she said.

“I’m still so new to this industry.

“To win would be amazing, but just being nominated is the best feeling.”

Describing her work schedule as “pretty full on”, no two days are the same for Ms Endean.

And that’s exactly how she likes it.

Determined to see how far she can progress in the industry, the bubbly 19-year-old from Grafton said the beauty of working in radio is being presented with so many opportunities to learn new skills, meet new people, and have plenty of fun.

“It’s taken a lot of work and practice for me to get to where I am now, but I’ve been so fortunate to have such a supportive team around me, and we have such a strong community here as well,” she said.

“I’m just so happy to be nominated and to have my name included on the list along with some of the biggest names in Australian radio.”

Now in its 34th year, the ACRAs celebrate the phenomenal talent which continues to drive the Australian radio commercial industry in all areas of broadcasting from news and sport to entertainment and talkback.

As she looks forward to attending the awards ceremony, Ms Endean said even if she doesn’t win, there will still be plenty of smiles all round.

The ACRAs will be held in Sydney on October 14.