According to the Sony Award judges that little matter of the Hutton Inquiry did not stop Radio 4 being the greatest radio station of the year - in fact, there's a high chance the Hutton Inquiry made it the greatest radio station of the year. Either way, the BBC station took the top gong at last night's Sony Awards, what everyone likes to called 'the Oscars of British radio'.
A good night for Xfm with Christian O'Connell beating the Beeb's Jonathan Ross and breakfast show rival Chris Moyles to take the other top title - DJ Of The Year (good job a criteria wasn't 'Pictionary skills', given his performance on ITV's Win, Lose Or Draw last night). The Sony judges reckoned: "He takes the breakfast show format, shakes it by the throat and creates a show that entertains, sometimes annoys but also excites." Some might argue it annoys more than it excites these days - but a much deserved gong all the same.
As tradition dictates at the Sonys, there was still room in the proceedings to give Jonathan Ross at least one award. He took the award for 'Weekly Music Show Of The Year' for being "witty, quick, intelligent and hugely entertaining" while delivering a "uniquely diverse playlist for mainstream radio".
Stations wise, a good night for Chrysalis' Heart 106.2 which was not only named Local Radio Station Of The Year, but stole some thunder in the London breakfast show war when Jono Coleman took the Entertainment Award for his morning show.
Elsewhere good news for BBC Radio 5 Live who followed up their RAJAR increase last week by taking a total of seven awards - including Speech Broadcaster of the Year for Ian Robertson for his commentary on Jonny Wilkinson's Rugby World Cup winning drop goal.
Other good news for the BBC in the Breakfast Show Of The Year category. They didn't win it - but they have signed up its presenters. Key 103's JK & Joel, whose breakfast show took the title, will start a weekend show for Radio 1 later this year.
Quote of the night belongs to Johnny Walker, who took the Outstanding Contribution Award. Referencing past controversies and his recent fight with cancer, he told the audience: "The NHS gets a lot of criticism, but you wouldn't believe the amount of drugs I had last year and they were all free."
Full list of Sony winners at the bottom of today's CMU Daily.