The 2005 TCF Audio Luminary Award Recipient: Steve Wadhams (INC)

The Third Coast Festival Audio Luminary Award is presented annually to an individual who is greatly admired for his or her significant and ongoing contributions to the field of radio. Hats off to the 2006 Audio Luminary, Steve Wadhams.

Steve Wadhams is a longtime producer for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, who, over the course of his 30 years at the CBC, has set himself apart as a masterful documentarian. Wadhams' work has been recognized by a Prix Italia, two Major Armstrong awards and the gold medal at the New York Festivals.

Among his other achievements, Steve Wadhams is one of the original producers of CBC Sunday Morning and a co-founder of Radio's EAR (Experimental Audio Room) located in the CBC's Toronto Broadcasting Centre. Wadhams has earned worldwide respect as an innovative thinker, continually interested in expanding the boundaries of storytelling. CBC producer Neil Sandell writes, "One of the hallmarks of Steve's career is his willingness to take risks and reinvent himself . . . and a desire to push the creative envelope."

Wadhams' career has been highlighted not only by the radio he has produced, but also by his significant role as a teacher and mentor. Colleague Havoc Franklin writes, "What makes Wadhams' contributions to radio so special is not only his long list of award-winning productions, but his commitment and generosity of sharing those skills and passing them on."