La radio congregations awards and puts María O'Donnell at the center of the stage

The first chord of this radio night was clear: the microphone was not only a place to inform or entertain, but also a territory where careers are built, voices are remembered and a country's memory is assembled. On Wednesday, October 21, the Asociación de Periodistas de la Televisión y la Radiofonía Argentinas, APTRA, held its annual radio awards at Goldencenter, in Parque Norte, under the conduction of Luciana Rubinska and Luis Novaresio.

A recognition with several faces of radio

The awards covered 32 categories, including journalistic programs, music, sports, technical work, production, hosting and on-the-street reporting. The breadth of the list showed that radio is much more than a voice coming out of a speaker: there is a whole craft behind every program, from the early morning agenda to the musical segment, from the producer's editing desk to the reporter who leaves the studio to tell what is happening.

The central award, the Martín Fierro de Oro, went to María O'Donnell. On receiving it, she said that it is still difficult for women to express opinions about politics and economy on radio. Her words landed with particular force because they point to a debate that has little to do with decoration and a lot to do with who is invited to speak, who is heard and who is allowed to occupy spaces of authority in public debate. In my view, that is not a minor issue: it is about the representation of an entire society.

• The award for the morning AM journalism program went to Rolando Graña, of Splendid, while Ernesto Tenembaum won in the FM category, on Radio Con Vos. Sebastián Wainraich received the award for the afternoon FM journalism program on Urbana Play.
• In music, La trama celeste, by Alfredo Rosso on La 750, won the AM category. Gabriel Anello's Súper Mitre Deportivo took the sports award.
• Marcela Tauro was recognized as entertainment columnist, Noelia Barral Grigera as political columnist, Pachu Peña for humorous work, Lucas Colautti for production and Mercedes Ninci for on-the-street reporting.

If I had to choose one winner from the night, I would keep María O'Donnell in the center, because her award did not only celebrate a personal trajectory. It also made visible the resistance that many women still face when they speak with authority about public affairs. Radio can be a democratic space, but only if it opens the door wide enough for different experiences, voices and opinions. Another name I would have liked to see recognized with the same prominence is Chiche Gelblung, whose absence was remembered alongside that of Ernestina Pais.

The ceremony also paid tribute to Julio Lagos for his extensive career in radio, and recalled Ernestina Pais and Chiche Gelblung, who died during 2026. These mentions are not a footnote: in radio, a locator's voice becomes almost a companion, and the relationship with listeners is built through years of shared morning routines, interviews, news and conversation. That is why the word mba'e, in Guaraní, can work here as a reminder that what is at stake is not only a job, but also a bond between a person and a community.

The edition evaluated productions broadcast during 2025 and brought together representatives from the country's main AM and FM stations. For listeners who want to hear where the award winners continue working, I recommend following Splendid, Radio Con Vos and Urbana Play in the morning and afternoon journalism blocks, and also revisiting the programs of Alfredo Rosso, Gabriel Anello, Marcela Tauro, Noelia Barral Grigera, Pachu Peña and Mercedes Ninci. The best way to understand this radio night is to listen to the work that earned each recognition.