The judges said that it had been a tough year for the station after Andrew Gilligan's report on the 'Today' programme sparked the Hutton Inquiry, but said: "A traumatic year for this station did not overshadow the outstanding contribution the service has made across the radio landscape."
Xfm's Christian O'Connell, whose breakfast show enjoyed an 18% rise in listeners according to last week's Rajar figures, was awarded the accolade of DJ of the Year, against strong competition from BBC favourites Jonathon Ross and Chris Moyles.
Connell was commended as "a DJ who is constantly innovating and pushing back the frontiers of the medium. He takes the breakfast show format, shakes it by the throat and creates a show that entertains, sometimes annoys but also excites. High octane, unmissable radio."
Elton John attended the ceremony at London's Grosvenor House to hand Johnnie Walker, Radio 2's veteran broadcaster, his Gold Award for his contribution to music radio.
Breakfast show of the year -- the most important slot of the day for any radio station -- was handed to Key 103's JK & Joel.
Heart 106.2's Jono and Harriet, the duo who present Heart's breakfast show and currently the focus of a big advertising push from the station, took the entertainment award at last night's event for being "effortless monarchs of entertainment".
Heart 106.2's audience share slid from 7% in the last Rajar results to 5.8% this quarter, but the station won last night's Station of the Year: Million Plus Award.
BBC Radio Five Live had a good night and won seven Sony Awards.
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