By Staff Reporters

PITTSBURGH (November 29, 2006) For the eleventh year in a row, Pittsburgh's radio elite were in attendance for the March of Dimes Achievement in Radio awards.

This year's awards ceremony was held at the Riverwatch in the Strip. Hosting the gala event were the Pirates broadcast team of Lanny Frattare and Greg Brown, who were only slightly miffed when they lost the Play-by-Play award to the Steelers crew. CBS Radio's Michael Young ably opened the event, and KDKA's Larry Richert added the flavor. This year's show was written and produced by the off-off-Broadway duo Steve Hansen and Mark Roberts.

	Drew Patterson (K-Rock) with his Best Production/ Creative Services Director Award and his Best Station Image Promo Award. Photo: John Haer - Click photo for larger image.

Pittsburgh AFTRA members led the pack, coming away with the bulk of the prizes, with members or signatory stations winning at least 23 of the 28 talent-related awards presented.

The 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award went to longtime Voice of the Penguins and AFTRAn Mike Lange. Greg Brown presented the award, sponsored this year by Arbitron, Inc. With his win, Lange, already a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, joins these eleven radio legends:

          2005 Bob Kopler
          2004 Jack Bogut
          2003 Bob Roof
          2002 Bill Hillgrove
          2001 John Garry and Larry O'Brien
          2000 Wendy King
          1999 Bill Steinbach
          1998 Robert Dickey
          1997 Myron Cope
          1996 Porky Chedwick

The March of Dimes hosts the annual competition to raise funds for the prevention of birth defects. In the past 11 years, the Pittsburgh A.I.R. awards have raised nearly $300,000 dollars.

Click HERE for the complete list of this year's winners and the winning audio from the official AIR Awards website, airawardspgh.org.