National Education Radio on Wednesday led the nominations for the 54th Broadcast Golden Bell Awards with a total of 31 nods.

The broadcaster gained nominations in 20 of the 26 Golden Bell categories, including best world music program, best radio drama and best popular music program, the Ministry of Culture’s Bureau of Audiovisual and Music Industry Development said.

Three of the station’s children’s programs and three youth programs were also nominated for awards.

One of them, iTung Wu Chin Hsing Shih focuses on environmental protection and seeks to spur children’s interest in animals and science through games and stories, the radio station’s Web site said.

New immigrant and family program Shan Liang Hsin Tai Ke was nominated for best social care program, while agricultural program Ching Nung Shih Chi On Air  was named among the nominees for best lifestyle program.

Shan Liang Hsin Tai Ke highlights the lives of new immigrants in Taiwan, with the goal of encouraging people to embrace diversity, and migrant workers and new immigrants are regularly invited to share their stories and experiences on air, the station’s Web site said.

In the individual category, the broadcaster scored 15 nominations, including best popular music program host; best educational and cultural program host; best children’s program host; best youth program host; best social care program host; and best art and culture program host.

The number of nominations was an indicator that the radio station was on the right track, director Hsieh Chung-wu said.

“National Education Radio is a national-level radio station and we invite everyone to tune in, as we strive to continue to bring the best programs to the nation,” he said.

Meanwhile, this year there is to be no Golden Bell special award for an individual who has made a major contribution to broadcasting, because no one on the short list met the standards set by the jury, head juror Lin Fu-yueh said.

“Although the people recommended are all elites in their fields, we felt that they did not quite reach the bar, which was slightly higher this year,” said Lin, a professor at Chinese Culture University’s Department of Mass Communication.

“That is why we are withholding the award this year, but we hope more recommendations will come in next year,” he said.

It is not the first time that the special award has been withheld, bureau Director-General Hsu Yi-chun said.

“Although the special award has been granted every year recently, that was not the case 10 or 20 years ago,” she said. “It all depends on the recommendations received for a particular year.”

The Broadcast Golden Bell Awards ceremony is to be held on Sept. 28 at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei.