2024
NZ Radio & Podcast Awards
On 6 June the NZ Radio & Podcast Awards announced the winners for 2024. Congratulations to all the RNZ shows and people who won awards or were finalists.
Best News & Current Affairs Podcast – The Detail
Best Reo Māori Podcast – Whakāmāori S2
Best Children’s Programme - In Case You Missed It
Best Daily or Weekly Feature – Factual – Country Life
Best Documentary or Factual Talk Feature – Conviction: The Christchurch Civic Creche Case
Best Talk Presenter – Non Breakfast or Drive – Kim Hill (joint winner with Marcus Lush)
Former RNZ Head of Radio David Allan, who recently retired after 50 years in radio, was presented a Services to Broadcasting award.
Congratulations to Checkpoint’s Jimmy Ellingham who was previously announced Best New Broadcaster – Journalist
Voyager Media Awards
Winners
From a number of finalists in this year's Voyager Media Awards, RNZ took away these awards announced on 24 May:
Best Innovation in Digital Storytelling
Guyon Espiner, Farah Hancock, John Hartevelt, Cole Eastham-Farrelly and Hingyi Khong | RNZ – The Interview
Best Up and Coming Journalist
Ella Stewart | RNZ
Business Journalist of the Year – Sponsored by Spark NZ
Eloise Gibson | Stuff and RNZ
Congratulations also to MATA and NZ Wars presenter Mihingarangi Forbes who was named joint winner of Te Tohu Kairangi Award alongside Moana Maniapoto.
New York Festivals Radio Awards
Four RNZ Podcasts were acknowledged at a ceremony in New York on 16 April:
Podcast - Investigative Journalism Podcast
Conviction: The Christchurch Civic Creche Case - Gold
Podcast - Narrative/Documentary Podcast
Mr Lyttle Meets Mr Big - Silver
Deer Wars - Bronze
Best Documentary - History
Black Sheep - Finalist
2023
NZ TV Awards 2023
The NZ TV Awards recognizes excellence in a variety of categories across television in Aotearoa. NZ Wars: Stories of Wairau was awarded Best Māori Programme in a ceremony on 5 December.
Best Māori Programme
NZ Wars: Stories of Wairau, Aotearoa Media Collective & Great Southern Television for RNZ.
Annabelle Lee-Mather, Mihingarangi Forbes and Cameron Bennett at the NZ TV Awards on 5 December 2023 - they went on to win Best Māori Programme for NZ Wars: Stories of Wairau (available on rnz.co.nz) Photo: Rob Trathen for the NZ Television Awards
NZ Podcast Awards
The NZ Podcast Awards were announced on 30 November, with 20 awards for RNZ Podcasts.
Best Arts & Culture
Bronze - Voices
Best Comedy Podcast
Gold - Did Titanic Sink
Best Education Podcast
Gold - ICYMI
Best Factual Podcast
Gold – Black Sheep
Silver – Our Changing World
Bronze - Voices
Best Fiction Podcast
Silver - The Reading
Best History Podcast
Gold - Black Sheep
Bronze - The Aotearoa History Show
Māori or Pasifika Podcast or Host
Gold - So'omalo Iteni Schwalger (The TAHI)
Silver - Justine Murray (Nau Mai Town)
Best Network or Publisher
Gold - RNZ
Best New Podcast
Bronze - The TAHI
Podcast of the Year
Gold - Black Sheep
Bronze - Did Titanic Sink
Climate Award
Gold - Our Changing World
Rising Star
Bronze - Evie Orpe
Creativity Award
Bronze - Voices
Spotlight Award
Gold - The Detail
Webfest Awards
Congratulations to the Tinderbox Productions, the makers of self-funded dramedy series Blind Bitter Happiness for winning Best Writing and Best Narrative webseries at the Webfest Awards on 12 November. The series has also been awarded direct selection into the Japan Web Fest Awards.
NZGAJC Agricultural Photography and Journalism Awards
Two RNZ journalists were acknowledged at the NZGAJC (New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators) Agricultural Photography and Journalism Awards on Friday 10 November.
The Pāmu Agricultural Journalism Encouragement Award, established to recognise the work of journalists who are new to specialising in agricultural journalism, went to Sally Murphy from RNZ’s Rurals team for her coverage of Fieldays for Midday Report, Cyclone Gabrielle for Morning Report, and the eradication efforts of m-bovis for Nine to Noon.
TUANZ Rural Communities Award was won by Sally Round for Voices from Tai Rāwhiti, an episode for Country Life that captured how rural people were faring three months after Cyclone Gabrielle ravaged the region.
imagineNATIVE Awards 2023
imagineNATIVE Awards celebrate the indigenous achievement in film and media arts. RNZ The River recently took out the prestigious Experimental Audio Award at imagineNATIVE 2023.
Through a cinematic, immersive listening experience, it is the first scripted narrative Māori podcast that utilizes the latest 360 reality audio technology.
Experimental Audio Award
The River, Todd Karehana, Piata Gardiner-Hoskins (Secondary platform)
2023 PANZ Book Design Awards
RNZ bake off Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Judges said the book's design acknowledged that radio listeners have the smarts to complete the pictures themselves, while Keel's line work illustrations add "visual seasoning".
Find out more about the RNZ Cookbook here.
Voyager Media Awards
RNZ had 14 finalists in this year's Voyager Media Awards, with the winners announced on 27 May, with RNZ taking away the following awards:
Best original podcast – ongoing/episodic - (Joint winnner with Between Two Beers)
Sharon Brettkelly, Emile Donovan, Sarah Robson, Bonnie Harrison, Mark Jennings | newsroom.co.nz and RNZ – The Detail
Le Mana Pacific Award
Lydia Lewis
Best reporting – environment
Farah Hancock
Feature Writer of the Year (short-form)
Guyon Espiner
New York Festivals Radio Awards
Photo: PETER GARRITANO
RNZ Concert's recording of Ka Pō Ka Ao by Rob Ruha and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra received a gold award for best live sound in the craft section. The concert was produced to celebrate Aotearoa's first Matariki programme and you can listen to it here.
The Elephant in the Bedroom was a finalist for best Personal Lives Podcast. The podcast was created by Notable Pictures for TAHI.
NZ Aviators look back to their experience of the Second World War received a bronze award in the history documentary category. It was produced and presented by Jude Dobson of Homegrown TV.
NZ Radio Awards
RNZ had 27 finalists in the 2023 NZ Radio Awards, with seven winners announced on 1 June.
Best New Broadcaster - Journalist
Jimmy Ellingham (joint winner with Newstalk ZB's Jason Walls)
Best Daily or Weekly Feature - Factual
Country Life
Best Documentary or Factual Talk Feature
The Elephant in the Bedroom
Best Music Feature
Ka Pō, Ka Ao – Rob Ruha with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra
Best Factual Podcast - Episodic
The Detail
Our Changing World
Best Factual Podcast - Seasonal
The Aotearoa History Show
2022
The RNZ Cookbook was released on 10 November 2022 by Massey University Press. At the 2022 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, the cookbook was awarded Best Fund Raising Cook Book for New Zealand and a special award. You can read more about the RNZ Cookbook here.
Photo:
NZ Podcast Awards
23 RNZ podcasts were nominated in the 2022 NZ Podcast Awards, with the winners announced on 12 December - including a gold award for Best Network. Finalists below, with winners in bold.
Best Arts & Culture – Voices - BRONZE
Best Current Affairs – The Detail
Best Documentary – Hair & Loathing, Let’s Be TRANSparent, The Elephant in the Bedroom - GOLD
Best Education: Whakamāori - GOLD
Best Factual – Our Changing World - SILVER
Best Family – Best of Storytime, News2Me - SILVER
Best Fiction: Devil’s Trumpet - BRONZE
Best Health & Wellbeing: Eating Fried Chicken in the Shower - SILVER, Let’s Be TRANsparent
Best History – Eyewitness - GOLD
Best Māori or Pasifika – The Elephant in the Bedroom, Whakamāori - GOLD
Best Radio podcast – Nine to Noon
Best Sex & Relationships: The Elephant in the Bedroom - GOLD
Best True Crime: Crimes NZ
Spotlight: Crimes NZ
Climate Award: Our Changing World - SILVER
Rising Star: Kadambari Gladding, Joe Stockhausen - GOLD
Best Network: RNZ - GOLD
The winners will be announced on 13 December.
Voyager Media Awards
The 2022 edition of the Voyager Media Awards was held in Auckland on Saturday 20 August in Auckland.
Winners
Best feature writing – social issues, including health and education
Anusha Bradley | RNZ – Women struggle for treatment as ACC changes policy on perineal tears
Best Junior Reporter
Samantha OIley | RNZ
Runners Up
Best Data Journalist: Farah Hancock, Vinay Ranchhod, Cole Eastham-Farrelly for Who's eating New Zealand?, Legal aid debt, Covid in daily numbers
Best Reviewer: Anna Rankin for her work for RNZ and Metro Magazine
Best Podcast – Narrative or Serial: Tim Watkin, Liz Garton, Joseph Stockhausen, Pauline Stockhausen, Hamish Coleman-Ross, Ian Havill, Flo Wilson for Let’s Be TRANSparent
Feature Writer of the Year – Guyon Espiner
News App of the Year – RNZ App
NZ Radio Awards
The NZ Radio Awards winners were announced on Thursday 21 July in Auckland. RNZ's winners were:
Best Daily or Weekly Feature - Factual
Carol Stiles, Sally Round, Cosmo Kentish-Barnes, Duncan Smith - Country Life
Best New Broadcaster - Journalist
Louise Ternouth
Best News or Sports Journalist
Anusha Bradley
Best Documentary or Factual Talk Feature
Katy Gosset, Justin Gregory, Tim Watkin, Alex Harmer, Rangi Powick, Kadambari Raghukumar, Sandra Close, Julie Hutton - Fragments
Taite Prize
The outstanding careers of two RNZ staff were recognised at the Taite Prize on 30 May, with Lately host Karyn Hay ONZM presented the Independent Spirit Award for her contribution to the New Zealand music industry throughout her illustrious broadcasting career, and Tony Stamp the first recipient of the new award NZ On Air Outstanding Music Journalism. Watch interviews with Karyn and Tony.
Karyn Hay and Tony Stamp at the Taite Prize 2022 Photo: Cole Eastham-Farrelly
NY Festival Radio Awards 2022
Eight RNZ entries were shortlisted for the 2022 edition of the prestigious NY Festival Radio Awards, with three medals awarded to RNZ at The Storytellers Gala virtual ceremony that took place on 27 April.
RNZ shortlisted entries:
News: Reports/Features
Best Investigative Reporting - Anusha Bradley
On-Air Talent
Best Talk Show Host - Jim Mora
Documentary
History - Fragments
National or International Affairs - Red Line
Podcasts
Narrative/Documentary Podcast - Black Sheep -Bronze
Personal Lives Podcast - Let's Be Transparent - Bronze
Narrative/Documentary Podcast - Red Line
Best Live Sound
Craft - Ngā Hihi o Matariki - Silver
New Zealand Television Awards
The New Zealand Television Awards recognises excellence in television, and honours the special skills and unique talents of the companies and individuals who create, produce, and perform in television programmes in New Zealand. The 2021 Awards were held on 1 March 2022.
NZ On Air Best Pasifika Programme - Tikilounge Productions for Untold Pacific History - Winner
Best Factual - Fisheye Films for Fight for the Wild - Winner
Images & Sound Best Original Score 2021 - Tom McLeod, Fight for the Wild - produced by Fisheye Films for RNZ - Winner
Best Camerawork - Documentary/Factual - Fight for the Wild - Peter Young (Fisheye Productions) - Finalist
Te Māngai Paho Best Māori Programme - Great Southern Television’s RNZ documentary NZ Wars: Stories of Tainui - Finalist
2020 WINNER
Te Māngai Paho Best Māori Programme - NZ Wars: Stories of Waitara by Mihingarangi Forbes, Annabelle Lee-Mather, Mahanga Pihama, Philip Smith, Deb Cope and Great Southern Television for RNZ
2021
Voyager Media Awards 2021
The annual Voyager Media Awards are presented by the News Publishers Association and celebrate the very best in print, digital and broadcast journalism on all media platforms across New Zealand.
RNZ received the following seven awards at a ceremony on 28 May:
Reporting and Feature Writing
Best Team Investigation - RNZ In Depth: Guyon Espiner & Kate Newton
Best First-Person Essay or Feature - Veronica Schmidt
Best Junior Reporter - Te Aniwa Hurihanganui
Student Journalist of the Year - Louise Ternouth
Digital
Best Narrative Podcast - Emma Espiner and Bird of Paradise Productions for Getting Better
Best Episodic Podcast - William Ray for Black Sheep
Best Innovation in Digital Storytelling - RNZ and Vanishing Point Studio for Game Change
Runners-up
Feature Writer of the Year - Guyon Espiner
Best Reporting (Social Issues) - Lisa Owen and Checkpoint
Junior Reporter of the Year - Charlotte Cook
Some of the winning people and programmes at the 2021 Voyager Media Awards Photo: RNZ
See all the winners and finalists.
New Zealand Radio Awards 2021
The New Zealand Radio Awards began in 1978 and were created with the aim of supporting and recognising excellence in radio broadcasting in New Zealand.
The Awards celebrate the very best of New Zealand radio, honouring personalities, programming, news and sports reporting, production and creativity within the industry. RNZ won these 10 awards on 10 June:
Best Talk Presenter, Breakfast or Drive - Lisa Owen, Checkpoint
Best Show Production Team, Talk Show - Annabel Reid, Bridget Burke, Lydia Batham for Checkpoint
Best News Story – Team Coverage - Pip Keane, Bridget Burke, Lisa Owen, Calvin Samuel, Annabel Reid, Lydia Batham, Nita Blake-Persen, Nick Truebridge, Logan Church, Louise Ternouth, Susana Lei’ataua, Checkpoint for COVID Lockdown Special
Best Newsreader – Nicola Wright
Best Documentary or Factual Talk Feature - John Daniell, Guyon Espiner, William Ray, Tim Watkin, Veronica Schmidt, Adrian Hollay for The Service by RNZ and Bird of Paradise Productions
Best Daily or Weekly Feature – Factual - William Ray, Tim Watkin, William Saunders for Black Sheep
Best Children’s Programme - Michelle Dickinson, Sophie Fern, Rangi Powick, Liz Garton, Kate Sparks, Jocelyn Bunch, Tim Watkin for Nanogirl’s Great Science Adventures by RNZ and Nanogirl Labs Ltd
Best Video – Chris Graham, Nigel McCulloch, Alice Murray, Tim Burnell, Kay Ellmers for NZ Hip Hip Standup by RNZ / Down Low Concept
Best News / Current Affairs Podcast - John Daniell, Guyon Espiner, William Ray, Tim Watkin, Veronica Schmidt, Adrian Hollay for The Service by RNZ and Bird of Paradise Productions
Best Entertainment Podcast - William Ray, Tim Watkin, William Saunders for Black Sheep
View all the Radio Award winners.
NY Festival Radio Awards 2021
New York Festivals Radio Awards honors radio content in all lengths and formats and across all platforms from radio stations, networks, and independent producers from around the globe.
The 2021 awards were presented on 12 October in New York (13 October NZT) with three RNZ podcasts taking away awards:
The Unthinkable – Gold
Personal Lives Podcast
What do you do when The Unthinkable happens? Presented by Morning Report’s Susie Ferguson and produced by Susie Ferguson and Liz Garton, The Unthinkable tells the story of one family’s experience with loss and heartbreak at the death of a child.
Voices from Antarctica – Silver
Environment & Ecology Documentary
From penguins and seals to upside-down underwater gardens, acclaimed broadcaster Alison Ballance’s Voices from Antarctica took us along for the ride to the southernmost part of the world.
Black Sheep – Bronze
History Documentary
Black Sheep deals with the shady, controversial and sometimes downright villainous characters of
New Zealand history, produced and presented by William Ray.
All RNZ Finalists:
On-Air Talent
Best Talk Show Host – Jim Mora
Best Talk Show Host – Kathryn Ryan
Best Radio Personality: Network/Syndicated – Kim Hill
News Programmes
Best Coverage Of Ongoing News Story - Christchurch Mosque shooter sentencing
News Reports/Features
Best Investigative Reporting – Guyon Espiner
Documentary
History – Black Sheep
Environment & Ecology - Voices from Antarctica
Craft
Best Live Sound - Toku Reo Waiata
Podcasts
Narrative/Documentary Podcast – The Service
Personal Lives Podcast – The Unthinkable
Browse the finalists.
New Zealand Podcast Awards
RNZ won 10 awards at the inaugural Podcast Awards on 11 November, including the major award Best Publisher.
Gold
Best Publisher
Black Sheep - Best Culture & Arts
Black Sheep - Best True Crime
Our Changing World – Best Science & Environment
Mediawatch – Best Current Affairs
Silver
Saturday Morning – Best Current Affairs
Bronze
Fight for the Wild – Best Science & Environment
Nine to Noon – Best News & Politics
Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan – Best Radio Podcast
Crimes NZ – Best True Crime
The AIBs 2021
The AIBs are an initiative of the Association for International Broadcasting, the not-for-profit non-governmental organisation run out of the United Kingdom. This is a huge international competition, and RNZ received three awards and a highly commended, alongside entries from Al Jazeera, the BBC, Channel 4 and other broadcasters. A live-streamed awards ceremony was held in two parts at 3pm UK time on 12 & 15 November.
TV/Video
Natural World - Fight for the Wild - Fisheye Films for RNZ - winner
Domestic Affairs Documentary - NZ Wars: Stories of Tainui - Great Southern Television for RNZ - highly commended
Checkpoint with Lisa Owen, 2021. Photo: RNZ / Vinay Ranchhod
Radio/Audio
News Reporting - Checkpoint: COVID Lockdown Special - winner
Special Awards
Young Journalist - Te Aniwa Hurihanganui
Read the full shortlist.
NZ Webfest Awards
Best Show (NZ Factual) - Untold Pacific History (made by Tikilounge Productions for RNZ)
New Zealand Television Awards
2020 Winner
Te Māngai Paho Best Māori Programme - NZ Wars: Stories of Waitara by Mihingarangi Forbes, Annabelle Lee-Mather, Mahanga Pihama, Philip Smith, Deb Cope and Great Southern Television for RNZ.