ARN’s iHeart and BlakCast have announced Ben Haywood as the winner of the Find and Tell podcast series competition.

Hosted by Jamila Rizvi, the series embarked on journey to discover the most promising storytellers from diverse backgrounds. Hundreds of entries were whittled down to a final four.

Ben went head to head with runner up Mark Mariano; they shared the theme ‘Lost In Translation.’ Ben’s story focuses on the question of indigenous languages heading towards extinction, and whether it should be taught in Australian schools.

As the winner, Ben Haywood will receive over $10,000 in support, including top-tier podcasting gear from RØDE and short courses alongside mentoring from Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS).

Ben said:

“It was such a privilege to be a part of this new emerging platform for diverse storytellers. iHeart and Blakcast have created an amazing initiative to encourage everyday Australians like me that we have what it takes to be successful in the fast-growing world of podcasting no matter your experience or background.

I’m extremely proud of my Aboriginal heritage and so grateful I’ve had the opportunity to showcase this throughout the series.”

ARN’s Head of Digital Audio Corey Layton said:

“Ambitious projects like these don’t happen nearly enough and I’m incredibly proud of our storytellers and crew who’ve crafted an incredible breadth of stories. We can’t wait to see where Ben and the rest of our storytellers leap from here as they continue representing the rich, diverse cultures from across Australia.”

Blakcast’s Mundanara Bayles said:

“The Find and Tell Podcast Competition has truly highlighted the richness and diversity of stories within our communities. It’s inspiring to see storytellers like Ben Haywood bring forward narratives that question and celebrate our cultural heritage.”

Find and Tell debuted at #102 on June’s Triton Australian Podcast Ranker. The whole series is available now on the iHeart app or here.