The NZ Radio Awards commenced in 1978 with the aim of supporting and recognising excellence in radio broadcasting in New Zealand. It is now the NZ Radio & Podcast Awards celebrating the very best of the audio industry, honouring personalities, programming, news and sports reporting, production and creativity.
The NZ Radio & Podcast Awards for 2026 are now open and accept entries from all New Zealand radio stations and their staff, New Zealand advertising agencies, podcast creators & producers, production houses and others who contribute to broadcasting in New Zealand.
The NZ Radio & Podcast Awards is directed by the Radio Industry Awards Committee which is made up of the following industry representatives:
Clare Bradley
Radio Broadcasters Association C.E & Radio Industry Awards Committee Chair
Janine Bliss
Radio Broadcasters Association
Brad King
MediaWorks
Don Mann
Pacific Media Network
Mike McClung
NZME
John Hartevelt
RNZ
An academy of judges comprising both past and present broadcasters within New Zealand and overseas are used to judge the NZ Radio & Podcast Awards. Judges are selected based on their area of expertise and familiarity of the category to be judged.
The entries for each award are judged online by a panel of up to six judges. The Radio Industry Awards Committee also reserves the right to assemble a second round judging panel for any other award in which there was an indeterminate result. The Sir Paul Holmes Broadcaster of the Year award is voted on by up to 50 of the year’s awards judges.
The Radio Industry Awards Committee would like to thank all judges included in the judging academy for giving their time and expertise.
How to enter, and conditions, can be found here: https://awards.rba.co.nz/register/