What the judges said: Australian Audio Award winners

The judging process for the Australian Audio Awards was rigourous. There were three stages: First, online judging to determine which entries made the cut for the finalist list; Second, in person discussions by each jury on the merits of each entry that made it to the finalist round; Third, individual comments and personal scoring by each judge, not related to any other judge’s scoring. The scores were compiled and the entry with the highest score in each category was the winner.

A short summary of the judges’ comments was compiled and read out as each winner went up to receive their trophy. The citations for each winner are below, followed by a gallery of winners receiving their trophy.

CATEGORY	WINNER	JUDGES COMMENT
Best Breakfast Show – Medium	Mark & AB for Breakfast – GSL Media for 92.7 Mix FM	They’re fun but not afraid to get serious. Mark and AB are connected to their community and can localise the big stories well. They have high entertainment value.
Best Breakfast Show – Large	Breakfast with Sonya Feldhoff and Jules Schiller – ABC for 891 ABC Adelaide	Diverse topics, a variety of tone and highly relatable, Sonya and Jules have a hyper focus on their Adelaide audience. This category was tightly contested with very little between the top three finalists.
Best Local Show – Small	Darragh O’Dea in the afternoon – 917 The Wave	A great example of a local program, where Darragh brings his Irish charm to connect WAVE FM with the listeners in Mandurah and the region.
Best Local Show – Medium	Elly & Taz – GSL Media for 91.9 Sea FM	Great chemistry and fantastic callers are a hallmark of this creative, spontaneous happy show. Elly and Taz make brave content choices and connect with their audience with teh use of live reporting adn visual storytelling.
Best Local Show – Large	Sydney Now with Clinton Maynard – 2GB	Clinton Maynard presents a confident local show relevant to the life of his audience. His conversational style, creative execution and location work are a standout aspect of the show.
Best Networked Show	Chris Smith Across Australia – Super Radio Network for 2SM	Chris knows his audience, and does a good job appealing to them with audience interaction, creativity and impact.
Best Newcomer On Air – Small	Erin Govers – Power FM Bega Bay	Erin has plenty of promise said the judges. She tackled some hard-hitting topics and is engaging to listen to.
Best Newcomer On Air – Medium	Cheralyn Darcey – 2HD Newcastle, The Super Radio Network for The Nightline with Cheralyn Darcey	A warm, relatable, one on one broadcaster, Cheralyn’s emotive style and conversational pace draw you right into the show and make you believe you are the only person she is talking to.
Best Newcomer On Air – Large	Keegan Brown – Triple M Adelaide	In a tightly contested category, Keegan brought tremendous energy and creativity. He is a star of the future.
Best Newcomer Off Air	Jess Hoggard – i98FM	Jess has great production values, the ability to relate to social media and excellent use of audio to “Sell” a story. She is a video and audio producer and presenter with great storytelling ability.
Best Audio Producer – Medium	Dan King – K rock 95.5 & bay 93.9	Dan’s approach, use of sounds and Voiceovers, plus a healthy dose of creativity and comedy, made his entry stand out through his ability to create theatre of the mind.
Best Audio Producer – Large	Riley Mullins – 2GB	Riley has the right balance of drama, emotion, story telling & sensitivity. His work demonstrated technical and editorial ability across a broad range of content. His use of all the available production tools, levers and techniques, gave him the edge in a very tightly contested category.
Best News Presenter/Reporter – Medium	Ashleigh Wright – i98FM, WIN Corporation	Ashleigh is an example of a modern commercial radio journalist and news presenter: multi-skilled, audience-first, personality-driven, and relentlessly consistent, with a strong connection to the community.
Best News Presenter/Reporter – Large	Eddie Summerfield – Radio 3AW Melbourne	Eddie demonstrates great versatility and has a unique way of telling captivating stories. A quality newsreader, who knows the value of a hot grab when one comes up in an interview and can extend the story into other programs.
Best Salesperson or Team	Shayne Topper – i98FM	Shane successfully increased his portfolio by 50 percent, through client retention and new business. It highlights the trust that clients place in i98FM and Shane.
Best Australian Music Show/Music Programmer – Small	Live Music Bendigo – Central Victorian Community Broadcasters Inc. (Phoenix FM Bendigo)	Congratulations Live Music Bendigo for creating a significant focus on local and emerging musicians with live performances, interviews and local music events.
Best Australian Music Show/Music Programmer – Medium	Chris Holland – K rock 95.5 for Great Ocean Odes	The judges commended Chris for the time and passion he puts into this podcast. Chris’ dedication to showcasing Australian music, and supporting local acts is the reason for his standout win in this category.
Best Australian Music Show/Music Programmer – Large	Anika Luna – ABC for Home & Hosed	Anika’s entry and socials show how she “walks the talk.” She is an extremely impactful advocate for Aussie music and a passionate music lover who champions Australian music and artists through audio.
Best Non-Commercial Program – Small	Shoot The Breeze – Wildhorse FM Community Radio	Community station Wildhorse FM connects with listeners in a positive and optimistic way, delivering reliable, informative and vibrant information to the Toowoomba community.
Best Non-Commercial Program – Medium	Regional Queensland Drive – Australian Broadcasting Corporation	Regional QLD drive was an exceptional entry by an engaging host obviously connected to the community. The show’s multimedia extensions demonstrate the power of audio.
Best Non-Commercial Program – Large	Drive with Abby & Tyrone – ABC for triple j	Abby and Tyrone immediately stood out with their energy and authenticity. They spoke directly to their gen z audience with a world class display of creativity, community and innovation
Best Specialist Program – Small	Narratives Library National Edition – The Narratives Library with 2BAYFM 99.9	Narratives is unique because it is more than a book review show. It is about the book, the author and the ideas writing can provoke.
Best Specialist Program – Medium	Todd and Sami’s Autism Awareness Week – GSL Media for 92.7 Mix FM	In an example of radio having a positive impact, Todd and Sami used a small incident to shine a light on a bigger issue. It had real stories about autism, lots of emotions and made an impact for the kids.
Best Specialist Program – Large	Breaking News – Terror at Bondi – Sydney’s 2GB with 3AW, 4BC & 6PR – Tapt Media	An outstanding example of live, compelling radio, building the story piece by piece with the audience and the authorities. Revealing a shocking tragedy with care, speed and accuracy.
Best Commercial: Station Produced	“Geelonging” – bay 93.9 (Geelong Broadcasters) with Purple Wax for Whitford Property	The judges loved the wordplay, the fresh approach and the energy in this tightly contested category. ‘It made me feel connected to the client,’ said one judge.
Best Commercial: Agency/Brand Produced	Frank’s RedHot – dentsu Qld with McCormick Foods & LiSTNR Brisbane for McCormick Foods – Frank’s RedHot	The Frank’s campaign is unique and memorable – an absolute stand out with lots of brand attitude. The performance, music + sound design felt perfect for the campaign.
Best Station Promotion – Medium	Skyfire 2025 – amplifyCBR	This is an event that brings a whole city of Canberra together, combining visuals and event production in a testament to the power of live radio
Best Station Promotion – Large	Hottest 100 of Australian Songs – ABC for triple j	The Hottest 100 has huge scale and reach and captures the essence of summer. Multimedia execution and audience engagement is outstanding.
Best New Podcast – Independent	MAFS Funny – AIIMS Group Creator Hub with Joshua Fox	Any podcast that provides joy and entertainment without requiring you to have any knowledge of the topic is an absolute winner! Josh is a fantastic host, who goes beyond the comfort of a studio to deliver compelling content. MAFS Funny nailed what good podcasts can achieve – bring people in, entertain, and connect them with a community.
Best New Podcast – Major	Gardening Australia Junior – ABC Kids listen	Gardening Australia Junior exceeds all criteria. It demonstrates excellent creativity, engaging its target audience with content that is both entertaining and informative. The editorial approach is clear and thoughtfully structured, the high production values and sound effects enhance the listening experience. Creativity gold!
Best Podcast Host/Presenter – Independent	Joshua Fox – AIIMS Group Creator Hub for MAFS Funny	Joshua’s MAFS behind-the-scenes podcast is grabbing attention. To generate more podcast downloads than the official MAFS podcast, cements his popularity as a host.
Best Podcast Host/Presenter – Major	Marc Fennell – ABC for No One Saw It Coming	Mark is an exceptional story teller. His entry was outstanding in a very strong field of contenders. He was able to turn the mundane, humble potato into an engaging podcast that made history interesting.
Best Podcast Producer – Independent	Kim Gascoigne – Dash Made and the Red Heart Campaign, Australian Femicide Watch for She Matters	Kim Gascoine delivers calm storytelling from a new perspective. Production and research quality of the material presented in the entry is impressive. Kim produces powerful story telling that makes compelling listening.
Best Podcast Producer – Major	Rhys Gunter – News Corp Australia for Dear Rachelle	An extremely well researched, directed & produced true crime podcast. It’s impactful storytelling resulted in reopening the case.
Best Branded Podcast – Independent	Big Sky Country – Bush Heritage Australia	In this very niche subject of Bush Heritage, the podcast clearly stayed in its lane and excelled at it. This passionate team have created something special and are very deserving winners.
Best Branded Podcast – Major	Hold the Moment – Dementia Australia with Deadset Studios	An exceptional example of what a branded podcast can be, this podcast sets a high benchmark for branded pods. Research based data and information, translated in an educational and engaging way, the podcast is well produced and executed in this hotly contested category.
Best Children’s Entertainment Podcast – Independent	Hat Business – Fun Stories for Kids – Audio Cowboy	Hat Business delivers screen-free entertainment that sparks the imagination of 4-8 year olds. It highlights how families can use audio for a calm screen free alternative during car trips, bedtime routines and quiet playtime.
Best Children’s Entertainment Podcast – Major	Bluey Listen Along – ABC Kids listen	Clever, engaging and purpose built for its audience. The judges all smiled, laughed and nodded listening to Bluey, as the laugh-out-loud scripting appealed to kids and adults. No-one wanted to turn it off.
Best Comedy Podcast – Independent	Toni and Ryan Podcast – Toni and Ryan	Toni & Ryan have built an incredible show with an engaged global audience. They know their audience and take them where they want to go, with superb extensions and live executions.
Best Comedy Podcast – Major	Comedy Karma – SBS Audio	Comedy Karma demonstrates that comedy transcends cultures and how vital it is for us to interact, learn, and grow through storytelling. Commendations to SBS for highlighting diverse comedians, their work clearly resonates with the audience.
Best Crime Podcast – Independent	One Minute Remaining – Stories from the inmates – Mashed Pumpkin Productions	Outstanding access, production and engagement with subjects. Jack is an Australian operating on the world stage, humanising the people on Death Row with much needed fresh perspectives. His journalism is fact checked and even-handed.
Best Crime Podcast – Major	Dear Rachelle – News Corp Australia with True Crime Australia	In a tough category with stiff competition, Dear Rachelle stood out. A fantastic, bold and self-aware debut by Ashlea Hansen, combined the best of audio, imagery and video with the written word. A worthy winner.
Best Health & Wellness Podcast – Independent	Soberly Speaking by Julia Rangiheuea – Soberly Speaking	This is the stand out winner, tackling subjects that were incredibly difficult to hear. The entry was very impressive, scoring highly across all criteria as it interrogated the ‘why’ of addiction.
Best Health & Wellness Podcast – Major	All in the Mind – ABC with ABC Radio National	All in the mind is a very well crafted podcast in a tightly contested category. It grabbed attention right from the outset with a fascinating angle to help the audience understand the human mind.
Best Interview Podcast – Independent	What It Was Like – Superreal	What It Was Like captures the contrasts in people’s stories. It gently takes the guest outside their own comfort zone, leading the listener on a journey where they find themselves invested in the story.
Best Interview Podcast – Major	Take 5 – ABC for Double J	Zan Rowe delivers a beautifully produced and presented podcast that evokes emotions ranging across generations.
Best Investigative Journalism Podcast – Independent	Democracy After Disaster – Kate Lawrence, Story Ground	Kate Lawrence delivers a thoughtful meditation on what it means to “do” democracy effectively in the 21st century, using rebuilding after a disaster as the model. The complex well told story is a great example of how podcasts can cover topics that larger media organisations don’t cover.
Best Investigative Journalism Podcast – Major	Gina: Power, privilege and influence – Guardian Australia	Excellent production of complex issues, presenting new, impactful, topical material and insights. This is a standout podcast for its targeting of the essential elements of power and privilege. It should be available to all students of journalism, politics and economics.
Best Money & Business Podcast – Independent	Agency Podcast – Rivyl Media	There was a tight group of deserving finalists in this category, but the standout was The Agency – its extensive pre-production laid the foundation for deeply meaningful and genuinely helpful episodes that its audience clearly value. Well done to a small, very hard working team.
Best Money & Business Podcast – Major	The Bloomberg Australia Podcast – Bloomberg News	The editorial quality for Bloomberg’s business podcast was very strong, with highly useful information for its target audience.
Best News & Current Affairs Podcast – Independent	Beyond Hysterical – Bitter Pill Studios	Beyond Histerical is an insightful production of original journalism, that shines light on a genuine issue and punches well above its weight to tackle medical misogyny. A standout in this category.
Best News & Current Affairs Podcast – Major	Full Story – Guardian Australia	In an extremely tight category, the winner edged ahead due to an engaging show reel. It stood out with its editorial quality, impactful audio, wonderful production values and original reporting.
Best Society & Culture Podcast – Independent	Them Yarns – Carly Wallace, Aaron Nagas & Courage Kahanaui	Them yarns is an exciting, entertaining, insightful and informative show. The great presenter chemistry and pacing had all the judges laughing.
Best Society & Culture Podcast – Major	Shameless – Shameless Media	Shameless is strong in all criteria in a tightly contested category. The hosts just ‘Get It.’ They keep it simple, focused and engaged. You feel the listener trusts them for their genuine critique of modern society.
Best Sport Podcast – Independent	Unscripted – AIIMS Group with Josh Mansour	While the format of deep conversations with elite athletes is familiar, it is elevated here through genuine vulnerability, honesty, and authenticity. The host’s ability to ask thoughtful, probing questions and foster trust allows guests to share meaningful personal experiences.
Best Sport Podcast – Major	Stories of Origin – 9Podcasts with Matty White & Mathew Thompson	This documentary style podcast stands out for its powerful storytelling, bringing historic rugby moments to life through a compelling blend of archival footage and interviews with iconic figures, creating depth and bringing sports history to a modern audience.
People’s Choice Award – Radio	Hottest 100 of Australian Songs – ABC for triple j	The Hottest 100 has huge scale and reach and captures the essence of summer. Multimedia execution and audience engagement is outstanding.
People’s Choice Award – Podcast	Mamamia Out Loud – Mamamia