Media Releases

Three Gold Two Silver One Bronze Major Awards for RNZ in New York Festival

Released at 11:25 am on 25 June 2019

RNZ has picked up three golds, two silvers and a bronze award for excellence at the prestigious New York Festivals Radio Awards announced in Manhattan this morning. (NZ time).  

With entries from over 30 countries, the New York Festivals Radio Awards recognise the very best in the world of radio, celebrating programming of the highest quality that is at the forefront of audio innovation. Categories are designed to reflect emerging trends, covering all creative facets of the radio broadcasting industry.

New York Festival Gold for radio podcasts has been awarded to Sonia Sly for Beyond Kate, an exploration of 125 years of women’s suffrage in New Zealand, and the true crime series Gone Fishing – a co-production with RNZ media partner Stuff.   A Gold Award for Best Live Sound has also gone to Adrian Hollay and Paddy Hill for their excellent Music Alive recording of Neil Finn and the Auckland Philharmonia.

It was a good night for RNZ podcasts as Gone Fishing followed up its Best Podcast victory at last week’s New Zealand Radio Awards with a gold in New York.   
 
The New York Festival Grand Jury presented Silver Awards to Melody Thomas, for her BANG! podcast, to Wallace Chapman in the Best Talk Show Host category and RNZ’s Insight documentary Malaysian Plastics compiled by Nita Blake-Persen, Philippa Tolley and Phil Benge received a Bronze Award.

Two RNZ submissions were also recognised as finalists in their respective categories with certificates awarded to William Ray and Kathryn Ryan. 

RNZ Head of Audience Strategy, Stephen Smith, acknowledged the importance of today’s announcements:   

“New Zealand can be proud of RNZ’s performance at the New York Festivals overnight. Yet again the talents of our radio and podcast teams have been recognised by a panel of international judges in the world’s largest radio awards.

"These results are a tremendous reflection of the quality of the content we produce and a credit to the professionalism and skill of our staff. ”
 
RNZ’s New York Festival Gold Award winning programmes can be heard on the RNZ website.  
 
Links to Gold Award Winning Programmes:
 
Beyond Kate
https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/beyond-kate
 
Gone Fishing
https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/gone-fishing
 
Music Alive with Neil Finn and the Auckland Philharmonia
https://www.rnz.co.nz/concert/programmes/musicalive/audio/2018658705/live-neilfinn-and-the-apo
 
 
Full list of RNZ award winners:
 
Gold Award Winner  Podcasts  Beyond Kate   Sonia Sly
Gold Award Winner  Podcasts  Gone Fishing  RNZ/ Stuff
Tim Watkin / Justin Gregory / Amy Maas / Adam Dudding / Rangi Powick / Jason Dorday  
Gold Award Winner  Best Live Sound    Music Alive: Neil Finn and the Auckland Philharmonia     
Adrian Hollay / Paddy Hill
 
Silver Radio Award  Best Talk Show Host  Wallace Chapman 
Silver Radio Award  Podcasts   BANG!     Melody Thomas / Tim Watkin  / William Ray / William Saunders
 
Bronze Radio Award  Documentary   Insight: Malaysian Plastics     Nita Blake-Persen / Philippa Tolley / Phil Benge

RNZ Finalist Certificates
Podcasts   Black Sheep      William Ray / Tim Watkin
Best Talk Show Host  Kathryn Ryan