Top awards for RNZ journalists at 2025 Voyager Media Awards

RNZ journalists have scooped up major accolades at this year’s Voyager Media Awards.

Investigative journalist Anusha Bradley has been awarded reporter of the year, and sports correspondent Dana Johannsen has been named sports journalist of the year.

RNZ had 13 finalists in the awards, the results of which were announced on Friday.

Judges Isabelle Oderberg and Phil Taylor said Bradley’s three pieces stood out as exceptional – “both individually and as a body of work for their newsworthiness, the importance of the public interest journalism therein and her engaging writing and thorough research, which contributed to the colour and depth of the work”.

Fellow judges Ben Stanley and Bernadine Oliver-Kerby said Johannsen’s portfolio shone the brightest.

“Underscored by deep research, strong reporting principles, and a clear storytelling style, Johannsen sets the standard for all Kiwi sports journalists to follow.”

RNZ’s crime correspondent Sam Sherwood also won the best specialist reporting award for his work at Stuff last year. The judges – Drew Ambrose, Sam Ackerman and Zac Fleming – said Sherwood’s agenda setting journalism was “well written and had monumental impact”.

Meanwhile Lisa Taouma won an award for best current affairs (long) or documentary with Myths & Maidens made by Coconet TV and RNZ.

Charlotte Whale and Drew Ambrose said it was “a wildly original and thought provoking documentary about female identity in Pasifika society”.

“The producers used creative devices and structured the story in a clever way to make the subject matter compelling.

“With the western gaze of artists like Paul Gauguin and the historical representation of indigenous societies now facing closer scrutiny, this documentary is an important addition to that very important cultural reckoning.”

RNZ’s Kate Newton and Hingyi Khong were chosen as finalists in the best innovation in digital storytelling category for Smoke Signals.

RNZ and Tama & George Productions’ Daniella Smith, Dane Giraud, Tim Watkin, Phil Vine, Liz Garton, Ben Pierce, Daniel Hurley, Rangi Powick, Lucas Giruad, Briana Juretich-Greig, Zhenya Nagornaya, Marika Khabazi were in the running for the best original podcast or series with Uncut Diamond.

Mata with Mihingarangi Forbes was a finalist for Mother of missing Marokopa children speaks in the best scoop category, and Forbes herself was also a finalist for the Te Tohu Kairangi award.

RNZ and Coconet TV’s Tuki Laumea, Damon Fepulea’I, Lisa Taouma, and RNZ’s Justin Gregory, James Nokise, Tim Watkin, Briana Juretich-Greig, Rangi Powick, Dexter Edwards were finalists for the Le Mana Pacific award for Untold Pacific History – Season 2 and The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior.

RNZ itself was a finalist for the digital news provider of the year, and for the coverage of the sinking of HMNZS Manawanui in the best coverage of a major news event category.

RNZ’s investigative journalist Guyon Espiner was a finalist for the political journalist of the year, and executive editor of RNZ’s In Depth John Hartevelt was also a finalist for the editorial leader of the year.

The full results of the Voyager Media Awards can be found here.

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