The New Zealand Podcast Awards Return for 2025 - Acast Named Headline Partner

The New Zealand Podcast Awards, supported by Acast, are back for 2025, celebrating the country’s thriving podcasting community and recognising the creators and voices shaping the audio landscape in Aotearoa. Going into our 5th edition and building on the success of 2024, which reached over 1.2 million Kiwis, this year’s awards promise to be bigger, better and offer more exposure, prizes and engagement than ever before.

We are proud to announce Acast – the world’s largest independent podcast company – as the Headline Partner for the 2025 awards. With a marketplace spanning more than 140,000 podcasts globally, Acast creates the technology that connects podcast creators, advertisers and listeners. Acast will also sponsor three cornerstone categories: Podcast of the Year, Listener’s Choice and Best Māori and Pasifika Podcast or Host, reaffirming their commitment to spotlighting diverse and exceptional talent across Aotearoa.

“We’re excited to be supporting the New Zealand Podcast Awards in 2025,” said Ryan Lamont, Senior Content Manager at Acast ANZ. “There’s so much talent in Aotearoa’s ever-growing podcasting scene and we’re keen to continue championing the creators, stories and great mahi of Kiwis all across the motu.”

Gold winners of each Acast category will be awarded 500,000 advertising impressions to promote their show across Acast’s podcast network in New Zealand

Also joining the awards as Supporting Partner is Podlab Studio, Auckland’s premier podcast production studio and content creation house.

As proud supporters of New Zealand’s vibrant podcasting community, PodLab have sponsored three key categories at this year’s NZ Podcast Awards: Best New Podcast, Best Business Podcast, and Best Branded Podcast.

Each PodLab category winner will receive a complimentary recording session at PodLab, with every other category winner receiving 50% off a recording session

“Podcasting in New Zealand is going from strength to strength, and what we see each week in our PodLab studios makes us feel very excited and confident about the future of the industry,” said a PodLab spokesperson. “Getting behind the NZ Podcast Awards was a no-brainer for us at PodLab. We’re stoked to be part of something that shines a light on the magic Kiwi podcasters are making.” Jay-Jay Feeney Co-Owner & Founder of PodLab

Key Dates for NZ Podcast Awards 2025:

• 18 June – Register Your Interest on our website
• 3 September – Entries Officially Open for Submission
• 15 October – Entries Officially Close
• 16 October – Listener’s Choice Voting Opens
• 14 November – Listener’s Choice Voting Closes
• 20 November – Winners Announced

Want to get involved?

We’re looking for category sponsors, partners, judges, collaborators and champions. Drop us a line at team@nzpodcastawards.com to join the NZPA movement.

About the NZ Podcast Awards

The NZ Podcast Awards honour excellence in podcasting from across Aotearoa, celebrating creative talent, originality, and the power of audio to inform, inspire, and entertain.

For more information, visit NZPodcastAwards.com or follow us @NZPodcastAwards on social media.