To view the full list of categories and awards, go to npa.co.nz/voyager-media-awards/2023-categories-and-awards/.

To view detailed entry and judging criteria for each award, go to npa.co.nz/voyager-media-awards/2023-awards-criteria. Some of the entry and judging criteria has been updated, so please make sure you read carefully and make note of any changes.

There is a large range of awards on offer for this very special 50^th year of the Media Awards, with 65 awards across four categories: All Media, Broadcast and Digital, Photography and Print/Text Journalism.

Four new awards have been introduced in response to industry feedback: the Le Mana Pacific Award for reporting on issues affecting Pacific peoples and communities; Best video documentary series for digital and broadcast documentary series with an episodic format; Best news, current affairs or specialist publication for paid or free magazines, newspapers and websites that don’t meet the requirements for our other awards; and the Gordon McLauchlan Travel Journalism Award for journalists, video journalists and photo-journalists/photographers, which has been made possible by a donation from Travcom.

Returning to the line-up this year is Best scoop (single news story) which recognises journalistic resourcefulness on an exclusive report or significant piece of breaking news. ‘Best reporting – Māori affairs’ will be offered in 2023 as Te Tohu Kairangi Award and the entry and judging criteria has been updated. Best Columnist and Best Opinion Writing will be offered as two separate awards in 2023.

We are also delighted to announce that Sport New Zealand has come on board as a sponsor of the Sports Journalist of the Year award. It’s the first time that Sport NZ has been involved with the Awards and we are grateful for their support in ensuring that the work of sports journalists in Aotearoa continues to be recognised and celebrated.

Entries open on Monday 09 January 2023 and close on Friday 17 February 2023 so there are just a few weeks to start thinking about which awards you can enter your best work from 2022.  Go to the Voyager Media Awards website during the entry open period to access the entry portal and submit your entries.

Monday 09 January 2023 – Entries open (10am)
Friday 17 February 2023 – Entries close (5pm)
March 2023 – Judging
Friday 14 April 2023 – Finalists announced and tickets on sale
Saturday 27 May 2023 – Winners announced at a celebration at Cordis, Auckland

Premier sponsor: Voyager Internet
Gold sponsors: NZ On Air and Pacific Cooperation Foundation
Silver sponsors: Canon, E Tū, Spark NZ, Sport NZ, TVNZ, Warner Bros. Discovery and Whakaata Māori
Bronze sponsors: Media Chaplaincy NZ, Media Copyright Agency (MCA), Science Media Centre and Telum Media.

Without their generous support these awards would not be possible.*

The 2023 Voyager Media Awards celebrate the work of journalists across print, broadcast and digital including reporters, feature writers, columnists, cartoonists, reviewers, photographers and video journalists, culminating in a celebration of the winners in Auckland on Saturday 27 May 2023.

Aotearoa’s National Media Awards have celebrated excellence in New Zealand journalism for 50 years. Originally known as the Qantas Press Awards, then the Canon Media Awards, Voyager Internet has been the premier sponsor since 2018. The awards are managed and promoted by the News Publishers’ Association which champions the news media industry of New Zealand.

For further information, please contact Brook Cameron, General Manager, News Publishers’ Association on brook.cameron@npa.co.nz or visit npa.co.nz/voyager-media-awards