View the full list of categories and awards.

View detailed entry and judging criteria for each award.

The list of awards on offer for the 53^rd Media Awards highlights the very best in New Zealand journalism today, with 38 premium awards across four categories: All Media, Audio, Digital and Video, Photography, and Written.

There have been changes to entry criteria for some awards this year so please make sure you read all entry information carefully. The main changes this year are:

• hard copies will no longer be accepted for the six newspaper and magazine awards*. Specific editions of newspapers, magazines and newspaper magazines must be supplied digitally in place of hard copies.
  *Community Newspaper of the Year; Regional Newspaper of the Year; Metropolitan Newspaper of the Year; Weekly Newspaper of the Year; Best Newspaper Magazine; and Best News, Current Affairs or Specialist Publication.
• Junior Feature Writer of the Year has been renamed Best Up and Coming Feature Writer but the entry and judging criteria remains unchanged.

Entries close on Friday 20 February 2026, with the list of finalists being released in April.  Go to the Voyager Media Awards website during the entry open period to access the entry portal and submit your entries.

Fri 16 Jan 2026 – Entries open (10am)
Fri 20 Feb 2026 – Entries close (5pm)
March 2026 – Judging
Wed 15 Apr 2026 – Finalists announced and tickets on sale
Fri 22 May 2026 – Winners announced at a celebration at the Grand Millennium, Auckland

Thank you to our 2026 Sponsors
Premier sponsor: Voyager Internet
Gold sponsors: ANZ Bank New Zealand, NZ On Air
Silver sponsors: Spark NZ, Sport NZ
Bronze sponsor: Media Copyright Agency (MCA)

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

Aotearoa’s national Media Awards have celebrated excellence in New Zealand journalism for 53 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.

Please direct any queries about the 2026 Voyager Media Awards to voyagermediaawards@npa.co.nz