PHOTOGRAPHY
WINNER: Richard Robinson | New Zealand Geographic / Kōwhai Media
JUDGES: Darrian Traynor and Mark Stewart
“Judges said Richard’s work possesses a strong visual impact that places the viewer at the heart of the story. Richard has used his entry to form a narrative and present visual story telling in a feature photographic essay. A broad use of photographic skills is on display using aerial, land and underwater photography all while maintaining a consistent style. The imagery is impactful as it sheds light on a people and culture not covered regularly in modern media outlets.”
FINALISTS:
David Unwin | The Post / Stuff Group
Dean Purcell | NZ Herald / NZME
WINNER: Braden Fastier | Nelson Mail / Stuff Group
JUDGES: Darrian Traynor and Penny Stephens
“Judges said that Braden’s work had a consistent and considered approach and style showing good camera craft and eye for composition. The moments captured presented high news interest.
The judges felt the frame of the man accused of killing Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming was a great get on a huge news story and the frame of her family at her funeral is the best they’d seen of that day. Braden’s image of the couple who lost everything in a flood shows a beautiful moment and is compassionate without being overdone. Braden is proof that high quality news photography doesn’t just have to exist in the big city. Congratulations Braden.”
FINALISTS:
Alex Cairns | stuff.co.nz / Stuff Group
George Heard | NZ Herald / NZME
WINNER: Hannah Peters | Getty Images
JUDGES: Alex Coppel and Mark Stewart
“Judges said Hannah’s sport folio comprised clean, artistic and storytelling moments across a wide variety of live action sports. Her work displays excellent technical proficiency, showcasing her ability to capture both peak action and emotion, along with an innate understanding of when to step back and provide a viewer context. Each image provides instant impact and together they make for a winning entry.
RUNNERS UP:
Andrew Cornaga | Photosport Ltd
Joe Allison | Getty Images
WINNER: Richard Robinson | New Zealand Geographic / Kōwhai Media – Freshwater eels, our tuna
JUDGES: Alex Coppel and Christopher Hopkins
“Richard’s entry showed a high level of technical proficiency in a variety of challenging situations and locations. His devotion to documenting the issue is clear through prolonged shoots. The visual narrative is clear and he effectively uses a mixture of underwater, location, reportage and scientific imagery. The overall consistency in image quality makes this a clear winner.”
RUNNER UP:
Cole Eastham-Farrelly | RNZ – Feral
FINALIST:
Dean Purcell | NZ Herald / NZME – Waitangi Day celebrations
WINNER: Richard Robinson | New Zealand Geographic / Kōwhai Media
JUDGES: Christopher Hopkins and Penny Stephens
“Richard’s skill as a high level visual storyteller is immediately apparent. His use of colour and light is a signature of his work which he employs to effectively draw the viewer into the story. As an overall folio, the pictures sit cohesively together highlighting his editing skills. This folio shows his wide variety of skills – underwater, scientific, drone and reportage – using each in the right moment to most effectively tell the story. Richard’s work in 2025 was a stand out. Congratulations Richard.”
FINALIST:
Braden Fastier | Nelson Mail / Stuff Group
Iain McGregor | The Press / Stuff Group
AUDIO, DIGITAL AND VIDEO
WINNER: Kate Newton, Hingyi Khong | RNZ – Four phones, three weeks: Everything we saw on teen TikTok
JUDGES: Briar McCormack and Melissa Gardi
“As a single digital news story, this worthy winner uses smart, immersive multimedia to place the audience inside a world familiar to many teenagers, but often less visible to adults. The approach deepens understanding and keeps the viewer engaged throughout. Underpinned by strong reporting and clear use of data, it delivers an important public‑interest story with clarity, originality and impact. In a strong field, it stands out for using digital techniques with discipline and purpose, enhancing the storytelling while maintaining the integrity of the journalism.”
RUNNER UP:
Sarah Bristow, Ryan Bridge and team | NZME – Herald NOW – Video News Innovation
FINALISTS:
Roihana Nuri, Ripeka Timutimu | Aukaha News – “It’s Not Me”: Leveraging Digital Agility and Real-Time Audience Feedback
WINNER: Tory Evans | TVNZ – The Queen of Drag
JUDGES: Alexi O’Brien and Steph Mohi
“This is a beautifully crafted piece of storytelling. Tory weaves together striking visuals, a well-paced edit and confident narrative, allowing Nick’s story to unfold in his own words. The balance between the fun and more serious dimensions of drag is handled with care, delivering a timely, surprising and deeply human story.“
FINALISTS:
Roihana Nuri, Ripeka Timutimu | Aukaha News – “It’s Not Me”: The Human Cost of Unauthorized Political Advertising
Cushla Norman, Arun Jeram and team | 1News / TVNZ – Stone Acquittal
WINNER: Paddy Gower | stuff.co.nz / Stuff Group – Paddy Gower Has Issues – Bowel Cancer
JUDGES: Adam Harley and Janet McIntyre
“Not just a gripping expose of Paddy’s colon (a genuine exclusive!) but a robust and wide-ranging investigation into New Zealand’s inadequate bowel cancer screening protocols, admitted, by even the Prime Minister. Many emotional and hard-hitting moments, like including calling out the PM for not honouring his promise to lower the screening age – in line with Australia. But it was Paddy’s courage and vulnerability, undergoing a colonoscopy on camera – and his genuine shocked response at the results – that was current affairs gold. A wake up call for every New Zealander to stay on guard for one of our most sinister and deadly cancers.”
RUNNER UP:
Leigh-Marama McLachlan, Joe Whitehead | Marae / TVNZ – Mururoa
FINALISTS:
Mike Scott, Carolyne Meng-Yee and team | NZ Herald / NZME – ‘I know you did it’: Secret tapes reveal escort’s confrontation with lover Polkinghorne
WINNER: Jack Tame and Team | Q+A with Jack Tame / TVNZ – Interview with former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster
JUDGES: Drew Ambrose and Jane Skinner
“The Q+A team made the most of an exclusive interview by scrutinising former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster’s every word with poise, calm and fairness. Throughout the hour, Jack Tame’s sharp questioning was not only sophisticated and informed but also underscored the value of meticulous preparation. This episode, which set the news agenda for that day and days following, is unwavering accountability interviewing of a world class standard that should be shown to young journalists across New Zealand.”
FINALIST:
Katie Wolfe, Tim Balme | RNZ – The Haka Party Incident
Aaron Smale | AWA Films / Whakaata Māori – The Stolen Children of Aotearoa
WINNER: Melanie Reid, Bonnie Sumner, Dave Filoialii, Judith Curran | newsroom.co.nz – Diagnosis of a Crime
JUDGES: Al Jamieson and Nadia Tolich
“Diagnosis of a Crime is a superb example of exceptional journalism. Meticulous reporting and production made this a clear stand-out.”
RUNNER UP:
Aaron Smale, Ruth Korver and team | RNZ – The Stolen Children of Aotearoa
FINALISTS:
Mihingarangi Forbes, Annabelle Lee-Mather, Natasha Vela | RNZ – Mata with Mihingarangi
WINNER: Zoe Madden-Smith | Re: News / TVNZ
JUDGES: Karen Rutherford and Jim Kayes
“Zoe’s entry demonstrates an innate ability to get up close with the talent, allowing us to walk in their shoes as they face complex challenges brought about by a broken health system. Researching, reporting, producing and editing Zoe shows solid skills as an all-rounder, even setting up two-camera shoots whilst working solo. Zoe’s narratives are compelling, tackling misconceptions and questioning how government changes will work or why they are failing. With poignant examples, clever use of music, and unique access inside ambulances and laboratories, Zoe’s entry showcases rare depth and care in video journalism.”
RUNNER UP:
Nick Monro | RNZ
FINALISTS:
Corey Fleming | NZ Herald / NZME
WINNER: stuff.co.nz — Stuff Group
JUDGES: Irene Chapple and Marc Dodd
“Dynamic and comprehensive during live week, Stuff’s immersive live coverage, news breaking and AI innovation just gave it the edge over the other nominees.”
FINALIST:
1news.co.nz | TVNZ
nzherald.co.nz | NZME
ALL MEDIA
WINNER: Virginia Fallon | The Post / Stuff Group
JUDGES: Shaun Bamber and Lynn Freeman
“In a large and highly competitive category, the judges were impressed by the way Virginia cuts right to the heart of things. Her writing is sharply observed, nuanced and succinct. a powerful and captivating combination.”
FINALISTS:
Hayden Donnell | The Spinoff
Jonathan Milne | newsroom.co.nz
WINNER: Emma Andrews | RNZ
JUDGES: Frank Ritchie and Petra Bagust
“Emma tackles complex subjects with great insight, skilled reporting that is filled with light and shade, and good relationship building. Her work has the power to spark change.”
FINALISTS:
Janhavi Gosavi | Re: News / TVNZ and The Spinoff
Lyric Waiwiri-Smith | The Spinoff
WINNER: Jared Savage | NZ Herald / NZME – Jevon McSkimming scandal
JUDGES: Jane Wrightson, Kate Lynch and Ali Ikram
“The judges said Jared’s investigation combined persistence, judgement and strong source development to uncover matters of significant public importance, with exclusive reporting that brought accountability and ensured the most important voice was heard.”
RUNNER UP:
Sam Sherwood | RNZ – Jevon McSkimming
FINALISTS:
Jessica Roden | 1News / TVNZ – Nelson Hospital
WINNER: Tony Wall | stuff.co.nz / Stuff Group – Tom Phillips
JUDGES: Eric Janssen and Libby Middlebrook
“Despite many great entries, the top three picked themselves – outstanding gets and yarns. Then the going got tough, and the judges deliberated three times to separate the top two entries – and even then, it came down to the finest of margins. In the end it was the scale of the saga that had gripped New Zealand, that tilted the scale.”
RUNNER UP:
Paula Penfold | stuff.co.nz / Stuff Group – Prime Minister’s Press Secretary
FINALIST:
Jack Tame | Q+A with Jack Tame / TVNZ – Andrew Coster
WINNER: Sam Sherwood – Police / Law | RNZ
JUDGES: Zac Fleming, Glenn Conway and Hannah Brown
“Sheer hard graft, tenacious relationship building and shaping stories that not only matter but create long-lasting impact are key traits of Sam’s portfolio. His entries broke new ground, effected significant change and continue to have enduring impacts as well as shining a light on subjects and issues that truly matter. A real masterclass.”
FINALISTS:
Barbara Dreaver – Foreign Affairs | 1News / TVNZ
David Fisher – NZ Defence Force | NZ Herald / NZME
WINNER: stuff.co.nz / Stuff Group | – The end of the manhunt: Tom Phillips shooting
JUDGES: Michelle Pickles and Richard Harman
“Stuff built on the strong relationships its reporters had built in the Marokopa community and with the Phillips family to produce news break after news break on this story. Their work provided background and context that gave readers and viewers an invaluable insight into the saga that gripped the nation. Old school, knocking on doors journalism.”
FINALISTS:
NZ Herald / NZME – Jevon McSkimming
1News / TVNZ – NZ Cook Islands relationship breakdown
WINNER: Waikato Times / Stuff Group – Fighting for our Med School
JUDGES: Jessica McAllen and Kevin Calvert
“This dedicated campaign gets at the heart of what forward-thinking advocacy journalism is about at a time when local journalism is being increasingly devalued.”
RUNNER UP:
The Post / stuff.co.nz / Stuff Group – Life Savings
FINALIST:
RNZ – Feral
WINNER: Indira Stewart | TVNZ – Polyfest: An Untold Story; NZ Kids Used in Sex Work; Charter School Hostile Takeover
JUDGES: Richard Pamatatau and Sue Ahearn
“Indira takes a story and reaches into the issues going beyond the who what where why when and how in a way that is challenging, insightful while reminding us that the subjects are people with families and complex lives.”
FINALIST:
Ann-Tauilo Motuga | Sunpix
WINNER: Aaron Smale | Whakaata Māori, RNZ, NZ Listener
JUDGES: Dr Maureen Sinton and Neil Waka
“Aaron’s journey covered historical colonisation and urbanisation that led thousands of children, mostly Māori, into a world of abuse that would cross generations. This story eventually leading to a Royal Commission of inquiry, and an apology. It was a masterful piece of story telling in both screen and podcast form.“
FINALISTS:
Ella Stewart | RNZ
Hikurangi Jackson | Whakaata Māori
WINNER: Matt Nippert | NZ Herald / NZME
JUDGES: Nikki Mandow and Trish Sherson
“Matt’s impressive, year-long investigation into the shady and complex world of Cook Island-registered shipping combined big data analysis – including from the Panama Papers – extensive OIAs, cultivation of well-placed sources, and leg-work in Rarotonga and New Zealand. His wider portfolio – covering everything from conmen and football club ownership to nappies and NZ Rich Listers – shows Matt can sustain world-class, long-form investigative storytelling across a range of knotty and contentious topics.”
RUNNER UP:
Nadine Roberts | stuff.co.nz / Stuff Group
FINALIST:
Nikki Macdonald | The Post / Stuff Group
WINNER: Sharon Murdoch | Stuff Group
JUDGES: David Pope and Fiona Katauskas
“Sharon Murdoch’s engaging playful caricatures of political figures and everyday people are deftly rendered with serious intent: a daily service inspection of the machinery of government, as global democracy catches fire.”
FINALISTS:
Guy Body | NZ Herald / NZME
Richard Dale | NZ Herald / NZME
WINNER: Benjamin Plummer | NZ Herald / NZME
JUDGES: Bernadine Oliver-Kirby and Ben Stanley
“In a highly competitive category, Benjamin Plummer’s entry centered on the ‘Run It Straight’ competition shone brightest. The judges were impressed with Plummer’s ability to look outside the mainstream and deftly cover a story that ties together many major threads of modern sport and their inevitable ramifications.”
FINALISTS:
Dana Johannsen | RNZ
Michael Burgess | NZ Herald / NZME
WINNER: Michael Wright | The Press / Stuff Group
JUDGES: Josie Steenhart and Sharon Stephenson
“Michael Wright provides a masterclass in feature journalism, breathing life into complex, often painful subjects with sensitivity, precision and a clever turn of phrase.”
FINALISTS:
Gill Higgins | TVNZ
Shahlin Graves | Coup De Main
WINNER: Jessica Roden | 1News / TVNZ
JUDGES: Rachel Morton, Sarah Dunn and Glenn Conway
“Jessica’s Nelson Hospital investigation was a highly newsworthy, sourced-driven series that exposed serious systemic failures and sustained public pressure for accountability. Beginning with a single tip, she developed the story into an exclusive, multi-part investigation of clear local consequence. Her clear communication and strong sourcing ensured the reporting connected with the community and contributed to tangible change.”
FINALISTS:
Lucy Cooper | The Post / Wairarapa Times-Age / Stuff Group
Rob Drent | The Devonport Flagstaff
WINNER: Maiki Sherman| 1News / TVNZ
JUDGES: Graeme Muir and Leigh Pearson
“Maiki’s portfolio took the viewer into a highly charged, multi-layered news story, drawing on contacts, knowledge, and insight. Her storytelling was exemplary, bringing impact and on-the-ground reality to a powerful political story.”
RUNNER UP:
Guyon Espiner | RNZ
FINALIST:
Thomas Coughlan | NZ Herald / NZME
WINNER: Sam Sherwood | RNZ
JUDGES: Mark Crysell and John Gillespie
“Dynamic, vibrant and meaningful journalism at its best. Sam’s stories go to the very core of Aotearoa: on health, policing and justice. This is vital journalism for all of us. There is an abundance of creative expression, determination and care in the storytelling here. As well as an expertly executed use of contacts. Congratulations on this winning mahi.”
RUNNER UP:
Barbara Dreaver | 1News / TVNZ
FINALIST:
Katie Harris | NZ Herald / NZME
WINNER: Sarah Bristow | NZME
JUDGES: Grant McKenzie, Daryl Holden, Michael Boggs and Joanna Norris
“This was an incredibly tight race with the judges challenged to differentiate between four impressively high calibre news leaders. Several of the finalists demonstrated the delivery of transformative pieces of work within the past year – reflecting a time in the industry when rapid and ambitious innovation is required. But one finalist in particular stood out for the ability to deliver a far-reaching and impactful piece of work, that required a major cultural shift, the introduction of new ways of working, new technology, new skills, and an ambitious editorial and commercial strategy. The judges want to also acknowledge the work of the other three finalists, all of whom have demonstrated extraordinary grit and commitment to our industry – and a fearless appetite to embrace change.”
FINALISTS:
Blair Ensor | Stuff Group
Phil O’Sullivan | TVNZ
Samson Samasoni | Pacific Media Network
WRITTEN
WINNER: The Spinoff
JUDGES: Nick Burrowes and Melissa Gardi
“The Spinoff distinguishes itself as New Zealand’s most fully realised modern media platform: strong journalism, multi-format depth, impressive metrics and a distinct voice now entrenched in the national news vernacular.”
RUNNER UP:
NBR
FINALIST:
Coup De Main
WINNER: Sunday – Rātapu| Stuff Group
JUDGES: Dan Ahwa and Eleanor Black
“Sunday stood out for its clear point of view, respect for its audience, high-quality writing, illustrations and photography, and the obvious care with which it is put together. It is a small but impressive package.”
RUNNER UP:
Your Weekend – Rā Whakatā | Stuff Group
WINNER: Eva de Jong | NZME
JUDGES: Megan Nicol Reed and Michelle Hurley
“An ideas-driven journalist with a diverse story portfolio, Eva captures the reader’s attention with her smart introductions. She then follows through with thoughtful reporting, clearly having gained the trust of her interviewees. A clear winner with a promising future ahead.”
FINALISTS:
Justin Agluba | Craccum
Luis G. Portillo | TVNZ
WINNER: Ashburton Guardian
JUDGES: Oli Lewis and John Roughan
“With bright design, engaging photography and an editor and staff who write with commitment and enthusiasm for their town and its people, the Ashburton Guardian demonstrates the ongoing value of strong community newspapers.
FINALIST:
Mountain Scene | Allied Media
The Devonport Flagstaff
WINNER: Rotorua Daily Post | NZME
JUDGES: Jonathan Milne and Jim Tully
“The Rotorua Daily Post has an enormous reach and engagement in its community, reflected in its fundraising, its letters page, and the 88,000 followers on its Facebook page. Its news-writing doesn’t just speak to the issues affecting the community, it sings. The paper’s editorial staffing is tiny, but it uses its shared regional newsroom to good effect. Its news and feature pages show some smart curation by widely read editors, mining relevant jewels from a range of sources and from partnerships with local organisations like the Rotorua Young Achievers Charitable Trust. When many smaller communities and regions struggle to have their stories told, the Rotorua district lives and breathes through its newspaper.”
FINALISTS:
Nelson Mail | Stuff Group
Waikato Times | Stuff Group
WINNER: Sunday Star-Times | Stuff Group
JUDGES: Oli Lewis and John Roughan
“The Sunday Star Times was the standout weekly newspaper in a strong field of contenders. With contributions from a talented stable of long-form journalists, each edition featured beautifully told stories, striking photographs and insightful commentary. The Sunday Star Times is smart, engaging, and preoccupied with the issues that matter.”
FINALISTS:
Herald on Sunday | NZME
The Weekend Press | Stuff Group
WINNER: NZ Herald | NZME
JUDGES: Jonathan Milne and Jim Tully
“When other media organisations and newspapers have been forced to abandon gritty, time-consuming journalism, the NZ Herald’s scale enables it to deliver probing investigations, in-depth business and finance sections, and complex data journalism. It doesn’t have to; there are easier ways to sell papers. But the Herald’s editors and journalist make a choice to deliver the difficult journalism that matters. The two biggest stories of 2025 were the death of Tom Phillips, and the Jevon McSkimming police scandal; some media reported the first well; some the second — only the Herald excelled on both. The Herald delivers a premium print experience that sets apart the newspaper from its website.”
FINALISTS:
Otago Daily Times | Allied Media
The Post | Stuff Group
WINNER: Catherine Woulfe | New Zealand Geographic / Kōwhai Media
JUDGES: Michelle Duff, Rebecca Wright and Jenny Farrell
“All three of Catherine’s features were standouts, with her ability to see the story, craft a compelling through line, her evocative language, clear narrative voice and excellent reporting pulling the reader into the world of each piece. She does important work to show how fragile our ecosystems are, while making us see humans are always at the heart. The clear winner.“
FINALISTS:
Sam Sherwood | RNZ
Steve Braunias | NZ Listener / newsroom.co.nz / NZ Herald
WINNER: Sam Sherwood | RNZ
JUDGES: Isabelle Oderberg and Pete McKenzie
“Sam delivered a masterclass in accountability journalism with his consistent exclusives on the alleged misconduct of Jevon McSkimming. But he didn’t stop there. He also delivered clear and compelling revelations about tragic health failures and wider police failings. For that, he is a well-deserved Reporter of the Year.”
FINALISTS:
Paula Penfold | stuff.co.nz / Stuff Group
Steve Kilgallon | stuff.co.nz / Stuff Group
WINNER: Rotorua Daily Post | NZME
JUDGES: Jim Tully, John Roughan and Ali Ikram
““The Rotorua Daily Post is bright and engaging. The front page leads of the issues entered were strong enough to lead a national paper. It is well-illustrated, easy to navigate and has a clear idea of its municipal and regional audience, drawing on a shared newsroom with NZME’s other Bay of Plenty Papers as well as the New Zealand Herald. It is putting an effort into staff development on multiple platforms and its Facebook page is now read by a population greater than Rotorua’s. The Daily Post is a shining example of a paper using limited resources for fine results in difficult times.”
FINALISTS:
Ashburton Guardian
Sunday Star-Times | Stuff Group
NZ Herald | NZME
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