ZM was crowned Station of the Year at tonight's Radio Awards. The network's breakfast show is hosted by Carl Fletcher, Vaughan Smith and Megan Papas. Photo / Michael Craig
Music network ZM has been named Station of the Year and Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking and Marcus Lush have been named Best Talk Presenters as NZME stations scooped many of the top prizes at this year's Radio Awards.
ZB political editor and NZ Herald columnist Barry Soper was named best news and sport journalist, and Raylene Ramsay was named best newsreader at a glittering ceremony at Auckland's Sky City tonight.
NZME, owner of the NZ Herald, enjoyed a stellar night with more than 20 major awards for its stations and talent.
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The ZM breakfast show hosted by Carl Fletcher, Vaughan Smith and Megan Papas was named Best Music Breakfast Show (Network).
The ZM breakfast team also received the coveted "Blackie Award" awarded in recognition of "funny and entertaining" radio excellence.
Radio Sport's D'Arcy Waldegrave and Goran Paladin won Best Sport Presenters and the Radio Sport team won Best Sports Story for their coverage of the Commonwealth Games.
Newstalk ZB continued its talk-radio dominance in New Zealand.
Hosking was again named Best Talk Presenter (Breakfast or Drive) and night-time host Lush was also a repeat winner, named Best Talk Presenter (Other).
Lush's producer Helen McCarthy was named Best Talk Show Producer.
Newstalk ZB's news team won Best Team Coverage for its handling of the Jami-Lee Ross story.
"Consistently delivering news our audiences can trust and rely on is the backbone of any great talk network," said NZME Head of Talk Jason Winstanley and Newstalk ZB Content Director Nadia Tolich.
"It's awesome to see our on-air and news teams continue to be recognised for the great work they deliver together."
The ZM team also won awards for its work with clients and in the marketing, promotion and new broadcaster categories.
"To be named Network Station of the Year is a great honour and well-deserved recognition for ZM's on-air and production teams who all put an extraordinary effort into producing world-class radio for our audiences and our advertisers," said ZM Content Director Ross Flahive.
Two of NZME's biggest names in radio were also recognised: NewstalkZB's former Drive host Larry Williams for Services to Broadcasting, and new ZB Afternoons host Simon Barnett for Outstanding Contribution to Radio.
"I'm very proud of all of our winners and finalists who've been recognised here tonight," said NZME CEO Michael Boggs.
"Our amazing radio teams are a huge part of our business. They are industry leaders in the content they create for their listeners and the audiences they deliver for our advertisers. With the combined strength of our radio audiences, massive readership numbers we deliver through print and our growing digital audiences, NZME has much to celebrate."
• Station of the Year (Network): ZM Team;
• Blackie Award: ZM Breakfast Team;
• Best Music Breakfast Show (Network): ZM Breakfast Network — Carl Fletcher, Vaughan Smith, Megan Papas, Caitlin Marett, James Johnston and Anna Henvest;
• Best Talk Presenter (Breakfast or Drive): Mike Hosking — The Mike Hosking Breakfast, Newstalk ZB Network;
• Best Talk Presenter (Other): Marcus Lush — Marcus Lush Nights, Newstalk ZB Network;
• Best Show Producer (Talk Show): Helen McCarthy — Marcus Lush Nights, Newstalk ZB Network;
• Best News or Sports Journalist: Barry Soper — Newstalk ZB Network
• Best News Story (Team Coverage): Newstalk ZB News Team — Newstalk ZB Network for Jami-Lee Ross Saga (joint winners);
• Best Newsreader: Raylene Ramsay — Newstalk ZB Network;
• Best Client Promotion/Activation (Network): ACC — Mammoth Steady the Ship: The ACC Team;
• Best Client Promotion/Activation (Single Market): ZM Christchurch — Fletch, Vaughan & Megan's Car Raffle: Ruby Bain, Mary Outram, Jimmy Farrant, Caitlin Marett, Anna Henvest, James Johnston, Carl Fletcher, Vaughan Smith, Megan Papas and Jordyn Mihell;
• Outstanding Contribution Award: Simon Barnett;
• Services to Broadcasting Award: Larry Williams;
• Best Marketing Campaign: ZM — Friday Jams LIVE: Jacqui Robins, Emily Hancox, Ross Flahive, Dannii Gardiner, Ashleigh Van Graan;
• Best Network Station Promotion: ZM Team — ZM's Secret Sound, ZM Network;
• Best Creative Feature: Newstalk ZB Network/CBA — Whostalk ZB Phil Guyan, Josh Couch, Grace Bucknell, Phil Yule, Mike Hosking, Daryl Habraken;
• Best New Broadcaster (Off Air): Tom Harper, Hauraki Network;
• Best New Broadcaster (On Air): Anna Henvest, ZM Network;
• Best Sportsreader, Presenter or Commentator: D'Arcy Waldegrave & Goran Paladin — D'Arcy and Goran, Radio Sport Network;
• Best Sports Story (Team Coverage): Radio Sport Network — 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, Radio Sport and NZME Engineering Team
• Best Music Breakfast Show (Non-Network): Callum Procter, Patrina Roche — The Hits Dunedin/Southland;
• Best Music Non-Breakfast Host (Non-Network): Will Johnston, The Hits Tauranga and Dave Nicolas, The Hits Auckland (joint winners);
• Best Station Imaging: Alistair Cockburn, NZ Network;
• Best Station Trailer: Alistair Cockburn, NZ Network.