People’s Choice voting opens as judges gather for final stage in Australian Audio Awards

Almost a hundred of the Australian audio industry’s most esteemed leaders gathered together at AFTRS in Sydney yesterday to complete the final stage of judging in the Australian Audio Awards.

The cohort was a who’s who of the industry with past and present radio industry leaders sitting alongside podcasters and audio business innovators. All sectors were represented for the first time in audio industry history, with entries from ABC and SBS competing against the commercial radio sector and community radio broadcasters. Judges came from all industry sectors.

You too can be a judge. Voting for the People’s Choice Award is open for two weeks from today.

Vote for Radio Finalists here

Vote for Podcast Finalists here

Review all the finalists here before you vote.

The awards are an initiative of our Radioinfo and RadioToday publications in combination with Mumbrella, on behalf of the Australian Audio Industry.

Speaking at the opening briefing, Mumbrella’s Tim Burrowes told the judges, “the industry is watching what we do today… we are looking for the best work in your judgement. Have an excellent debate with your fellow jurors, but in the end, the score is your own.”

Chair of Judges Steve Ahern thanked jurors for their efforts, saying, “you’re not just judging awards, toegther we are reinventing a new way for our industry to recognise and reward talent, motivate our teams, promote this industry and unite all our competing sectors for a common goal... It is a way of recognising expertise and effort.”

These new awards come at a time of great change in the media industry.

“We all know that the Australian Audio Industry is changing. Live to air radio is still a mass market medium, reaching audiences on old and new delivery platforms. Podcasting has allowed audio also to become a niche medium, with the ability to target specific audience segments when and how they want to listen. This new dynamic in audio is empowering the industry’s evolution… Competition is international… New technology has allowed us to reach our audiences in new ways… companies are developing new business models for the future.

“We are in the middle of an industry evolution, no one is quite sure how it will shake out, but what we learn from the successful shows that we judge and the conversations we have here today will help the industry shape its future,” said Ahern.

Judges were divided into 11 groups, with a selection of categories to evaluate based on their areas of expertise. Any judge with a direct involvement in an entry left the room when that entry was discussed. Entries was evaluated against the judging criteria, prompting robust debate about quality and the impact of the audio being evaluated. Technical expertise, audio quality, content, and impact were some of the judging criteria.

Winners will be revealed in an award ceremony and function at Carriageworks Sydney on Thursday May 28th. Dress code for the event is ‘Red Carpet, dress to impress.’ The awards will be hosted by Bianca Dye and Mitch Churi. Tickets are now on sale.

For group booking discounts contact Jordan at Mumbrella: [email protected]

Steve and Tim thanked sponsors for their support of this inaugural event.

2026 Judges list:

_{Abdullah Alikhil, Audio Language Content Program Manager, SBS
Abe Udy, Founder, Abe’s Audio
Andrea Ho, Discipline Lead, Radio and Podcasting, AFTRS
Andrew Very, Network Music Director, Triple M
Andy Maxwell, Co-Founder, EarMax Media
Ann Chesterman, General Manager / Senior Strategist, Deadset Studios
Annwen Burrows
Anthony Frangi, Head ABC Capital City Radio Network, ABC
Bec Brown, Managing Director,The Comms Department
Blair Woodcock, Head of Regional Content, SCA
Blythe Moore, Manager, Audio Innovation, ABC News, ABC
Brad March, Managing Director, Marchmedia
Cheryl Lee, Manager, Rebel Radio Network
Chris Coleman, Lead NRL Commentator Mix 106.3, amplifyCBR
Chris Scaddan, Head of Operations, Audio, ABC
Claire Murphy, Partnerships, Activations And Promotions Leader
Clint Drieberg, Radio & TV Professional, Across Australia & Ireland
Corey Layton, Head of Digital Audio, ARN
Dani Torresan, Lecturer and Trainer,AFTRS
Darcy Milne, Managing Director, Pro Podcast
Dave Carter, Executive Producer / Creative Consultant, Media Heads
David Hua, Director of Audio & Language Content, SBS
David Rogerson, Founder, Strategic Media Solutions
Dean Buchanan, CEO, DRB Entertainment
Del Fordham, Director, APAC Originals, Audible
Dina Rosendorff, Head of Radio National, ABC
Duncan Campbell, Principal, CD Media
Elle Beattie, Founder & Executive Producer, Best Mates Media
Ellen Leabeater, Executive Producer, Freelance
Emily Copeland, Director, Good Authority
Emma Lawson, Video and Social Media Manager, Nine Podcasts
Gerry Lyons, Consultant
Grant Tothill, Consultant, LiSTNR,SCA
Greg Byrnes, Head of Content, Nine Radio
Greg Smith, Former Austereo Group Program Director
Guy Ashford, General Manager, 2HD, New FM
Guy Dobson, Director, GSL Media
Henrik Isaksson, Regional Managing Director, AU/NZ, Acast
Irene Hulme, Podcast Host, Game Changers Radio
Jack Traynor, Head of Production, Wavelength Creative
Jaron Ransley, Head of Production, Abe’s Audio
Jay Walkerden,Co-Founder, Podshape
Jen Seyderhelm, Writer, Editor, Podcaster, Radioinfo
Jennifer Goggin, Strategy & Programming Manager – Audio on Demand, ABC
Jessica Radburn, Head of Audio on Demand, ABC
John Maizels, Technologist & Audio Producer, Entropy Enterprises
Karen Dorante, General Manager, National Indigenous Radio Service
Lachlan Macara, Head of triple j, Double J & Country, ABC
Linda Bracken, Specialist Consultant, Board Matters
Martin Corben, Principal, MC Media
Masako Fukui, Independent Producer, Freelance
Matt Nikolic, Audio Podcast Producer, SCA
Melanie Lindquist, Managing Partner, High Net Agency
Melanie Withnall, Head of Continuous News, ABC
Michael Jones, Senior Operations Co-ordinator, 2SER-FM
Mike Byrne, Consultant, On the Mike
Mike Fitzpatrick, Director, Mediafitz
Miles Martignoni, Supervising Producer, ABC Audio Studios, ABC
Monica Attard, Professor of Journalism, UTS
Monique Bowley, Founder and Director, Pep Talk Podcasts
Natalie Pozdeev, Convenor, Radio & Podcasting, AFTRS
Olya Booyar, Consultant, ABU
Peter Rubinstein, Managing Director, MediaHeads
Peter Yiamarelos, Partner, former radio programmer and manager, Audata
Phil Brandel, Producer, ABC Radio
Phil O’Neil, Broadcaster at 2GB, Nine
Philip Noyce, Head of ABC Classic & ABC Jazz, ABC
Rachel Fountain, Founder, Director, Podcast Strategist, Fountain Media Group
Rachel Patterson, General Manager, Geelong Broadcasters
Ralph van Dijk, Founder and Executive Creative Director, Eardrum
Rhys Gunter, Supervising Producer, News Corp Australia
Richard Monk, Communications Consultant
Ronnie Stanton, Programming Consultant, Ronnie Stanton Media
Ryan Rathbone, Head of Content, Regional, ARN
Sarah Gilbert, Executive Producer, UTS Impact Studios
Sarah Patterson, Journalist, Radio Today
Scott Mayman, Broadcaster & Radio News Journalist, Capital Radio & CBS Radio
Sean Craig Murphy, Owner, Australian Radio School
Siobhan McHugh, Narrative Podcast Consultant, Podcast Polly Consultancy
Spencer Howson, Broadcaster, Podcaster, Trainer, ABC, 4BC and Community Radio
Stephen O’Dougherty, Non Executive Director, Various NFP Media Organisations
Steve Ahern, CEO AMT, Publisher Radioinfo/RadioToday
Stuart Buckland, Producer / Consultant, Freelance
Tania Fielding, Director, Little Luxe Marketing
Trevor Sinclair, Broadcaster, ACE Radio Network
Wade Kingsley, Founder, podtential
Zak Davies, Content & Promotions Director, amplifyCBR}

If you would like to be considered as a judge for next year’s awards, please email [email protected] with your details.