NZME's radio stations also surpassed the total 2 million audience mark, with Newstalk ZB remaining the top station in the country with 744,000 listeners.
NZME chief radio officer Jason Winstanley said the NZ Radio Awards announcement topped off a stellar fortnight for NZME and its radio teams.
"To have the most finalists in this year's awards out of any media company is absolutely fantastic. We are proud to deliver world class, engaging, informative news and entertainment to millions of Kiwis and being finalists in such a variety of categories is testament to our people – we're very lucky to have such a talented, hard-working, committed team," Winstanley said.
NZME chief executive Michael Boggs said the company is heavily focused on growing its audio brands, including digital platform iHeartRadio, and the list of finalists demonstrated the strength of those brands.
"We're proud to be finalists across multiple categories in this year's NZ Radio Awards, as well as celebrating huge success last week with Newstalk ZB remaining the country's number one commercial radio network and NZME reaching more than 2 million people across our radio stations. As well as providing the very best content for our audiences to listen to and engage with, we're also providing excellent commercial opportunities for our valued customers," Boggs said.
Among the finalists, Winstanley, Edward Swift and Laura Heathcote (Newstalk ZB Network) have been nominated for best content director/team, as has the ZM Network's Ross Flahive.
Newstalk ZB's news team have three nominations for best news story for their coverage of National's leadership drama, last year's Covid Delta outbreak and the New Lynn terrorist attack in September.
NZME's coverage of the 2021 America's Cup (Newstalk ZB Team), ICC World Test Championship (Gold AM Network) and Tokyo Olympics (Newstalk ZB Network) has earned it a finalist spot for best sports story - team coverage award.
ZM's breakfast show hosts Fletch, Vaughan and Hayley - who have the most listeners across key demographics 18-39 and 25-44 - are up for best podcast by a radio show and best network team show.
Full list of NZME finalists:
Best Show Producer or Producing Team - Music Show
• Anna Henvest, Jared Pickstock, Carwen Jones - ZM's Fletch, Vaughan & Megan
• Ben Humphrey, Juliet Wrathall - The Hits Breakfast with Jono & Ben
• Ben McDowell, Anastasia Loeffen - ZM's Bree & Clint
Best Show Producer or Producing Team - Talk Show
• Helen McCarthy - Kerre McIvor Mornings Newstalk ZB Network
• Laura Beattie, Laura Cunningham, Anthony Milicich - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive Newstalk ZB Network
• Michael Allan, Sam Carran, Glenn Hart - The Mike Hosking Breakfast Newstalk ZB Network
Best Station Imaging
• Alistair Cockburn, Brynee Wilson, Sam Harvey, Zoe Norton - ZM Network
• Alastair Boyes, Aaron Watkinson - The Hits Network
Best Station Trailer
• ZM's Add To Cart - Alistair Cockburn, Tom Harper, Sarah Accorsi, Claire Chellew ZM Network
Best Video - Short Form
• Beer & Pie July - Claire Chellew, Tom Harper, Christian Goeffic, Anthony Plant, NZME Sound & Vision Team Radio Hauraki Network
• Taskmaster NZ Co-Pro - Claire Chellew, Chris Campbell, Allan George, Susan Bridges, Evan Paea Radio Hauraki Network
Best Network Station Promotion
• The Box - Alistair Cockburn, Gary Pointon ZM Network
Best Digital Content
• ZM Online - Megan Sagar, Carwen Jones, Sarah Mount, Rowan Naude, Ella Shepherd, Gary Pointon
Best Digital Content - Single Post
• ZM's Te Reo Sour Puss - Megan Sagar ZM Network
Best Branded Podcast
• Footprint - Phil Guyan, Francesca Rudkin, Mick Andrews, Josh Couch, Stephanie Soh - CBA / Newstalk ZB
• HP Business Class - Phil Guyan, Heather du Plessis-Allan, Josh Couch, Mick Andrews, Stephanie Soh - Drum Agency / Newstalk ZB
• The New World Beer & Cider Award Audio Guide - Jacki Polkinghorne, Sarah Catran, Lauren Simpkins, Bonnie Jansen - iHeartRadio
Best Podcast by a Radio Show
• The Matt & Jerry Show Podcast - Matt Heath, Jeremy Wells, Chris Goodwin, Finn Caddie - Radio Hauraki / iHeartRadio
• ZM's Fletch, Vaughan & Megan - Carl Fletcher, Vaughan Smith, Megan Papas, Anna Henvest, Jared Pickstock, Carwen Jones, Hayley Sproull - ZM Network
'The Blackie Award'
• Hayley's Driver's Licence - Hayley Sproull - ZM Network
• The Hauraki Big Show - Caravan Withdrawal - Jason Hoyte, Mike Minogue, Joseph • Shuker, Chris Key, Joe Durie, Tom Harper, Lauren Simpkins - Radio Hauraki Network
Best Children's Programme
• Marcus Lush Nights Kids' Talkback - Marcus Lush, Dan Goodwin Newstalk ZB
Best Network Team Show
• ZM's Fletch, Vaughan & Megan - Carl Fletcher, Vaughan Smith, Megan Papas, Anna Henvest, Sarah Mount, Jared Pickstock, Carwen Jones, Hayley Sproull - ZM Network
• ZM's Bree & Clint - Bree Tomasel, Clint Roberts, Ben McDowell, Anastasia Loeffen - ZM Network
• The Hits Breakfast with Jono & Ben - Jono Pryor, Ben Boyce, Ben Humphrey - The Hits Network
Best Local Team Show
• Callum & P - Callum Procter, Patrina Roche - The Hits Dunedin
Best Local Music Host
• Dave Nicholas - The Hits Auckland
Best Show - Non Surveyed Market
• Breakfast with Phill Hooper - Phill Hooper - Hokonui Ashburton
Best Talk Presenter - Breakfast or Drive
• Mike Hosking - The Mike Hosking Breakfast - Newstalk ZB Network
• Heather du Plessis-Allan - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive - Newstalk ZB Network
Best Talk Presenter - Non-Breakfast or Drive
• Kate Hawkesby - Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby - Newstalk ZB Network
• Marcus Lush - Marcus Lush Nights - Newstalk ZB Network
• Simon Barnett & James Daniels - Simon Barnett & James Daniels Afternoons - Newstalk ZB Network
Best New Broadcaster - Journalist
• Aaron Dahmen - Newstalk ZB Network
• Jason Walls - Newstalk ZB Network
Best New Broadcaster - Off-Air
• Shannon Trim - Coast Network
Best New Broadcaster - On-Air
• Meg Wyatt - ZM Network
The Johnny Douglas Award
• Brenna Creahan - NZME
Best News or Sports Journalist
• Elliott Smith - Newstalk ZB Network
Best News Story - Team Coverage
• National's Leadership Drama - Newstalk ZB Team
• Delta 2021 - Newstalk ZB Team
• New Lynn Terrorist Attack - Newstalk ZB Team
Best Newsreader
• Niva Retimanu - Newstalk ZB Network
• Rachel Jackson-Lees - Hits / ZM / Hauraki / Coast
• Raylene Ramsay - Newstalk ZB Network
Best Sports Reader, Presenter or Commentator
• D'Arcy Waldegrave - All Sport Breakfast & Sportstalk - Newstalk ZB Network
• Brian Kelly - The Country Sport Breakfast - Gold AM Network
• Jason Pine - Weekend Sport - Newstalk ZB Network
Best Sports Story - Team Coverage
• 2021 America's Cup - Peter Montgomery, Chris Steel, Angus Mabey, Andy McDonnell, Newstalk ZB Team
• ICC World Test Championship - Bryan Waddle, Jeremy Coney, Andrew Alderson, Malcolm Jordan, Peter McGlashan, Craig Cumming, Andy McDonnell - Gold AM Network
• Tokyo Olympics - Newstalk ZB Team, Andy McDonnell - Newstalk ZB Network
Best Client Promotion/Activation
• Bree & Clint Listener Box Meal - Dannii Gardner, Danielle Tolich, Bree Tomasel, Clint Roberts, Ben McDowell, Anastasia Loeffen, Celia Whitley - ZM Network
• Jono & Ben's Battery Operated Torch Tour with The Warehouse - Harriett Whiting, Danielle Tolich, Ben Boyce, Jono Pryor, Ben Humphrey, Margaret Hawker, Gareth McDonald, Ben Sullivan, Sarah De Villiers, Jessica Boell, Anthony Plant - The Hits Network
• Neon Secret Sound - Celia Whitley, Ross Flahive, Gary Pointon, Alistair Cockburn, Aileen Lau, Danielle Tolich, Megan Sagar, Ella Shepherd, Sarah Mount, Jacqui Roberts - ZM Network
• KFC Craving Vaxx Facts - Aileen Lau, Danielle Tolich, Ben McDowell, Rosie Gordon, Georgia Burt, Azura Lane, Megan Sagar, Rowan Naude, Sarah Mount, Cameron Mansel, Astley Nathan, Ben Sullivan - ZM & Flava
Best Marketing Campaign
• Jono & Ben's 5 Words for $5k - Jacqui Davis, Emily Hancox, Todd Campbell, Xanthe Williams, Ben Humphrey, Jono Pryor, Ben Boyce - The Hits Network
• Newstalk ZB Brand - Monique Hodgson, Xanthe Williams - Newstalk ZB
• Play ZM - Jacqui Davis, Jennifer Pryor, Xanthe Williams, Ross Flahive - ZM Network
Best Commercial Campaign
• Confinement Escape Rooms Taupo - Are You In? - Lucas Hogan, Cara Botica, Rew Shearer, Stephen Lovatt, Jacquie Nairn, Glenn Hart, Lucas Hogan, Daniel Wood, Adam Pomana - ZM Taupo
Best Single Commercial
• Starco - Wifi Signal - Rew Shearer, Cara Botica, Daniel Wood, Stephen Lovatt - NZME
Best Voice Talent
• Chris Ryan - NZME
Sales Team of the Year
• NZME Taranaki - Nikki Verbeet, Tracey Blake, Colleen Deegan, Carole Morgan, Julie Petley - NZME
Best Content Director / Content Team
• Ross Flahive - ZM Network
• Jason Winstanley, Edward Swift, Laura Heathcote - Newstalk ZB Network
Network / Metropolitan Station of the Year
• Newstalk ZB
• ZM
