Entries will open next Monday 2 February 2026 for the Society’s News Podcast Awards 2026, the first UK awards dedicated exclusively to recognising excellence in news podcast journalism.
Honouring journalism that shapes the national conversation, the awards will feature 10 categories including News Summary Podcast of the Year; Investigative Podcast of the Year; True Crime Podcast of the Year; Showbiz & Entertainment Podcast of the Year; Political Podcast of the Year; Royal Podcast of the Year; Scoop / Interview of the Year; Business & Economy Podcast of the Year; Best Regional or Community Podcast and Podcast of the Year.
Entries will open at 9am on Monday 2 February and close at midnight on Thursday 2 April 2026.
The awards have been established to recognise and celebrate the work of journalists and producers using podcasting to deliver high-quality news and current affairs journalism. Free to enter and judged through a clear editorial lens and focused on impact, depth, public interest and engaging storytelling, the awards aim to recognise news podcasting as journalism, not simply as an audio or video format.
Announcing the inaugural awards earlier this month, Dawn Alford, Chief Executive of the Society of Editors, said: “Podcasting has become one of the most important ways journalists are informing audiences, scrutinising power and explaining complex issues in depth. Across the UK, journalists and producers are producing exceptional news podcast journalism, breaking stories, providing original insight and shaping public debate.
“The News Podcast Awards will be assessed by more than 60 journalists and editors, bringing real newsroom experience and editorial standards to the judging process.”
Full details of how to enter the awards and criteria can be found here.
For further information, please contact office@societyofeditors.org.
The Society of Editors represents more than 500 news leaders and editors and campaigns for the universal right to freedom of expression, the importance of the news media in a democratic society, high editorial standards and the public’s right to know. The Society is supported by Allwyn and VodafoneThree.
