Ireland

The New York Festivals 2026 Radio Awards is now open for entries, with a new Video Podcast category added for the first time.
The international competition celebrates creative excellence in audio storytelling, with 14 category groups ranging from news, documentaries and talk programmes to on-air talent, craft and entertainment.
Organisers say the new Video Podcast category reflects the growing role of visual storytelling alongside traditional audio. Rose Anderson, Executive VP and Executive Director, said the awards have “championed the art of storytelling across every platform” for nearly seven decades.
The competition, which began in 1957, continues to evolve with new categories recognising digital, podcast, and audiobook content as well as traditional radio formats. The awards also highlight investigative journalism, nonfiction series, and social justice storytelling through partnerships with JusticeAid and the National Press Club.
The National Press Club Award, introduced in 2023, honours the top-scoring news programme across breaking news, continuing coverage, nonfiction series and news podcast categories. Last year, Master Plan (The Lever) was named as the winner.
In 2025, Grand Awards went to Bafflegab Productions for The Man Who Fell to Earth in Entertainment, Bucket of Eels for Tested in Podcast: Sports, and Smoke Trail Productions for Buried: The Last Witness in Documentary. Sports journalist Lesley Visser received the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award.
The next Storytellers Gala will be held in May 2026, following last year’s virtual event hosted from Central Park. The gala showcases winning entries, speeches, and highlights from around the world.
Entries for the 2026 awards must have been produced, released, aired or streamed between January 1 last year and January 31 this year. The deadline for submissions is 31 January 2026.
Further details and entry information are available on the New York Festivals Radio Awards website. […]

Creators now have until Friday 19 September at 5pm to enter the inaugural All-Ireland Podcast Awards, part of the new Sound.Waves. summit in Adare.

The awards form a key part of the two-day summit taking place from 12 to 13 November, which is designed to celebrate and showcase the Irish audio sector.
The All-Ireland Podcast Awards will highlight storytelling, innovation and cultural impact across the industry, with the aim of recognising and supporting talented creators and their work.
A spokesperson for the awards said: “The response to the inaugural awards has been incredible. The quality and diversity of entries so far are truly world-class, and we’re excited to see what else comes in with this extension.”
The Sound.Waves. summit will also feature talks and sessions from innovators across podcasting, music and content creation, focusing on the business of content through creativity and commerce. Details of speakers will be announced shortly.
For more information about the Sound.Waves. summit visit soundwaves.ie.

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Coimisiún na Meán has published new guidelines for broadcast coverage of the upcoming Presidential Election in Ireland.
The Guidelines in Respect of Broadcast Coverage of Electoral Events confirm that the long-standing Broadcast Moratorium has been replaced with an Additional Care Requirement, first introduced last year. This rule applies during the Critical Election Period, which begins at 7am on the day before polling and ends when polls close, usually at 10pm.
During this period, broadcasters must exercise a higher level of editorial care. They are still permitted to cover candidates, issues and breaking news, but they must ensure reporting meets the Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs. Broadcasters cannot report on opinion polls, exit polls or speculate on outcomes while polling is taking place.
Aoife MacEvilly, Broadcasting and Video-on-Demand Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, said the rules were designed to safeguard democracy and maintain public trust. She explained that broadcasters play a crucial role in providing voters with fair and impartial information so that they can make informed choices.
The guidelines also reiterate that candidates are not allowed to present programmes during the election campaign period. If a show has been recorded before the campaign but scheduled to air during it, broadcasters must decide on a case-by-case basis whether it is appropriate to broadcast. However, news and current affairs programmes fronted by candidates are not permitted.
Other requirements include fair allocation of airtime between candidates, a ban on political advertising, and clear procedures for managing live contributions from social media. Broadcasters are also advised to mitigate the risks of disinformation, including content generated by artificial intelligence such as deepfakes.
The new guidelines take effect on Monday 22nd September. […]

Bauer Media Audio Ireland has appointed Nathan Murphy as the new Managing Editor of Today FM.
He starts the role in October following a recruitment process, and the departure of Fyona Smith who has been in in the position since December 2022.
Nathan began his career as a sports reporter at the station in 2006 before joining Off The Ball, where he became Deputy Editor and Head of Content as well as one of Ireland’s most recognisable sports broadcasters.
He has played a major role in Off The Ball’s expansion across radio, digital audio and video, and now brings this experience back to national radio with Today FM. He will lead the station’s audience growth strategy and oversee its programming direction.
Speaking about his appointment, Nathan said: “I’m incredibly proud to have the opportunity to return to Today FM and lead such a brilliantly talented and creative team. I’ve remained an avid listener over the past decade and look forward to building on Today FM’s unique connection with Irish radio listeners.”
Bauer Media Audio Ireland CEO Chris Doyle added: “His breadth of experience, coupled with his innate understanding of Irish audiences and his ability to identify and nurture talent are key attributes he brings to this important role. Nathan will lead a passionate team, both in front of and behind the mic.”
Nathan will take up his new role in October.

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RTÉ is heading back to the National Ploughing Championships in Tullamore from 16th to 18th September with three days of live radio and entertainment.
Across the event, audiences will be able to see RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ 2fm and RTÉ Gold programmes broadcast live from the RTÉ tent, alongside podcast recordings, music, news, weather and family-friendly activities.
On Tuesday, the schedule includes Oliver Callan on Radio 1, The Louise Duffy Show, and The Ray D’Arcy Show, plus a live recording of the Behind the Story podcast with David McCullagh, Katie Hannon and Fran McNulty. RTÉ’s Six One News and Weather will also be live from the site.
Wednesday will feature Morning Ireland on Radio 1, a Will Leahy special on RTÉ Gold, and 2fm Drive with Doireann Garrihy. Visitors will also be able to meet the Home Rescue team Dee Coleman, Peter Finn and Aidan Gately.
Thursday’s programme includes Laura Fox with 2fm Morning, Philip Boucher Hayes pre-recording Countrywide, and a Thin Lizzy and Phil Lynott tribute performance from Peter M. Smith and Black Rose DC.
Throughout the three days, fans of The Traitors Ireland can take photos wearing a cloak from the series, while the Late Late Show owl will also be making an appearance. Ireland’s Fittest Family will host a Hang Tough Challenge with referee Paul O’Donovan, and the RTÉ weather team will present live updates from the showground. […]

Commercial radio stations across Ireland are set to benefit from a new €3 million fund dedicated to strengthening news reporting.
The funding is part of a wider €10 million package announced by Coimisiún na Meán, which has opened applications for three journalism schemes, including the new News Reporting Scheme.
A total of €4 million will be made available under the scheme, with €3 million ring-fenced for commercial radio broadcasters. The allocation was made by Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Patrick O’Donovan, who said the funding recognises the important role radio plays in delivering trusted, high-quality news.
The scheme is being launched on a pilot basis and will be reviewed after one year. It will support the creation of public interest journalism on a platform-neutral basis, focusing on issues under-represented in current news coverage such as rural affairs, transport, sustainability, marginalised groups, social and cultural topics, and the impact of public policy.
Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Media Development Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, said the organisation is committed to supporting “a media landscape that is sustainable, pluralistic, and participative, and one that consumers can trust”.
Applications for the News Reporting Scheme can be submitted by regulated news and current affairs service providers, or by freelance journalists working with a regulated outlet.
Alongside the new initiative, €6 million has also been made available under round two of the Local Democracy and Courts Reporting Schemes. The first round of these schemes, launched last year, supported the creation of more than one hundred new journalism roles.
Minister O’Donovan said the new funding would “enable media outlets to report on news topics that are not substantially covered at present” and enhance coverage of local authorities and the courts. He added: “Commercial radio stations play an invaluable role in community engagement, cohesion and the promotion of social inclusion across the country and provide a crucial public service in the delivery of trusted information.”
Coimisiún na Meán expects applications from both national and regional outlets, with the aim of strengthening news provision for audiences across Ireland. […]