Enter now: Telkom Radio Awards return with refreshed categories

Entries are officially open for the 2026 Telkom Radio Awards, where radio stations and industry professionals — broadcasters, journalists, producers, and audio creators from across South Africa — are invited to showcase their best work and compete for one of the industry’s most coveted accolades.

Established in 2010 and now in its 16th edition, with Telkom serving as naming partner for a fourth consecutive year, the Telkom Radio Awards remain the benchmark against which the country’s finest radio talent and content are measured.

The awards continue to recognise excellence in radio, ensuring broad representation of the many disciplines that contribute to South Africa’s vibrant radio ecosystem.

Entries close on October 2 2026, providing stations and industry professionals with an opportunity to submit their strongest work from the eligibility period.

Full entry criteria, category requirements, and submission guidelines are available on the Telkom Radio Awards website.

This year several significant developments have been introduced to ensure the Telkom Radio Awards remain relevant to the industry, and the audiences they keep entertained and informed.

Following an extensive review, numerous categories have been refined and consolidated to better align with contemporary broadcasting and content creation.

Notable changes include the introduction of new categories such as On-Air Personality and Broadcast Journalist, alongside a dedicated Specialist Music Show category.

Several programme categories have also been streamlined to simplify entry pathways and ensure greater consistency across the Campus, Community, Commercial and Public Broadcasting Service sectors.

In total, 54 awards will be announced across 22 headline categories at the 2026 Telkom Radio Awards gala dinner in Gauteng on December 5 2026.

A key innovation for 2026 is the introduction of a new adjudication initiative that invites experienced professionals from across the radio industry to participate in the adjudication process through a dedicated platform.

The objective is to broaden participation, bring fresh perspectives into the judging process, and ensure panels remain representative of the industry’s diverse skills, backgrounds and sectors.

Applications will be assessed against defined selection criteria to ensure the expertise, objectivity and integrity required for judging, and further details in this regard will be announced soon.

Grant Nash will continue in his role as head judge for the 2026 Telkom Radio Awards, providing oversight of the judging process and helping to ensure fairness, consistency and transparency across all categories.

With more than two decades in broadcasting, content strategy, management and media education, Nash brings deep industry expertise and credibility to the awards.

As head judge, he will oversee judge selection, category allocation, adjudication processes, and the moderation of results.

To ensure the highest standards of transparency and credibility, BDO South Africa returns as the official independent auditor of the 2026 Telkom Radio Awards.

Alongside industry entries, public participation is once again encouraged through the popular My Station competition.

Voting is open until October 23 2026, giving listeners the opportunity to support their favourite radio stations.

The station receiving the highest number of public votes will be recognised with the My Station Award, while one voter will be selected through a random draw as the winner of a R40,000 cash prize*.

Takunda Jinda, chief marketing officer at Arena Holdings — the publisher of TimesLIVE and Sunday Times and owner of the Telkom Radio Awards — believes radio continues to play an essential role in South African society despite an increasingly fragmented media environment.

The Telkom Radio Awards celebrate the extraordinary individuals and teams who continue to demonstrate why radio remains such an important part of our national fabric—  Takunda Jinda, chief marketing officer at Arena Holdings

“Radio remains one of the country’s most trusted and accessible media platforms. It informs, entertains, educates and connects millions of people every day, regardless of geography or circumstance,” he says.

“The Telkom Radio Awards exist to celebrate the extraordinary individuals and teams who continue to innovate, serve audiences and demonstrate why radio remains such an important part of our national fabric.”

Jinda adds that the continued partnership with Telkom reflects a shared commitment to supporting and advancing the industry.

“We are proud to enter a fourth year alongside Telkom as naming partner. Together, we remain committed to recognising excellence, encouraging innovation and ensuring the awards continue to evolve in ways that strengthen their relevance, credibility and value to the industry.”

For more information about the awards, to submit your entry, or cast your vote in the My Station competition, visit the the Telkom Radio Awards website.