The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media
5FM celebrates Marketing Achievement Awards and Radio Awards nominations
5FM is celebrating a strong awards season, earning multiple nominations across two of South Africa’s leading industry platforms: the 2026 Telkom Radio Awards and the 2026 Marketing Achievement Awards. The recognition reinforces the station’s position in youth culture, entertainment, innovation and commercial impact.
The Telkom Radio Awards recognise excellence across content, production, innovation, talent and commercial partnerships, while the Marketing Achievement Awards celebrate campaigns, partnerships and brand activations that deliver measurable business impact and resonate with audiences.
At the 2026 Telkom Radio Awards, 5FM secured finalist positions in:
- Best Commercial Partnership: 5FM War Cry Championship, brought to you by Standard Bank.
- Best Content Producer: Masego Chresh, producer of 5 Drive.
- Best Content Producer: Kirsten Jade, producer of 5 Weekend Breakfast.
- Best Radio Documentary: 16 Days, 16 Voices.
- Best Sports Show: Don’t Drop The Ball with 5 Drive’s Jude van Wyk.
- Station Imaging / Sonic Branding: three finalist positions for 5FM Station Positioning, 5FM Station Power Intros and 5FM Endless Summer Campaign Imaging.
The station also celebrates one of its newest talents, Zanele Ndala, whose Tuks FM Drive with Zanele was named a finalist in the Campus Drive Show category. The recognition reflects her work before joining the 5FM team as 5 Mid Mornings Content Producer.
Adding to the momentum, the 5FM War Cry Championship, brought to you by Standard Bank, has qualified for the Marketing Achievement Awards in the Excellence in South African Resonance Marketing category. The campaign brought together thousands of learners, educators and communities, turning school spirit into a national movement.
Good Hope FM earns Radio Awards finalist recognition, Presenter Search star makes the shortlist
Good Hope FM is celebrating a strong showing at the 2026 Telkom Radio Awards, with finalist nominations recognising the station’s talent, content and production across several competitive categories.
This year, Good Hope FM secured finalist positions in:
- Daytime Show: The Lunch Club, presented by Carissa Cupido and Chad Saaiman.
- Music Entertainment Show: Noni But Nice, hosted by Noni Radebe.
The station also congratulates rising radio talent Caleb Daries, who recently joined Good Hope FM following its Presenter Search. Caleb earned a finalist nomination in the On-Air Personality (Campus) category for his work on MFM 92.6, as well as a nomination in the Brightstar category, which recognises emerging talent with the potential to shape the future of South African radio.
RSG celebrates finalist nods at 2026 Telkom Radio Awards
RSG, South Africa’s largest Afrikaans radio station, is celebrating an impressive showing at the 2026 Telkom Radio Awards, with finalists across journalism, documentary, drama, specialist music, news and current affairs.
This year, RSG secured finalist positions in:
Best Broadcast Journalist
- Suzanne Paxton
- Karen Augusta
- Esté de Klerk
Best Radio Documentary
- Die soektog na Lt Mielie Meiring se Ratel 72
Best Drama Programme
- Stasie in die Niet
- Damhuis
- Ken jy Fytjie Eland?
Best Specialist Music Show
- Hartsnommertjies, presented by Haidee Muller
The nominations showcase the breadth of RSG’s content offering, from investigative journalism and factual storytelling to drama, specialist music and public-interest programming.
Carol Ofori’s The Comeback podcast earns three award nominations
Radio personality, author and voice-over artist Carol Ofori is celebrating three nominations across the 2026 South African Podcast Awards and Telkom Radio Awards for her inspirational series, The Comeback with Carol Ofori.
The podcast has received two nominations at the South African Podcast Awards: Best Self-Help and Personal Development Podcast and Best Host for Carol Ofori. It has also been named a finalist in the Best Podcast category at the 2026 Telkom Radio Awards.
The Comeback with Carol Ofori tells the stories of everyday people who have overcome extraordinary adversity. Each episode explores the journeys of individuals who have faced difficult circumstances, experienced profound loss or reached a turning point before finding the strength to rebuild.
Publicis Groupe Africa builds a new era of African creative excellence
Publicis Groupe Africa is closing out 2026 with a remarkable awards achievement, having been named Regional Agency Group of the Year at the Loeries and Network of the Year at the African Cristal Awards for the third consecutive year. The Groupe has held both titles in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Earlier this year, it was also named Cannes Lions Regional Network of the Year for Sub-Saharan Africa, extending its recognition from the continent to the global stage.
The Groupe’s 2026 Loeries performance saw awards across its agencies, including LePub Johannesburg, Machine, The Partnership Agency, Publicis West Africa, Leo Singapore and Publicis Middle East.
Koo Govender, CEO of Publicis Groupe Africa, says: “Winning once is a moment. Winning three years in a row at the Loeries and the African Cristals and then being recognised at Cannes, tells you who we are. It is the work of extraordinary people across our agencies who push each other, share what they know and refuse to settle for good enough. Our ambition has always been bigger than a trophy cabinet. We want African creativity to set the pace globally and we want our clients’ brands to be the ones that prove it. This is the foundation of a legacy and we’re only getting started.”
Effie College announces 2026 Nedbank Challenge winners
The 2026 Effie College Nedbank Challenge has concluded, with Women in S.P.A.M. from the University of Cape Town (UCT) taking top honours.
The competition attracted 19 student teams from five South African tertiary institutions.
Following a two-stage judging process, the finalists presented their ideas to senior Nedbank marketers on 19 October 2026, when the final rankings were determined.
The 2026 Nedbank Challenge winners are:
- Gold: Women in S.P.A.M. – UCT (Postgraduate Diploma in Management in Marketing). Ammaarah Pilodia, Natasha Nathoo, Zoe Fataar and Keesha Petersen.
- Silver: NedNext – AAA School of Advertising, Johannesburg (second year). Refilwe Mohlala, Tayla Cooper and Khanyisani Dlongolo.
- Bronze: Team Vectra – Vega Emeris, Johannesburg (third year). Blessing Mtetwa, Aliza Cobb, Buhle Sambumbu, Nyiko Siwele and Gabriella De Averio.
HOT 102.7FM sweeps Best of Joburg and Ekurhuleni Radio Awards
HOT 102.7FM has claimed all six first-place radio titles at the 2026 Best of Joburg and Best of Ekurhuleni Readers’ Choice Awards, winning across Best Radio Station, Best Radio Show and Best Radio Personality in both regions.
The station was voted Best Local Radio Station in both regions, while HOT 102.7 Breakfast with Parky, Bunny & Simon took Best Local Radio Show honours. Presenter Simon ‘Parky’ Parkinson completed the sweep, winning Best Local Radio Personality in both Joburg and Ekurhuleni.
Bunny Majaja also placed second in Joburg and third in Ekurhuleni, giving HOT 102.7FM two of the top three radio personalities in both regions.
The results mark HOT 102.7FM’s fifth consecutive Best Radio Station win in Joburg and its third consecutive win in Ekurhuleni.
Organised by Caxton Media, the annual Best of Readers’ Choice Awards are in their 31st year. The 2026 competition attracted more than one million votes across its categories, with more than 7 000 businesses nominated.
Five out of five: Solid Gold produces every Best Corporate or Internal Podcast finalist
All five finalists in the Best Corporate or Internal Podcast category at the 2026 South African Podcast Awards are Solid Gold Podcasts clients. Across the awards, the Randburg-based production studio’s clients secured 36 finalist places across 24 of the 36 categories, while Solid Gold Podcasts itself is a finalist for Best Podcast Network.
The five finalists are:
- #FerringPod (Ferring)
- Fossils by Firelight (GSSA)
- Local Logic by Altron (Altron)
- Network (Women in Mining South Africa)
- The Crucible (SAIMM)
The productions span pharmaceuticals, geology, technology, mining and metallurgy, reflecting the growing use of podcasts by organisations to engage employees, communicate specialist knowledge and connect with their industries.
A family-run business operated by a father and his three adult children, Solid Gold has produced more than 250 podcasts for organisations in South Africa and internationally.
The One Show 2027 opens entries with new sports category
The One Club for Creativity has opened entries for The One Show 2027, introducing a new Sports discipline, reduced entry fees for creators and a global partnership with CapCut.
The new Sports discipline will recognise creative work that harnesses the power and culture of sport, including ideas rooted in athletes, teams, fans, competition, live events and sport’s wider cultural influence. It will reward work that builds brands, strengthens fan connections, expands participation and shapes sporting culture.
The 2027 programme also introduces a 50% reduced entry fee for creators, opening the awards to one of the industry’s fastest-growing creative communities.
CapCut, part of ByteDance, has partnered with The One Club as its premier global AI partner. The agreement includes CapCut as presenting partner of The One Show’s Creative Use of AI discipline, alongside planned creative events and a creator content series.
Now in its 54th year, The One Show recognises creative excellence across disciplines, celebrating work that drives business and shapes culture. The 2027 programme carries the theme ‘Creativity is Everywhere. The best is celebrated at The One Show’.
The awards culminate in an annual gala ceremony in New York during Creative Week.
Entries are open at The One Show.
