Nine wins three at Radio Awards 2026 for Queensland podcasts

Nine picked up three awards at radio awards 2026 after Alva Beach: Death At The Door and The Saints were recognised overnight at the New York Festivals Radio Awards. The result puts two Queensland investigations in front of a global audience and adds another external mark of validation for Nine and Tapt Podcasts’ documentary work.

Alva Beach and The Saints

The Saints and Alva Beach: Death At The Door won Bronze and Silver statues respectively in the narrative/documentary podcast category, while Alva Beach: Death At The Door also took Bronze in the serialised podcast category. That gave Nine three awards from two titles, with Alva Beach led by 60 Minutes journalist Adam Hegarty and The Saints presented by A Current Affair’s Pippa Bradshaw.

Adam Hegarty said, “This is a story that’s stuck with me for a very long time, so I could not be prouder of the work Jess, Matty and I have done, and am incredibly grateful for the recognition.” He added, “My thoughts and admiration are also with the Davy and Christensen families. It takes serious courage to share your heartbreak, and your important grievances, when you know doing so will be met with criticism.”

Jess Lodge and sound design

Jess Lodge produced both podcasts, with Matty White handling sound design and editing on Alva Beach: Death At The Door and Hannah Sterling doing the same on The Saints. That is a useful reminder that the award haul was not just about the on-air names; the technical and editorial work carried by the producing team is what turned two local cases into podcasts that travelled.

The Saints examines the tragic death of eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs in Toowoomba, Queensland, and the show has already been shortlisted for best crime podcast at the upcoming 2026 Australian Audio Awards in Sydney. Pippa Bradshaw said, “I’m deeply honoured to have The Saints and Elizabeth’s story recognised on a global stage, one that highlights the real dangers of extreme belief, and the importance of accountability.”

More than a million downloads

The two projects have accumulated more than a million combined downloads, which is the clearest sign the awards are landing on podcasts with real audience reach, not just critical goodwill. Alva Beach: Death At The Door examines the stabbing deaths of Corey Christensen, who was 37 and a father of three, and Tom Davy, who was 27, giving the win a documentary backbone rooted in a case that still carries weight for the families involved.

For Nine, the immediate gain is straightforward: three trophies, two recognised investigations and a stronger sales pitch for investigative podcasting built around journalism rather than celebrity. For listeners, the next question is whether those award nominations and download numbers help push more regional cases onto a larger stage, the way these two Queensland stories already have.