Global podcast collaboration earns top honours in investigative journalism
Cocaine Inc., the hard-hitting investigative podcast exploring the global cocaine trade, has taken home the gold at the prestigious New York Festivals Radio Awards. The win comes in recognition of the series’ excellence in the Investigative Journalism Podcast category.
This groundbreaking project is the result of a rare international collaboration. Fiona Hamilton, Chief Reporter at The Times, David Collins, Northern Editor for The Sunday Times, and Stephen Drill from News Corp Australia joined forces to lift the lid on one of the world’s most dangerous criminal networks.
The award was accepted virtually from London by Will Roe, one of the executive producers of Cocaine Inc. and senior audio producer at The Times.
“We can’t believe we’ve won this award – just to be nominated was amazing. To get gold surpasses all our expectations. A huge thank you to The Times, The Sunday Times and News Corp Australia for supporting this project,” Roe said.
Since its release, Cocaine Inc. has made a remarkable impact. The podcast shot to number two on the Apple podcast charts in the UK and climbed to fourth position in Australia. Its popularity continues to soar, recently surpassing one million downloads worldwide.
The accolades don’t end there. The series previously secured the Innovation Award at the Society of Editors’ Media Freedom Awards. It also earned high commendation at this year’s Press Awards in London. And it’s not done yet—Cocaine Inc. is currently shortlisted at both the UK’s True Crime Awards and the Publisher Podcast Awards, set to be announced next month.
Tim Levell, Programme Director at Times Radio, praised the recognition: “Being recognised at the New York Radio Festival is a testament to the power of investigative journalism and the audio storytelling of Cocaine Inc..
The series has resonated with audiences because it sheds light on a global issue with humanity, urgency, and unparalleled insight. Winning Gold in this category is a brilliant testament to the hard work of all the team and the collaboration with News Corp Australia.”
Dan Box, editorial director of audio at News Corp Australia, also spoke on the project’s significance: “From the start, this has been a unique collaboration between journalists working on opposite sides of the planet to trace the cocaine trade around the world. We’re absolutely delighted to see the series recognised in this way at the prestigious New York Radio Festival.”
The success of Cocaine Inc. not only reflects the calibre of investigative journalism from some of the most respected newsrooms in the UK and Australia but also highlights the growing power of audio storytelling to expose the underbelly of global crime. With more recognition on the horizon, the story of Cocaine Inc. is far from over.
Catch the full series and explore the dark web of the global drug trade by listening here: https://podfollow.com/cocaine-inc
Listen on Apple Podcasts: Cocaine Inc. on Apple Podcasts
