Short answer: The best New Zealand podcasts right now include Not For Radio (comedy), DSPN (sport), Duncan Garner: Editor In Chief (news and opinion), Kiwi Yarns and Let Her Finish (interview and lifestyle), A Little Bit Extra (pop culture), and Where's My Money? (personal finance). All are made in Aotearoa by rova Podcast Studio, MediaWorks' podcast network.
Why podcasting is booming in New Zealand
Podcasting has quietly become one of the most trusted media formats in the country. Audio slots into the parts of the day screens can't reach - the commute, the gym, the school run, the job site - and it arrives through a host the listener has chosen, not an algorithm. That trust is the whole point. Podcast listeners overwhelmingly report acting on ads they hear, because the recommendation comes from a voice they already know.
For New Zealand advertisers, the appeal is sharper still. Local shows deliver local accents, local references and local credibility - something imported global content can't replicate for a Kiwi audience.
The best NZ podcasts in 2026
Not For Radio Jay Reeve and Dunc Heyde from The Rock Drive, unfiltered and off the leash. NFR reached number one on Spotify's New Zealand podcast chart and number two in Australia, with a 200k-strong fan community that calls itself Snipers. Best for: comedy, raw conversation, men 25-54.
DSPN (Devlin Sports Podcast Network) Martin Devlin's daily sports network with 177,000 downloads in July 2026. Devlin’s gone all-in on DSPN, and the network now publishes news, views and opinion every day, plus the Rugby Roundtable panel. He'll be on the ground in South Africa this season, bringing fans closer to the All Blacks. Best for: rugby, league and sports talk fans.
Duncan Garner: Editor In Chief One of New Zealand's most recognisable political broadcasters on the day's biggest stories, with the bluntness that made his name. Best for: news, politics and current affairs.
Kiwi Yarns Brodie Kane sits down with New Zealanders worth hearing from, in long-form conversations that go somewhere unexpected. Best for: interviews and Kiwi storytelling.
Let Her Finish Brodie Kane, Gracie Hitchcock and Mai FM's Tegan Yorwarth on the week that was: smart, funny and unfiltered, with a fiercely loyal female audience. New episodes every Wednesday. Best for: women 25-49.
A Little Bit Extra Celebrating 700,000 listeners in her first year, this is Sharyn Casey on pop culture, celebrity and everything trending, in snackable 15–20 minute episodes twice a week. Best for: millennial women and gossip lovers.
Where's My Money? Host Reagan White's journey out of more than a million dollars of debt. Named Best Business & Finance Podcast at the 2025 New Zealand Radio and Podcast Awards. Best for: money, KiwiSaver, and financial literacy.
Podcasts are one of the most exciting and evolving forms of media and at MediaWorks, this is just the beginning. We're all about showcasing local talent and creating content that Kiwis can't stop talking about. This creates a special and unique environment where creators, audiences and brands intersect. When commercial partners choose our podcasts, they aren't just getting in front of audiences - they're unlocking front row seats in conversations and communities.
- Anna Henvest, Head of rova Podcast Studio
What this means for advertisers
MediaWorks is New Zealand's number one audio business, reaching roughly 2.45 million listeners every week and holding around 58.7% audience share in the 25–54 demographic. rova Podcast Studio turns that reach into something even more valuable: engaged, opted-in communities segmented by interest.
Host-read endorsements, branded series and category sponsorship are all available across the network, and as Where's My Money? proved with enable.me, a podcast partnership can carry a brand's message for entire seasons.
Want to reach New Zealand's most engaged audio audiences? Talk to the MediaWorks team about rova Podcast Studio.
*Audience figures in this article are from GfK COMMERCIAL RAM, S2/26, Total NZ, Cume (000s), AP10+, M-S 12mn-12mn, unless otherwise stated.
**Podcast sources: YouTube and Megaphone, July 2026.