News Australia‘s true crime podcast Dear Rachelle has won three awards at the 2026 New York Festivals Radio Awards.
Of the three awards Dear Rachelle took home the night’s most prestigious honour, the National Press Club Award.
The award is presented by New York Festivals in partnership with the National Press Club. It is awarded to the highest-scoring news programme across the Best Coverage of Breaking News Story, Best Coverage of Ongoing News Story, Best Nonfiction Series and News Podcast categories.
The true crime podcast also took home the Gold Tower award in the investigative journalism podcast category.
The podcast also claimed the silver tower award in the narrative and documentary podcast category from a field of 23 finalists including ABC, CBC, ESPN and Channel 9.
Dear Rachelle Host Ashlea Hansen said: “For our team, and for Rachelle’s family, to be recognised in this way on a global stage is deeply humbling. We’re proud our podcast demonstrates the power of journalism and podcasting. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering support and trust of Rachelle’s family. We are enormously grateful to them and all of our loyal listeners.”
The New York Festivals wins follow the podcast’s recognition earlier this month at the INMA Global Media Awards in Berlin where the podcast took second place in the Best Use of Audio (National) category.
Dear Rachelle investigates the murder of Rachelle Childs, a 23-year-old woman from Bargo, south-west of Sydney. Childs disappeared after work in June 2001. Her body was found dumped by the side of a remote highway, 100km from where she was last seen, and set on fire.
