New Zealand’s Christian Broadcasting Association won two gold awards at the New York Festival’s Radio Awards last night, but not without the help of their Prime Minster John Key.
 
Prime Minister Key featured in both winning programs, suggesting he has the Midas touch when it comes to radio.
 
The first gold award was won in the category of Best Children/Young Adult Program for a 3-hour programme called The Crazy Kiwi Christmas Kids Show on Christmas morning 2014 on Newstalk ZB.
 
Hosted by Francis Ritchie, Catherine Sylvester and 12-year-old Levi Guyan, the show featured special guests including Key and other celebrities reading Christmas stories.
 
The second gold award was won for Best Writing for an hour of fictitious talkback from the very first Christmas Day on Newstalk BC. Prime Minister Key was featured in comedic parallels to modern day New Zealand politics and current affairs were woven throughout the programme.
 
Josh Couch, who co-wrote Newstalk BC, says “I’m glad the Prime Minister was such a good sport, in fact they all were; we had a star studded line up including John Clarke, Paul Ego, Ian Mune, Mike Hosking, Peter Wolfkamp, Mark Hadlow and more.”
 
This year’s double win follows recent success at the NZ Radio Awards in May. The category of Best Documentary was secured by CBA for a short programme marking the centenary of the Christmas truce of 1914.