HOT 102.7FM Delivers Historic Achievement with Seven New York Festivals Radio Awards

HOT 102.7FM has done it again, and this time, bigger than ever. For the fourth consecutive year, the station has earned global recognition at the prestigious New York Festivals Radio Awards, widely regarded as the Oscars of radio. This year, HOT 102.7FM claimed seven wins in total: three Tower Awards and four Finalist Diplomas, beating its own record and making history as the first South African radio station to achieve this scale of recognition at the festival.

The wins span the station’s news, on-air talent and programming divisions, and are a testament to the depth of excellence across the entire HOT 102.7FM team.

A historic haul

Head of News, Tara Penny, claimed a Silver Tower in the Broadcast Journalist category, one of the most competitive and prestigious individual categories in global radio journalism.

The news team earned a Bronze Tower for Robot Wars, their in-depth investigation into the traffic light crisis gripping Johannesburg. A further Bronze Tower went to the HOT 1027 Drive show in the Music/Personality Show category, recognising its consistent energy, talent and connection with its audience.

The station’s four Finalist Diplomas reflect the remarkable breadth of HOT 102.7FM’s editorial output, spanning news documentaries, human-interest features, investigative reporting and a tribute to the late Dr. Jane Goodall.

“This is a special moment for all of us at HOT 102.7FM. We love what we do and we’re committed to consistently delivering world-class radio to our listeners, sponsors and advertisers. From early mornings to late nights, the care and attention to detail that goes into every show, every story, every moment allows us to be true leaders in the marketplace,” says Lloyd Madurai, Founder & Managing Director, HOT 102.7FM.

Earning a place on the world stage

These awards are the latest chapter in the station’s story of continued excellence and commitment to listener loyalty. In 2025, HOT 102.7FM was named Commercial Radio Station of the Year at the Telkom Radio Awards. The station has grown to reach 710,000 regular listeners, commanding an 11% footprint in Gauteng. It is South Africa’s fastest-growing commercial radio station, and now one of its most globally decorated.

The New York Festivals Radio Awards evaluates entries from leading stations around the world, across production values, creative execution, writing, direction and audience relevance.

“To earn recognition here puts us amongst the very best in global audio. But this is no time to sit back and relax. We are focused on continuing to build on our success and strategic intent of delivering engaging, relevant and valuable content,” concludes Madurai.

As a South African radio station standing proud on the world stage, HOT 102.7FM remains grateful to all supporters and listeners, and more motivated than ever to make a difference by connecting in meaningful ways with our community.