2026 Competition Details Released!
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New York Times Audio Stories Podcast Contest
New York Times Audio Stories Podcast Contest invites students to create an original podcast to inform or entertain in 5 minutes or less.
Interested in the competition?
Competition Overview
Eligibility
Students aged 13-19 around the world
Entry Fee
Free
Competition Timeline
March 31 – May 12, 2027
Winners Announcement
2 months after the contest has closed
Competition Details
1. Overview
Produce a podcast of five minutes or less that informs or entertains. Students can create a podcast on any topic they like and in any format they prefer, whether that’s an interview with an expert, an informal conversation with a friend, a journalistic investigation, or a fictional story.
Stories must have a clear beginning, middle, and end.
2. Eligibility
Participants must be middle or high school students aged 13 to 19. College students are not eligible, but those in a gap year or in their first year of a two-year CEGEP program in Quebec can participate. Children of New York Times employees cannot enter.
Students can work alone or in groups, but are only allowed to submit one entry each.
3. Results
Winners are selected based on their ability to highlight important issues, persuade their audience, and use reliable evidence. Results are announced 2 months after the deadline.
4. Prizes
Having your work published on The Learning Network.
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Submission Details
1. Audio Rules
Must use original, copyright-free, public domain, or royalty-free sound effects/music (or none at all); limited fair use exceptions apply. List all sources in the submission form.
2. Submission Platform
Suggested upload to SoundCloud (set to public). Other acceptable platforms are Podomatic, Buzzsprout, Anchor, Spreaker, and Podbean. Google Drive is not accepted.
3. Submission Guidelines
The submission can be an excerpt from a longer podcast, as long as you demonstrate thoughtfulness about time management. The beginning should provide context for the listeners, and the ending can either conclude the podcast or transition to a segment in a longer episode.
Ensure that whatever students produce is a complete listening experience with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
4. Submission Checklist
- Contact information
- Your submission with a title
- Your written reflection
- Works cited (if applicable): List of sources for any ideas, quotes, or facts used that are not your own
- Contact information for an adult sponsor (required for all participants)
- Parent/guardian consent (required if under 13 years old).
Class Recommendation
Prepare to compete at the highest level