Popsock Media is an award-winning narrative podcast company based in Wellington, New Zealand
Popsock Media crafts powerful, high-quality stories that captivate audiences worldwide.
Founded in 2020 by Kirsten Johnstone and Melody Thomas in Wellington, we’ve quickly made our mark with thought-provoking podcasts—spanning investigative journalism, social justice, and personal storytelling.
AWARD WINNING PODCASTS FROM POPSOCK
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AWARD WINNING PODCASTS FROM POPSOCK 〰️
2024 New York Festival Radio Awards:
Gold medal (Narrative/Documentary)
2023 Voyager Media Awards:
Best Podcast (Season/Serial)
Winner of eight awards including:
2022 New York Festival Radio Awards:
Gold (Narrative/Documentary)
2022 Voyager Media Awards:
Best Podcast (Narrative/Serial) & Best Team Investigation
Why Choose Popsock Media?
With Kirsten Johnstone and Melody Thomas leading the charge, Popsock Media has become one of the most respected independent podcast production companies in New Zealand. Their commitment to creating compelling, high-quality podcasts has set them apart as leaders in the industry. Whether you're looking for investigative podcasts, storytelling excellence, or award-winning content, Popsock Media continues to raise the bar in the podcasting world.
The team behind it all
Popsock Media was founded in 2020 in Wellington, New Zealand, by experienced broadcaster and audiophile Kirsten Johnstone, and podcast maker and writer Melody Thomas.
Melody Thomas
Melody Thomas is creator and host of new series The Good Sex Project, created for Stuff. She also made the hit sexuality and relationships podcast BANG! in partnership with RNZ.
Melody’s work has been awarded both within Aotearoa and internationally — most notably, with a Gold Medal at the 2024 New York Festival Radio Awards for The Good Sex Project and a Silver Medal at the 2019 New York Festival Radio Award for BANG!
Melody also works as writer and columnist, and publishes her substack newsletter Truly Melody Deeply here.
She is currently working on a book based on BANG! and The Good Sex Project.
Kirsten Johnstone (Ngāi Tahu / Pākeh)
KKirsten is an award winning, highly skilled producer, audio editor, and journalist, known for her expertise in crafting compelling stories and immersive soundscapes for podcasts over the past five years at the helm of Popsock Media.
With over 15 years of experience at RNZ National previously, she honed her craft as a producer, on-air host (Music 101), and content creator.
She is a multi-disciplinary creative, with skills including pottery, flute and banjo playing, writing, visual design, photography, and telling stories with her children while walking through the bush.