New Jersey Web Festival 2025 Audio Fiction Award Winners

I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Ned Donovan, but I feel like he’s a close friend. Why? First, he’s the co-host of Arielle and Ned’s Daily Tips That May Or May Not Help You. I’ve learned so much from him on everything from vacuuming to organizing my digital files. Ned is my go-to for those life hacks that make life, well, more enjoyable.

Second, he’s so talented. After all, Ned Donovan is an actor and multi-hyphenate creator who calls NYC home. As an actor, Ned has performed on stages across America and been featured in film projects seen on NBC, Netflix, SyFy, and more. Ned is a cast member and executive producer of Encounter Party, which started as a D&D podcast and has since evolved into a television show currently airing.

By contrast, I didn’t make the cut for MacBeth in my high school play.

For this article, it’s important to note that Ned is the founder of the first film festival experience for Fiction Podcasts and Actual Play content at the New Jersey Web Festival.

The festival was held on September 30th in Montclair, New Jersey (great restaurants there). The New Jersey Web Festival (NJ WebFest) is North America’s premier celebration of short-form storytelling across web and audio. The festival announced the winners of its 2025 Audio Fiction awards following a record-attendance festival weekend. Now in its seventh year overall and fifth year recognizing Audio Fiction, the Festival honored excellence across scripted audio fiction and actual play, capped by Howl winning Best of the Best — Audio Fiction.

“The global community of audio storytellers continues to redefine what’s possible in the medium,” said Ned Donovan, Director of Audio Fiction for NJ WebFest. “From independent creators to established studios, the quality on display at this year’s festival demonstrates the exceptional health and innovation of this art form.”

Key awards in the Scripted Audio Fiction category included Howl for Outstanding Fantasy, Fawx & Stallion for Outstanding Comedy, and Gather By the Ghost Light (The Other Me) for Outstanding Drama. The Best Director award went to Rachel Music for Leylines, while Best Editing was awarded to Allison Cossitt for Howl.

In the Actual Play category, Tales Yet Told: 2048 AM Voices in the Wood won Best Ensemble Cast for Podcast, and GODKILLER: Last Hope took home Best Costume/Makeup for Video.

The festival also recognized Mike Atchley with the William Dufris “Those Who Dare, Win” Award. Named for the prolific voice actor (Bob the Builder, BBC’s Spider-Man), the Dufris Award is given annually to a creator who is a champion of independent creators, who opens doors across the Audio Fiction industry, and who is a beacon of positivity within the Audio Fiction community.

Two thousand twenty-five festival highlights included record attendance and a global field of nominees, showcasing the continued expansion of the Audio Fiction division in its fifth year. The NJ WebFest remains a pivotal platform for creators to showcase their work and connect with audiences worldwide.

“The New Jersey Web Festival continues to be a beacon for innovative storytelling,” said Neem Basha, CEO of NJ WebFest. “Our commitment to celebrating diverse voices and groundbreaking media is stronger than ever.”

The New Jersey Web Festival is one of the top-rated film festivals in the world, according to FilmFreeway.com. Dedicated to the empowerment and celebration of web-based content, in 2021, the festival became the world’s first film festival experience for Audio Fiction, Fiction Podcasts, and Actual Play content.

Ned Donovan explains: “The festival offers creators workshops, panels, networking events, and professional development opportunities while also screening accepted projects at a beloved New Jersey movie theater. The festival is capped by its world-renowned Awards Gala featuring gourmet food, dessert, and live entertainment, where all awards will be announced and presented. Projects from more than 30 countries have been programmed at the festival to date.”

Ned adds: “This year, our judging panels awarded over 40 awards to a selection base of projects from over 15 countries.”

For a full list of Nominees and Winners, visit the New Jersey Web Festival’s website at newjerseywebfest.com