Female students win youth radio award

Four students studying online journalism at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences have been awarded the Bavarian Youth Radio Prize ‘radio for future’. For their podcast ‘Raum 22’ – produced by Nele Eichhorn, Katharina Nüßlein, Lucie Kraft and Paula Engelhard as part of Dr Korbinian Klinghardt’s ‘True Crime’ core elective module last winter semester – the students received the Youth Radio Prize in the 22–26 age category. The award, worth 300 euros, is presented by the JFF – Institute for Media Education in cooperation with the Bavarian Youth Ring. The award ceremony took place on 9 May 2026 as part of a live radio broadcast in Munich.

The award-winning true-crime podcast ‘Raum 22’ examines a femicide that took place at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences in 2009. To produce the podcast, the student team conducted extensive research into the case, carried out interviews and developed a narrative approach to the subject. The aim of the podcast is not only to shed light on the crime itself, but also to highlight social issues surrounding violence against women and femicides. The podcast was released via “Radio Klangbrett”, the youth radio station run by the Stadtjugendring Aschaffenburg.

In its citation, the jury particularly praised the podcast’s journalistic quality and social relevance. “In-depth research, powerful interviews, clear narrative structure: the team makes complex issues understandable without losing sight of the gravity of the subject. (…) With this award, the jury honours a podcast that draws attention to an issue that deserves to be heard more widely, and which demonstrates just how powerful young radio can be.”

The podcast is available to listen to on Spotify .