Ambies
Awarded forExcellence in podcasting
DateMay 16, 2021 (2021-05-16)
Websiteambies.com

The Ambies (or the Awards for Excellence in Audio, more formally) are a series of awards given in the podcast industry. They are awarded by the Podcast Academy in two overall categories: Show Recognition and Talent Recognition. The winners, who receive a gold statue holding a microphone and wearing headphones, are selected by a vote from Podcast Academy members. The awards and the Podcast Academy were established in 2020 with the inaugural ceremony held on May 16, 2021, hosted by Cameron Esposito.[1]

History

In February 2020, Hernan Lopez at Wondery announced that he and 10 peers had established a new non-profit group called the Podcast Academy. The Podcast Academy is a member-based professional organization for podcasters. It was modeled after other similar institutions in the entertainment industry with the intention of establishing an independent industry award for podcasting, initially called the Golden Mics.[2] When the Podcast Academy announced plans to hold the first award ceremony amidst the awards season of other entertainment areas, the name was changed to the Awards for Excellence in Audio, nicknamed the Ambies, and award was revealed to be a gold statue holding a microphone and wearing headphones.[3] The term Ambies was derived from ambient sound, which is frequently used in audio recordings, and it has a similar sound to other awards such as the Emmys and Grammys.[4]

Selection process

Nominations are first recommended for consideration within a submission window, and then narrowed down to an official list of nominees for voting.[3] A minimum of three episodes published in the award year are required to be eligible for consideration. From those recommendations, a panel of Podcast Academy members listen to podcasts for a period of time before selecting the nominees for voting in each category.[4] Members of the Podcast Academy are organized into peer groups in order to vote on the winners from the selected nominees, which are announced at the live ceremony.[3][4]

2021 awards

Podcasts

Podcast of the Year
  • Dying for Sex
    • Blockbuster: The Story of James Cameron (Miniseries)
    • Bunga Bunga
    • Chasing Cosby
    • Detours
    • Dirty Diana
    • For Life: The Podcast
    • Forgotten: Women of Juarez
    • Say Their Name
    • The Happiness Lab
Best Documentary Podcast
  • I'm Not A Monster
    • California City
    • Conviction Season 2: American Panic
    • For Life: The Podcast
    • Louder Than a Riot
    • Painkiller: America's Fentanyl Crisis
    • The Edge: Houston Astros
Best Interview Podcast
Best Comedy Podcast
Best News Podcast
  • Today, Explained
    • Do No Harm
    • Post Reports
    • Suspicious Activity: Inside the FinCEN Files
    • The Journal
    • Vice News Reports
    • What Next
Best Sports Podcast
  • Whistleblower
    • 17 Weeks
    • Drafted
    • Sports Uncovered
    • The Cam Chronicles
    • The Edge: Houston Astros
    • The Lead
Best True Crime Podcast
  • Dr. Death Season 2: Dr. Fata
    • Brainwashed/Uncover
    • Chasing Cosby
    • I'm Not A Monster
    • Somebody
    • Supernatural with Ashley Flowers
    • The Messenger
Best Business Podcast
  • The Heist
    • An Arm and a Leg
    • Brought to You by…
    • Go For Broke
    • Masters of Scale
    • Teamistry
    • Women at Work
Best Fiction Podcast
Best History Podcast
Best Knowledge, Science or Tech Podcast
  • Short Wave
    • American Innovations
    • Brave New Planet
    • How to Save a Planet
    • In Machines We Trust
    • Tai Asks Why
    • Unlocking Bryson's Brain
Best Society and Culture Podcast
  • Code Switch
    • Ear Hustle
    • Heavyweight
    • Into America
    • Latino USA
    • Resistance
    • You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton
Best Politics or Opinion Podcast
  • Gaining Ground: The New Georgia
    • Burn the Boats
    • Our Nation of Immigrants
    • Politically Re-Active
    • The Dan Bongino Show
    • The NPR Politics Podcast
    • Winning Wisconsin
Best Entertainment Podcast
  • Even the Rich
    • Dissect
    • For Life: The Podcast
    • Office Ladies
    • Prime Video Presents
    • The First One
    • The Plot Thickens
Best Personal Growth/Spirituality Podcast
  • On Being with Krista Tippett
    • Borne the Battle
    • Dare to Lead with Brené Brown
    • Dear Therapists
    • Hey Spirit!
    • Meditative Story
    • Stay Calm with Bob Roth
Best Wellness or Relationships Podcast
  • Therapy for Black Girls
    • Adult ISH
    • Dying for Sex
    • Last Day Season 2
    • The Happiness Lab
    • We Got You
    • Where Should We Begin?

Podcasters and talent

Best Podcast Host
Best Reporting
  • Wind of Change – Patrick Radden Keefe
    • Fiasco: Iran-Contra – Leon Neyfakh
    • I'm Not A Monster – Josh Baker
    • Planet Money – Sarah Gonzalez, Kenny Malone, Jacob Goldstein, Robert Smith, Amanda Aroncyzk, Karen Duffin, Mary Childs
    • Reveal – Shoshana Walter, Laura Starecheski, Ike Srikandarajah
    • The Take – Malika Bilal, Stefanie Dekker, Safwat al-Kahlout
    • Unfinished: Short Creek – Sarah Ventre, Ash Sanders
Best Scriptwriting, Fiction
  • Dirty Diana – Shana Feste, Jen Besser
    • Appearances – Sharon Mashihi
    • Dem Times – Rhys Reed-Johnson, Jacob Roberts-Mensah
    • Looking For Latoya – Amy Aniobi, Chris Sanford, Kindsey Young
    • Make It Up As We Go – David Hudgins, Brooks Hudgins
    • National Geographic Kids Greeking Out – Kenny Curtis, Jillian Hughes, Emily Everhart
    • The Left Right Game – Jack Anderson
Best Scriptwriting, Nonfiction
  • Wind of Change – Patrick Radden Keefe
    • And Nothing Less – Robin Linn
    • Heavyweight – Jonathan Goldstein, Kalila Holt, Stevie Lane
    • Masters of Scale – WaitWhat Team, Adam Skuse, Katie Clark Gray
    • Resistance – Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr.
    • Suspicious Activity: Inside the FinCEN Files – Jonathan Menjivar, Jenelle Pifer, Joel Lovell
    • Whistleblower – Tim Livingston
Best Production and Sound Design
  • The Left Right Game – Ryan Walsh, Matt Yocum, Will Files, Ryan Sullivan
    • Canary: The Washington Post Investigates – Bishop Sand
    • Conviction: American Panic – Matthew Boll
    • Dirty Diana – Millie Iatrou, Ryan Walsh, Katie Halliday, Justin Davey, Matt Yocum & Ben Michev, Neely Oeftering
    • Unfinished: Short Creek – John DeLore
    • Where is George Gibney? – Ger McDonnell
    • Wind of Change – Henry Molofsky
Best Original Score and Music Supervision
  • Jacked: Rise of New Jack Sound – Marcelino Villalpando
    • Bunga Bunga – Scott Velasquez, Jeff Schmidt
    • Dead and Gone – Makeup And Vanity Set
    • Revisionist History – Luis Guerra
    • Throughline – Ramtin Arablouei, Drop Electric, Hania Rani
    • Treasure Island 2020 – Chris Tarry, Jennifer Rowekamp
    • The Two Princes – Score: Greg Laswell; Theme and additional scoring by Bobby Lord; Music Supervision: Jonathon Roberts
Best Performer in Audio Fiction
Governors Award

Criticism

This section needs expansion with: [5] [6]. You can help by adding to it. (March 2024)

References

  1. ^ Lewis, Hilary (May 7, 2021). "Ambies: Cameron Esposito to Host Inaugural Podcast Academy Awards (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. PMRC. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  2. ^ Shaw, Lucas (February 14, 2020). "Podcast Producers Are Creating Their Own Version of the Oscars". Bloomberg L.P. Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 2020-03-31.
  3. ^ a b c Jarvey, Natalie (October 13, 2020). "Podcast Academy to Hold First-Ever Awards Show This Spring (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. PMRC. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Spangler, Todd (March 4, 2021). "Podcast Academy Unveils 164 Nominees for Inaugural Ambies Awards (Full List)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  5. ^ Jackson, Dave (February 17, 2020). "Did Wondery Kill The Podcaster Hall of Fame?". Podcast Business Journal. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  6. ^ Thorpe, Jen (February 20, 2020). "The Podcast Academy Golden Mics Controversy | Podcaster News". podcasternews.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021.

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