Annual global awards
The People's Choice Podcast Awards, better known as the Podcast Awards, are global awards given annually to the best podcasts as voted by the general public. Founded in 2005 by Todd Cochrane of Podcast Connect Inc., the Podcast Awards changed hands for a short period by New Media Expo in September 2014 until New Media Expo's demise.[1] The first Podcast Awards show was held in 2006 (awarding shows for the 2005 calendar year) had over 350,000 people vote for their nominated podcasts, with nearly 1000 people attending the awards ceremony.[2] The 10th annual Podcast Awards Show, the first show run exclusively by the New Media Expo, took place at Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino on April 14, 2015. It was hosted by Chris Jericho and Emily Morse.[3] The 12th Annual event started with a complete site rebuild and change to the overall process.
Rules
The nominations begin on a set date (July 1, 2017 for the 2017 awards) and continue for thirty days. Listeners can nominate shows from 20 categories over the 30 day period once a day. Podcasts have had to pre-register in order to participate and listeners are allowed to select the shows they want to nominate from within the pre-registered list of shows.[4]
After the thirty days of nominations, Podcast Connect Committee will review all the nominations over a 15 day period and a slate announced.[4]
Once up to ten nominees in each category have been established, the final voting slate is released. Voting in this round are selected by a panel of judges as outlined in the podcast awards rule.
Categories and winners
The Podcast Awards consists of twenty-two categories. Winners are announced during a ceremony which includes a live web stream. The prizes awarded to winners are donation/sponsor-driven via PayPal. In 2009, they were able to award podcasters almost $3,500 in prizes, with additional website exposure through 2009–2010 of seventeen million plus hits.
†The Podcast Awards were not held in 2014.
*Prior to 2010, Science and Technology were combined as one category.
| Categories
|
2016
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2017
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2018
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2019
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2020[9]
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| People's Choice
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The Fantasy Footballers
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The Fantasy Footballers
|
The Fantasy Footballers
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The Fantasy Footballers
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How Did I Get Here?
|
| Arts
|
The Beerist Podcast
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We Like Drinking
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We Like Drinking
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Dads Drinking Bourbon
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Dads Drinking Bourbon
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| Business
|
The Bizarre Briefing
|
Dreamers Podcast
|
Extraordinary Women Radio
|
Big Girl Money
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Wickedly Smart Women
|
| Comedy
|
Matt and Mattinglys Ice Cream Social
|
Plumbing the Death Star
|
2 Girls on a Bench
|
Spitballers Podcast
|
Spitballers Podcast
|
| Education
|
Scam School
|
Grammar Girl
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Our Fake History
|
Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls
|
Curiosity Daily
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| Entertainment
|
We Have Concerns
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We're Drunk & We Know Things
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We're Drunk & We Know Things
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We're Drunk & We Know Things
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How Did I Get Here?
|
| Games & Hobbies
|
The Angry Chicken
|
Trivial Warfare
|
Trivial Warfare
|
The Reasons I'm Broke
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Things I Got Wong at Trivia
|
| Government & Organizations
|
Politics Politics Politics
|
Everyday Superhumans
|
Democracy Works
|
The Impact
|
Outrage+Optimism!
|
| Health
|
Sleep with Me
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Optimal Living Daily
|
A Better Night's Sleep
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Mental - The Podcast to Destigmatise Mental Health
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Mental - The Podcast to Destigmatise Mental Health
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| Kids & Family
|
Hypothetical Help
|
What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood
|
Cool Facts About Animals
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Mommies Tell All
|
Fairy Tales with Granny MacDuff
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| LGBTQ
|
Diary of a Trans Woman
|
Derek and Romaine
|
Derek and Romaine
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If These Ovaries Could Talk
|
Derek and Romaine
|
| Mature
|
JuRY
|
Between Us Girls
|
Turn Me On
|
—
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—
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| Music
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Joe and Meg's Musical Adventure
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Irish & Celtic Music Podcast
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The Modern Vinyl Podcast
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Switched on Pop
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Kpop Daebak w/ Eric Nam
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| News & Politics
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No Agenda
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The Majority Report with Sam Seder
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Consider This
|
Today Explained
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True Crime DEADLINE
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| Religion & Spirituality
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Oh No Ross and Carrie
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Five Minute Devotions
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For the Love with Jen Hatmaker
|
Better Work Bitch!
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Better Work Bitch!
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| Science & Medicine*
|
Weird Things
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STEM-Talk
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Curiosity Daily
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STEM-Talk
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DNA Today: A Genetics Podcast
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| Society – Culture
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The Phileas Club
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Sword and Scale
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Travel Oddities
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The Brain Candy Podcast
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Once Upon a Crime
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| Sports & Recreation
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The Fantasy Footballers
|
The Fantasy Footballers
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The Fantasy Footballers
|
30 for 30 Podcasts
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The Fantasy Footballers
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| Storyteller & Drama
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—
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—
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—
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Real Life Real Crime
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Crime Junkie
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| Technology*
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Hak5
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School of Podcasting
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Why'd You Push That Button?
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Why'd You Push That Button?
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School of Podcasting
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| TV & Film*
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Post Show Recaps
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The Hollywood Outsider
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Agents of S.H.I.E.LD. Podcast
|
Ellen on the Go
|
Commit or Quit
|
Podcast awards are awarded for the previous calendar year. For example, the 2014 awards ceremony took place on April 14, 2015.
One-time awards
- 2005 – Music/Radio: Coverville
- 2005 – Nonenglish: Annik Rubens: Schlaflos in München
- 2005 – Top Rated: Slice of SciFi
- 2005 – World News: Kathleen Keating
- 2006 – Best Podcast directory: Apple iTunes
Criticism
Some critics have complained that the Podcast Awards lack publicity, which results in the same podcasts winning awards every year. While some podcasters are aware of the awards and mobilize their listeners to vote, many do not realize they exist.[10]
