The Podcast Academy on Sunday hosted its first Awards for Excellence in Audio — aka The Ambies — the industry group’s bid to establish an Oscars-level awards program for audio programming.
The first Ambies featured awards in 23 categories, with Wondery’s “Dying for Sex,” documenting the sexual adventures of a woman diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, winning the award for podcast of the year. Patrick Radden Keefe, host of “Wind of Change,” won three Ambies, including for podcast host.
The kudocast honored “WTF With Marc Maron” with the inaugural Governors Award, which recognizes a podcast or individual for the compelling impact they’ve had on the industry. In addition, “Teenager Therapy” received the Audio Impact Award, recognizing an individual or podcast that has made a significant, positive impact on its listeners.
The first annual ceremony was streamed live from L.A. and hosted by standup comic, actor and writer Cameron Esposito. Presenters included Hank Azaria, Darren Criss, Whitney Cummings, Ashley Flowers, Este Haim, DeRay Mckesson, Jacquis Neal, Matt Schrader, Neil Strauss, Kenan Thompson, and Rainn Wilson. Chris Colbert and Merk Nguyen served as the voices of The Ambies and iHeartRadio’s Miles Gray and Jack O’Brien co-hosted the pre-show.
Founded in February 2020, the Podcast Academy is a not-for-profit membership organization whose charter is to foster community, professional development and connections in the industry. The Ambies awards show was sponsored by Amazon Music, IMDb, PRX, Tenderfoot TV and Wondery (now owned by Amazon); Adobe Systems is sponsoring the preshow.
Along with its sponsorship of the Ambies, IMDb has launched title pages for all Ambies winners and nominees, making them among the first podcasts to be listed on the service,
Here’s the list of 2020 Ambies awards winners.
Podcast of the Year
Dying for Sex (Wondery)
Best Business Podcast
The Heist (Center for Public Integrity)
Best Comedy Podcast
Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend (Team Coco, Earwolf)
Best documentary Podcast
I’m Not A Monster (BBC Sounds, Panorama, Frontline PBS)
Best Entertainment Podcast
Even the Rich (Wondery)
Best Fiction Podcast
Blood Ties, Season 2 (Wondery)
Best History Podcast
Driving the Green Book (Macmillan Podcasts)
Best Interview Podcast
Death, Sex & Money (WNYC Studios)
Best Knowledge, Science or Tech Podcast
Short Wave (NPR)
Best News Podcast
Today, Explained (Vox Media Podcast Network
Best Original Score and Music Supervision
Jacked: Rise of New Jack Sound – Marcelino Villalpando (Wondery, Universal Music Group)
Best Performer in Audio Fiction
The Left Right Game – Tessa Thompson (QCode)
Best Personal Growth / Spirituality Podcast
On Being with Krista Tippett (On Being Studios)
Best Podcast Host
Wind of Change – Patrick Radden Keefe (Pineapple Street Studios, Crooked Media, Spotify)
Best Politics or Opinion Podcast
Gaining Ground: The New Georgia (Tenderfoot TV, Crooked Media)
Best Production and Sound Design
The Left Right Game – Ryan Walsh, Matt Yocum, Will Files, Ryan Sullivan (QCode)
Best Reporting
Wind of Change – Patrick Radden Keefe (Pineapple Street Studios, Crooked Media, Spotify)
Best scriptwriting, Fiction
Dirty Diana – Shana Feste, Jen Besser (QCode)
Best scriptwriting, Nonfiction
Wind of Change – Patrick Radden Keefe (Pineapple Street Studios, Crooked Media, Spotify)
Best Society and Culture Podcast
Code Switch (NPR)
Best Sports Podcast
Whistleblower (Tenderfoot TV & Whistleblower Media)
Best True Crime Podcast
Dr. Death Season 2: Dr. Fata (Wondery)
Best Wellness or Relationships Podcast
Therapy for Black Girls (iHeartRadio)
