All The Winners of Second Annual Signal Awards
The Signal Awards, celebrating the world’s best podcasts, today announced the Winners for its second annual honors. Some of the world’s most influential, entertaining and informative voices are taking top prizes, including Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Eva Longoria, Kit Harington, Kevin Hart, Hoda Kotb, Doja Cat, QuestLove, Jill Scott, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Ashley Johnson, Jon Stewart, Ed Helms, Snoop Dogg, Björk, Steve Yeun, Kevin Pang and Miranda Keeling. Notable podcasts such as HBO’s The Last of Us Podcast, The Slowdown, Netflix is a Daily Joke, Operation: Tradebom, And That’s Why We Drink, Growing Up Powerful and She’s a 10 Times 5 are also receiving Gold Awards for exceptional work.
“2023 was a huge year for podcasts, as worldwide listenership continued to skyrocket and new trends emerged,” said Signal Awards managing director Deondric Royster. “The winners of the second annual Signal Awards represent the best of the industry: those who are pushing boundaries, telling important stories, encouraging laughter, and reaffirming the overall power of podcasting and its ability to connect to listeners all over the world.”
The first-ever Signal Company of the Year was won by Audible, earning the most honors across all categories. With 32 total wins, Audible received nods for Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast, The Sesame Street Podcast, Mandela: The Lost Tapes, Origins, American Football, The Goop Pursuit and more.
During the public voting stage, podcast fans cast over 130,000 votes for the Signal Listener’s Choice award. Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend, HBO’s The Last of Us Podcast, Mobituaries with Mo Rocca, Small Town Dicks, Barely Famous, And That’s Why We Drink and Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls were among the podcasts receiving the most public votes.
With nearly 2000 entries received in only its second year, Signal Awards is already one of the largest honors for podcasts in the world. Organizers noted the diversity of companies entering great podcasts, including global media heavyweights like Warner Bros. Discovery, ABC News, Audible, SXM Media, WaitWhat, Apple, Netflix, Al Jazeera, iHeart Podcasts and Stitcher Studios to pioneering companies like Paramount Amazon, Vox Media Podcast Network, Tenderfoot TV, Lemonada, Crooked Media and Realm.
Reflecting the medium’s reputation for being informal and authentic, a number of shows were selected as Winners for Best Indie Podcast including Like You: Mindfulness For Kids, Fireside with Blair Hodges, Humans of Purpose, Undiscarded: Stories of New York and Curios Matter Anthology.
Live recorded and video podcasts continue to be popular tools of the industry, with more and more notable voices taking to the medium every day. The Official Game of Thrones Podcast House of the Dragon, Questlove Supreme, Soul & Science Podcast | Shake Shack CMO Jay Livingston and Paul Giamatti’s CHINWAG with Stephen Asma – SO YOU THINK YOU’RE A STARSEED? were all recognized as Winners for shows in the Best Live Podcast Recording category.
Signal Award Winners were selected by the Signal Academy, which included Founding Jurors Jody Avirgan (Host, This Day in Esoteric Behavior); Ray Chao (GM of Audio, Vox Media); Rachael King (CEO and Co-Founder, Pod People; Maya Watson (Head of Global Marketing, Clubhouse); Michael Gluckstadt (Director of Podcasts, HBO & HBO MAX); Anna Hossnieh (Executive Producer, iHeartRadio Comedy); Jenny Kaplan (Co-Founder and CEO, Wonder Media Network); Deray McKesson (Host, Pod Save the People / Co-founder & Executive Chair, Campaign Zero) and Nikki Silva (Co-Host, The Kitchen Sisters Present from PRX).
Signal Awards Winners will be celebrated with a reception at The Bowery NYC on October 23, 2023.
Signal Awards Winner Highlights
Best Daily Podcast – Shows
Best Commute Podcast – Shows
From: Christine Schiefer, Em Schulz
Hosted by: Simplecast
Best Experimental Podcast – Shows
From: Fresh Air Production
Hosted by: Omny Studio
Best Host (Current Events) – Shows
From: JTS Audio LLC
Hosted by: ART19
Best Indie Podcast – Shows
From: CitizenRacecar & The City Reliquary
Hosted by: Captivate
From: Perpetual Motion
Hosted by: Spotify for Podcasters
Popular Culture & Variety – Shows
Best Exclusive Content + Experiences – Shows (Listener’s Choice)
Interview or Talk Show – Shows
From: MIP Podcast
Hosted by: Spotify for Podcasters
Comedy – Shows
Documentary – Shows
From: VPM & Story Mechanics
Hosted by: Megaphone
History – Shows (Listener’s Choice)
Best Hosts – Shows
From: Next Chapter Podcasts, Bridget Todd
Hosted by: Megaphone
From: Carlos King & CRK Entertainment | QCODE
Hosted by: Megaphone
Best Conversation Starter – Shows
- The Sunday 7 Conversation Starter – Draft Doris
From: Laurie Jabbar and Michelle Emmick
Hosted by: Buzzsprout
True Crime – Shows (Listener’s Choice)
From: Christine Schiefer, Em Schulz
Hosted by: Simplecast
Kids – Shows (Listener’s Choice)
Best Video Podcast – Branded Shows & Advertising (Listener’s Choice)
From: Team Coco & Earwolf
Hosted by: Simplecast
Television & Film -- Individual Episode (Listener’s Choice)
From: HBO
Hosted by: Megaphone
Best Guest – Individual Episode
From: Higher Ground
Hosted by: Acast
From: iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio
Best Writing – Individual Episode
From: Lionsgate Sound & CBC
Hosted by: Triton Digital
From: Ballen Studios
Hosted by: ART19
From: Setapp
Hosted by: Simplecast
Best Guest – Individual Episode
From: HBO Max
Hosted by: Megaphone
Arts & Culture – Individual Episode
- Origins – Tobe Nwigwe – Audible
From: My Cultura and iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio
From: America's Test Kitchen
Hosted by: ART19
Lifestyle – Individual Episode
From: Southern Living
Hosted by: Megaphone
Best Conversation Starter – Individual Episode
From: KQED
Hosted by: Megaphone
From: Carolyn Kiel
Hosted by: Libsyn
Interview or Talk Show – Individual Episode
From: Bessemer Venture Partners
Hosted by: Spotify for Podcasters
From: Loud Tree Media
Hosted by: Megaphone
From: Bobbie Baby Formula
Hosted by: Simplecast
Music – Individual Episode
- Origins: Doja Cat – AUDIBLE
Interview or Talk Show - Individual Episode (Listener’s Choice)
Most Innovative Audio Experience – Limited Series & Specials
Advice & How To – Limited Series & Specials
Advice & How To – Limited Series & Specials (Listener’s Choice)
Best Editing – Limited Series & Specials
From: Long Lead & PRX & The Trace & Campside Media
Hosted by: PRX
From: Shalom Hartman Institute of North America
Hosted by: Megaphone
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – Limited Series & Specials
From: Paradiso Media
Hosted by: Simplecast
From: DW.COM | Deutsche Welle
History – Limited Series & Specials
From: iHeartPodcasts
Hosted by: Omny Studio
Best Original Score or Music – Limited Series & Specials
Best Writing – Limited Series & Specials
- CAN YOU DIG IT? – A HIP HOP ORIGIN STORY – PB & J Productions (Audible)
From: MSNBC, Trymaine Lee
Hosted by: Simplecast
Music – Limited Series & Specials
- Snoop Dogg W+M – AUDIBLE
Podnews has added links to all the above shows. We’re unable to link to Audible exclusives.
The above list of podcasts is available as an OPML file for your podcast player
This is a press release which we link to from Podnews, our daily newsletter about podcasting and on-demand. We may make small edits for editorial reasons.
Companies mentioned above:
Amazon
Apple
Audible
Crooked Media
iHeartRadio
Lemonada Media
Podnews
Realm
Stitcher
Tenderfoot TV
The Signal Awards
Vox Media