Tonight, The Podcast Academy (TPA), the preeminent professional podcast organization, announced winners at its Fifth Annual Awards for Excellence in Audio (The Ambies®) from the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, which was hosted by multi-hyphenate comedian Tig Notaro. Additionally, Ira Glass was honored with the esteemed Governors Award, which recognizes a podcast or individual for the compelling influence they’ve had on the industry; and Sam Sanders received the Impact Award, which recognizes an individual or podcast that has made a significant, positive effect on its listeners.

The Ambies celebrate excellence in podcasting and elevate awareness and status of podcasts as a unique and personal medium for entertainment, information, storytelling and expression. The ceremony highlighted 199 nominees across 28 categories with winners selected by every voting member of TPA. A full list of the 2025 nominees may be found here.

FIFTH ANNUAL AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN AUDIO WINNERS:

Podcast of The YearHystericalWondery, Audacy's Pineapple Street Studios

Best Business PodcastHow I Built This Podcast with Guy RazWondery, Built It Productions and NPR

Best Comedy PodcastLas Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen YangiHeartPodcasts, Big Money Players

Best DIY Podcastabandoned: The All-American Ruins PodcastAll-American Ruins

Best Documentary PodcastTestedBucket of Eels, CBC Podcasts and NPR's Embedded

Best Entertainment PodcastThe Wonder of StevieAudible, Higher Ground, and Pineapple Street Studios

Best Fiction PodcastTales of Fists & FireballsADHx2

Best History PodcastEmpire City: The Untold Origin Story of the NYPDWondery, Crooked Media

Best Indie PodcastWhat Happened in SkinnerMazama Entertainment

Best Indie Podcast Host or HostsDallas Taylorfor Twenty Thousand HertzDefacto Sound

Best Interview PodcastThanks Dad with Ego NwodimHeadgum

Best Knowledge, Science or Tech Podcast99% InvisibleSiriusXM

Best News PodcastThe Ten NewsSmall But Mighty Media, Next Chapter Podcasts

Best Original Score and Music SupervisionDan Leonefor RippleWestern Sound, APM Studios

Best Performance in Audio Fiction

Caitlin Stasey, Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, David Yow, Caroline Morahan, Guinevere Turner, Elizabeth Halpern, Travis Harmon, Brad Griffith, James Bacon, Jameson Cush, Jonathan Shockley, Ayla Glass and Chris Goodwin for The Skies Are Watching Goldhawk Productions

Best Personal Growth / Spirituality Podcast10% Happier with Dan Harris10% Media

Best Podcast for KidsWow in the WorldWondery, Tinkercast

Best Podcast Host or HostsRonald Young Jr. for Weight For It ohitsBigRon studios LLC

Best Politics or Opinion PodcastThe NPR Politics PodcastNPR

Best Production and Sound DesignMichelle Macklem for Girl v. HorseESPN Podcasts, 30 for 30 Podcasts

Best ReportingDan Taberskifor HystericalWondery, Audacy's Pineapple Street Studios

Best Scriptwriting, Fiction

Anderson Cook and Sidney Butler for AcademyAT WILL MEDIA, Wondery

Best Scriptwriting, Non-FictionAshley Cleek, Al Letson, Brett Myers for RevealReveal, PRX

Best Society and Culture PodcastInheriting LAist Studios

Best Spanish Language Narrative Podcast - Fiction or NonfictionHUMO: Murder and Silence in El SalvadorSonoro

Best Sports PodcastBroomgate: A Curling ScandalKelly&Kelly, CBC Podcasts, USG Audio, and Pacific Electric

Best True Crime PodcastBeyond All RepairWBUR, ZSP Media

Best Wellness or Relationships PodcastTherapy for Black GirlsiHeartPodcasts

ABOUT THE PODCAST ACADEMY

Founded in February 2020, The Podcast Academy is a not-for-profit professional membership organization that celebrates excellence in podcasting and elevates awareness of podcasts as an indispensable medium for entertainment, information, and creative expression. It values individual and organizational creators alike, of all backgrounds and means, and defines achievement through the values of quality, creativity, innovation, inclusion, and impact.

The Podcast Academy provides community, professional development, and industry connections through inclusive, dynamic programming. For more information about The Podcast Academy, please visit www.thepodcastacademy.com and follow/like/subscribe on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. Visit our donation page to support our mission.

Sponsor support for The Podcast Academy includes Wondery, The Hollywood Reporter, Audible, Dolby, Airwave, The Podcast Show, Castbox, Outfront Media, Twitch, and NPM/NPR.