Podcasts led by women took home some impressive awards at this year’s Australian Podcast Awards, showing us just how much of an impact women are having on this news medium.
This week, the iHeart powered red carpet event celebrated the best podcasting moments and talent in Australia across 31 categories. Over sixty international and Australian judges working in the podcast sector selected the winners.
Australia is the biggest podcast-listening nation on the planet, according to the Infinite Dial Australia 2022 report, proving this type of content deeply engages listeners– all the more reason it’s important that female podcast creators be seen and recognised for their contributions in this space.
Top winners included the podcast Life Uncut with Britt and Laura, which garnered over 65,000 votes to be named “Listener’s Choice” for the third year in a row.
Senior producer and podcast host Justine Landis-Hanley also took home the iHeart Rising Star award. The judges noted that Landis-Hanley, who co-hosts Left Right Out, “exemplified the definition of a Rising Star. The number of accomplishments in such a short span of time showed drive, conviction and a passion for the medium.” The judges added that they “can’t wait” to see what she’ll do next.
The category of Best New Podcast was snatched up by a podcast featuring raw and inspiring stories from women with ovarian cancer and their caregivers, On The Down Low– Speaking up about ovarian cancer.
In her acceptance speech, host of On the Down Low, Alison Dance said: “Did you know that you can’t say ‘vagina’ on television? So, we’re saying it in a podcast!”.
Another female-focused podcast, Tender Roia Atmar took home two awards for Best Factual and Best Documentary Podcast. This thoughtful podcast series discusses what happens when women leave abusive relationships, with each season following one person’s story as she slowly but surely gets to know herself again.
The Bullseye Award was given to Baby Brain, with the judges saying: “The show was created to help parents and carers feel more informed and empowered by listening to two everyday mums. And they’ve done this with both style and substance. A perfect hit.”
In a new category added this year, Parental As Anything, hosted by parenting author and educator Maggie Dents won Best Parenting Podcast. The show gives listeners practical tips and answers to questions like ‘How much screen time should you let your kids have?’ and ‘How do you talk to your tweens and teens about sex and consent?’.
Best Sex and Relationships Podcast was awarded to Pillow Talk, a powerful personal story of one woman’s journey into the heart of the internet and the truth of her past. The show was written and narrated by Laura Nagy and the judges were particularly touched by her use of ASMR to “mix narrative storytelling, memoir, sound art and vox pop” all into one.”
Mamamia, the women’s media company, won Best Sales House, with the judges saying their podcasts are “a perfect blend of useful information and personal anecdotes”. And Best Creative Campaign supported by Campaign was given to She’s On The Money’s creative for Budget Direct for its “clever use of the podcasting format to deliver creative brand messaging with some fantastic results”.
Short Black with Sandra Sully, a podcast featuring inspiring interviews with women “from all walks of life” was given the honour of Best Interview at the awards.
Award-winning 10 News First Journalist Sandra Sully hosts the podcast and said at the awards: “We elevate the stories of everyday Aussie women who do remarkable things but do not see accolades- they are just real and they all have remarkable stories to tell.”
Sully’s remarks ring similarly true for all of the creative women recognised at the 2022 Australian Podcast Awards as well– their remarkable work sharing and elevating women’s stories deserves to be celebrated.