On March 31, The Podcast Academy revealed the winners of its Fifth Annual Awards for Excellence in Audio — also known as The Ambies.
Held at the McCormick Convention Center in Chicago, the ceremony was hosted by multi-hyphenate comedian Tig Notaro and can be viewed on the Podcast Academy’s YouTube channel.
Actor and comedian Matt Rogers accepted The Ambie for Best Comedy Podcast for the Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang — which was also nominated for a GLAAD Media Award. During his acceptance speech, Roger made sure to mention that March 31 is Transgender Day of Visibility.
“The last thing I want to say is especially to a community who doesn’t shut the fuck up, today is the National Trans Day of Visibility and I hope you don’t shut the fuck up about that,” he said. “We see you. We love you. And we will always stand by you!”
Before presenting the award of Best News Podcast to The Ten News, Ronan Farrow had a call to action when it came to the state of the news and journalism. “The news is not good fam. It’s especially not good for those of us that care about access to the news,” he said. Local newspapers across the country are vanishing. Entire communities are becoming news deserts. We now live in a country where national networks are quietly settling with the government that they’re supposed to hold accountable. Where the White House throws out reporters, rolls out the red carpet for influencers. Where the FCC is being weaponized like a political bludgeon.”
He continued, “Meanwhile the public’s attention, and it’s not great to begin with, is being fed a steady diet of outrage of distraction, algorithmic noise. In that vacuum, accountability dies quietly. If we want to live in a reality-based world, if we want a public that’s informed rather than inflamed, if we want the truth to survive, all of us need to support a new vanguard of confronting journalism.”
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.
