Is there ever an end to podcast growth in America? What once used to be called taped radio has now morphed into the industry that is destroying the medium it was born from. It’s no secret that the podcast industry continues to grow leaps and bounds more than anything else similar to it. As the world moves into an on-demand society, people from all walks of life have found their calling in the budding ecosystem that is podcasting.
This January, podcasting takes another step toward its domination of the collective consciousness of America. The 83rd annual Golden Globes will be handing out its first award for the “Best Podcast” category.
The podcast industry arguably draws similar or more attention than some of its television or film counterparts. However, podcasting doesn’t fit in the category of what the Golden Globes historically have represented. So is this about recognition or about attention?
Let’s assume that the Golden Globes nomination board did their homework. They were able to identify 25 podcasts out of the roughly 4.5 million worldwide as their nominees. That’s roughly 0.0006% of the entire podcast ecosystem. Not saying it was an easy job, but what was the criteria for such nominations?
Why A Podcast Award
According to Helen Hoehne, the president of the Golden Globes, the nominees were chosen based on a criteria of the “power of informing, entertaining, and inspiring audiences around the globe.”
Let’s take a look at the nominees.
Of the 25 nominees, five are from news organizations: 20/20 (ABC News), 48 Hours (CBS News), Dateline NBC (NBC News), The Daily (NY Times), and Up First (NPR). Two are fully sports-related: Pardon My Take (Barstool Sports) and The Bill Simmons Podcast (The Ringer).
There are also a number of highly political podcasts, including Candace (Candace Owens), Pod Save America (Crooked Media), The Ben Shapiro Show (The Daily Wire), and The Megyn Kelly Show (SiriusXM).
It should be noted that the 25 nominees were compiled through a company called Luminate, an entertainment data and analytics company owned by Penske, which has also owned the Golden Globes since 2023. Instead of using a third-party company to compile the nominees, the Globes went with a company they already owned.
The 25 nominees for eligibility were determined by data from platforms including Apple, Spotify, and YouTube — not Podbean, Spreaker, or even iHeartRadio. They have their own podcast award show, I guess.
In talking with several of the brightest minds in the podcast space, I asked them all the same question: What is a podcast? Nearly every single person, from the biggest CEO to the smallest digital manager in a local market, led with the word “audio.”
Recognition Or Marketing?
The Golden Globes celebrate the best in film and television, not in audio. Sure, there are awards for best score in a motion picture or best song in a motion picture. However, both of those apply to films released domestically and internationally.
So, is this more about celebrating a section of the media industry or more about drawing attention to an awards show that’s been losing viewership for some time? The Golden Globes drew an average audience of 18.32 million in January 2020. Since then, the broadcast has yet to eclipse an average of 10 million.
Awards shows are all trying to do something different to gain a new audience. Some try new hosts; some try no host at all. Some try to make the award show more interactive, and some just want more activity on the stage besides acceptance speeches.
What the Golden Globes are trying to do is smart: create a category that has nothing to do with film or television and invite the biggest influencers from that space to tune in and see if their favorite podcast walks away with a Golden Globe.
On its face, it’s a genius marketing concept masked in a “recognition” spin cycle that will only lead to more promotion of the awards show. Would Big Cat and PFT ever hype up the Golden Globes on Pardon My Take? Could you see a day when Tucker Carlson would spend any time not bashing the awards show for its perceived political slant? Does Theo Von even know what the Golden Globes are?
While there is much celebration in the podcast space about how this is a breakthrough moment for the industry, let’s ensure we’re looking behind the curtain first before popping champagne on podcasting’s latest conquest.
I’m sure the Golden Globes would love to see Joe Rogan sit next to a celebrity he sees as “ultra-liberal.” That meme would go wild on social media.
The Golden Globes would really love it if Ben Shapiro were sharing a conversation or drink with the Pod Save America team.
Who knows what could come from a Bill Simmons appearance at the Golden Globes? A possible Rewatchables podcast being planned with George Clooney?
Oh, the possibilities!
Can’t wait for the Oscars to award their first “Best Sports Radio Program” next.
If the Golden Globes want to celebrate podcasts, fine. But let’s not confuse a marketing play for meaningful recognition. Until a podcast host thanks their Wi-Fi connection in an acceptance speech, it’s still television trying to stay invited to the growing conversation.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
