The Ambies (or the Awards for Excellence in Audio) are awards for artistic and technical merit in the podcast industry. They are awarded by The Podcast Academy in two overall categories: Show Recognition and Talent Recognition. The winners, who receive a gold statue holding a microphone and wearing headphones, are selected by a vote from Podcast Academy members. The awards and the Podcast Academy were established in 2020 with the inaugural ceremony held on May 16, 2021, hosted by Cameron Esposito.
History In February 2020, Hernan Lopez at Wondery announced that he and 10 peers had established a new non-profit group called the Podcast Academy. The Podcast Academy is a member-based professional organization for podcasters. It was modeled after other similar institutions in the entertainment industry with the intention of establishing an independent industry award for podcasting, initially called the Golden Mics.
When the Podcast Academy announced plans to hold the first award ceremony amidst the awards season of other entertainment areas, the name was changed to the Awards for Excellence in Audio, nicknamed the Ambies, and award was revealed to be a gold statue holding a microphone and wearing headphones. The term Ambies was derived from ambient sound, which is frequently used in audio recordings, and it has a similar sound to other awards such as the Emmys and Grammys.
Selection process Nominations are first recommended for consideration within a submission window, and then narrowed down to an official list of nominees for voting. A minimum of three episodes published in the award year are required to be eligible for consideration. From those recommendations, a panel of Podcast Academy members listen to podcasts for a period of time before selecting the nominees for voting in each category. Members of the Podcast Academy are organized into peer groups in order to vote on the winners from the selected nominees, which are announced at the live ceremony.
Statuette
The Ambie statuette is an art deco gold figurine wearing headphones and holding a microphone atop a black base. Its minimalist design is inspired by the Academy Award, in keeping with the Podcast Academy's vision of establishing the Ambies as the "Oscars of podcasting." The statuette is designed and produced by Cristaux International.
2021 Awards The first annual Ambies occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, and were conducted virtually. The ceremony was livestreamed on May 16, 2021, and was hosted by Cameron Esposito.
Podcasts Dying for Sex – (winner) Blockbuster: The Story of James Cameron Bunga Bunga Chasing Cosby Detours Dirty Diana For Life: The Podcast Forgotten: Women of Juarez Say Their Name The Happiness Lab I'm Not A Monster – (winner) California City Conviction Season 2: American Panic For Life: The Podcast Louder Than a Riot Painkiller: America's Fentanyl Crisis The Edge: Houston Astros Death, Sex & Money – (winner) A Winning Mindset: Lessons From The Paralympics Asian Enough Back from Broken More With Anna Maria Tremonti The Frontline Dispatch Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend – (winner) Culture Kings Don't Ask Tig Groceries How Did This Get Made? The Breakfast Club Threedom Today, Explained – (winner) Do No Harm Post Reports Suspicious Activity: Inside the FinCEN Files The Journal Vice News Reports What Next Whistleblower – (winner) 17 Weeks Drafted Sports Uncovered The Cam Chronicles The Edge: Houston Astros The Lead Dr. Death Season 2: Dr. Fata – (winner) Brainwashed/Uncover Chasing Cosby I'm Not A Monster Somebody Supernatural with Ashley Flowers The Messenger The Heist – (winner) An Arm and a Leg Brought to You by... Go For Broke Masters of Scale Teamistry Women at WorkBlood Ties – Season 2 – (winner) Asking For It Dem Times Dirty Diana Frozen Frights: Aurora Borealis “Vacant” The Left Right Game The Two Princes Driving the Green Book – (winner) American History Tellers American Scandal Detours Slow Burn Unfinished: Deep South Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers Short Wave – (winner) American Innovations Brave New Planet How to Save a Planet In Machines We Trust Tai Asks Why Unlocking Bryson's Brain Code Switch – (winner) Ear Hustle Heavyweight Into America Latino USA Resistance You and Me Both with Hillary Clinton Gaining Ground: The New Georgia – (winner) Burn the Boats Our Nation of Immigrants Politically Re-Active The Dan Bongino Show The NPR Politics Podcast Winning Wisconsin Even the Rich – (winner) Dissect For Life: The Podcast Office Ladies Prime Video Presents The First One The Plot Thickens On Being with Krista Tippett – (winner) Borne the Battle Dare to Lead with Brené Brown Dear Therapists Hey Spirit! Meditative Story Stay Calm with Bob Roth Therapy for Black Girls – (winner) Adult ISH Dying for Sex Last Day Season 2 The Happiness Lab We Got You Where Should We Begin?
Podcasters and Talent Wind of Change – Patrick Radden Keefe – (winner) Amicus Presents: The Class of RBG – Dahlia Lithwick Back Issue – Josh Gwynn, Tracy Clayton Bunga Bunga – Whitney Cummings Mobituaries: Anna May Wong (Death of a Trailblazer) – Mo Rocca Revisionist History – Malcolm Gladwell Science Vs – Wendy Zukerman Wind of Change – Patrick Radden Keefe – (winner) Fiasco: Iran-Contra – Leon Neyfakh I'm Not A Monster – Josh Baker Planet Money – Sarah Gonzalez, Kenny Malone, Jacob Goldstein, Robert Smith, Amanda Aroncyzk, Karen Duffin, Mary Childs Reveal – Shoshana Walter, Laura Starecheski, Ike Srikandarajah The Take – Malika Bilal, Stefanie Dekker, Safwat al-Kahlout Unfinished: Short Creek – Sarah Ventre, Ash SandersDirty Diana – Shana Feste, Jen Besser – (winner) Appearances – Sharon Mashihi Dem Times – Rhys Reed-Johnson, Jacob Roberts-Mensah Looking For Latoya – Amy Aniobi, Chris Sanford, Kindsey Young Make It Up As We Go – David Hudgins, Brooks Hudgins National Geographic Kids Greeking Out – Kenny Curtis, Jillian Hughes, Emily Everhart The Left Right Game – Jack AndersonWind of Change – Patrick Radden Keefe – (winner) And Nothing Less – Robin Linn Heavyweight – Jonathan Goldstein, Kalila Holt, Stevie Lane Masters of Scale – WaitWhat Team, Adam Skuse, Katie Clark Gray Resistance – Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr. Suspicious Activity: Inside the FinCEN Files – Jonathan Menjivar, Jenelle Pifer, Joel Lovell Whistleblower – Tim Livingston The Left Right Game – Ryan Walsh, Matt Yocum, Will Files, Ryan Sullivan – (winner) Canary: The Washington Post Investigates – Bishop Sand Conviction: American Panic – Matthew Boll Dirty Diana – Millie Iatrou, Ryan Walsh, Katie Halliday, Justin Davey, Matt Yocum & Ben Michev, Neely Oeftering Unfinished: Short Creek – John DeLore Where is George Gibney? – Ger McDonnell Wind of Change – Henry Molofsky Jacked: Rise of New Jack Sound – Marcelino Villalpando – (winner) Bunga Bunga – Scott Velasquez, Jeff Schmidt Dead and Gone – Makeup And Vanity Set Revisionist History – Luis Guerra Throughline – Ramtin Arablouei, Drop Electric, Hania Rani Treasure Island 2020 – Chris Tarry, Jennifer Rowekamp The Two Princes – Score: Greg Laswell; Theme and additional scoring by Bobby Lord; Music Supervision: Jonathon Roberts The Left Right Game – Tessa Thompson – (winner) Dust, Season 3: Chrysalis – Corey Hawkins Hank the Cowdog – Matthew McConaughey Light House – Aly Trasher National Geographic Kids Greeking Out – Kenny Curtis, Tori Kerr The Two Princes – Noah Galvin, Ari'el Stachel, Samira Wiley, Gideon Glick, Wesley Taylor, Alfredo Narciso, Mandi Masden, CJ Wilson, Michelle Gomez We Are Not Alone – Willem Dafoe, Charlotte Gainsbourg WTF with Marc Maron – Marc Maron, Brendan McDonald
2022 Awards The second annual Ambies were held at the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles on May 22, 2022, and hosted by Ross Matthews and Nikki Boyer. The category "Best Indie Podcast" was also introduced, to recognize shows that were not commissioned by a major network or studio.
Podcasts 9/12 – (winner) A Slight Change of Plans Alligator Candy Believe Her Bill Simmons Podcast Earth Eclipsed False Idol Have You Heard George's Podcast? Hooked The Imperfection Stay Away From Matthew MaGill – (winner) AMERICAN VETERAN: Unforgettable Stories CBC Podcasts: Life Jolt Embedded Fiasco: Benghazi On Our Watch Post Reports 70 over 70 – (winner) Billie Was a Black Woman I WEIGH Jemele Hill is Unbothered Profoundly Pointless The Problem With Jon Stewart Trafficked With Mariana van Zeller How Did This Get Made? – (winner) Best Friends Nosy Neighbors The Daily Show With Trevor Noah: Ears Edition The Sarah Silverman Podcast Wait Wait Don't Tell Me Why Won't You Date Me With Nicole Byer Up First – (winner) 60 Minutes Consider This Post Reports Start Here The Journal The Times Up First – (winner) 60 Minutes Consider This Post Reports Start Here The Journal The Times Suspect – (winner) Believe Her Confronting: Columbine Criminal Do You Know Mordechai? Firebug Over My Dead Body: Fox Lake Business Wars – (winner) An Arm and a Leg Masters of Scale Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin Planet Money The Indicator from Planet Money The McKinsey Podcast Tejana – (winner) Black Box Orphan Black: The Next Chapter Princess of South Beach The Miseducation of John Mark The Zip Code Plays: Los Angeles Treat Slow Burn: The L.A. Riots – (winner) Black Cowboys Human Resources Making Gay History — The Podcast | Season 9: “Coming of Age During the AIDS Crisis” Mogul Telling Our Twisted Histories Throughline Overheard at National Geographic – (winner) Dope Labs Music Blocks Road to Resilience Ted Radio Hour The Extortion Economy Twenty Thousand Hertz Billie Was a Black Woman – (winner) Cheat! Ear Hustle Heavyweight Higher Learning With Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay Into America Storytime With Seth Rogen Billie Was a Black Woman – (winner) Can He Do That? Pod Save the World Post Reports Skullduggery Stay Tuned With Preet The Messenger Back Issue – (winner) Even the Rich New Rory & MAL Song Exploder The Boys: The Official Podcast The Friendship Onion The Plot Thickens Life Kit – (winner) Great Grief Making Space With Hoda Kotb Meditative Story Money Moves With Toni Tone SOL Affirmations With Karega and Felicia The Happiness Lab On Purpose With Jay Shetty – (winner) Call Your Grandmother Lovers and Friends With Shan Boodram Making Space With Hoda Kotb My Body, My Podcast Really Good Shares We Can Do Hard Things Music Blocks – (winner) African Folktales With Miss Jo Jo Imagine This Nice to Meet You Operation Ouch! The Podcast of Everything The Big Fib The Vivo Songbook An Arm and a Leg – (winner) AFTERSHOCK Because I Said So! Earth Eclipsed FOR BLOOD OR JUSTICE Walzon Prime What Happened in Skinner
Podcasters and Talent It's Been a Minute With Sam Sanders – Sam Sanders – (winner) Crime Show – Emma Courtland Human Resources – Moya Lothian-McLean Jemele Hill Is Unbothered – Jemele Hill King of The World: An American Muslim Story – Shahjehan Khan Revisionist History – Malcolm Gladwell Why Won't You Date Me With Nicole Byer – Nicole Byer 9/12 – (winner) Stolen: The Search for Jermain Un(re)solved The Turning: The Sisters Who Left 544 Days Believe Her Post Reports Soft Voice – James Bloor – (winner) Edith! – Gonzalo Cordova, Travis Helwig Hit Job – Broadway Video The Burned Photo – Nicole Exposito, Jeremy Novick, Kwynn Perry The Imperfection – Alexander Kemp The Lamb – Tad Safran We Stay Looking – Kindsey Young, Chris Sanford, Phylicia Mpasi Have You Heard George's Podcast? – George the Poet – (winner) Death at the Wing – Brian Steele, Adam Mckay, Raghu Manavalan, Jody Avigan HiberNation – Mallika Rao Radiotopia Presents: S***hole Country – Afia Kaakyire Southlake – Antonia Hylton, Mike Hixenbaugh, Frannie Kelley, Reid Cherlin, Julie Shapiro, Michelle Garcia