In the world of podcasting, the Academy Awards equivalent is The Ambies, hosted by The Podcast Academy, the eminent organization for podcast professionals. This year, the fourth annual Awards for Excellence in Audio will be hosted by Trixie Mattel, season three winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars,” on March 26 at the JW Marriott LA Live in Los Angeles. The event will be live-streamed on The Podcast Academy’s YouTube channel[^1^].
The Ambies aims to celebrate and amplify the unique and personal medium of podcasts, be it for entertainment, information, storytelling, or expression. This year’s ceremony will showcase 192 nominees across 27 categories, with the winners selected by the voting members of The Podcast Academy. A full list of the 2024 nominees can be found on the Ambies website[^2^].
The Academy will also be honoring certain individuals for their significant impact on the podcast industry. This year’s Governors Award, which recognizes an influential podcast or individual within the industry, will be bestowed on Malcolm Gladwell. Additionally, The Podcast Academy will present the Impact Award to pop-culture podcaster, Ira Madison III, acknowledging his significant positive effect on listeners.
Donald Albright, chairperson of The Podcast Academy, expressed his delight to honor both Malcolm Gladwell and Ira Madison III. Gladwell’s innovative content has shaped the medium and will continue to leave a lasting impact. Madison, with his authentic voice, has offered unique content ranging from pop-culture to politics and amplified underrepresented voices.
The host, Trixie Mattel, is no stranger to the spotlight. Apart from being a recognized “Skinny Legend,” she is a Billboard Heatseekers #1 charting recording artist, a successful touring act, and a co-host of the popular podcast “The Bald And The Beautiful,” which won the 2021 Queerties Award for Best Podcast.
Ira Madison III is a cultural critic, TV writer, and host of the award-winning podcast “Keep It.” His work has been featured in various outlets like GQ, Vulture, and MTV News. He’s also written for TV shows like “Uncoupled” and “Daybreak.”
Malcolm Gladwell, renowned for his New York Times bestsellers such as The Tipping Point and Outliers, is also the co-founder of Pushkin Industries, a podcast production company. His podcasts include “Revisionist History,” “Against the Rules with Michael Lewis,” and “The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos.”
[^1^]: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBGu0bbnrAU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBGu0bbnrAU)
[^2^]: [https://www.ambies.com/2024-ambies-nominees](https://www.ambies.com/2024-ambies-nominees)
https://podnews.net/press-release/ambies-trixie