Bellevue Herald-Leader: Bellevue shows win Iowa Podcast Awards
Sep 25, 2024
On Sunday, September 15, Cedar Rapids hosted the inaugural Iowa Podcast Awards, drawing around 200 attendees from across the state. The day featured networking, workshops, and live podcasts at various city locations, culminating in an awards ceremony at The Olympic Theater in the NewBo District. The event, produced by Upload Media Group, honored 28 Iowa-based podcasts from nearly 100 nominees whose projects represent tens of millions of podcast downloads worldwide.
The Beautiful View Podcast, hosted by husband-and-wife duo Paul and Candy Sinar from Bellevue, IA, has taken home the award for Best Wellness/Relationship Podcast.
The show, Beautiful View, is a heartfelt exploration of life’s journey, as they encourage listeners to always find the beauty around them. The podcast touches on their experiences traveling full-time in an RV, raising children, and navigating marriage, family, friendships, community, and faith. Paul and Candy hope to inspire and uplift their audience by sharing engaging stories and reflections from their lives.
The Man Stream Podcast, hosted by Mike Olsen, Josh Richter, Ryan Reed, Kyle Scheckel, and Michael Steines, has taken home the award for Best New & Emerging Podcast. The Man Stream Podcast also ranked as the 6th most popular podcast amongst 600 active podcasts in Iowa. This lively show, hailing from Bellevue, Iowa, offers a weekly dive into humor, sports, news, and casual conversation with a local twist. Each episode features a blend of hilarious moments, engaging debates, and thoughtful discussions, making it a go-to source for good times. With popular segments like their weekly drafts and deep dives into current events, the hosts bring an entertaining mix that keeps listeners coming back for more.
Logan Schultz, CEO of Upload Media Group, emphasized the significance of bringing Iowa's podcast community together, fostering collaboration, and supporting local creators. The event was sponsored by Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust, The Corridor Business Journal, Vault Coworking, and others. Plans for the 2025 Iowa Podcast Awards are already underway.
