Podcast News Daily: Iowa Podcast Awards Shows Industry’s Growth Extends Well Beyond The Coasts.
Sep 20, 2024
Podcasting isn’t just a coastal phenomenon, and the first-ever Iowa Podcast Awards is shining a spotlight on the work being done by Midwestern creators. Organizers say 200 podcasters from throughout the state traveled to Cedar Rapids last weekend for a day of networking, workshops, and live podcasts, capped off by the awards show.
The big winner was The Confused Breakfast Podcast, which took home the award for Podcast of the Year as well as awards for Best Entertainment Podcast and Host of the Year (Ensemble).
Three podcasts — including The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa, Giant-Sized Violence: A Toku Comics Podcast, and Great American Whiskey Cookers — each took home two awards. Meanwhile, On the Pen: The Weekly Dose was the winner of the People’s Choice Award. It was selected based on over 4,300 fan votes received.
The event, presented by the podcasting and digital content company Upload Media Group, handed out 28 awards overall to Iowa-based podcasts selected from a pool of nearly 100 nominees. It says plans are already underway for the 2025 Iowa Podcast Awards, in addition to future projects and programs designed to elevate and empower podcast creators throughout Iowa.
“Podcasting is a booming medium because of its accessibility and low barrier to entry, but it is often a challenging medium to gain traction in,” Upload Media Group CEO Logan Schultz said in a statement. “We are happy to celebrate all of the nominees and winners, but the most successful part of the event was bringing this community together for the first time and empowering them to learn from each other and support each other. The future is immensely bright for podcast creators in Iowa.”
The 2024 Iowa Podcast Award winners are:
Premium Awards
Podcast of the Year: The Confused Breakfast Podcast
People’s Choice Award: On the Pen: The Weekly Dose
Honor Awards
Community Impact Award: My Why: A YPN Podcast
Innovation Award: The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa
Advocacy Award: Southeast Iowa Today with John Bain
Emerging Podcast Award: The Man Stream Podcast
Talent Recognition Awards
Host of the Year (Individual): Abena Sankofa, Black & Privileged in America
Host of the Year (Ensemble): The Confused Breakfast Podcast
Producer of the Year: Craig Hart, Sherlock Holmes: The Lost Legacy of Tilly Whim
Best Production (Editing, Design, Writing): Giant-Sized Violence: A Toku Comics Podcast
Best Original Score/Song: “Welcome to the Groove Life” from The Groove Life Podcast
Best Cover Art: The Art of Climate Dialogue: Stories from Iowa
Show Recognition Awards
Episode of the Year: “It’s Morphin’ Time: On Losing Your Heroes and Trans-Forming Yourself through Power Rangers,” Giant-Sized Violence, A Toku Comics Podcast
Best Limited Series: “The Ragbrai Pre-Ride Series,” JustGoBike
Best Interview Podcast (Affiliated): Watts Happening with Gary Watts
Best Interview Podcast (Independent): Deck Diaries
Best Comedy Podcast: REMelations: Comedy Dream Interpretation
Best Business Podcast: Real Success with Nate Kaeding
Best Society and Culture Podcast: Breaking Barriers DEI&B Podcast
Best Entertainment Podcast: The Confused Breakfast Podcast
Best Sports Podcast: Washed Up Walkons
Best Fiction Podcast: Myths of Myria: A Live-Play D&D Podcast
Best History Podcast: Relevant or Irrelevant
Best Food and Beverage Podcast: Great American Whiskey Cookers
Best Pop Culture Podcast: Big Thunder Podcast
Best Wellness/Relationship Podcast: Beautiful View
Best Video Podcast: Great American Whiskey Cookers
Best Education Podcast: Music Ed Insights
