November 22, 2024 – Australia’s podcasting stars turned out in force at the Sofitel Sydney, Darling Harbour last night for the 2024 Australian Podcast Awards, powered by iHeart.
This year’s awards honoured the industry’s most captivating voices across 31 categories, underscoring the rapid growth and influence of podcasting nationwide.
Taking top honours, Ladies, We Need to Talk—hosted by Yumi Stynes—won Podcast of the Year and also Sex and Relationships for its frank, funny, and fearless dive into taboo topics. Similarly, The Pool Room with Tony Armstrong took home Best Entertainment and Best Sport, applauded for its heart and humour in exploring untold tales of winners, losers, and the weird stories in between.
Recognised for championing diverse perspectives, First Things First, hosted by Brooke Blurton and Matty Mills, was awarded Podcast Champion for its influential focus on Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ topics. Meanwhile, award-winning journalist Marc Fennell was honoured in multiple categories, taking home Best History and Spotlight for his compelling podcast House Of Skulls, recognising his in-depth explorations of pivotal yet often overlooked stories, as well as his wide-reaching influence.
Audience favourite Listener’s Choice went to comedy duo Toni & Ryan, celebrating their powerful connection with fans. Best Host was awarded to two of Australia’s most respected music journalists and friends, Myf Warhurst and Zan Rowe of the Double J podcast, Bang On.
The Rising Star accolade was awarded to emerging talent Pearl Tan, for her fictional storytelling and rising influence in the industry. Her podcast Diversity Work, which tackles race, identity, and the pressures of representation, has resonated with a growing audience, marking her as one to watch.
Corey Layton, Head of Digital Audio at ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network Australia, said: “This year's winners are a testament to the diverse voices and creative approaches that are captivating listeners across Australia. The awards reveal countless examples of both seasoned creators and new voices covering an array of topics that educate, entertain, and inspire. On behalf of everyone at iHeart, congratulations to this year’s nominees and to the entire industry for another incredible year of podcasts.”
Adam Shepherd, Editorial Lead of the Australian Podcast Awards, commented: "2024 has been another banner year for the Australian podcast sector, with more creativity, excellence, and innovation than ever before. This is reflected in the calibre of entries we received, and picking this year’s winners was as challenging a task as ever.”
Since their inception in 2016, the APAs have been dedicated to showcasing Australia’s exceptional podcast talent. The awards celebrate a medium that’s quickly become one of the most powerful platforms for storytelling, education, and entertainment. Now in their eighth year, the APAs continue to honour the most innovative voices and emerging talent across a diverse range of categories.
Full list of winners included below or head to www.AustralianPodcastAwards.com
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Spokespeople available for interviews:
- Corey Layton, iHeartPodcast Network Australia
- Adam Shepherd, Australian Podcast Award
- Tony Armstrong, winner of Sport and Entertainment
- Pearl Tan, winner of Rising Star Marc Fennell, winner of History and Spotlight
- Toni and Ryan, winner of Listener’s Choice Podcast
- Yumi Stynes, winner of Best Podcast
- Myf Warhurst & Zan Rowe, winner of Best Host
Press images can be viewed here.
Link to media release and full list of winners here.
Key Facts:
Global statistics from podcasting.com 2024 report:
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The number of global podcast listeners great from 274.8 million in 2019 to 464.7 million in 2023. That was an increase of 69.10% in the number of podcast listeners in the past four years.
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The global podcasting market is projected to reach 130.63 billion by 2030.
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On average, podcast listeners spend around 7 hours per week listening to the podcasts on their favourite podcast app.
About us:
About the Australian Podcast Awards
The Australian Podcast Awards is an annual celebration of the quality and breadth of Australian podcast content. Entries are self-nominated, and over 20 categories are judged by a panel of experts, alongside a public vote - the Listeners' Choice.
Contact details:
Laura Bestman, 0412 890 440, bestmanlaura@gmail.com
