From intimate conversations to blockbuster interviews, podcasters finally claim the recognition they’ve earned — and it’s a tearful triumph.
The Golden Globes are stepping into the podcast boom: the HFPA named 25 shows eligible for a brand-new podcast award that will debut at the 83rd ceremony.
Big-name programs from newsrooms, true-crime and celebrity talk — from daily shows to personality-driven series — will compete for six official nominees to be revealed Dec. 8, with the winner announced when the Globes air Jan. 11.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association on Thursday unveiled the 25 podcasts eligible to compete for the Golden Globes’ new podcast category, a milestone move that brings audio creators into one of the entertainment industry’s most prominent awards stages.
The category — announced in May and set to debut at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards — recognizes both audio and video podcasts that made a significant impact over the past year. The Globes will pare the field to six official nominees, which will be revealed alongside the rest of the awards slate on Dec. 8.
The eligible slate spans a wide cross-section of the medium, from daily news programs and serialized true-crime shows to personality-driven interview series and sports-comedy offerings. High-profile entries include Call Her Daddy, SmartLess, The Joe Rogan Experience, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, The Daily (The New York Times), Pod Save America, The Megyn Kelly Show, The Mel Robbins Podcast and This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von.
News and investigative outlets are represented as well, with programs such as 20/20, 48 Hours, Dateline NBC and NPR’s Up First among those eligible.
Other titles on the list reflect the diversity and commercial reach of podcasting: Crime Junkie, Morbid, MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories, Pardon My Take, Rotten Mango, Shawn Ryan Show, Stuff You Should Know, The Ben Shapiro Show, The Bill Simmons Podcast# and The Tucker Carlson Show are all in contention.
The selection highlights how podcasts now occupy a broad cultural footprint — informing public conversation, driving fandoms and launching personalities into mainstream media.
The Golden Globes’ decision to introduce a podcast award acknowledges the platform’s growing influence and the blurred lines between traditional broadcast media and on-demand audio.
By allowing both audio-only and video podcast formats, the HFPA is signaling an inclusive approach intended to capture the full range of contemporary audio storytelling.
The 83rd Golden Globe Awards will air live on CBS on Jan. 11 from the Beverly Hilton, with comedian Nikki Glaser returning as host.
As the HFPA finalizes voters’ selections, the industry will be watching closely to see which shows rise from the eligible pool to become nominees — and which podcast takes home the inaugural Globe in a category that reflects an evolving entertainment landscape.
