As a medium, podcasting has skyrocketed in popularity and listenership over the years. More and more listeners are tuning in wherever they get their podcasts to stay current on news, politics, films, television, and much more. Episodes detailing thoughtful conversations on a wide set of topics, the latest happenings in arts and culture, and even true crime stories have all captured the attention of thousands of people. 

The 4th Annual Webby Podcast Industry Index is a roundup of the companies that are the best in creating and developing content for podcasts, featuring their notable wins. These companies had shows that received the most Webbys for groundbreaking narrative and storytelling during the 26th Annual Webby Awards. 

BY THE NUMBERS:

• HBO was ahead of the rest this year with their podcasts winning three Webbys and two People’s Voice Awards, with one of their shows being an honoree. Their podcasts have grown massively in popularity alongside their films, documentaries, and TV series. 
• Documentary podcasts chronicling the details of current and past events were recognized for their objective reporting and fascinating timelines.
• Selecting the right hosts has become an important thing to consider in developing content for podcasts. And it’s clear that these top companies are recognizing that with several of their projects being honored for their hosts’ chemistry. 

BEHIND THE RANKS:

1. HBO

HBO has been hard at work developing podcasts to take their audience on an audio journey behind their great shows. The podcasts include can’t-miss details about their shows and movies, giving their listeners a behind-the-scenes look at how they were made. They also give more context to the stories and characters that captivated fans across the globe. 

They have had wonderfully immersive podcasts hosted by incredible hosts, one of them being We Stay Looking, an extension of Issa Rae’s award-winning show Insecure. It’s a satirical and fictional podcast featuring Terri J. Vaughn as the loved reporter Rose Cranberry. We Stay Looking uses hilarity to bring light to systemic racial injustice through “true crime” investigations. Explore more of their outstanding podcasts below. 

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• We Stay Looking
  2022 Winner for Scripted (Fiction) 
• Allen v. Farrow
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Documentary
• HBO’s Succession Podcast
  2022 Winner in Television & Film
• Batman: The Audio Adventures
  2022 People’s Voice Winner for Scripted (Fiction)

View their full list of Webby Award-winning work here.

2. iHeartMedia & iHeartRadio

iHeartMedia and iHeartRadio are the quintessential sources of auditory media in the U.S., staples blasting on car stereos and radios alike. They’ve expanded outside radio and into podcasts that hold stunning stories from hosts from all walks of life. This year, they had a whole host of podcasts, from hard-hitting documentaries to a deep dive into the beloved sitcom The Office. 

One that saw massive success was in the early life of Kobe Bryant. I Am Kobe is an audio journey of Bryant’s time in high school in Philadelphia and the dreams he had for his life when he was just a teenager. By stitching together never-before-heard tapes of Bryant’s life before he played for the Lakers, the podcast chronicles the road he traveled to become a beloved basketball idol.

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• I Am Kobe
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Sports
• Jehovah’s Witnesses: Shut Up and Be Blessed
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Interview/Talk Show
• The MLK Tapes
  2022 Winner of Best Limited Series
• Lolita
  2022 People’s Voice Winner for Best Limited Series
• The Laverne Cox Show
  2022 People’s Voice Winner for Diversity & Inclusion

View the full list of their Webby Award-winning work here.

3. CNN 

The news source celebrated for objective storytelling has continued its reporting in podcast form–and has created podcasts to take listeners on a journey of complex and multilayered narratives. Their podcasts are a small bite of their longer news stories–a quick dive into their long-form studies. 

One of their standout podcasts is Chasing Life with reporter Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The star episode in the series was a close exploration of the intricacies of anger with rock star Joan Jett and anger expert Brad Bushman. View even more of their fascinating podcasts below. 

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• Chasing Life: “Why Am I So Angry?”
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner for Health & Wellness
• Behind The Desk: The Story of Late Night 
  2022 People’s Voice Winner for Entertainment 

View the full list of their Webby Award-winning work here.

4. ABC News

ABC News podcasts are an immersive experience of their news reporting. Each podcast series they highlight focuses on breaking down and giving listeners a focus on politics, current events, and impactful story subjects. They have notable podcasts with well-known hosts like Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos, and podcast versions of their iconic shows like The View.

But the analysis The Dropout offered on the Elizabeth Holmes case dazzled audiences. The podcast tells the story and gives an insightful review of the facts on how her blood-testing startup Theranos crumbled. In the podcast, host Rebecca Jarvis dives deep into the nuances that led to Theranos’ downfall. Explore more of their podcasts below.

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• The Dropout
  2022 Winner and People’s Voice Winner in Crime & Justice 
• Start Here
  2022 Winner in News & Politics

5. WaitWhat and Stitcher (Two-way tie)

WaitWhat

With more than 100 million downloads, WaitWhat has a portfolio of media properties that cover the intersection of daily habit and human potential. Their podcasts have defined entirely new genres with crowd favorites like Masters of Scale, Meditative Story and Should this Exist? 

Two series that have received great acclaim are Meditative Story and Masters of Scale with Reid Hoffmann. Since the latter launched in 2017, it has helped business leaders grow with its guidance, app with daily learnings, and best-selling book. Their Webby Award-winning episode features a fireside chat with President Barack Obama on finding the right moment to act to achieve your goals. Explore more of WaitWhat’s programs and episodes below.  

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• Masters of Scale: President Barack Obama: When the Moment Chooses You, Part 1
  2022 Winner for Best Individual Episode
  2022 Winner for News & Politics
• Masters of Scale
  2022 Nominee for Business
• Meditative Story: The Hollywood Version Doesn’t Go Like This: Randall Park
  2022 Nominee for Health & Wellness
  2022 Nominee for Television & Film
• Spark & Fire: Trust Your Instinct: Salsa Legend Rubén Blades on the Iconic Song “Pedro Navaja”
  2022 Nominee for for Arts & Culture

View the full list of their Webby Award-winning work here.

Stitcher

As the platform that connects all corners of the podcast industry, Stitcher is the home of podcasts covering a wide range of topics and genres. They house prominent podcasts that have been recognized for their impressive storytelling like Earworlf, Witness Docs, and More Sauce. 

Another that’s been hailed as an outstanding podcast is Toxic: The Britney Spears Story launched by comedians Tess Barker and Babs Gray after their much-celebrated podcast Britney’s Gram incidentally started the #FreeBritney movement in 2019. The podcast details the harrowing story behind Britney Spears’ 13-year-long conservatorship. Explore even more of Stitcher’s compelling shows below.

BREAKING DOWN THE WINS

• Toxic: The Britney Spears Story
  2022 Winner in Documentary
  2022 People’s Voice Winner in Documentary
• LeVar Burton Reads
  2022 Winner in Arts & Culture 

View the full list of their Webby Award-winning work here.

Align your podcasts with the best across the internet, like those honored in the 2022 Webby Podcast Index. To join their ranks, enter the 27th Annual Webby Awards before the Final Entry Deadline on Friday, December 16th.

READ THE FULL SERIES

The Webby Podcast Industry Index is part of our larger Webby Industry Index Series that showcases the companies who have made the highest caliber of work across their respective industries. Read the full series to see this year’s best Brands, Game Creators, Media Companies, Podcast Companies, Production Companies and Tech Companies.