30th Annual Webby Award Winners Announced In Podcasting

The only media format/device/channel that can approach the number of websites on the internet – 1.2 to 1.4 billion – is podcasting, with over 4.5 million in total and about 400,00 active, according to Podcast Statistics. Both the internet and podcasting, however, make up only a slice of the Webby Awards domain, which has grown to include AI. The awards also recognize excellence in advertising, apps, social media, and video.

It therefore stands to reason that the annual Webby Awards are a major event, given their expansive reach, and global influence. The Webby Awards for 2026 were just announced, with the winners’ ceremony being held on May 11. The 30th anniversary awards ceremony will be hosted by Emmy-nominated stand-up comedian and The Daily Show correspondent Josh Johnson in New York City. The ceremony is known for requesting that winners give speeches that are only five words long.

Established in 1996 during the Web’s infancy, The Webbys is presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS)—a 3,000+ member judging body. The Academy comprises Executive Members—leading Internet experts, business figures, luminaries, visionaries and creative celebrities—and Associate Members who are former Webby Winners, Nominees and other Internet professionals.

Here is a complete list of the winners. In this article, we will focus on a few of the podcasting winners.

Best Co-Hosts, features – SmartLess (SiriusXM) Comedy From: Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett

These three make a solid trio with their genuine camaraderie, banter, and ability to diss each other good-naturedly. Yet, it’s their ability to attract A-List guests that drive the show. From George Clooney, LeBron James, Paul Rudd, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and three presidents (two ex- and one sitting), the show has a guest list that tops even the broadcast TV shows with much larger budgets.

Best Creator or Influencer Series, Features
I Shaved My Vag For This (Katie Thompson & Soul People Productions)
Science From: Katie Thompson

There is a growing category as women have become more enthusiastic adopters of podcasts, and Thompson has developed a unique blend of humor, scientific curiosity and devout need to communicate women’s health issues. The title is inspired and encapsulates the central premise of the show, while simultaneously alerting the audience that the bedrock of science is also treated with a slurry of bare-it-all humor and general disregard for convention.

Best Host, Features Good Hang with Amy Poehler (Kovert Creative) Comedy From: The Ringer

This show won the first Golden Globes award for a podcast early this year. Poehler isn’t breaking any new ground here, and doesn’t need A-List guests, just a few celebrity friends. Her show thrives on authentic, heartfelt conversations, shared history, laughter, and mutual enthusiasm. It’s a show people use to decompress from the day’s stresses.

Best Indie Podcast, Features – Flightless Bird (Flightless Bird) – Society & Culture – From: David Farrier

Best Indie Podcast Limited Run, Features The Astrology of America (Cosmic Coven) Religion & Spirituality From: Kristen Chalos

It’s encouraging and uplifting that there are several categories for independent podcasts. These two winners are deserving, yet only an amuse-bouche of what smaller, independent podcasts have to offer in the podcasting industry. The entry fee for such indie podcasts can be a barrier that should be addressed.

Best New Podcast
Entertainment & Culture, Features
The Rest Is Science (Goalhanger) Science From: Goalhanger

The Rest Is Science is a science podcast hosted by mathematician Professor Hannah Fry and YouTuber Michael Stevens (Vsauce) that explores big scientific questions twice a week, with a main episode diving deep into a single topic and a second “Field Notes” episode focusing on a single object’s journey through scientific ideas. The superb co-hosts aren’t immune to injecting humor into the proceedings.

The other unique feature of the show is its sponsor – Cancer Research UK.

News & Politics, Shows – Legal AF by MeidasTouch (MeidasTouch)

Legal AF is a top-rated, pro-democracy podcast and YouTube channel by the MeidasTouch Network focusing on the intersection of law and politics, featuring in-depth, progressive analysis of breaking news. Hosted by lawyers Ben Meiselas, Michael Popok, and Karen Friedman Agnifilo, it analyzes major legal cases—particularly those involving Donald Trump—to make complex legal issues accessible.

Music, Shows Queer the Music: Jake Shears On The Songs That Changed Lives (Mercury Studios)

Jake Shears celebrates the anthems that have dominated dance floors and shaped queer lives. Throughout the history of popular music, queer artists have made huge contributions – often at great expense and risk to themselves personally and professionally. This podcast shines a spotlight on those who trailblazed paths towards self-expression.

Health, Science & Education, Limited-Series & Specials
NASA’s Curious Universe: The Earth Series (NASA) Science

Here’s an award-winning podcast from a governmental agency – National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the agency also won for individual episode – Houston We Have a Podcast: Artemis II: The Mission.

StoryCorps – Voices From the Storm: Remembering Hurricane Katrina (StoryCorps) Society & Culture NPR

Despite the onslaught of criticism about NPR and its lack of balance in news reporting, the organization excels at reporting on events as they happen. More than 20 years ago, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. StoryCorps was there in the aftermath, recording interviews with survivors in the cities where they fled. The stories in this episode— many captured only weeks after the storm— bear witness to one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history.

Public Service & Activism, Shows
The Anti-Trans Hate Machine (TransLash Media) Society & Culture

Right wing forces have taken aim at trans kids in schools, targeting some of the country’s most vulnerable youth. In this season, journalist and host Imara Jones investigates this movement, exposing the inner workings of this powerful effort uniting Christian Nationalists, conspiracy theorists, extremist paramilitary organizations, conservative business groups, and billionaires in a revelatory investigation exposing what’s really behind the onslaught of anti-trans hate in public schools.

Award shows in any media often act to forecast emerging trends. For example, Variety reported that the 1970 Oscars (honoring 1969 films) predicted a shift toward gritty, mature, and socially conscious storytelling, marked by the X-rated Midnight Cowboy winning Best Picture. The ceremony signaled a transition from Hollywood’s Golden Age to the “New Hollywood” era, balancing counterculture narratives with traditional nostalgia (like John Wayne’s True Grit win).

Can we divine any such trends in podcasting from this year’s winners?

First, celebrity podcasts are still front and center, at least in award shows. There does seem to be a slowing of the trend, and according to podcast consultant George Witt. “Celebrity podcasts are facing a paradox: while they remain highly visible and dominant in charts due to built-in fanbases, audience fatigue is growing due to market saturation and shallow content. While top-tier, polished celebrity shows still pull in high sponsorship revenue, many listeners are finding them formulaic, leading to a shift back toward, or demand for, more specialized, authentic, or niche audio content.”

Second, there is a continued blurring of lines between podcasting and TV talk shows. An exemplar of this trend is Pete Davidson, who is set to be honored with a Webby Special Achievement Award for his impact on comedy and digital culture, being recognized for his work across streaming, film, and the 2026 debut of The Pete Davidson Show podcast. That show has sparked a rash of tongue wagging among media journalists, who question the fuzziness of marking a distinction between a video interview podcast and a TV talk show.

“Davidson’s show isn’t a podcast by any currently accepted definition,” argued one Vulture critic.

Third, there is a renewed focus on health and science, especially women’s health, wellness, and mental welfare. A 2026 winner – Where Should We Begin? by Esther Perel – for example, brings order and reason to an increasingly disordered world. Beyond the awards, health and wellness podcasts are experiencing a significant surge in popularity, growing by over 50% from 2019 to 2024, according to The Podcast Collective. Independent health and wellness podcasts such as A Zen Mind, Ditch The Labcoat, Salad With A Side Of Fries, and Root To Resilience have all experienced growth.

“The thing about pseudo-science,” begins George Witt, “is that it transcends political identities. There are those on the left who focus exclusively on food ingredients and those on the right who question the legitimacy of herd immunity via vaccines.”

At the May 11th ceremony, Special Achievement Winners will be recognized, including Shonda Rhimes (Streaming Person of the Year), Claude (Person of the Year), Taraji P. Henson (Advocate of the Year), Kylie Kelce (Podcast of the Year), plus Pete Davidson and Druski.