The Golden Globes have followed through on their promise to introduce a category for Best Podcast of the Year. Penske Media Corporation-owned data firm Luminate (which also owns the Golden Globes, Deadline, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and other media trades) determined the top 25 podcasts eligible for the new category.
The Golden Globes are expanding into the audio world with a new category for best podcast.
The category will debut at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, scheduled for Jan. 11, 2026.https://t.co/r2DCue7nEg
— Variety (@Variety) May 7, 2025
From Deadline: “Per the Globes, Luminate determines the Top 25 qualifying podcasts among all eligible ones based on a list of criteria, including audience reach and engagement, revenue and chart rankings, using direct data from platforms.”
Golden Globes Eligible Podcasts
A complete list of eligible nominees for Best Podcast is available on the Golden Globes website.
“This year’s inaugural list of eligible programs for the new Best Podcast eligibility list reflects the incredible depth, diversity and creativity thriving in the podcasting world today,” said Helen Hoehne, president of the Golden Globes. “The Golden Globes is proud to be the first major entertainment award to recognize this medium.”
Golden Globes: Podcasts Eligible for New Best Podcast Award Revealed https://t.co/Sv0c07c5l9
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) October 3, 2025
The list is undeniably diverse, and reflects the wide audience of podcast listeners. Legacy media is represented with podcasts like 20/20 from ABC News and 48 Hours from CBS News, while new media is represented by The Joe Rogan Experience, The Megyn Kelly Show, and The Tucker Carlson Show.
But not all of the eligible podcasts are current events–focused. Because the criteria for the list also includes reach and engagement, podcasts like Call Her Daddy, Good Hang with Amy Poehler, and the MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories made the cut.
Ricky Gervais as host of the Golden Globes – YouTube, caruthersm
Without subcategories, comedy and true crime podcasts will vie with conspiracy and hard news shows for the 2026 Golden Globe for Best Podcast.
Eligible podcasts have until October 31, 2025, to submit their entries. Once submissions have closed, Golden Globes voters will determine six nominees. As of this writing, a search on X shows no indication that any of the eligible podcasts are actively pursuing a nomination.
Why the Golden Globes Need a Podcast Category
As Elon Musk has often noted, media is no longer controlled by a few conglomerates. “You are the media now” has become his mantra.
You are the media now
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 6, 2024
At President Trump’s victory rally, Dana White credited the “mighty and powerful Joe Rogan” with helping Trump win the 2024 election. Trump’s three-hour, long-form podcast interview with Rogan may have been as influential as Nixon’s “Checkers” speech or Bill Clinton’s saxophone performance on The Arsenio Hall Show. But those prior moments happened on network TV — and the media landscape has drastically changed since then.
Dana White, CEO of the UFC, publicly thanked Joe Rogan for endorsing Donald Trump and contributing to his election victory.
During Trump’s victory speech in Florida, White acknowledged Rogan’s support, referring to him as “the mighty and powerful Joe Rogan,” and credited him,… pic.twitter.com/E1OYAR04Kq
— Oh So Super (@OhSoSuper) November 6, 2024
In the entertainment space, Good Hang with Amy Poehler currently ranks as the number two podcast on Spotify, just below The Joe Rogan Experience. Given that Rogan’s audience in 2024 was 14.5 million on Spotify alone, Poehler’s can’t be far off. Compare that with Jimmy Kimmel’s fewer than two million viewers since his return to late night. Or consider a scripted television show like Hacks, which won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy despite a declining audience score.
Ricky Gervais hosting the Golden Globes – YouTube, caruthersm
If the Golden Globes and other award shows hope to remain relevant and attract advertisers, they need to recognize what people actually enjoy. And right now, people like podcasts.
Conclusion
This year’s Golden Globes ceremony only had 9.3 million same day viewers, which was down 2% from the year before. Paramount is undoubtedly hoping that adding a Best Podcast category will attract a larger audience.
Joe Rogan on The Joe Rogan Experience – YouTube, PowerfulJRE
We’ll find out if podcasts can save the Golden Globes after its broadcast on CBS and Paramount+ January 11, 2026.
Will you be cheering for your favorite podcast at the Golden Globes next January — or are you over awards shows altogether? Sound off in the comments!
They will abuse the “awards” to promote left-wing blogs. Blogs controlled by the Legacy Media. It’s bad news for podcasting, except for wokists.
On the bright side, no one watches the woke awards.