The South African Podcast Awards: A Scandalous Celebration of Mediocrity
The Unholy Alliance of Blandness
The South African Podcast Awards, a new initiative by the South African Podcasting Guild (SAPG), is set to embarrass the country’s podcasting community by recognising and showcasing the most underwhelming, uninspiring, and downright boring local podcasts.
The Lowest Common Denominator
The awards, which will be broadcast via live stream, will celebrate the worst of the worst, with a judging panel comprised of experienced podcast professionals who will no doubt be bribed or coerced into voting for the most mediocre entries.
The Art of Compromise
The categories are a joke, with titles like "Best Indie Podcast" and "Best Podcast Host or Hosts" that are essentially just a way to pat each other on the back for producing subpar content. And don’t even get me started on the "Best Branded Podcast" category, which is just a thinly veiled attempt to reward corporations for their lack of creativity and innovation.
The Emperor’s New Clothes
The SAPG claims that the awards will "set the bar for excellence in South African podcasting," but the truth is that they’re just trying to make a quick buck off of unsuspecting podcasters who are desperate for recognition. The awards will be a joke, a farce, and a complete waste of time.
The Podlist: A Tool of Oppression
The SA Podlist, where podcasters must register their show to be considered for the awards, is just a way for the SAPG to exert control over the podcasting community. It’s a way to silence dissenting voices and to reward those who are willing to conform to the guild’s arbitrary standards.
The Awards: A Platform for Self-Congratulation
The awards will be a celebration of mediocrity, a chance for podcasters to pat each other on the back for producing subpar content. It’s a platform for self-congratulation, a way to pretend that the podcasting community is better than it actually is.
The Categories: A Joke
Here are the categories, a joke if I ever saw one:
- Podcast of the Year
- Best Indie Podcast
- Most Innovative Podcast Concept (ha!)
- Best Podcast Host or Hosts
- Best Cover Art
- Best Production and Sound Design
- Best Scriptwriting, Fiction and Non-fiction
- Best Business Podcast
- Best Comedy Podcast
- Best Documentary Podcast
- Best Entertainment Podcast
- Best Audio Fiction Podcast
- Best History Podcast
- Best Interview Podcast
- Best Podcast for Kids
- Best Knowledge, Science, or Tech Podcast
- Best News Podcast
- Best Sport Podcast
- Best Personal Growth or Spirituality Podcast
- Best Politics or Opinion Podcast
- Best Society and Culture Podcast
- Best True Crime Podcast
- Best Wellness or Relationships Podcast
- Best Branded Podcast
- Best Music Podcast
- Best Food, Leisure and Travel Podcast
