NYC Podcast Award Winners Announced

 Kudos to multi-hyphenate Cory Choy. He pulled off the perfect NYC Podcast Awards ceremony on Friday night. The NYC Podcast Awards announced its winners, culminating a highly successful awards process.

 Here is a link to all the winners. In this article, we will highlight a few.  

First, just a little background. The NYC Podcast Awards proudly display its independent streak, with its Director, Cory Choy, noting, "The NYC Podcast Awards recognize excellence in audio storytelling while championing voices that have been historically underrepresented. We believe exceptional podcasting knows no boundaries—whether geographic, cultural, or economic—and our awards reflect that commitment to accessibility and inclusivity."

 Here is an entry from Podnews on December 10, 2025: "Just days after the announcement of the Golden Globes podcast nominees, the NYC Podcast Awards have been announced. The organizers say they are launching, in direct opposition to the download-first culture dominating podcasting, The Libby Awards to recognize craft: sound design, writing, acting, engineering -- and the creators themselves -- as highly as audience size. 

Corey Choy expands: "The NYC Podcast Awards were born from a simple observation: while podcasting has exploded globally, many exceptional creators—particularly from underrepresented communities—remain overlooked by traditional industry recognition. We created these awards to bridge that gap. We believe New York City, as a global crossroads of culture and media, is uniquely positioned to celebrate the full spectrum of audio storytelling talent."

Cory Choy is the owner of Silver Sound, an Emmy Award-winning NYC-based boutique studio in the FlatIron District of Manhattan. Cory also wrote, produced, and directed Esme, My Love, a 2022 American psychological horror film, which won best thriller/suspense film, best director for Choy, and best cinematographer for Fletcher Wolfe at the Cannes World Film Festival.  

Winners (Complete list here) There were over 100 nominees with 38 award categories, 11 Creative Excellence Awards, Libby Awards Winners, and even Audience Choice Winners!

Best Sound Design -- Adrift
 Best Host or Hosting Team Tending: Black Farmers Fight Against The USDA
Best Indie Podcast -- Far From Home
Best Student Podcast -- Odd One In
Best Acting -- Liminal
Best Breaking Conventions — Most Innovative -- Abandoned: The All-American Ruins Podcast
Best Documentary Podcast -- Dancing With Shadows

Check out The Creative Excellence Awards.

Congratulations to the nominees and winners. Much love to Cory Choy for his leadership in honoring these independent podcasts. He deserves an award for his amazing contributions to indie podcasting. 

The nomination and award process was emblematic of how integral independent podcasting is to the podcasting industry.