In December 2023, The Media magazine ran an interview with Paulo Dias, one of the founders of the newly created South African Podcasters Guild, or SAPG. Fast forward to July 2024, and the Guild is calling for entries into its inaugural South African Podcast Awards.
Jonathan Warnke, managing director of the SAPG and Paulo Dias, head of industry relations, say the organisation has “reached a certain scale” and the industry itself is ready to be benchmarked.
“Thousands, for sure. We’ve had over 230 podcasters join us since November 2023, and we’re getting new members faster than ever. Secondly, awards serve to uplift the growing industry.
“They’re a signifier to businesses and media that we’re a rapidly-professionalising industry, and they help South African podcasters and audiences collectively say ‘This is what a good quality podcast is’.”
And they want to claim a stake in the ground too. “Lastly as the somewhat self-appointed professional organisation for podcasters, the South African Podcasters Guild wants to own podcast awards in South Africa, because we can do it right. We are podcasters, and we’re here to take care of podcasters,” said Warnke and Dias.
READ MORE: Podcasting in SA: Ready to grow up
They’re certainly not short of ambition or intent. The aim is to develop a “well-produced, professional show that will be considered charmingly small scale in five years”. Budgets are tight and the SAPG is relying on members to contribute their professional time to make it happen.
Entry is free
“We want to attract as many entries and shows as we can by making entry into the awards as quick and simple as possible, as well as for free,” they says. “We would also like to convert many of the entrants into SAPG members, so that we can keep growing the awards. By next year all our favours will have run out and it needs to be self-sustaining.”
The organisers made the decision to not make audience numbers or downloads part of the criteria in the first South African Podcast Awards, firstly because they would need auditors to make sure everything is above board.
“Once you start measuring performance and analytics, things get complicated. This year’s show is a bit like an old-school Loerie Awards, where entries are judged for their creativity, content, talkability and even level of artistic execution,” Dias and Warnke say.
“Secondly, because we’re an indie podcaster organisation at heart, and most of our members don’t yet have a budget to buy advertising, and don’t have a network that can help them spread the word. I’m sure we’ll start including some performance measurements next year, but for now we’re keeping it simple.”
Growing WhatsApp community
The SAPG launched less than eight months ago and has attracted 233 podcasters to date. “Right now we’re accepting between three and five new members every weekday. The Podlist and therefore the awards has 170 shows on it, and we’re hoping to break 200 by the end of July.”
They’re particularly impressed with uptake of their WhatsApp community. “It’s active, it’s supportive, people are creating crossover episodes, flighting promos for each other, offering technical advice, and just generally being supportive. In a vast landscape of digital emptiness, it’s a village.”
The awards will be broadcast via live stream with watch parties hosted across the country, allowing podcasters to come together and celebrate.
- Entries close: 31 July
- Entry dee: Free for all podcasters, whether SAPG members or not
- How to enter: Register your show on the SA Podlist.
