Thank you for being part of The Signal Awards Judging Academy. Our award is mission-focused on uplifting the podcast medium by recognizing the most potent, meaningful and unprecedented audio projects being made today – and The Judging Academy is the engine and heart of this effort. As a member of The Academy, you’ll be eligible to cast your votes annually to select Winners each fall. Below are resources to announce your participation, downloadable graphics and answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.
We additionally encourage all members of The Academy to join our Judges LinkedIn Group. This is where we share out about upcoming get togethers and opportunities on our radar. It’s also a shared resource for Members to promote their projects, solicit feedback and connect with one another. See you there!
Announce Your Participation
Let your professional community know you are part of The Academy and helping to select the best podcasts of 2025. We’ve made two customizable templates: 4:5 for LinkedIn or Instagram Grid posts, and another sized for Instagram Stories.
Suggested copy to use or adapt
The 4th Annual @signalawards are open for entries with a new suite of categories recognizing the podcasts that define culture. Get your entries submitted by August 1st at signalaward.com so I can judge them.
I’m a Judge of this season of the @signalawards, which recognize the best podcasts being made today. Entries are now open, and I’d love to hear your work included. Enter now at signalaward.com by August 1st.
What are you working on?
We regularly feature our Judges and their latest projects on our social channels and in our Signal email newsletter. Please share your upcoming events, new show launches and updates with us. We’d love to spotlight your work and accomplishments! Contact our GM Jemma directly at jemma@signalward.com
What’s New This Year at Signal?
This year, we are excited to introduce new ways to honor the voices who have become synonymous with great podcasts. New category additions in 2025 include separate Best Host categories in News and Politics, Culture, and Documentary to reflect the skills required of hosts in these genres to capture and move audiences. We are additionally opening more avenues for fiction podcasts, such as Best Voice Acting. We are also expanding our categories for Video Podcasts to include Best Editing for a Video Podcast, Most Innovative Video Podcast, as well as new honors for Thought Leadership and Local News. Additionally this year we are opening up the door to student podcasters with a discounted category for currently enrolled graduate or undergraduate students making podcasts. Let the students in your life know! A full list of our categories can be found here.
The Signal Calendar
- The Early Entry Deadline for The Signal Awards is Friday, May 9th, 2025, offering entrants the opportunity to receive preferred pricing.
- The Final Entry Deadline is Friday, June 27th, 2025.
- The Extended Entry Deadline is Friday, August 1st, 2025.
- Judging begins in late June and extends through the middle of September.
- Finalists will be announced in late September.
- Public Voting will run through early October, with Winners announced in mid October.
- Our Signal Award Winners party will be held the first week of November, 2025.
Get in Touch
With any questions about submitting to or judging The Signal Awards, please reach out to Customer Service Manager Annalee Miller at annalee@signalaward.com. If you are interested in partnerships, sponsorships or have feedback about the program, contact Jemma directly at jemma@signalward.com.
Join Your Fellow Judges on LinkedIn
We created this private group so that Signal Judges can learn who else is on The Academy, ask questions about the judging process, learn about our networking events, and most importantly, connect with one another. We hope you’ll take full advantage of this space to share resources and promote your projects.
Downloadable Assets
Are linked below:
