It's awards season again, so don't miss these deadlines. 🏆
Eurowaves #37
Hi podcasters,
Eurowaves is hitting your inbox one day earlier than usual because fun fact: May 1st is Labor Day in Romania. This issue includes a behind-the-scenes look at The Podcast Show and, among other things, how it can support independent podcasters, podcast recommendations from Germany to The Netherlands and plenty of awards updates.
Before we get into it…
It’s the last day to fill out Podnews’ annual report card.
This data allows them to compare different podcast platforms, and give each of them concrete, constructive data to help them improve. These answers help the teams prioritise internal resources (or argue for more). The results from 2025 were shared with Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, YouTube and Spotify. The results will be shared on-stage at The Podcast Show in London in May, as well as publish it in the Podnews newsletter.
🇪🇺 Podcasting & Community News 🇪🇺
🏆🌎The Quill Podcast Award nominees will be announced this week. Finalist voting opens today, April 30.
🏆🇬🇧Reminder: The first round of entries for the British Podcast Awards closes today.
🏆🌎The Webby Award winners have been announced. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners!
🇮🇪🇺🇸RTÉ has secured its first North American podcast distribution deal, expanding Stolen Sister to new audiences. (Source: Podcasting Today)
🇪🇸Spanish-language podcast app iVoox has unveiled its first ever TV ad, which will run on Mediaset TV channels across Spain. (Source: Podnews)
🇪🇺A major new European study into advertising trends, conducted by Bauer Media Audio in partnership with Elevate Consultancy, signals a clear turning point for audio, with 96% of advertisers planning to maintain or increase spend. (Source: Podnews)
Eurowaves Update ☘️
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The biggest international podcasting event, with TPS’ Ferga O’Neill 🇬🇧
You can connect with Ferga on LinkedIn here.
What’s your personal podcasting origin story?
I began working in broadcast events for the BBC for national networks like BBC Radio 1 & 2 in 2012. It so happened that Jason Carter (The Podcast Show’s Festival Director) ran the team there. 10 years (and a few different live events jobs) later, Jason called me up and asked me to come and work on the very first Podcast Show and so it began! I started out as a Content Coordinator managing the influx of podcasting speakers and sessions on that very first show and was hooked by the brilliant community and incredible people that form the industry. Five shows on and it is remarkable to see how swiftly things move.
What gaps did The Podcast Show set out to fill in its first year and how has that evolved over the years, especially given the industry’s developments?
The Podcast Show set out to create a vibrant and inclusive space for the world of podcasting to meet in person and hear first hand what the industry was doing and saying and to deliver some real value from attending. We were very conscious that most of the existing podcasting events didn’t have that festival feel or truly reflect the creative energy of our industry. Our ambition was to deliver more than just a conference and as diverse and open to all as possible.
The show has very much evolved in line with industry developments and we are constantly talking to the wider industry and the podcast community to ask what they would like to see at the event. Hopefully visitors can see this reflected over the years in the programme and on the show floor. The conversations around video and AI, for example, have moved on significantly from a few years ago. Then, sessions focused on what video and AI would mean for the industry. In 2026, we are programming sessions around best use and what the future looks like. We are also seeing more tech companies coming in and exhibiting at the show demonstrating video and AI products.
Over the years we have developed new features at the show to support the ecosystem. Our creator focused spaces (Creator Village as you enter the show) host masterclasses, 121 expert advice and a podcast studio – and this year our brand new Creator First stage, in association with Arcade (who manage The Sidemen), which will focus on cross-platform content and creator led media businesses.
We now also have our Indie Business Zone for the second year, supporting the growth of independent podcast businesses. For the first time this year we will have sessions on M&A, walking delegates through the process of how to make their company sellable and what actually happens in the acquisition process as we are hearing a lot of noise about this particular topic.
One of the biggest evolutions we have seen at the show itself is the year on year increase in international delegates coming to the show. Last year visitors came from over 53 countries and we are expecting even more this year. We have introduced a brand new International Stage, in association with Podimo, which will bring together leading international voices to discuss topics that span the global industry.
How do you balance the event’s podcasting business focus with the creation focus?
We have 10 stages at the show delivering over 200 sessions that cover every angle of the industry. Our business-focused talks include advertising, IP development, platform strategy, research and distribution as well as keynotes from senior leaders. Creators are supported from grassroots up, with workshops, advice and practical sessions along with marketing and monetisation strategy talks.
Some of the topics sit right between business and creator, especially in the current creator economy, such as building a brand as a creator and how to grow a podcast and leverage existing communities. We don’t programme the show giving equal time to either business or creation, we integrate them, as creative decisions and business outcomes are increasingly moving together in podcasting.
We also host a number of focused networking events at the show, from leadership breakfasts to creator meet ups.
How can independent podcasters make the most of TPS?
The first thing independent podcasters can do to make the most out of TPS is download the app, which will be available very soon. From here, they can navigate sessions and networking events and book 1 to 1 meetings with other delegates. It is a good idea to check out the programme and bookmark favourite sessions ahead of the event, as with 200+ it’s a lot of information to digest and decide on whilst at a very busy show. We have plenty of talks aimed directly at this sector peppered throughout the programme.
Independent podcasters should attend networking events, for which the schedule will be published soon. These are a great way to connect with peers informally over a drink. A huge amount of partnerships are formed and deals done at TPS, especially at the networking events and 1 to 1 meeting set up via the app.
What are some of the international conversations attendees can expect to hear this year?
Attendees can expect to hear about The Ad Market, Monetisation, Distribution, IP, Research, Commissioning, True Crime, Growth and long form storytelling – all from an international perspective, giving a birds eye view of the whole industry, across the globe. There will also be an opportunity to pitch your podcast to an International line up of commissioners, including Podimo, ABC Australia, CBC and ESPN.
What’s one main advice you’d share with attendees?
Again, I would have to say download the app as soon as it’s available and start connecting with fellow delegates! It can also be daunting attending an event of this scale solo, so it’s best to take time to get orientated with the show floor and the many different spaces when first arriving. Take a walk around the upper gallery level and drop in on some of our partners, whose suites are very much open for business. You can also see the full show floor from this level.
What’s one fun fact from behind the scenes?
With the enormous number of sessions (numbering 200+) and over 450 speakers and 10 stages, we have the entire 4 walls of our main office covered in huge whiteboards (quite literally floor to ceiling!) showing every single session in grids. It has been likened to NASA’s mission control at Cape Canaveral and we’re gearing towards blast off in just 3 weeks!
Thank you, Ferga!
🎙️🌍 Podcast Recommendations 🌍🎙️
John was one of the founding members of BBC Newsnight, he went on to run the BBC World Service. Speaking to other people in their 90s who have lived equally impressive lives, he shows that although nonagenarians can share stories that traverse generations, they have rich insights for the modern day that we need to listen to.
Your podcast for real insights into the world of podcasting. Every week, Giovanni invites inspiring guests from successful podcasters and creative entrepreneurs to innovators who are helping shape the podcasting landscape. His goal is to provide you with valuable tips and insider knowledge so you can successfully start, develop, and optimize your own podcast.
Euro Matters – the European Central Bank Podcast
The podcast that unpacks the stories, ideas and decisions shaping Europe’s economy. Fresh perspectives from the people at the heart of it all from economists and policymakers to researchers and innovators answering the questions that truly matter to you. Hosts Paul Gordon, Stefania Secola and Catherine Steer dive into the latest developments across the euro area, breaking down complex topics in a clear and accessible way.
Want to see your podcast recommended?
🇳🇱 Podcasts from The Netherlands 🇳🇱
Kristen Hayford is an American based in The Hague, Netherlands. She has a background in podcast marketing and has helped launch 20+ podcasts. She currently runs a boutique digital media studio, The Other Westcoast Productions, that pays homage to her roots while creating custom scopes for audio and media projects to the effect of audience building, marketing, production, and monetization.
Her studio recently created, Beb & Bob | Collateral Damage, which was made in collaboration with Verhalen Podium, where the story investigates the hosts’ personal history and connection to WWII. For that reason, many of her recommendations bleed into the topics of WWII history, identity, immigration, and language learning!
Wat moeten we met onze Kees?: In the three-part series What Should We Do with Our Kees?, Karin Ramaker investigates the complete wartime story of her distant cousin, Kees Jacobs, to determine whether the Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies (NIOD) should grant him the title of “resistance fighter.” Karin sifts through witness reports for evidence of Kees’s actions and speaks with historians, war specialists, and family members. The podcast is both a personal quest for the truth about Kees and a broader investigation into the very concept of resistance: Does Kees deserve this title, or is he a flaw in the system
Asymmetrical Haircuts: Don’t let the name fool you: this is a podcast about international justice, produced by two journalists who happen to wear their hair asymmetrically. Recent episodes have covered universal jurisdiction in Argentina, the ethics of prosecuting the elderly, justice updates from Gambia and Myanmar, and the implications for accountability regarding human rights violations in Venezuela.
Rosie the Reviewer: A WWII media review podcast. While this genre is predominantly male-led, this show stands out as fully women-created and hosted. Based in Canada and the Netherlands, hosts Sam and Maartje bridge historical cultures and perspectives in their reviews of films such as So Proudly We Hail! (about American Army nurses during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines), Number 24 (following Gunnar Sønsteby, Norway’s most decorated citizen and one of the most effective resistance operatives in occupied Europe), and The Sound of Music. Through a WWII lens, they reveal how even a seemingly heartwarming musical like the latter can offer surprisingly sharp historical commentary.
Thank you, Kristen!
You can connect with her on LinkedIn here.
🚀Events and Opportunities🚀
Deutscher Podcast Awards (Berlin, Germany)
The German Podcast Award is the leading award for outstanding German-language podcasts. It recognizes the creative, journalistic, and technical diversity of the podcast market in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland – and highlights the people who shape the medium. The 2026 entries are closed. The awards ceremony will take place in May.
When? May 13.
Podcast Days Premios (Madrid, Spain)
Since 2018, the first event for podcasting professionals in the Spanish-speaking world. A unique space, independent by conviction, with no backing from any major media outlet or platform. Two ways to participate in the awards: compete in the official categories before a professional jury, or vote for your favorite in the Audience Award.
When? May 15.
Leipzig Lauscht Podcast Festival 2026 (Leipzig, Germany)
Central Germany’s largest podcast festival. At a new location this year, you can once again exect two days packed with exciting podcasts, expertise, and networking. With the industry – for the industry. Perfect for learning everything about audio editing in a workshop, or for debating topic selection together in a panel discussion.
When? May 30-31.
That’s it for now!
Andreea
As one half of the Rosie the Reviewer podcast, the Dutch half, a big thank you to Kristen for the shout out. ❤️