When South by Southwest says it covers all media, it’s not kidding, as reconfirmed by this morning’s announcement that podcast publisher iHeartMedia will be bringing the iHeartPodcast Awards to the festival in 2024 for its first live event in three years.

Founded in 2019 as the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards, the show was held for its first two years at the iHeartRadio Theater in Burbank, Calif. before going virtual due to the pandemic. However, now it will return as a live event awards at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin, Mon. March 11, 2024 at 8pm. If you can’t make it in person, it’ll be streamed live on select iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide, the iHeartRadio app and iHeartRadio’s YouTube channel before being available on demand.

There will be 29 categories in total, including awards for comedy, crime, news, pop culture, sports, food, and business, plus the Icon Awards for groundbreaking contributions to the medium. Winners are selected by a panel of jurors (names TBA), except for the Podcast of the Year which will include a fan vote element in the final decision.

“Each year we look forward to celebrating the podcast industry’s most groundbreaking and innovative voices as the medium continues to evolve and explode,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia’s Digital Audio Group, adding that SXSW “has become a dynamic and effective setting for us to host many of our interactive podcast panels, discussions and experiences. There’s no better location to bring this celebratory industry event back, live and in person.”

“This partnership showcases our commitment to celebrating creative people across the diverse world of podcasting and beyond,” said Jann Baskett, SXSW co-president and chief brand officer. “We’re thrilled to join forces with iHeartMedia to bring the iHeartPodcast Awards to Austin and amplify the incredible talent shaping the future of this dynamic medium.”

Expect the full list of nominees, as well as the usual star-studded roster of presenters and guests, in the leadup to the event, as well as details on how to vote for Podcast of the Year.

The 38th annual SXSW runs March 8-16, 2024. More details and info at sxsw.com. And don’t forget to follow all our coverage, and dig into the archives, at austinchronicle.com/sxsw.

This article appears in January 5 • 2024.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.