The Critics Choice Association (CCA) is expanding its awards footprint into the digital creator space with the announcement of the inaugural Critics Choice Creator Awards, recognizing excellence across podcasts, scripted and unscripted series, documentaries, informational programming, lifestyle content, gaming, sports, and other digital formats.
The CCA, one of the largest critics organizations in the world representing more than 500 critics and entertainment journalists, announced that the new awards program will celebrate creators who are shaping the future of entertainment as audiences continue to consume more content through digital platforms.
“As the world of entertainment evolves and migrates onto social media and streaming platforms, it is the job of entertainment critics to move with them,” said CCA CEO Joey Berlin. “We are dedicated to helping entertainment consumers ‘find the good stuff’ as well as helping the best creators get found – and appreciated.”
The Critics Choice Creator Awards will include several categories dedicated specifically to podcast creators, including:
- Best Audio Podcast
- Best Video Podcast
- Best Podcast Host
The inclusion of podcast categories creates another opportunity for creators working in the rapidly growing podcast space to receive recognition from an established entertainment organization.
While there are still details that have yet to be revealed, a spokesperson for the awards confirmed that independent podcasters are eligible to submit to the awards. This opens up more opportunities for podcast creators than what was experienced at the Golden Globes ceremony, which previously explored podcast recognition but focused on a more limited selection of nominees.
The confirmation is welcome news for independent creators who have built audiences, produced original programming, and contributed to the growth of podcasting without the backing of major networks or studios.
Eligibility and Submission Timeline
Submitted work must have been publicly available online to its intended audience between:
January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
Submissions will open on:
Monday, October 19, 2026
The complete timeline includes:
- October 19, 2026 – Early Submissions Open
- November 16, 2026 – Early Submissions Close; Regular Submissions Open
- February 1, 2027 – Regular Submissions Close
- February 2 – March 12, 2027 – NomCom Deliberations
- March 18, 2027 – Nominees Announced
- April 15, 2027 – Critics Choice Creator Awards Winners Announced
Submission fees and additional eligibility requirements have not yet been announced.
Full List of Critics Choice Creator Awards Categories
General Awards
- Best Creator of the Year
- Best Live Streaming Creator
- Best Video Edit
- Best Viral Video
- Best Special Effects
Podcast Awards
- Best Audio Podcast
- Best Video Podcast
- Best Podcast Host
Genre Awards
- Best Comedy Creator
- Best Drama Creator
- Best Storyteller
- Best News Reporter
Scripted Series
- Best Comedy Series: Short Form (Under 3 Minutes)
- Best Comedy Series: Long Form (3+ Minutes)
- Best Micro-Drama Series: Short Form (Under 3 Minutes)
- Best Micro-Drama Series: Long Form (3+ Minutes)
- Best Actor in a Comedy Series
- Best Actress in a Comedy Series
- Best Actor in a Micro-Drama Series
- Best Actress in a Micro-Drama Series
Unscripted & Reality
- Best Competition Series
- Best Competition Series: Talent/Variety
- Best Structured Series
- Best Series Host
Documentary & Informational
- Best Documentary Series
- Best Documentary Creator
- Best Educational Series
- Best Educational Creator
- Best Business Series
- Best Business Creator
- Best Crime/Justice Series
- Best Crime/Justice Creator
- Best Animal/Nature Series
- Best Animal/Nature Creator
- Best Health/Wellness Series
- Best Health/Wellness Creator
Lifestyle & Interest
- Best Food & Drink Series
- Best Food & Drink Creator
- Best Travel/Adventure Series
- Best Travel/Adventure Creator
- Best Relationship Series
- Best Relationship Series Creator
- Best Lifestyle Series: Home/Garden
- Best Lifestyle Creator: Home/Garden
- Best Lifestyle Series: Fashion/Beauty
- Best Lifestyle Creator: Fashion/Beauty
- Best Pop Culture Series
- Best Pop Culture Creator
Games
- Best Game Show
- Best Game Show Creator
Sports
- Best Sports Series
- Best Sports Show: Talk/Analysis
A New Chapter for Digital Creators
The Critics Choice Creator Awards joins the organization’s existing slate of events, including the Critics Choice Awards, Critics Choice Documentary Awards, Critics Choice Real TV Awards, and Critics Choice Super Awards.
As digital media continues to evolve, creator-led entertainment has become a major part of the industry landscape. The launch of these awards represents another step toward recognizing the work being produced by independent creators, podcast hosts, video producers, and digital storytellers.
For podcasters especially, the introduction of dedicated categories for audio, video, and hosting could provide a new avenue for recognition within an awards ecosystem traditionally dominated by film and television.
The Critics Choice Creator Awards will take place in 2027, with winners announced on April 15.
For additional information and future updates, visit the Critics Choice Creator Awards website.
