Apple Podcasts Award winner is ‘Slow Burn’, for history of Roe v. Wade

The Apple Podcasts Award winner for 2022 has been announced. Apple named Slow Burn as its show of the year, for its coverage of the history of the landmark abortion rights case, Roe v. Wade.

The Cupertino company has also announced the availability of six Slow Burn Extras, one of which is about the making of the Roe v. Wade episode …

Apple made the announcement today.

Apple today announced the Apple Podcasts Award honoring a Show of the Year and its team for outstanding quality, innovation, and impact. Inspired by the signature app icon, the Apple Podcasts Award represents Apple’s decades-long commitment to supporting creators as they share their voices with the world and helping listeners to discover the best podcasts.

The recipient of the Apple Podcasts Award is Slate’s critically acclaimed narrative history series, Slow Burn, for its latest season, Roe v. Wade, hosted by Slate executive editor Susan Matthews. Published throughout June 2022, the four-episode season explores the events leading up to the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision, offering listeners an in-depth perspective on this universal and timely human rights issue.

Although an issue on which feelings run high, the podcast episode aimed to bring a broader perspective to those on both sides of the debate.

“I wanted to make this series because I was really discouraged by how polarized and stuck the conversation around abortion was, and it seemed incredibly timely and important,” said host Susan Matthews.

“We set out to tell this story in a way that helped expand and challenge what people understood about this subject. We decided the way to approach this season was to go back to the early ‘70s, when the abortion debate was still up in the air and your party affiliation didn’t correlate with your views on the issue.”

She continued: “I am so honored that Apple Podcasts saw something special in this season. I hope people come to it with an open and curious mind, and appreciate listening to it as much as I did making it.”

Apple said the show is one of the most popular podcasts.

Slow Burn is one of the all-time most popular shows on Apple Podcasts. The show’s first two seasons are hosted by Leon Neyfakh and cover the Watergate and Clinton-Lewinsky scandals, respectively.

Additional seasons cover the creative lives and tragic deaths of two of the world’s most famous rappers, the Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, as well as the LA riots (both hosted by Joel Anderson); David Duke’s rise to power and prominence (hosted by Josh Levin); and the road to the Iraq War (hosted by Noreen Malone). All seven seasons are available for free on Apple Podcasts.

The Extras series are available from today.

Beginning today, users can also explore six Slow Burn Extras — brand-new episodes available for free exclusively on Apple Podcasts that provide new perspectives and deeper insights. Listeners can hear about the making of Slow Burn: Roe v. Wade, never-before-heard personal stories, extended follow-up interviews with characters from the series, and a roundtable conversation about the evolution of the Supreme Court featuring Slate’s legal experts.

Last year’s Apple Podcasts Award winner was A Slight Change of Plans.