Apple picks 'Slow Burn' as podcast Show of the Year

The Apple Podcasts Award winner for 2022 is "Slow Burn," a non-fiction show, which won for its coverage of Roe v. Wade.

Made by Slate, "Slow Burn" originally ran as a a four-episode season that explored the events up to the original 1973 Supreme Court decision. It was launched in June 2022 as background to what would become the decision to overturn the landmark ruling.

"Apple Podcasts is where users discover new shows, enjoy their favorites, unlock premium listening experiences, and support the creators who make them possible," Oliver Schusser, Apple's vice president of Apple Music and Beats, said in a statement.

"Podcasting plays an important role in our lives — helping us stay informed, keep entertained, and get inspired," he continued, "and we're pleased to honor the Slate team with this recognition."

"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," host and Slate executive editor Susan Matthews said. "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," said Matthews.

To coincide with the announcement, the makers of "Slow Burn" have now released six further editions called "Slow Burn Extras." These are exclusive to Apple Podcasts, and include extended interviews plus a roundtable discussion about Roe v. Wade.