Al Jazeera’s Malika Bilal wins Gracie Award for best podcast host
Multi-award-winning journalist earns second win in three years for excellence in work produced by, for and about women.
Al Jazeera Digital won a Gracie Award (pdf) for outstanding work produced by, for and about women.
The award went to Malika Bilal, the host of The TakeAl Jazeera Digital’s premier news and current affairs podcast.
In three weekly installments, The Take builds on the global coverage of Al Jazeera English journalists, local experts and people at the center of some of the world’s biggest news stories.
The Take has launched investigations into US government action and has reported extensively on US politics, racial inequality, the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, and the war in Ukraine.
In addition to past Gracie wins, the March 30 announcement marked the fourth time Al Jazeera Digital had been honored with top prizes in the competition. Presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF), it was also Bilal’s second time taking the top prize in the Podcast Host – News category.
“We are very proud of Malika and The Take podcast team,” said Carlos van Meek, director of digital innovation and programming at Al Jazeera.
“Week in and week out, the team addresses the most pressing news and current affairs stories of our time in a thoughtful and understanding manner. Having Malika as our host is the secret sauce that gives the show character and grace.
“It’s a real treat to be recognized in such excellent company,” said Bilal van The Take‘s office in Washington, DC.
“And being honored twice is a testament to the hard work of the team of talented journalists making it The Take the intimate, informative audio journey it is – one that makes it a point to put the voices of women and their experiences around the world at the center of so many of our stories.
Held in dozens of categories, the contest drew entries and winners from several news and entertainment channels, including National Public Radio, Washington Post, CBS News, 60 Minutes, 48 Hours, Vice, Wondery and Spotify.
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, won in a sister category – Podcast Host – Entertainment – for her Spotify series, Archetypesin which she interviews talented women about the ways they have overcome stereotypes and tropes that held women back.
News and entertainment celebrities who won in other categories included journalist Katie Couric, actress Christina Applegate, singer Faith Hill and podcaster Alex Cooper.
Al Jazeera Digital’s female-led news and current affairs video explainer team, Start herealso emerged with a second place honorable mention for on-location coverage of Afghan women.
In his on-the-road explanation, What women in Afghanistan want you to knowthe host of Start hereSandra Gathmann and executive producer Julia Mills reported what life is like for women after Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021. Gathmann was also named honorable in the 2022 Gracie contest.
The Gracie Awards Gala will take place May 23 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles, where the AWMF will honor the outstanding work of women in TV, radio and digital media.