People's Choice Awards
One of the longest-running fan-voted entertainment awards in the US, honoring achievements in film, television, and music as determined entirely by public vote.
Overview
The People's Choice Awards are one of the longest-running fan-voted awards shows in the United States, honoring achievements in film, television, music, and pop culture. Winners are determined entirely by public vote, making the awards a direct reflection of audience popularity rather than industry or critical assessment. The ceremony takes place annually in Los Angeles.
The awards transitioned from CBS to E! (NBCUniversal) in 2018, adopting a more pop-culture-focused format. Film categories recognize popular releases across multiple genres, and the public voting model ensures the results capture mainstream audience enthusiasm.
Key Film Categories
- The Movie of the Year
- The Male Movie Star
- The Female Movie Star
- The Comedy Movie
- The Action Movie
- The Drama Movie
- The Family Movie
History
The People's Choice Awards were created in 1975 by producer Bob Stivers. The original format used Gallup polls to determine winners, later transitioning to online public voting. The awards have tracked shifting audience preferences across five decades of American entertainment.
The 2018 move to E! and the rebranding brought a more social media-driven format, with nominations and voting reflecting the digital engagement patterns of contemporary audiences.
Significance for Filmmakers
For studios and distributors, People's Choice results provide a quantifiable measure of audience engagement that directly correlates with box office performance and home entertainment sales. The awards capture mainstream popularity in a way that no critics group or industry body can replicate.
See Also
For understanding how audience engagement affects distribution strategy, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model revenue, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator.
