Hear the difference: introducing the NOVA Entertainment Podcast Network

NOVA Entertainment has today announced the launch of the NOVA Entertainment Podcast Network, the latest evolution in the digital audio offering of Australia’s leading audio entertainment business.

The NOVA Entertainment Podcast Network (NEPN) brings together the largest stable of accessible talent in the country, including much-loved identities, influencers and experts, to create a suite of quality podcast content that connects audiences and brands.

Key titles, and the voices behind them, include ‘It’s a Lot’ with Abbie Chatfield, ‘Brenda, Call Me!’ with drag superstars Courtney Act and Vanity, the Daily Telegraph’s ‘The Matty Johns Show’, Stellar Magazine’s ’Something to Talk About’ with Samantha Armytage, ‘Fear and Greed’ with respected business journalist Sean Aylmer and Australia’s #1 news podcast, ‘The Update’.

The launch of NEPN follows the appointment of Rachel Corbett in September to the role of NOVA’s Head of Podcasts and Digital Content. One of podcasting’s most well-respected and credentialed talents, Corbett joined NOVA from Mamamia, where she oversaw the businesses’ most significant period of digital audio growth.

She is now responsible for the curation of NEPN, including original content production under the banner of NOVA Podcasts. She leads the market’s largest and most experienced podcast team, with a proven track record of creating award-winning, commercially impactful content.

In addition to its growing slate of original content, NEPN also brings together quality audio content from premium publisher partners including The Australian, Sky News, The Daily Telegraph, Fox Sports Australia, News.com.au and CBC.

Collectively, NEPN is now home to over 350 podcasts, created by the country’s pre-eminent storytellers – voices of authority, influence and expertise across all key content verticals.

The driving force behind the design of NEPN, however, has been a deliberate focus on quality over quantity, according to NOVA Entertainment CEO, Peter Charlton.

“The definition of a quality podcast, in our assessment, is one that delivers an audience, yes, but more importantly, is also accessible and impactful for brands.

“We had a brilliant partnership with Acast, but we walked away knowing we wanted to bring greater precision to our content offering. Namely, to focus exclusively on the content that could support the depth of creativity and integration the market has come to expect from us.

“We have always put the customer at the heart of everything we do, and this is no different. NEPN is, by design, a network built for brands."

Charlton also pointed to NOVA’s broader audio experience, from both a commercial and content perspective, as a critical point of difference for NEPN.

“Experience matters. We have poured our learnings from recent years, as a market leader in digital audio, into building a network profile that delivers exactly the right scale, relevance and results for our customers. Even better, it’s now accessible via the same seamless customer experience that’s always been a hallmark of the NOVA business. It’s only through our independence that we’ve been able to achieve that.

“NEPN is still just one part of the audio story though.

“We know a siloed approach to audio is not what our customers want or need. Now that we have the right complement to Australia’s leading broadcast network, we’re excited to help them realise the total audio opportunity.”

Corbett said of the network:

“Podcasts are such a commercially powerful environment because of the intimate connection between a host and their audience. But that connection – which translates to trust, loyalty and engagement – can only be built if the listeners’ needs are your top priority. And that’s at the heart of every piece of audio content we create.”

“Amassing a bunch of shows for the sake of it isn’t the smartest strategy in the long term. To be successful, you need to be purposeful and think long and hard about the shows in your network, why they’re there, and who they’re for.

"With NEPN, I think we’ve got the balance right. A diverse line-up of listener-first content, hosted by authentic talent who have a genuine passion for their audience and an appetite to work with brands, as well as the right expertise behind the scenes to make that happen.”