A new podcasting supergroup is launched: Platform Media, Listen and Goldhawk merge

Platform Media has created the UK’s leading content supergroup through a merger with Listen Entertainment and Goldhawk Productions. With combined revenues deep into eight figures and over 70% growth in the past year, Platform Media brings together market leaders in video podcasting, immersive audio storytelling, branded entertainment and social amplification to offer a one-stop shop of best-in-class production, media, marketing and monetisation, all under one roof.

Having worked together under parent company PodX for nine months, Josh Adley, Managing Director of Listen, and Matthew Sherry, CEO of Platform Media, will step in as co-CEOs, driving the company’s next phase of expansion.

At the heart of Platform Media’s success is a 360° approach that has transformed the commercial ceiling of podcasts. The company’s collection of services has turned hit shows into digital brands that generate seven figures each year, with one alone hitting £3 million.

Platform Media is kicking off this new era with a blockbuster lineup of originals in sport and entertainment this autumn. Recent hit launches from the supergroup include Olivia Attwood’s So Wrong It’s Right, BBC’s The Traitors: Uncloaked, The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby with Mike Tindall, James Haskell and Alex Payne, Central Intelligence with Kim Cattrall and Ed Harris, Child with India Rakusen, and Making A Scene with David Walliams and Matt Lucas.

“There are seismic shifts happening in the podcast industry right now,” said Matthew Sherry. “We’ve pioneered a unique monetisation model that is leading the industry forward. This merger is the natural next step, and we’re ready to make a lasting impact.”

Josh Adley added: “Matthew and I have been trying to find ways to work more closely for years, underpinned by independently having the same vision for the future of the podcast industry.”

While Platform Media will act as the central hub for branded entertainment, marketing, and monetisation, its three content labels will focus on original content creation. Listen will continue to lead in entertainment, pioneering visualised podcasts that bridge TV, SVOD, and audio, with major successes such as The Traitors: Uncloaked and Disney’s Rivals: The Official Podcast. Folding Pocket is setting the agenda in sports content, producing The Good, The Bad & The Rugby and the new football-meets-food series Scran Away in partnership with Only Scrans. Goldhawk, a multi-award-winning leader in fiction and factual audio storytelling, continues to work with major A-list talent and inspire TV adaptations.

Now an 80-strong team based in brand-new offices in Farringdon, London, Platform Media continues to push the boundaries of content creation.

About Platform Media:

Platform Media is a leading content powerhouse specialising in original podcasts, branded content, video-first storytelling, and 360° monetisation. With a portfolio spanning entertainment, sports, fiction, and factual storytelling, Platform Media creates unmissable podcasts and formats while launching award-winning campaigns for the world’s biggest brands, broadcasters, talent, and rights holders, delivering culturally impactful content that resonates with audiences worldwide.

About PodX:

Founded in 2021, Stockholm-based PodX Group invests in the world’s leading podcast studios, providing access to a global network, growth capital, and business development to support international expansion and commercialisation for emerging podcast producers and creators.

About Qarlbo AB:

PodX Group’s main shareholder Qarlbo is a Sweden-based global investment company shaped by entrepreneurship and committed to creating sustainable impact that lasts over generations. Qarlbo is owned by the Jonsson family and invests directly in companies or funds. The company is an active owner of future-oriented businesses and provides industry expertise, capital, and access to a global network to help companies grow. Qarlbo accelerates the green transition, redefines entertainment, develops iconic properties and venues, and actively engages with local communities. Beyond investing for returns, Qarlbo supports young entrepreneurs, humanitarian causes, the creative arts and culture. In 2023, Qarlbo’s revenue was approximately SEK 1 billion and its total assets amounted to SEK 11.5 billion.