Award-winning producer and journalist Sarah McVeigh joins Schwartz Media as Head of Audio

Respected journalist Sarah McVeigh is joining Schwartz Media as head of its audio division. Following a period of significant growth for the publisher, McVeigh is well-positioned to build on the strong foundations Schwartz Media has established in longform journalism and audio daily news. Schwartz Media’s current audio programming includes 7am, Australia’s No. 1 news podcast, and the The Culture podcast, soon to be relaunched in partnership with LiSTNR.

“We are thrilled that a person of Sarah’s calibre and vast experience will lead our audio division,” chief executive Rebecca Costello says. “Sarah will develop new offerings and work with the teams that make our podcasts to ensure that our journalism remains excellent, particularly as we scale to do more.”

McVeigh is an award-winning producer and reporter with experience developing new shows in Australia at the ABC, and at Gimlet and Spotify in the US. Her most recent project, Resistance, was listed as one of the best podcasts of 2021 in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Vogue and Esquire, and won an award for excellence in coverage of trauma from Columbia University’s Dart Center for Journalism. Prior to Gimlet, Sarah created and hosted the ABC podcast How Do You Sleep At Night?

Schwartz Media’s editor-in-chief Erik Jensen says, “Sarah is a skilled and humane storyteller with a track record of making shows that push at the forefront of audio journalism. Her work here and in the US has shown her to be one of the most exciting voices in podcasting, and I can’t wait to work with her on the expansion of audio at Schwartz Media.”

As head of audio, McVeigh will oversee Schwartz Media’s commitment to being Australia’s leading publisher of news podcasts. Of her new role, McVeigh says: “I am so excited to be joining the team at Schwartz Media. I’ve been starting my day with 7am since it began, and have been a huge fan of The Monthly and The Saturday Paper for years.

“With Australian audiences spending more time with podcasts than ever, Schwartz is uniquely placed to be the home of the best narrative audio storytelling in the country. I’m excited to draw from the extraordinary journalism already being produced by Schwartz Media, while also surprising our audience with a broader range of formats and genres.”

Sarah will start her role at the beginning of 2023, following summer specials from 7am and the relaunch of The Culture.