Audible’s Steve Carsey joins Storyglass as Managing Director

Storyglass, a new UK production company for podcast content, has appointed Audible’s Steve Carsey as its Managing Director, reporting to the Chairman of Storyglass, Bob McCourt. Launched in June 2020, Storyglass brings together the podcast expertise and ambitions of Bertelsmann’s UK content businesses (Fremantle, Penguin Random House UK, BMG and DK), drawing on their world-class production resources, access to talent and editorial knowledge across multiple genres.

As Managing Director, Steve will lead this new business in its development, production and distribution of creatively dynamic, editorially ambitious and commercially valuable podcasts for a global audience.

Steve has thirty years of experience in development, production, content strategy and creative leadership. He has worked in a number of senior roles across the industry, including Chief Creative Officer at ITN Productions, Director of Programmes at Banijay owned Initial and Deputy CEO of Steadfast Television.

He joins Storyglass after six years at Audible, where he held the role of Senior Director for International English (Originals). In this capacity he identified and drove international content opportunities for all English-speaking markets and managed Audible UK’s original programming and commissioning strategy, with a particular emphasis on new content initiatives and high profile talent partnerships.

During his tenure, Steve built the UK’s commissioning team and greenlit more than 200 podcasts and original audio series, including high profile drama hits such as Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman (#1 New York Time Bestseller) and Aliens: Out of The Shadows, critically acclaimed factual programming including The Beautiful Brain and In Search of Black History with Bonnie Greer and high profile talent driven projects including Stephen Fry’s Victorian Secrets, Heist with Michael Caine, Dermot O’Leary’s People Just People and From The Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast.

Under Steve’s leadership, Storyglass will develop and produce projects across all scripted and unscripted genres (comedy, drama, factual, entertainment, education, children’s etc), self-publishing content and partnering with all of the major podcast distribution platforms. Storyglass will also proactively work with other Bertelsmann divisions and external partners to identify new content initiatives and business opportunities in audio.

Storyglass was previously a division of Fremantle’s Global Drama department and focused on delivering scripted series including Baby It’s Cold Outside, Max and Ivan: Fugitives and The Harrowing, produced by Creative Director Robert Delamere.

Steve Carsey said: “The exponential growth of podcasting around the world is hugely exciting. Working with creators, talent and brands, Bertelsmann’s Audio Alliance is uniquely positioned to contribute significantly to the renaissance in audio. Storyglass will continue to pioneer, raise standards at all times and seek to positively disrupt the industry. Our vertically integrated approach to content will ensure we can identify audio driven business synergies, partnerships and initiatives with genuine impact and commercial value. We want to mainstream the medium. The opportunity to work with such an ambitious, world class team of creative leaders across television, publishing and music – positioned at the heart of Bertelsmann’s content strategy – was far too compelling to ignore. I couldn’t be more excited by the potential for creative innovation, commercial success and transformational growth in the years ahead.

Baroness Gail Rebuck, Chair of the Bertelsmann Content Alliance UK, commented: “We are delighted that Steve is taking the reins at Storyglass as it begins to gather strong momentum in this exciting and fast-growing market. Steve is a recognised leader in the audio industry and has been one of the architects of Audible’s content strategy in recent years, and instrumental in driving innovation and evolving new methods of audio storytelling. All the Bertelsmann content companies in the UK are looking forward to working with Steve as he develops his strategic and creative vision for Storyglass”.

About Storyglass

Storyglass was launched as a standalone company in June 2020, by Fremantle, Penguin Random House UK, BMG and DK as part of the Bertelsmann UK Content Alliance. The Content Alliance is a Bertelsmann initiative to create new formats and unique marketing opportunities in the UK, establishing an innovative and powerful partner for creative professionals, talent and brands. Storyglass will be established as a dedicated studio, specialising in the production and distribution of podcast projects across all genres, including comedy, entertainment, drama, documentary, true crime, lifestyle, education, children’s, music and talent-led series for all major podcast distribution platforms.