SpotsNow today launched Search, a new discovery layer that helps advertisers find the right shows to advertise on. Choosing the right show is the highest-leverage decision a buyer makes, and it has long been the hardest. Search makes it simple, ranking shows on audience fit and targeting, then making the performance behind each one easy to see.

The launch advances SpotsNow's core mission: making it easier to book in the channel. Search is free to use, ranking the full field by fit, with the deeper performance detail behind each show available on a paid plan. It runs on the same AI intelligence that powers the SpotsNow platform, and it is live today on the web and inside the AI tools buyers already use.

Discovery Is the Advertiser's Biggest Leverage

The single highest-leverage decision an advertiser makes is which shows to advertise on. Get that right and the campaign has a chance. Get it wrong and no amount of creative or budget saves it. Yet discovery is where the medium is weakest. Buyers work with limited data, and the human mind can only synthesize so much of it. Most end up choosing from the handful of shows they already know.

SpotsNow has spent nearly a year in R&D solving this for the industry, and Advanced Search is a big unlock. It analyzes over 59,000 shows, effectively every show in the industry actively running ads, so buyers pass the complete catalog through one lens instead of working from the handful of shows they happen to know. Instead of paging through thousands of listings sorted on surface attributes like category or download count, advertisers narrow to the right shows with a few simple drop-downs, scored on audience fit and targeting. A buyer says who they are and who they want to reach, Search ranks the field by fit, and the performance behind every show is a click away, not a separate hunt.

The point is confidence. When buyers can plan with conviction, they spend, they test, and they come back. That is how the channel attracts more advertisers, and it is what SpotsNow is building toward as it expands discovery.

"Isolating the right shows is where advertisers lose a lot of time, and half of that is just getting the targeting right, narrowing a huge, messy field down to a final short list. That's the work we built Search to do. You tell it who you're trying to reach, it ranks every show on fit, and the shortlist that used to take days is in front of you in seconds, with the performance behind each one a click away when you want to go deeper."

— Cam Pritchard, Founder and CEO, SpotsNow

One System, Not a Stitched-Together Stack

Today, finding and buying the right shows is a patchwork. A buyer pulls a ranking from one place, a media kit from another, a spreadsheet of past results, a handful of cold emails, and fills the gaps with guesswork. The pieces don't talk to each other, and the work of connecting them falls on the person least equipped to do it, the buyer working from the outside.

SpotsNow brings it all together. Search runs on the same deep models and AI intelligence that power the SpotsNow platform, turning scattered signals into one clear view of which shows fit and why. That intelligence is already live inside Claude, ChatGPT, and any MCP-compatible assistant, so a buyer can ask for the right shows in plain language from the tools they already use. It is free to use until July 22 at spotsnow.io/intelligence. Now that same intelligence also has a home of its own, in the SpotsNow UI on the web.

Every Search Surfaces Remnant Inventory to Test

Each search also returns available last-minute inventory matched to the advertiser's target audience and criteria. That gives buyers a low-friction way to test more with every search, and it gives sellers a way to fill spots that would otherwise go unsold. The more an advertiser searches, the more ways they find to put a small budget to work.

Claim Your Show, Get More Leads

Claiming a show or a network is free, and so is receiving and responding to leads. You can sign up by clicking "List a show" on the spotsnow.io home page menu. Once claimed, a seller can move an interested buyer to a confirmed placement. The buyer confirms directly with a credit card. No insertion orders back and forth, no Net 60. SpotsNow offers Net 14.

And just like an email thread, sellers keep full editorial control. Every campaign is still theirs to approve, decline, or counter.

Economics

SpotsNow's model stays simple. It is free to start searching, with no listing fees and no charge to respond to a request. Seeing the full performance detail behind every show runs on credits, available through a monthly subscription.

On top of that, every buyer gets free access to SpotsNow-sourced remnant spots, which advertisers can buy with no fees. SpotsNow takes a modest 10% transaction fee on those spots, and only when SpotsNow has brought a new advertiser to that show for the spot requested.

Availability

Search is live today at https://spotsnow.io. The same intelligence is searchable inside Claude and ChatGPT at spotsnow.io/intelligence, free to use until July 22.

New Podtrac Promo Trades makes it easy for podcasts to trade promos in other podcasts.  The new service with free features is now available to any Podtrac measured podcasts worldwide in the new Podtrac Promo Dashboard at podtrac.com.

Using Podtrac Promo Trades, publishers, networks and individual podcasters can trade a variety of podcast promo formats including:  dynamically inserted promo messages, embedded (“baked-in”) promos, special episodes posted to other podcast feeds, smart links in episode descriptions or YouTube video descriptions, and more.  

Podcast promos are a proven method of growing podcast downloads and audiences.  Listeners hear or click on the promo message, become aware of the promoted podcast, and download it using their favorite podcast app.  Some listeners go on to become audience members of the promoted podcast ongoing.  Offered as an additional optional service, Podtrac tracks response to podcast promos.

Many of the Biggest Names in Podcasting Use the Podtrac Promo Platform to Grow Audiences

Podtrac also announced that seven of the biggest names in podcasting, including American Public Media, Fox Audio Network, New York Public Radio (WNYC & WQXR), NPR, reVolver Podcasts, SiriusXM, This American Life and others have chosen the industry-leading Podtrac Promo Platform to help expand their audiences and accelerate growth.

The Podtrac Promo Show Growth Platform offers podcasters, networks and agency partners data-driven solutions for tracking and optimizing podcast promotions across owned, bartered and purchased media.  The Podtrac Promo Show Growth Platform includes:  

• Podtrac Smart Links for measuring response to free and paid promotions on digital channels, including social media, newsletters, mobile apps, and websites.
• Audio Promo Tracking for measuring delivery and response to audio promos in other podcasts, including DAI, feed drops, guest appearances and more. 
• And now, new Podtrac Promo Trades, an easy way to trade promos with other podcasts.

Podtrac Promo Trades is now available to all Podtrac measured podcasts worldwide in Podtrac’s new Promotions Dashboard.  Podtrac Promo Trades includes:

• The ability to request promo trades in other shows, and view their responses.  This service is free to any podcast using free Podtrac Measurement.
• The ability to view inbound trade requests made from other shows.  This service is available in paid Podtrac accounts.  

Podtrac Smart Links and Audio Promo Tracking are available in paid Podtrac accounts, and are offered separately from free Podtrac Promo Trade features, 

To start using Podtrac Promo Trades:

• If your show is already using Podtrac measurement, log into your Podtrac account, click Promotions, then Trades, then start requesting promos in other podcasts.  
• If your podcast is part of a network account, email your network contact or support@podtrac.com to access your account.
• If you’re not yet using Podtrac measurement, register for a free account today, and implement Podtrac’s podcast measurement service so you can start submitting promo trade requests.

Backyard Ventures is excited to announce its newest partnership with The Sketchy Podcast, the hit comedy show hosted by Matthew Josten and Justus Domenic. Backyard Ventures will exclusively represent advertising and sponsorship opportunities across the show's podcast, YouTube channel, and social platforms.

Known for its off-the-wall humor and fully improvised interviews, The Sketchy Podcast puts Matthew and Justus in character as everyone from celebrities and entrepreneurs to bizarre fictional personalities. Every episode delivers a fresh comedic premise, giving audiences an unpredictable experience that has helped the show build a rapidly growing and highly engaged fanbase.

Unlike traditional interview podcasts, The Sketchy Podcast creates endless opportunities for brands to become part of the comedy. Sponsors can be woven directly into recurring characters, custom sketches, and improvised conversations, allowing campaigns to feel like entertainment rather than advertising.

The Sketchy Podcast reaches a young, digitally native audience that actively engages with comedy, pop culture, gaming, technology, lifestyle, and consumer brands. Matthew Josten and Justus Domenic also extend that reach through a combined Instagram following of more than 880,000+ followers.

"The Sketchy Podcast has built something incredibly difficult to replicate," said Matt Cisneros, Founder and CEO of Backyard Ventures. "Matthew and Justus have created a format where every episode feels different, which opens the door for brands to participate in ways that are genuinely entertaining. We're excited to help introduce advertisers to a show that values creativity just as much as audience engagement."

"We chose to partner with Backyard Ventures because we immediately connected with their team and the creators they represent," said Matthew Josten and Justus Domenic, hosts of The Sketchy Podcast. "They work with so many podcasts and creators we already follow and admire, and from our very first conversations, it felt like a natural fit. That first impression has absolutely held true. The team is thoughtful, collaborative, and genuinely fun to work with, and we're incredibly excited for The Sketchy Podcast to be part of such an amazing roster."

For partnership inquiries, please contact thesketchypodcast@wearebv.com.

The Elvis Duran Group, Looking4Larry and MCM Studios today announced the launch of Podrophenia, a next-generation podcast, vodcast and creator development company designed to help creators, brands and media personalities develop, produce, grow, distribute and monetize premium content.

Founded through a strategic partnership between broadcasting icon Elvis Duran, WWE Hall of Famer and entertainment executive Paul Heyman, Emmy Award-winning producer and storyteller Mitchell Stuart and media entrepreneur Michael Canzoniero, Podrophenia brings together decades of experience across broadcasting, entertainment, production, brand building and audience development to create a comprehensive ecosystem for today’s evolving creator economy.

In today’s current landscape where millions of podcasts are competing for audience attention, Podrophenia is built around a simple belief: great content deserves great execution. The company provides creators and partners with the resources needed to turn ideas into scalable media properties, including premium production, post-production, show development, audience growth strategy, marketing support, sponsorship opportunities and strategic distribution.

“I’ve seen firsthand the need for a state-of-the-art production facility for content creators, particularly podcasters,” said Elvis Duran. “With Paul Heyman and MCM Studios, we’re playing with the big boys!”

“In looking at today's landscape, we've seen so many studios that are turnkey and therefore built on the premise of minimal alterations”, said Paul Heyman. “Podrophenia is the first studio specifically customized to the host's personality and also the concept. We're not just building a content hub for creators, we're building a creator hub for the content.”

Through the Elvis Duran Group’s relationship with iHeartMedia and the Elvis Duran Podcast Network, Podrophenia-produced programming benefits from access to one of the largest audio ecosystems in the world, providing creators and partners with expanded opportunities to reach audiences at scale.

"Podcasting has evolved far beyond simply recording conversations," said Mitchell Stuart, Co-Founder of Looking4Larry and Podrophenia. "Creators today need more than a microphone and a platform—they need production excellence, audience development, marketing support, distribution pathways and opportunities to build sustainable businesses around their content. Podrophenia was created to bring all of those capabilities together in one creator-focused ecosystem."

Operating from MCM Studios’ state-of-the-art Manhattan production facility, Podrophenia serves as a full-service partner for both established talent and emerging creators looking to elevate their content through broadcast-quality production and strategic support. Purpose-built for high-quality audio and video storytelling, MCM Studios, one of the Northeast’s premier content production facilities, provides the infrastructure behind Podrophenia’s podcast and vodcast capabilities, featuring sound-controlled studios, customizable sets, broadcast-quality audio infrastructure, cinematic lighting systems, creator green rooms, post-production capabilities and collaborative production spaces designed to support repeatable excellence. MCM Studios has hosted productions featuring some of the most recognizable names and brands in modern media, including projects associated with Diary of a CEO, Hot Ones, Keke Palmer, major podcast networks, entertainment brands, corporate clients and a growing roster of creators and production partners.

Beyond supporting creators and partners, Podrophenia is developing a slate of original programming spanning entertainment, lifestyle, culture, sports, business and human-interest storytelling. The company’s inaugural flagship series, Hello Randy, hosted by Randy Fenoli, marks the beginning of Podrophenia’s growing portfolio of creator-driven original content and is expected to premiere later this year through iHeartMedia and the Elvis Duran Podcast Network. Additional original programming announcements are expected throughout 2026.

As the creator economy continues to expand, Podrophenia aims to bridge the gap between creative vision and execution, helping creators and brands build content that can be produced, marketed, distributed and transformed into lasting media franchises.

Today, Switched On Pop launches on Netflix, marking the beginning of a new era for the long-running, ear-opening and award-winning podcast that has mastered a way to make critical listening fun. It was more than twelve years ago that hosts Charlie Harding and Nate Sloan were driving on the California coast, realizing that Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” was a masterclass in musical tension, and recognizing that there is so much more we could be missing from our favorite songs – elements that a show and their expertise would reveal. After nearly 500 episodes and counting, Switched On Pop’s pioneering approach to pop music and journalism has helped an audience of tens of millions, including diehard stans, staunch skeptics, seasoned scholars, aspiring talent, casual consumers and everyone in between to achieve one thing above all: listening closer to pop music, to understand why it moves us.

Co-produced with New York Magazine’s Vulture, and now partnering with Netflix for exclusive video distribution, the collaboration signals the latest evolution for a series that has transcended mediums: from audio and social feeds to a Switched On Pop book published by Oxford University Press, translated into multiple languages and adopted into curriculums at universities and colleges across the country; from live events with Maggie Rogers and Djo at NYU and Charlie Puth at Berklee to appearances on Good Morning America, PBS, CNN, NPR, Morning Joe and op-eds for The New York Times, and, as of today: on Netflix.

With a brand new look, filmed on camera in new studios in Los Angeles and New York City, new episodes of Switched On Pop will stream on Netflix, beginning with something the show has never done before: a four-part series focused on “The Art of The Song” – intro, verse, chorus and bridge. Aaron Dessner, Audrey Hobert, Trevor Horn, Cypress Hill and Tayla Parx** will serve as expert witnesses during the episodes, paired with examples that span contemporary music. Video will be released every Tuesday morning on Netflix, with audio continuing to be available on all podcast platforms, and more special guests, timely topics and events to be announced. Watch the trailer, and tune into Switched On Pop exclusively on Netflix: HERE

_“After twelve years and nearly 500 episodes, you’d think we’d have run out of things to hear in a pop song. The opposite keeps happening. When we listen closely, we always find that the hits have more to reveal, and now we get to show people with cameras rolling,” s_ays Switched On Pop co-host Charlie Harding, a songwriter, music journalist and music educator who currently serves as an Associate Professor at Berklee College of Music and Adjunct Professor at NYU Steinhardt’s Music Performing Arts Professions.

“Music is both a private pleasure and a public phenomenon. That’s what makes it endlessly interesting to discuss. We’re both teachers at heart, and there’s nothing better than revealing new facets of a song someone might have heard a thousand times before. That’s what these episodes are built to do,” adds Switched On Pop co-host Nate Sloan, a musicologist, performer, and associate professor at the USC Thornton School of Music, where his research spans jazz, Tin Pan Alley, and popular music.

Whether Harding and Sloan are discussing Taylor Swift’s recurring melodic signatures, Olivia Rodrigo’s heartbreak anthems, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s time-bending duets or Stevie Wonder’s enduring harmonies, each episode of Switched On Pop is delivered with an "affable passion" that "will deepen your appreciation," says The New York Times, which – along with The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, The Guardian, Vogue, Esquire, Entertainment Weekly and more – has named the show among the best music podcasts. Previous guests have included generations of artists, producers and songwriters such as Chappell Roan, Jack Antonoff, Laufey, Robert Plant, Nile Rodgers, Brittany Howard, Talking Heads, Carly Rae Jepsen, Caroline Polachek, Seal, Sombr, Slayyyter, Zara Larsson and dozens of others who have explained how their hits are made, what they mean and why their musical ideas and production choices matter, because every song has more to give, if you listen closer.

EXCLUSIVE: Daylight Media has signed comedian Bill Maher’s hit podcast Club Random to their creator network for sales and distribution, marking a rapid period of growth for its roster of partners, which include The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart, The Daily Beast Podcast, and The Shawn Ryan Show.

The signing announcement arrives shortly after the news of Daylight’s first Original Podcast, WILDMEN with Dylan Sprouse and Brendan Columbus, a weekly video show launching July 14.

Daylight will work with Club Random on sales and distribution using its winning advertising model.

Nine other high-profile creators have also joined Daylight’s network, as well as its first partnership with a major newsletter.

Also joining the Daylight network are The Why Files and The Basement, Small Town Dicks, The Bridge on the Dr Daf Show, Woman Evolve, Snook, Bedtime Stories, The Consumers, and The Sarah Fraser Show.

The new partnership signings represent a sophisticated mix of genres, including true crime, paranormal investigation, and transformative lifestyle content across audio, video, and newsletters.

"We couldn't be more excited to partner with Club Random and the incredible roster of shows joining our network this summer. These creators bring exactly the kind of engaged, passionate audiences our advertising partners are looking for," said Jay Green, EVP Business Strategy and Partnerships at Daylight Media. "Growing our roster with these incredible shows exemplifies the strength of Daylight Media and our commitment to delivering real results for creators and brands alike."

Lynx is trained to separate speech from background music, crowd noise, mechanical interference, environmental sounds, and the full range of acoustic artifacts present in content produced outside controlled studio conditions. The result is a clean voice track ready for further post-production, without the manual cleanup steps that slow batch production.

Examples

Removing music from a video

Another example of music removal

Removing wind noise

"In speech denoising, you're not separating things that were recorded together by design. You're trying to recover a voice from an environment that was never meant to be a recording studio,” says Nik Pogorsky, LALAL.AI Product Owner and Co-founder. “We spent a year building a model that treats that as the actual problem, not a side case of something else.”

The model is six times smaller than Andromeda, LALAL.AI's flagship cloud stem separation model, which reduces computational load without compromising output quality. The model was trained on a manually curated dataset: since no reliable automated pipeline exists for cleaning the full dynamic range of real-world speech from diverse noise sources, the team spent months hand-selecting, filtering, trimming down, and preparing audio tracks covering conditions from quiet interviews to noisy field recordings.

Lynx is available now through LALAL.AI's Voice Cleaner and Voice & Noise stem via browser, mobile app, desktop app (cloud mode), and the LALAL.AI API. The demand for dedicated voice cleaning is reflected in LALAL.AI's own usage data: the Voice & Noise stem, now powered by Lynx, is the platform's second most-used separation track, with more than 11.5 million audio splits processed on it in 2025.

Planned improvements to the Lynx architecture include enhanced separation of choral and group vocals, and improved isolation of speech recorded at a distance from the microphone.

About LALAL.AI LALAL.AI is an AI-powered audio processing platform offering stem separation, voice cloning, and noise removal tools for creators, developers, and enterprises. The platform is accessible via web, mobile, desktop application, API, and VST plugin.

The MPN Awards were established to recognize the creators, hosts, and producers who are shaping the future of the industry through audio. These awards aren’t just about recognizing winners; they are about celebrating the creators who generously share their expertise week after week. Together, the network aims to raise the profile of marketing podcasts and showcase the incredible talent within the global community.

"Marketing podcasts have become one of the industry's most valuable learning resources," said Gordon Glenister, Chair of the Judging Panel. "The MPN Awards were created to recognize those creators who consistently deliver exceptional content, build engaged communities, and help raise standards across our profession."

Winners have been selected by an independent judging panel of internationally recognized marketing and podcasting experts—including Andrew Canter, Jason Falls, John Cass, and Seth Goldstein. Entries were evaluated against rigorous criteria, including content quality, production excellence, guest caliber, and innovation.

The award categories include:

• Best Marketing Podcast
• Best B2B Podcast
• Best B2C Podcast
• Best Branded Podcast
• Best Independent Podcast
• Best Thought Leadership Podcast
• Diversity & Inclusion Award
• Best Marketing Podcast Network Show
• Listeners' Choice Award

The awards are open to all marketing podcasts globally, reflecting MPN’s commitment to excellence across the entire marketing industry. Creators and fans alike are encouraged to register for the livestream to support their favorite shows and discover new voices in the field.

For more information, finalist details, and to register for the live event, please visit: https://mpn-awards.com/.

About the Marketing Podcast Network

The Marketing Podcast Network (MPN) is a global community of more than 80 marketing podcasters dedicated to sharing knowledge and growing audiences. Through collaboration, education, and industry initiatives, MPN champions excellence in marketing podcasting and supports creators worldwide.

In an internet-breaking exclusive, two Tom Hollands come together for a special conversation about Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming historical epic, The Odyssey - a meeting guaranteed to cause chaos for search engines everywhere.

Tom Holland, who plays Telemachus in the film, joins historian and The Rest Is History co-host Tom Holland to discuss the extraordinary scale of Nolan’s adaptation, the experience of acting in IMAX, and how the film balances historical reality with ancient myth. The actor also discusses Anne Hathaway’s portrayal of Penelope, the film’s depiction of war and its consequences, and why Homer’s ancient story still feels so relevant today.

The Rest Is History, produced by Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger, is one of the world’s biggest podcasts, attracting more than 25 million streams a month. It was recently crowned Show of the Year by Apple Podcasts. Recent guests have included Disney CEO Bob Iger, Paul McCartney, Conan O’Brien, Ken Burns and Tom Hanks, while the show has continued to grow through multiple international live tours and its recent festival at Hampton Court Palace.

The special conversation arrives as the historian finds himself at the centre of an unlikely culture-war clash with Elon Musk over Nolan’s film, after defending The Odyssey against critics dismissing it as “woke”.

Tom Holland - the historian, to avoid any further confusion - is an award-winning author, broadcaster and translator. His books include Rubicon, Persian Fire, Dominion and Pax. He has translated Herodotus’s The Histories and Suetonius’s The Lives of the Caesars, and adapted works by Homer, Herodotus, Thucydides and Virgil for the BBC. His work has won the Hessell-Tiltman Prize, the Runciman Award and the Classical Association Prize.

Podcasting Secrets, the official podcast of PodUp, has surpassed 2.5 million views and listens across YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@podcasting-secrets), Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart, Amazon Music, and other platforms, reaching listeners in 121 countries since launching in 2023.

"Podcasting Secrets exists to give entrepreneurs and creators a weekly window into what successful podcasters are actually doing to grow their shows and generate real revenue," said Nathan Gwilliam, host of Podcasting Secrets and CEO of PodUp. "Every episode is a conversation with a successful podcaster who has actually done it, not someone who just talks about theory."

Notable guests include:

• Gary Arndt - Host of Everything Everywhere Daily, an educational podcast with 1.5 million monthly downloads
• Rob Walch - Podcasting Hall of Fame inductee, and now VP of Podcaster Relations at DAX US and Captivate
• Chris Christensen - Podcasting Hall of Fame inductee and host of the Amateur Traveler Podcast
• Joanna Penn - New York Times bestselling author and host of The Creative Penn Podcast
• J.J. Peterson - Head of StoryBrand and co-host of the chart-topping Building a StoryBrand Podcast with Donald Miller
• John Biewen - Host of Scene on Radio, a two-time Peabody Award-nominated podcast from Duke University
• Stephen Woessner - CEO of Predictive ROI and host of Onward Nation with 1,000+ episodes
• Gino Barbaro - co-founder of Jake & Gino and bestselling author of Wheelbarrow Profits
• Jason Fitzgerald - 2:39 marathoner, USATF-certified running coach, and host of The Strength Running Podcast
• Marc Aflalo - SiriusXM host of YourTechReport and the youngest Program Director in Canadian broadcasting history
• Pete A Turner - Former US Army counterintelligence agent and host of the Break It Down Show with 2,000+ episodes
• Krystal Proffitt - Podcast coach, content strategist, and host of The Proffitt Podcast with 500+ episodes
• Karen Yankovich - LinkedIn expert and host of the Good Girls Get Rich Podcast
• Shaheen Mazloom - CEO of Versa Business Systems, host of the Versa Business Tips Podcast, and facilitator of over $1 billion in business capital
• Mischa Zvegintzov - Host of the Table Rush Talk Show, ranked in the top 1.5% of podcasts worldwide
• Rhea Wong - Nonprofit fundraising expert and host of Nonprofit Lowdown

Hosted by Nathan Gwilliam, the Podcasting Secrets show releases weekly episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon Music, iHeart, and other audio, video, and social channels. Each episode features interviews with successful podcasters and industry experts sharing strategies on topics such as niche selection, guest booking, audience growth, monetization, and content distribution across audio, video, blogs, newsletters, and social media. Subscribers receive free access to the 101 Podcasting Secrets guide.

Podcasting Secrets is produced using PodUp, an all-in-one podcasting platform with 60+ integrated tools including 18 AI-powered capabilities, built over six years by serial entrepreneur Nathan Gwilliam and his team. PodUp combines recording, editing, AI-powered content creation, website and blog generation, syndication, monetization, and analytics into one system designed to help podcasters create, grow, and monetize their shows.

The show is produced by PodAllies, a full-service done-for-you podcast production and marketing agency and a service of PodUp Inc. PodAllies handles audio and video editing, website development, content syndication, blog and transcript creation, social media repurposing, and monetization for its clients, and has surpassed 1,100 episodes produced since launching in October 2023.

Gwilliam is a serial entrepreneur with three successful exits. At Deseret Digital Media, he led a strategy that took the organization's combined social follows past 130 million, up from under 100,000.

The growth reflects Podcast Nation's continued investment in creator-led programming through both agency relationships and direct partnerships with creators. Psychopedia, Who Shat on the Floor at My Wedding? And Other Crimes, and Office Drama joined the network through Podcast Nation's ongoing relationship with UTA, while Real Moms of Bravo and Busy, Yet Pretty were signed directly by the network. Together, the additions underscore Podcast Nation's commitment to discovering exceptional voices and helping creators grow their businesses across audio, video, advertising, and audience development.

"At Podcast Nation, we've always believed that the strongest shows are built around authentic creators and deeply engaged communities," said Nadine Robinson, Co-Founder of Podcast Nation. "Each of these podcasts has cultivated a loyal audience with a distinct voice, and we're incredibly excited to support their next phase of growth while preserving what makes them so special."

The five additions span true crime, comedy, entertainment, pop culture, lifestyle, and business, continuing Podcast Nation's strategy of investing in creator-led programming with passionate fan bases.

The newly signed shows include:

• Psychopedia with Investigator Slater – A chart-topping true crime podcast dissecting some of the world's most fascinating criminal cases through evidence, forensics, and psychology.
• Who Shat on the Floor at My Wedding? And Other Crimes – The hit investigative comedy podcast that became an international sensation by turning one unforgettable mystery into an absurdly entertaining audio experience.
• Office Drama with Chloe Shih – A workplace comedy podcast unpacking the funniest, messiest, and most relatable stories from life at work.
• Real Moms of Bravo – A leading destination for Bravo fans, featuring weekly recaps, commentary, and conversations covering everything happening across the Bravo universe.
• Busy, Yet Pretty with Jadyn Hailey – A lifestyle podcast exploring wellness, beauty, career, and modern living through relatable conversations and practical advice.

"These five shows represent exactly the type of creators we love to partner with," said Clio de la Llave, Co-Founder of Podcast Nation. "They've built loyal, highly engaged communities across digital and audio by creating content that resonates, and we're looking forward to helping them continue to grow while staying true to the voices that made their audiences fall in love with them in the first place."

Podcast Nation continues to expand its roster of premium creator-led programming while providing partners with best-in-class support across advertising sales, audience growth, distribution strategy, production resources, platform partnerships, and business development.

The London Podcast Festival is back for its 11th year! From 3–13 September 2026, podcast fans will come together at Kings Place, London's home of live podcasting, and online to enjoy one-of-a-kind live shows with some of the world's greatest podcasters.

This year’s line-up includes Wrong Turns with Jameela Jamil, The Empire Film Podcast, Life After Prison, No Such Thing As A Fish and the first ever live podcast of their audience feedback show Drop Us A Line.

Eleven years into launching Europe’s first major podcast festival, the London Podcast Festival continues to champion creativity, community, connection and innovation in the global podcasting scene. Podcasting has grown into a cultural force and the London Podcast Festival is where fans come together each year to celebrate, discover, and connect.

This year’s festival will once again occupy all of Kings Place’s versatile spaces – from the main hall to spaces to relax in the canal-side terrace – with selected shows also available globally via livestream. The 2026 programme reflects the full range of podcasting’s power to entertain, inspire and bring people together, spanning comedy, gardening, current affairs, wrestling, film, music, disability and deaf-led storytelling, and audio drama.

With such a wide-ranging line-up, the festival is as much about discovery as it is about celebration – a chance for listeners to find their next favourite show alongside the ones they already love. It remains a place where fan communities can come together in person, with ticket prices kept accessible so that meeting up with fellow listeners stays affordable for everyone.

Curated by Kings Place’s Head of Artistic Planning Rebecca Millican, the 2026 festival continues to reflect podcasting’s remarkable ability to entertain, inspire and bring people together.

Millican says: “We’re thrilled to be bringing back the London Podcast Festival for its 11th year. Every year the line-up grows more diverse, and that’s exactly the point – there’s a community here for every kind of listener, from longtime fans catching their favourite show to newcomers discovering something for the first time. It’s a real joy to watch those communities come together in our halls each September, and we can’t wait to welcome them all back this year.”

The first wave of shows available to book include:

• Thu 3 Sep, 19:00 – The World’s Coolest Disabled: a fresh, funny and unfiltered podcast from journalist and broadcaster Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, making its London Podcast Festival debut
• Fri 4 Sep, 19:00 – Outsiding with Caitlin Moran & Adam Frost: a brand-new podcast from the award-winning team behind Dish, celebrating the simple joys of nature, wildlife, gardening and life outdoors
• Sat 5 Sep, 16:30 – Chart Music: The TOTP Podcast: the cult podcast that puts a random episode of Top Of The Pops under the microscope, live and on the road
• Sat 5 Sep, 19:00 – The Empire Film Podcast: the award-winning podcast arm of the world’s biggest movie magazine makes a triumphant return to the festival, with hosts Chris Hewitt, Helen O’Hara and James Dyer talking movies and welcoming a special guest
• Sun 6 Sep, 19:00 – Wooden Overcoats: the British Podcast Award-winning sitcom returns to the festival with a brand-new episode, with a streamed performance also available
• Thu 10 Sep, 19:00 – Ade Oladipo Presents… The Green Chair LIVE: following a sell-out debut in 2025, an even bigger night of boxing, football, culture, audience Q&As and surprise guests
• Thu 10 Sep, 19:00 – Tommy’s Brownload: one of the UK’s most-loved British Asian podcasts, now in its 7th year, returns with its signature mix of humour and cultural commentary
• Thu 10 Sep, 19:30 – Why Are You More Successful Than Me? with Richard Bacon: Richard Bacon’s new interview series asking successful people the question that keeps him up at night with guest Johnny Vaughan
• Fri 11 Sep, 19:00 – Wrong Turns with Jameela Jamil: the actress and activist brings her live, anti-inspirational comedy disaster podcast to the London Podcast Festival stage
• Fri 11 Sep, 19:00 – Life After Prison: the award-winning podcast supporting people leaving prison and their loved ones, hosted by Zak Addae-Kodua and Jules Rowan
• Fri 11 Sep, 19:00 – The Truth (In My Opinion) with Cody Dahler: in association with Amnesty International, comedian Cody Dahler puts a special guest in charge of the news
• Sat 12 Sep, 11:30 – Ask the Nincompoops: Andy Stanton and Carrie Quinlan bring their family podcast to the stage answering children’s trickiest questions, very, very badly
• Sat 12 Sep, 14:00 – Beef and Dairy Network Podcast: Benjamin Partridge’s award-winning comedy podcast returns to Kings Place with a brand-new live edition, with a streamed performance also available
• Sat 12 Sep, 14:00 – Shaping Tomorrow: Hear Art’s BSL-interpreted video podcast spotlighting deaf and hearing creatives, leaders and changemakers across the creative industries
• Sat 12 Sep, 16:30 – Wrestle Me!: Marc Haynes and Pete Donaldson bring back their hit wrestling podcast by popular demand after 7 years of sold out shows
• Sat 12 Sep, 16:30 – No Such Thing As A Fish: Drop Us A Line: for the first time ever, the Fish team bring their listener correspondence show to a live audience, with a streamed performance also available
• Sat 12 Sep, 16:30 – Black Prose: Yolanthe Fawehinmi’s evergreen archive of Black writers’ stories comes to the festival stage, celebrating powerful voices, creative journeys and the lasting impact of storytelling
• Sat 12 Sep, 19:00 – No Such Thing As A Fish: the smash-hit worldwide sensation returns for an evening of facts, dorkery and further facts, with a streamed performance also available

Returning fan favourites, fresh new voices and another year of podcasting excellence, The London Podcast Festival 2026 is set to be a celebration of the medium at its very best.

Tickets for the first wave of events are on sale now, starting at just £13. 

For available tickets and full programme details, visit:

https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/london-podcast-festival/

More events will be announced through the summer. Follow @londonpodfest on Instagram for all #LondonPodFest related news.

With thanks to the official partners of the London Podcast Festival: The Guardian Podcasts and AudioUK.

Good Tape and Goat Rodeo have partnered to launch Ear Stuff, a new editorial franchise featuring long-form reviews of compelling narrative podcasts.

Podcast discovery is increasingly fragmented, and audiences frequently encounter the medium through short-form video clips on social media. Ear Stuff will cut through the noise and surface standout shows, spotlighting exceptional long-form narrative podcasts with curated editorial recommendations.

“Podcast discovery has been a persistent challenge for the industry, but it’s also one of the most exciting areas to address,” said Becca James, managing editor of Good Tape Magazine. “The best recommendations don’t come from an algorithm. They come from people who are genuinely passionate about what they’re listening to and eager to tell others, ‘You have to hear this.’”

“In every great creative medium, the work is strengthened by people who write about it, challenge it, champion it, and help audiences discover it,” said Ian Enright, CEO of Goat Rodeo. “Podcasting can sometimes feel like we skipped that step in a sea of marketing. From day one, Good Tape has brought the kind of voice, criticism, and curation our industry has been missing. Ear Stuff is celebrating exceptional storytelling and making sure remarkable shows don't simply disappear into the feed.”

“Partnering with Goat Rodeo on Ear Stuff was a natural fit,” said James. “They understand the value of ambitious audio storytelling and share our belief that great podcasts deserve to be heard, shared, and celebrated, and that’s exactly what this collaboration is designed to do.”

For more information, contact info@goodtape.com. You can read our first review — of “Who Blew Up The Guidestones?” — here.

A former drug dealer. A wrongfully convicted postmaster. Britain’s most prolific private sperm donor… these are just some of the amazing true stories The Modern Mann has brought you since its inception in 2015.

Hosted by Olly Mann with Alix Fox and Ollie Peart, they’re the magazine show for your ears; each month bringing you extraordinary people who share fascinating experiences that shed light on the modern world. With over two million downloads and a stacked trophy cabinet, The Modern Mann is a certified icon of the podcast world and proudly independent.

Today, The Modern Mann officially joins Mercury, the most exciting new podcast network in the world. They are the first of several exciting new additions to be announced this month, as the network builds a best-in-class slate of lifestyle shows.

“The Modern Mann is a flagship addition to our roster,” says Mercury’s founder and CEO Liam Heffernan. “Not only is it a legendary show and a standard-bearer for our industry, but the whole team are just a super bunch of people who care deeply about what they do. I’m thrilled to play a part in their continued success.”

The Modern Mann was recently announced on the longlist for Best Interview at the 2026 British Podcast Awards. It won the same prize in 2022.

Mercury is an independent podcast network, launched in 2025 to support the best indie creators in the world. It has represented 6.5 million downloads to date, with plans to scale rapidly over the next 12 months.

The Modern Mann is the first of three new lifestyle shows to be unveiled on the roster in July, as the network continues to build on its reputation as a champion of the best established and upcoming independent shows.

The BBC has grown its global audience to reach over half a billion people every week for the first time since contemporary records began.

Across BBC News, the BBC World Service and content distributed by BBC Studios, the BBC saw its international audience grow to 502 million people – up 11% year-on-year.

BBC News increased its audience reach by nearly 50 million to 467 million (up 12% year-on-year). The BBC World Service delivered over 70% of the BBC’s international audience reach, attracting 355 million people weekly (up 14% year-on-year).

This growth was driven largely by the division’s digital transformation which, combined with a run of significant news stories, delivered exceptional audience figures. As such, the BBC World Service has seen its digital audience increase by over 40% during the same period.

The BBC remains the most trusted international news provider, globally, and ranks first for reliability and independence.

Jonathan Munro, Interim CEO, BBC News and Current Affairs, says: “I’d like to thank BBC teams across the world for delivering outstanding journalism just when the world needs it most. We have seen growth from all corners of the globe as people come to our journalism in record-breaking numbers for the breadth and depth of BBC reporting. We have consistently delivered distinctive and impartial coverage and, importantly, retained our position as the most trusted news provider in the UK and around the world.”

As the war in Ukraine continues, BBC News Ukrainian has seen its reach more than triple. The service reaches more than one in five adults throughout Ukraine on average, the result of huge growth across its social accounts. While the US-Israel war with Iran and protests in Iran have seen audiences continue to rely on BBC News Persian with the service reaching nearly 25 million people. BBC News Persian is the largest Persian-language media outlet outside Iran.

BBC News Brasil and BBC News Mundo both grew their audiences substantially – up 58% and 40% respectively – with the increases mainly attributed to TikTok and Instagram.

Fiona Crack, Interim Global Director, BBC News, says: “The digital transformation of our global services means millions more people now benefit from the insightful, impactful journalism that our courageous and innovative teams continue to deliver.”

Reflecting changing audience habits, the BBC World Service has increased its focus on sites and social accounts. Last year, this included launching BBC News Polska for Polish-speakers, the first new language service in seven years, and creating new TikTok accounts across our language services.

The BBC’s news output in English across World Service English, BBC.com and the BBC News channel grew its audience to 208 million people weekly (up 5% year-on-year).

Demonstrating its reach amongst audiences in times of crisis and need, 76% of BBC World Service reach lies in countries with low levels of press freedom.

BBC News’ biggest international market is India where audiences grew to 74 million on average each week, followed by the United States, Nigeria, Iran, and Tanzania.

Digital audio advertising platform audioadpro has moved into its new headquarters at Joseph's Well, marking two years in business for the Leeds-based adtech company.

Founded by Roger Cutsforth and Michael Dobson, audioadpro partners with ad agencies and advertisers to reach precision audiences across the entire digital audio ecosystem, delivering campaigns for brands in markets around the world from its new purpose-designed space.

The new HQ also carries particular significance for the business. The office space was previously occupied by Heart Radio and was formerly the sales office for legendary radio station Galaxy 105, latterly Capital Yorkshire, where audioadpro co-founder Roger Cutsforth worked as Managing Director some 20 years ago. Adjacent offices were also Galaxy 105 & Capital’s studios, where audioadpro’s office manager, Jan Tiffany, spent over 20 very happy years.

The relocation marks a full-circle moment for the team. In a space once used to broadcast radio right across the UK, audioadpro is now helping shape the campaigns and technology behind some of today’s digital audio advertising worldwide.

Celebrating the move, Co-founder Roger Cutsforth said: “I left Capital Radio and Joseph’s Well over a decade ago; for Jan it was a few years later, and for us both to return now, it feels like we’ve come home. There’s so much heritage in both music and radio here, which is not lost on the work we do at audioadpro. Galaxy 105/Capital was once the biggest radio station in the UK outside of London, and I still feel the enormous presence of Hirsty’s Daily Dose and all of our former colleagues and close friends as we embark on our exciting adventure to be the leading digital audio advertising platform in the world.”

Co-founder Michael Dobson added: “This feels like our perfect ‘audio base’ for the team. It’s a really great environment that gives us the space to scale over the coming months and years. It feels right that it once was a force in the radio industry, and now is the UK HQ for audioadpro”

Balls On The Table, the breakout podcast, hosted by Evan Hart and Antonio Beliveau, returns for Season 2 with an expanded lineup of guests and the same unapologetically honest conversations that have resonated with audiences looking for something deeper than the typical podcast formula.

At a time when discussions about masculinity are often polarized, oversimplified, or reduced to soundbites, Balls On The Table offers something increasingly rare: authentic conversations between people with different backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints.

Season 2 features an impressive lineup of guests including Tommy Vietor of Pod Save America, comedian Ben Gleib, host of the new Good Night with Ben Gleib late night show, professional athletes, CEOs, musicians, artists, wellness experts, military leaders, racecar drivers, documentarians, and more. The new season also expands its range of voices by featuring more women and perspectives that challenge assumptions while encouraging thoughtful dialogue.

"We're not experts and we're not trying to sell anyone a solution" says co-host Evan Hart. "We're simply creating a space where people can talk honestly and openly about their relationships, success, failure, growth, and the experiences that shape who we become. The show leapt from the idea of how to communicate better, and ultimately discussing what men need versus what they want”.

The show's appeal lies in its willingness to tackle topics many people think about but rarely discuss openly. From relationships and fatherhood to identity, vulnerability, ambition, sex, and personal growth, Balls On The Table approaches each conversation with humor, curiosity, and a genuine desire to understand rather than preach.

Co-host Antonio Beliveau adds, "The best conversations happen when people stop performing and start being real. That's what we're trying to capture every episode."

Season 1 established the show's reputation for compelling guests and unexpected hilarious and honest conversations, featuring actors Shawn Ashmore, and Nick Gonzalez, two-time Jiu-Jitsu World Champion Kit Dale, acclaimed artist Gregory Siff and Naval Officer and Seal team leader turned investor Bradley Hicks.

Hart brings more than two decades of experience as a writer, producer, actor, and creative strategist. His career includes work with Amazon, MGM+, Sony Television, Lionsgate, Warner Bros., FOX and ESPN. He is a WBC Screenwriter Fellowship winner, a graduate of the Writers Guild of America SRTP program, and serves as a creative advisor supporting Department of Defense initiatives through the RL Leaders Agency. Hart is also a founder and advisory board member of We Heal Project[s], which uses art to combat mental health challenges.

Beliveau is an award-winning composer, producer, and songwriter best known as the lead singer and keyboardist of the alt rock band Crash Kings. His work as a composer and music supervisor includes ABC's The Conners, and he has collaborated with artists including Chris Cornell, Weezer, Nick Cave, Dolly Parton, Kacey Musgraves, Miley Cyrus, and Linda Perry.

With its mix of vulnerability, cultural relevance, and at times even ridiculousness, Balls On The Table continues to carve out a unique space in the podcast landscape—one where conversations are allowed to be messy, honest, intelligent, and entertaining all at once.

Podcast Movement, the flagship event for global podcast creators, publishers, advertisers, and industry leaders, announced today that public voting is now open until July 21st for speaker submissions for Podcast Movement 2026, taking place September 17–18 at Terminal 5 in New York City. The organization also announced the inaugural selection committee that will be responsible for reviewing the submissions and building half of the on stage programming.

This year, Podcast Movement received more than 750 session submissions from over 500 unique speakers representing creators, publishers, platforms, brands, agencies, and technology companies from around the world.

Beginning today, the podcasting community can help shape this year's conference by voting for the sessions they most want to see on stage. Individuals can vote for as many sessions as they’d like to see on stage at Podcast Movement, but may only vote for each proposed session once.

Transparency in program selection is a key tenant of this next era of not only Podcast Movement but of all events that ask for our attention, participation, and patronage.

Half of the 2026 agenda will be determined by community vote. Every eligible submission is available for public review and the highest-ranked sessions will make up 50% of the final conference schedule.

The remaining half will be selected by a public committee using a published evaluation rubric designed to prioritize content quality while building a program that reflects the breadth of today's podcasting industry.

The committee includes:

• Alice Florence Orr, Podcast Review
• Ami Thakkar Ravi, The Podcast Academy / The Ambies
• Anne Baird, Audio Fiction Conference
• Demetrius Bagley, The Black Podcast Awards
• Fatima Zaidi, Quill Podcast Awards
• James Cridland, Podnews
• Lauren Passell, International Women's Podcast Awards
• Peter Lewis, SXSW

To cast your vote for your favorite Podcast Movement sessions:

• Visit https://podcastmovement.fider.io/ 
• Enter the speaker or session name you’d like to vote for in the search bar
• Select the session to view in a new page
• Click ‘Vote for this Idea’

"The event industry is overdue for an update. In the six years I've spent building Sounds Profitable, I've had the opportunity to work with companies across every corner of podcasting, and one thing has become incredibly clear: our industry thrives when the best ideas, not the biggest budgets, get the spotlight. Too often I see conference stages reward visibility over value, and sponsorship over substance," said Bryan Barletta, President of Podcast Movement and Partner at Sounds Profitable.

"That's what inspired us to change our approach to Podcast Movement this year. We're putting meaningful decisions in the hands of the community while making the rest of the process transparent, because attendees deserve to know how a conference agenda is built. Great ideas can come from anywhere, and they deserve a fair opportunity to earn their place on stage."

To vote for your favorite sessions, please visit https://podcastmovement.fider.io/. Voting will close July 21, 2026 at 11:59pm ET.

To secure your ticket for Podcast Movement, please click here.

The Crossed Wires Podcast Festival took place in Sheffield, England - it's the world's biggest podcast festival, now in its third year, spanning four days of live shows with some of the biggest names in podcasting, exclusive audio moments and laughs by the barrel. 

Podnews learnt that the event doubled its attendance this year to 50,000 attendees, according to numbers shared with us by the event organisers. 25,000 tickets were made available in advance - another 25,000 attendees took part in the free activities across the city, over four days and eleven stages.

Greg James and Alice Levine, the creative minds behind the festival, headlined day one with the first-ever live show of their new Bad Chat podcast to a sold-out crowd. (Pic: @p_e_d_a_l_o). The show included surprise guests including award-winning actor Stephen Graham, a real Golden Globe award and, dumping gunge over a (consenting) audience member. 

After a tongue and cheek discussion for Greg’s film idea on the podcast about snooker legend John Virgo’s ghost helping an up-and-coming snooker player win a championship, Alice decided to put his money where his mouth is.

An impromptu pitch meeting unfolded with two esteemed members of Warp Films, the production company behind Adolescence, Dead Man’s Shoes and This is England. This slightly backfired when Greg ended up having an on-stage text and voice note exchange with the one and only Stephen Graham who is pencilled for the lead role. 

Greg expertly maneuvered an initial response of “You takin the p*ssss”, into a done deal - with one important caveat. In a hilarious voice note played to the delighted audience of City Hall, Stephen (and his wife Hannah) said he's only take part if he could sing Snooker Loopy by Chas & Dave.

Greg had quite the diary clash with two very special invitations this weekend, yet he made no hesitation including the biggest podcasting party in the world within his social calendar. Whether he made it to his second ‘engagement’ remains to be seen.

BBC Radio 4's multi-award winning topical satire show, Dead Ringers (often available within the Friday Night Comedy podcast), opened the festival just beforehand with a sold-out show – starring long-standing cast members Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Duncan Wisbey, who impersonated fellow festival performers Chris Mason and Danny Robins. (Pic: @lilitakesflickis)

Sara Cox kicked off the BBC Fringe schedule on Friday ahead of her highly-anticipated Radio 2 Breakfast Show starting on Monday, for a special live edition of Radio 2 Book Club with bestselling author Lisa Jewell, discussing her new novel ‘It Could Have Been Her’ and its real-life inspiration. (Pic: @lindsaymelbourne)

Simultaneously on the BBC Radio 4 stage, Woman’s Hour with Anita Rani and Nuala McGovern live-streamed a special edition into their regular 10am broadcast, later followed by the first-ever live recording of The Woman’s Hour: Guide to Life. (Pic: @emmathompsonphotography)

On Friday evening, Jaack Maate’s Happy Hour had City Hall howling with a surprise rendition of ABBAs Dancing Queen by Alfie Indra. After an hour of back-to-back laughs, Act 2 saw the Happy Hour gang take confessions from the audience, which definitely resulted in some gasps from the crowd and pearl clutching… (Pic: @emmathompsonphotography)

Over at the Memorial Hall, the forecast for Vicky Pattison and Angela Scanlon was sunny with occasional downpours… of bras! For their show Get a Grip, the two asked their audience to donate an old bra for the Against Breast Cancer charity, and throw them onto the stage. The two planned an all-female commune for their listeners, rated the strangest things men have been up to this year, and laughed about the highs and lows of modern womanhood, all in their iconic livingroom-esque set. (Pic: @p_e_d_a_l_o)

The Psychology of your 20s podcasting phenom Jemma Sbeg took to the stage at the Playhouse Theatre to talk about her incredible journey from recording in her Subaru on an iPhone to episodes going to Netflix, discussing the heartbreak that started her on a journey she never expected and debunking the psychology myths that have taken over the internetwith an informative and interactive live show. (Pic: @lindsaymelbourne)

Back at Memorial Hall, Jacob Hawley and Jake Farrell of Screen Rot bought out pal Jack Dean for a show discussing the weirdest corners of the internet, giving their ‘rotters’ a hilarious insight into the online oddities that have got their cogs turning. 

As the festival continued, Inside the Traitors: Uncloaked saw Series 4 faithful favourites Harriet Tyce and Matty Hyndman reflect on their time inside the castle with BBC Radio 1 presenter and Series 3 Traitor Minah Shannon (pic: @lilitakesflickis). Chris Mason and Faisal Islam hosted a special edition of Newscast which looked at the tumultuous year in news, Top Comment with Marianna Spring and Rachel Connolly brought a discussion that delved into the latest social media trends and misinformation, and Stand-Up Specials brought to the stage Aurie Styla, Ayo Adenekan, Dan Tiernan, Kyrah Gray, Chris Cantrill and Emer Maguire. What’s Up Docs with Chris and Xand van Tulleken, Toby Foster’s Yorkshire Podding gave audiences at Cole’s Yard their fix of medical expertise and surreal stories out of Yorkshire in equal measure. 

Over at Barkers Pool, the Crossed Wires ‘Centre Stage’ provided non-ticketed, family-friendly immersive live entertainment such as Steel Rivers String Band and The Nice Type who were customising compliments on a vintage typewriter. Visitors stretched out on deck chairs and enjoyed drinks and food from the pop-up bar and street vendors.

BBC Radio 4’s Fringe shows at the Montgomery Theatre brought lifelong fans of broadcasting legend David Dimbleby together for Dimbleby: The Interview. (Pic: @lindsaymelbourne) Interviewed by Marianna Spring, Dimbleby shared his thoughts and feelings on the current political landscape; particularly in the world of misinformation from social media and AI, in light of his upcoming series Invisible Hands: The American Century, for BBC Radio 4’s The History Podcast. Intelligent questions from the audience touched on the relationship between Trump and Putin, whether AI might be influencing governmental power more than people, and if David Dimbleby would be interested in starting a long-form interview podcast:  “I would actually, yes. I very much regretted when long-form interviews left television [...] but I like to see the whites of their eyes” - then once Marianna informed him that podcasts are also visualised -  “then yes, go for it.”

Nick Robinson then took to the stage with the Labour MP for Sheffield Heeley Louise Haigh for a fascinating conversation for Radio 4’s Political Thinking about her political career so far, her time in Makerfield with Andy Burnham in the run up to the bi-election that gripped the UK and her hope for the future of the Labour party as they weather the changes ahead. 

Elis James and John Robins took to the City Hall for a live performance of their eponymous podcast, The Elis and John Show. To a delighted audience, the best pals gave a bespoke show filled with their trademark warmth, wit and wellness conversations. A ‘mad Dad’ segment shared audience members' strangest paternal  anecdotes, and a live version of their much loved ‘ask me anything’ game saw lots of audience engagement and a fabulous afternoon had by all who attended. (Pic: @p_e_d_a_l_o)

Back at the Playhouse, journalists Ash Sakar and Maya Lothian put the world to rights with a fascinating live episode of If I Speak which explored the terms and conditions in modern day friendships. Packed with audience back and forth, the duo debated how much we should be letting slide from our nearest and dearest to theorising as to why FaceTime may be making us feel more lonely. (Pic: @lilitakesflickis)

Comedian David Baddiel and Nick Robinson discussed the idea of Englishness through the lens of the English men’s football team with 60 Years of Hurt (part of The History Podcast) on the Montgomery Theatre Stage. The two discussed the hope, heartbreak and community that comes with being a fan of the English game, and debated whether this World Cup would be the one where it finally comes home…

BBC Radio 6 Music’s Indie Forever saw Nathan Shepherd and Emily Pilbeam discuss arguably the perfect album for a venue in Sheffield, the Arctic Monkeys’ Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not. In this deep-dive into one of the seminal albums of indie, they discussed the lasting cultural impact of the Sheffield-based band with original Arctic Monkeys bassist Andy Nicholson, Joe Carnall Jnr and Daniel Dylan Wray.                  

Comedians Amy Gledhill and Ian Smith (self described ‘Northern Greg James and Alice Levine’) had their crowd howling as they discussed irreverent news stories from the North and beyond for Northern News. They covered everything from recent cases of bread being nailed to trees and a free eye test for anyone named Michael Lewis in Hull, to Ian’s psychic abilities and Amy’s ASDA voiceover era, even touching on Thomas the Tank Engine making it to the med. (Pic: @emmathompsonphotography)

Cruiserweight champion Johnny Nelson’s performance of his podcast That Boxing Show brought Dalton Smith, Andy Nicholson, Frazer Clarke, Kell Brook, Dave Coldwell, Kid Galahad and John Keeton to the stage. These individuals at the top of their games all discussed the highs and lows of boxing, through the wins, the losses, the injuries and everything in between. Sheffield born super-lightweight champion Dalton Smith shared with the City Hall his hopes for a fight against Shakur Stevenson, calling him ‘the top dog’ in his division. 

As darkness descended on Sheffield, Danny Robins took audiences behind-the-scenes of Uncanny, the biggest paranormal podcast in the world with Uncanny Uncovered. Speaking with BBC Radio 4 commissioning editor Rhian Roberts, Danny got into the nitty gritty of one of the BBCs most popular podcasts ahead of his headline show on Sunday evening at Sheffield’s haunted Lyceum Theatre. (Pic: @emmathompsonphotography)

Sort Your Life Out: Unpacked’s_ Dilly Carter chatted to Vicky Pattison about three mystery objects from her home, discussing the ways our possessions can hold memories whilst sharing tips and tricks for a more organised and stress-free life. (Pic: @emmathompsonphotography)

Misha Glenny hosted BBC Radio 4’s cultural behemoth In Our Time and took the Montgomery Theatre audience to Morocco to discuss the film Casablanca and its continuing cultural impact with guests Ian Christie, Pamela Hutchinson and Sheldon Hall. (Pic: @lindsaymelbourne) Meanwhile Kiri Pritchard-McLean brought Radio 4’s Loose Ends to the Montgomery Theatre with an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. 

For families, Jake Harris delighted the next generation of podcast fans in the Playhouse Theatre with his hit children’s show Story Shed, getting the tiniest Crossed Wires punters up and dancing with songs and stories. 

Significant Productions’ Dave Masterman rounded off the day the only way he knows how, banging out belters to The Ballroom during his All My Friends After Party set. Punters danced the night away, going out on a high as the sun set on another day in Sheffield. (Pic: @lilitakesflickis)

Barkers Pool kept up the energy between shows with a live yoga session on the free centre stage. The stage also welcomed musicians, type writer artists and magicians, surrounded by food trucks galore and pints to boot.

From Limerick to Sheffield City Hall, Blindboy Boatclub brought his cult-favourite podcast The Blindboy Podcast to a rapt audience as he read an irreverent short story from his book. He then welcomed Professor Carl Chinn MBE to the stage, and they had a fascinating conversation about class disparity, the history of Sheffield and glorification of British gang culture through mainstream media and the subsequent cultural erasure of real working-class experiences. (Pic: @lilitakesflickis)

Over at The Crucible, Zoe Ball and Jo Wiley hosted their first ever live show of Dig It to celebrate a year of the pod, the two brought on special guest’s comedian Sara Pascoe and gardener Ish Kamran. They made a hanging basket on stage and played a game of ‘Dig It or Dump It’ where they asked audience members to choose whether to keep or ditch things they couldn’t decide on. Cottage cheese on pineapple? Garden Gnomes? Sniffing a partner's armpit? Then, to the delight of their recently divided crowd (notably on pit-sniffing)they switched things up with a 90s rave DJ set, proving these two can do cosy garden and club all in the space of a couple of hours! The live show of Dig It at Crossed Wires will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Green Party’s leader Zack Polanski interviewed Drag Artist, author and activist Bimini Bon Boulash for Bold Politics. The two discussed at length the importance of community spaces for young LGBTQIA+ people, the threat against human connection and division caused by social media and the need for unity and political engagement as we weather the political instability of recent times. The audience hung on their every word, these two old friends had a conversation filled with hope and excitement for a brighter, more inclusive future in British politics. 

Sara Pascoe and Cariad Lloyd hosted their show Weirdos Book Club where they chatted with comedian and author Jenny Eclair all about her newest book Jokes, Jokes, Jokes: My Very Funny Memoir. The show opened with Cariad trying her hand at hoola-hooping and Sara cartwheeling across the stage, so the audience knew they were in safe hands. Through a wonderfully funny and warm conversation, they went on to discuss Jenny’s honest and hilarious memoir about her illustrious career in comedy and the arts. 

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the cult-hit horror podcast The Magnus Archives, creators Jonathan Sims and Alexander J Newall took audiences on a live journey into the mysteries behind the multi-award-winning fiction series. Fans revisited some of the show's most memorable statements while gaining exclusive insight into the creative process behind the stories that have captivated listeners around the world for the past decade. (Pic: @p_e_d_a_l_o)

Matt Forde and Alice Levine hosted an immersive live show of British Scandal: The Blenheim Palace Toilet Heist - which included hiring an audience member to play ‘bespectacled old lady’ complete with costume - alongside ‘British Scandal Bingo’ for audiences to catch classic key phrases in the script and win a prize. The show’s iconic sound-effects were combined with visual artefacts and CCTV footage from the theft and the unbeatable co-host comedic chemistry for a Scandal Special like no other. (Pic: @p_e_d_a_l_o)

Danny Robins closed off the weekend in bone-chilling style with a live performance of his hit podcast, Uncanny, in the (apparently) haunted Lyceum Theatre. Alongside guests Evelyn Hollow and Dr Ciarán O’Keeffe, famous paranormal skeptic Robins investigated some of the most famous cold cases, with the tentative hope to explain the unexplainable with the esoteric… The live show of Uncanny: Cold Cases at Crossed Wires will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

BBC Fringe shows at the Montgomery Theatre brought Lucy Worsley, Kate Lister and Clare Corbett to the stage to discuss some of the most infamous women in history with their hit show, Lady Killers. The three explored the complexities of gender, sex and class through crime, bringing the history to life with an immersive and fascinating show. 

Journalist Sue Mitchell and former soldier Rob Lawrie joined Everything Is Fake and Nobody Cares and The Missing Cryptoqueen presenter Jamie Bartlett to discuss their acclaimed Radio 4  series, To Catch a Scorpion and To Catch a King (both part of Intrigue). Reflecting on experiences ranging from stakeouts at car washes to meetings with smugglers in Turkey and reporting from the Kurdish region of Iraq, Mitchell and Lawrie offered audiences a rare behind-the-scenes look at the realities of investigative journalism.

Emma Freud delighted audiences at The Archers Live, with a trip to Ambridge as she and her guests reminisced, gave behind the scenes insights and chatted to the crowd about the show that has charmed the nation for 75 years. BBC Business Editor Simon Jack with journalist and author Zing Tsjeng discussed Sir Paul McCartney for a live episode of their show Good Bad Billionaire.

Nick Cope’s hit family show Popcast got the Crucible up on its feet, with children and adults alike singing along. Dan Simpson got sprogs’ cogs turning with Fun Kids Science Quest, showing the wonderful oddities of science with on-stage experiments at the Playhouse. All while Barkers Pool kept the good times rolling with Magician David Linacre, all-female award-winning Morris dancing team and musical story time performances, with punters able to grab a bite and a pint between shows and enjoy even more free entertainment!

Crossed Wires closes its doors on another hugely successful year, with tens of thousands left entertained, inspired, and maybe even ready to start a podcast of their own. And with that, roll on 2027!

AdsWizz and its regional sales representatives will serve advertisers seeking to reach SoundCloud’s young, highly engaged, and diverse audience across audio and video. The renewed advertising relationship, dating back to 2021, will give buyers continued access to SoundCloud’s growing European audience and premium audio inventory. SoundCloud will continue to leverage AdsWizz’s technology, including its programmatic marketplace and innovative ad-tech solutions. The renewal gives advertisers continued access to SoundCloud’s global community of over 50 million global users and 40 million creators.

“We’re happy to renew our partnership with AdsWizz this year, marking another step in SoundCloud’s continued investment in growing its advertising business across Europe. As the platform continues to shape music and culture globally, we remain focused on creating innovative opportunities for brands to connect with highly engaged audiences in authentic and impactful ways,” said Patricia Claper, Senior Manager, International Ad Partnerships at SoundCloud.

AdsWizz’s renewed relationship with Sonos, dating back to 2022, will continue to give advertisers access to millions of engaged listeners of Sonos Radio across Europe, offering buyers advanced targeting and ad tech capabilities

“We are thrilled to renew our agreements in Europe with two of our premium partners, SoundCloud and Sonos,” said Paul Brown, VP, European Business and Operations, AdsWizz. “These deals will give brands a powerful way to reach engaged, diverse audiences across Europe, backed by our contextual targeting, measurement, and ad tech capabilities.”

The British Podcast Awards today unveils the 2026 nominee longlist for this years' awards taking place at indigo at The O2 onThursday, 1st October 2026. 

Podcasts, hosts and production companies have all entered the coveted awards this year. After careful review by 200 esteemed industry voices and experts, the BPA's are thrilled to reveal the 2026 longlist – a special recognition for the excellence, talent, passion, and originality they bring to British podcasting.

409 entrants have been recognised across 27 categories, with almost half the selected longlist pertaining to independent titles and talent sitting alongside the UK's biggest names in audio - reflecting the continued innovation and ever-increasing scope within UK podcasting.

Popular voices hoping to claim Best Host(s) include Bill Nighy, Louis Theroux, Jo Whiley & Zoe Ball, Jordan North & William Hanson, Katherine Ryan, Lily Allen, Miquita Oliver & Jordan Stephens, and Rylan.

Those up for the highly sought-after award for Best Interview Podcast encompassHow to Fail with Elizabeth Day, Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett, Great Company with Jamie Laing, Olivia Attwood's Olivia's House and Mad, Sad, Bad with Paloma Faith.

Best Comedy Podcast is up for grabs by From The Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast, Joe and James Fact Up with Joe Thomas & James Buckley, _Shged Married Annoyed_ with Chris & Rosie Ramsey, Elis James and John Robins, and Where There's A Will There's A Wake with Mel Giedroyc** amongst twelve further nominees.

The new Food & Drink category has selected five longlisted nominees including Dish with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware and lan Carr and Lee Peart's Bottoms Up! 

Further category nominations span Wanging On with Graham Norton and Maria McErland for Best New Podcast, The Peter Crouch Podcast for Best Sport Podcast, What's My Age Again? with Katherine Ryan and NewlyParents for Best Entertainment Podcast, The Teen Commandments with Sara Cox and Claire Hamilton for Best Parenting Podcast, and Joe Marler Will See You Now for Video Innovation.

The shortlist will be revealed on Thursday, 23 July. 

The full list of longlisted nominees can be found below.

ARTS & CULTURE

• Book Quest - Fun Kids 
• Books on the Beach - Independent Podcaster 
• Breaking Atoms - Breaking Atoms Limited 
• Folk on Foot - Potholder Productions Ltd 
• Girls On Film 
• Intersections: Silicon Valley - Rethink Audio 
• Jane Austen's Paper Trail - The Conversation UK 
• Legend: The Bruce Springsteen Story - BBC Audio Wales and West of England 
• Mag Hags 
• Scarred For Life - Lock It In Studio 
• So, Hear Me Out - Reduced Listening Ltd 
• SOIL: Common Ground Series - Somerset House Trust 
• Soundtracking With Edith Bowman - Ebow Ltd 
• That's Not How It Went Down 
• The Cockney Yiddish Podcast - Rhubarb Rhubarb 
• The Failing Writers Podcast 
• The Problematic Gaze 
• The Rise & Fall of Indie Sleaze - Peanut & Crumb 
• The Secret Life of Songs - London College of Contemporary Music 

BEST HOST(S)

• Anna Sinfield - Novel 
• Annie Kelly, Helen Pidd and Nosheen Iqbal, and Lucy Hough - The Guardian 
• Bill Nighy - EYEPOD Studios 
• Charlie Hedges & Holly Hagan-Blyth - Bite Your Tongue Productions 
• Deborah Frances-White - The Spontaneity Shop 
• Dr Jeff Foster -Voy 
• Edith Bowman - Ebow Ltd 
• Helen Zaltzman and Olly Mann - Answer Me This! 
• James Deacon - Sync Clap Limited 
• Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball - Persephonica Limited 
• Kate Moryoussef - ADHD Women's Wellbeing 
• Katherine Ryan - Bauer Media 
• Lily Allen, Miquita Oliver, Jordan Stephens - Persephonica Limited 
• Louis Theroux - Mindhouse Productions 
• Rosie Moss - Widowed AF 
• Rylan Clark - Mindhouse Productions 
• Sara Davies & Helen Goddard 
• Wilfred Frost - Bird Lime Media 
• William Hanson and Jordan North - Audio Always 

BUSINESS

• Being Freelance - Foll&Co Ltd 
• Boss Class 3 - The Economist 
• Daybreak Europe - Bloomberg 
• Executive Decisions with Steve Sedgwick - CNBC 
• Failing Out Loud - Mikwabo 
• How To Own The Room 
• Jimmy's Jobs of the Future - Boxlight Creative Studio 
• Make Planning Make Sense - Centro Planning Consultancy 
• Mind Your Business With Sara & Helen 
• Oxford+ - Kindling 
• Places She Shapes - JAC Project Management 
• Scam Detectors - Featurespace, A Visa Solution 
• Talk Auto - Cox Automotive 
• The Relentless Optimist - 18Sixty 
• The Factory Next Door 
• The Times Tech Podcast - The Times and The Sunday Times 
• Walking Out Loud - Tandem Productions 
• We Built This City: Greater Manchester - Purposeful Podcasts 
• What The Fraud? - Sumsub 
• Women's Business - The Wilder Collective Ltd 

COMEDY

• Elis James and John Robins - Significant Productions Evil Animals - BBC Studios Audio 
• Fin vs History - Podmasters 
• Frank Off The Radio - Avalon  
• From The Oasthouse The Alan Partridge Podcast (Series 4) - Audible 
• Game's Gone - The Steve Bracknall Podcast - Persephonica Limited 
• Joe and James Fact Up - Audio Always 
• Listen Through The Brown Window
• Mel and Sue Should Know By Now - Audible 
• Pirate Material - Podomedy 
• Shagged Married Annoyed - Avalon  
• The Big Pitch - BBC Studios Audio 
• The Guilty Feminist - The Spontaneity Shop 
• The Last Laugh: The Last One Laughing Podcast - Audible 
• This Paranormal Life - This Paranormal Life 
• The Skewer - unusual 
• Where There’s a Will, There’s a Wake - Sony Music Entertainment 
• When The Cops Say No, We Say Yes - A Step Too Far Productions 

DAILY

• 13 minutes presents: Artemis II - BBC 
• Daybreak Europe - Bloomberg 
• Newscast - BBC 
• Today In History with The Retrospectors - Rethink Audio 
• The Intelligence - The Economist 
• The Story - The Times and The Sunday Times 
• Today In Focus - The Guardian 
• Scotcast - BBC Scotland 
• Walk the Pod - Walk the Pod 

DOCUMENTARY

• Anatomy of a Cancellation, for Shadow World - BBC 
• Assume Nothing - The Stormont Spy Ring - BBC NI 
• Beware Book - Bauer Media 
• Death in Dubai (World of Secrets: Season 9) - BBC 
• Charlene: Somebody Knows Something - Daily Mail  
• Everything is Fake (And Nobody Cares) - Tempo & Talker productions 
• FOUNDLING - The Observer 
• Half-Life (The History Podcast) - Falling Tree Productions 
• Love and Radio: Blood Memory - Love and Radio 
• Made In China - BBC 
• Palestinians in Paraguay - Uncovering Roots 
• Pipeline: Left to Die - Daily Mail  
• The Toxic Waste Scandal - BBC 
• The Birth Keepers - The Guardian 
• The Girlfriends: Untouchable - Novel 
• The History Podcast: The Fort - BBC 
• The Smuggler - BBC 
• The Walkers: The real salt path - The Observer 
• The Wargame - Sky News 

EDUCATION

• A Little Bit Richer - Fresh Air 
• English Like A Native Podcast - English Like a Native 
• From Newcastle - Newcastle University 
• Fun Kids Science Quest - Fun Kids 
• Hold Or Fold - Prison Radio Association 
• Scam Detectors - Featurespace, A Visa Solution 
• Talking Rubbish - The Rubbish Collective 
• The Curve - The Curve Platform 
• The Pension Confident Podcast - PensionBee 
• The We Society - Whistledown Productions

ENTERTAINMENT

• Boj & Kate Have A Lot On Their Plate - Podmasters 
• Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball - Persephonica Limited 
• Elis James and John Robins - Significant Productions 
• FolkLands - Seven Owls Ltd 
• Great Company - Jampot Productions 
• ill-advised by Bill Nighy - EYEPOD Studios 
• Lost in Translation - Bauer Media
• Mad, Sad & Bad - Jampot Productions 
• NewlyParents - Jampot Productions 
• Olivia's House with Olivia Attwood - Platform Media 
• Second Act with Ateh Jewel - HELLO! magazine 
• Shagged Married Annoyed - Avalon  
• The Buckleys Podcast - Platform Media
• The Guilty Feminist - The Spontaneity Shop
• The Louis Theroux Podcast - Mindhouse Productions 
• The Luxury Podcast - Audio Always  
• This Paranormal Life - This Paranormal Life 
• The Rise & Fall of Indie Sleaze - Peanut & Crumb 
• Topthree - Topthree Podcast 
• What's My Age Again? - Bauer Media 

FACTUAL

• A Carnival of Animals - BBC 
• Babbage - The Economist 
• BatChat - Bat Conservation Trust 
• Believe in People: Addiction, Recovery & Stigma - ReNew 
• Curious Cases - BBC Studios - Science Audio 
• Fun Kids Science Quest - Fun Kids 
• Future Tense with Richard Ayoade & Warwick Davies - Audible 
• Hold Or Fold - Prison Radio Association 
• How to Change the World: The History of Invention - How to Change the World 
• In Two Minds - Bengo Media 
• Making Tracks Railway Podcast - Making Tracks Railway Podcast - NB a collective of enthusiasts not a company 
• Tech Tonic - Financial Times 
• The Artificial Human - BBC NI 
• The Download - Yoto 
• The Story - The Times and The Sunday Times 
• The Wargame - Sky News 
• Top Comment - BBC 
• When Science Finds A Way - Rethink Audio 
• Wonderful Life - Audible 
• World of Sharks - Save Our Seas Foundation 

FICTION

• Broken Veil - Beard With Sauce Ltd T/A Cheese & Pickle Productions Ltd 
• Buzz: The Man & The Moon - Goldhawk Productions  
• Heathcliff - Audible 
• Leyline High Rewind - Leyline High Rewind  
• Limelight: The Dentist - BBC NI 
• Lost Terminal - Namtao Productions 
• Murder on Mars - BBC Studios Audio 
• O Now - BBC NI 
• Project Bläckfisk - Cipher Atlas 
• Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers - Fun Kids 
• Sherlock Holmes Short Stories - Noiser 
• Spores - Afonica 
• The Chronicles of Wild Hollow: Highperion Day (Vol. 1) - Shouting Is Funny 
• The Divide - Definitely Human 
• The Kingdom Sleeps - Cantrip Creative 
• The Wandsworth Way - Riverside Broadcasting CIC 
• Wolf Valley - Almost Tangible 

NEW: FOOD & DRINK

• Bottoms Up! with Alan Carr and Lee Peart - Goldhawk, Platform Media 
• Dish - Cold Glass Productions 
• Heard - Self Employed 
• Lunchbox Envy – QI 
• Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware - Balabusta Productions 
• The Nightcap - Shakespeare Creative Ltd 

HEALTH & WELLBEING

• Complex - Loftus Media 
• In Two Minds - Bengo Media 
• Is It Hot In Here? - 7X Content 
• It's So Loud In Here! - BBC 
• Kind - Giant Ruby Limited 
• Momfessions - Mind Mommy Coaching 
• No Appointment Necessary with Dr Amir Khan and Cherry Healey - Made You Look Studios Ltd 
• Pete Wicks' Man Made - Bauer Media 
• Real with Ric - Life after Loss - Real With Ric Podcast  
• Reset Your Health with Jamie Oliver - Audible 
• Science Weekly - The Guardian 
• Sliced Bread - BBC 
• Still Parents Podcast - The Lily Mae Foundation 
• The Dementia Perspective - OG Podcasts 
• The Oral Health Podcast - Oral Health Foundation 
• The Woman's Hour Guide to Life - BBC 
• What's My Age Again? - Bauer Media 
• When Science Finds A Way - Rethink Audio 

HISTORY

• After Dark - History Hit 
• Assume Nothing: The Radiation Holiday - BBC NI 
• Back When - National Trust 
• British Scandal - Audible 
• Dan Snow's History Hit - History Hit 
• Dexplorers - Podomedy 
• FolkLands - Seven Owls Ltd 
• Geekstorians - Geektown.co.uk 
• Half-Life (The History Podcast) - Falling Tree Productions 
• How Did We Get Here? Israel and the Palestinians - BBC 
• Mistresses with Jameela Jamil & Dr Kate Lister - Audible 
• Postwar with David Runciman - BBC 
• The Ancients - History Hit 
• The Bomb: Kennedy and Khrushchev - BBC 
• The History Bureau: Putin and the Apartment Bombs - BBC Studios Audio 
• The House at Number 48 - BBC Long Form Audio 
• Titanic: Ship of Dreams - Noiser 
• War Hall: A Theatre of the Mind - Independent  
• Witness History - BBC Long Form Audio 

IMPACT

• A Question of Science - BBC Studios 
• Autism Unpacked - Options Autism 
• Black Earth - Black Earth Podcast 
• Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead - BBC  
• Inside Energy - Bengo Media 
• Living Histories - Heads On (Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust's NHS Charity) 
• Missing In The Amazon - The Guardian 
• SEND in the Spotlight - BBC Woman's Hour 
• SOIL: Common Ground Series - Somerset House Podcast - Somerset House Trust 
• Talking Rubbish - The Rubbish Collective 
• The International Care Collective - The International Care Collective 
• The Missing Sister - Free Turn 
• The Overturn - The Future Justice Project 
• The Wargame - Sky News 
• Trapped: The IPP Prisoner Scandal - Zinc Media 
• Untold: Toxic Legacy - Financial Times 
• Verandah Talk - Bengo Media 
• Wild Tales - National Trust 
• Women Beyond Walls - Women Beyond Walls C.I.C 

INTERVIEW

• Dish - Cold Glass Productions 
• Experience is Everything - Podmasters 
• How Do You Cope? ... with John Robins (Richard Osman) - Significant Productions 
• How to Fail with Elizabeth Day - Sony Music Entertainment 
• Kind - Giant Ruby Limited 
• Lives Less Ordinary - BBC 
• Momfessions - Mind Mommy Coaching 
• On Hold - Storied Podcasts 
• Pete Wicks' Man Made - Bauer Media 
• Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett - BBC Studios Audio 
• Rylan: How To Be In Love - Mindhouse Productions 
• Scarred For Life - Lock It In Studio 
• The Lede - New Lines Magazine 
• The Louis Theroux Podcast - Mindhouse Productions 
• The Master Investor Podcast with Wilfred Frost - Bird Lime Media 
• The Mishal Husain Show - Bloomberg 
• The Modern Mann - Rethink Audio 
• The Reading Cafe - The Reading Cafe 
• Y Podlediad Dysgu Cymraeg - Pont - Univeristy of South Wales 

KIDS

• Audiomoves in Space - Peut-Être Theatre 
• Dexplorers - Podomedy 
• Errol's Garden Audio Musical - Golden Toad Theatre Company 
• Judge Bex - Fun Kids 
• Koala Moon: Kids Bedtime Stories & Sleep Stories for Kids Podcast - Happiest Ltd 
• Ranger Rae and the Wildlifers - National Trust / FunKids 
• Silly News with Samantha Baines - Samantha Baines  
• Snoop & Sniffy - GoKidGo 
• Supertato: The Tato Radio Show - BBC Studios Kids and Family 
• The Fourth Bookmark - The Fourth Bookmark 
• The Week Junior Show - Fun Kids 
• Today with tonies - tonies 
• Yoto Daily - Yoto 

LIFESTYLE

• As The Season Turns - Ffern 
• Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball - Persephonica Limited 
• Floating Space - Freelance 
• Get A Grip - Audio Always 
• Get Birding - Peanut & Crumb 
• Talking Rubbish - The Rubbish Collective 
• The Atlantic Canada Podcast - Atlantic Canada Agreement on Tourism / FINN Partners 
• The Outdoors Fix - The Outdoors Fix 
• This Was Always Me - Trickster Media Ltd 
• Travel Secrets by Tanya Rose - Travel Secrets 
• Your Aunties Could Never - YOUR AUNTIES COULD NEVER 
• We Talk To The Dead - Chloe Mediumship 

NETWORK OR PUBLISHER

• BBC World Service  
• Economist Podcasts+  
• Fresh Air  
• Fun Kids  
• Hamlin Studios  
• History Hit 
• JamPot Productions  
• Platform Media  
• Podomedy  
• Sony Music Podcasts 
• Unedited  

NEW PODCAST

• Bold Politics - Bold Politics 
• Do I detect a problem? - Sync Clap Limited 
• Fame Under Fire - BBC 
• Finding Your Pink - Emma Ledden  
• Kind - Giant Ruby Limited 
• On Hold - Storied Podcasts 
• Scotcast - BBC Scotland 
• Speed. Aggression. Surprise. The Untold Truth Behind the Story. - Dark Wave Film Ltd 
• The Art of Adventure - ILY Productions 
• The Jack & Ash Show - Audio Always 
• The Mishal Husain Show - Bloomberg 
• The State of Us: The Noah Donohoe Inquest - BBC 
• There's A Lot I Haven't Asked - There's A Lot I Haven't Asked 
• Top Comment - BBC 
• Visionaries 
• Wanging On with Graham Norton and Maria McErlane - Platform Media 
• When The Cops Say No, We Say Yes - A step too far productions

NEWS, POLITICS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

• American Friction - Podmasters 
• Borderland - UK or United Ireland? - BBC Northern Ireland 
• Disorder - Freelance 
• Don't Say A Word - 6Foot6 Productions 
• Electoral Dysfunction - Sky News 
• Flesh and Code - Audible 
• Holyrood Sources - Shortbread Media Ltd 
• Iran: the Latest - The Telegraph / Pod60 Ltd 
• Life of the Party - Ampersounds Productions 
• Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast - Rethink Audio 
• Palace Confidential - Daily Mail  
• Piers Morgan Uncensored - Piers Morgan Uncensored 
• Strong Message Here - BBC Studios Audio 
• The BelTel - Mediahuis  
• The Intelligence - The Economist 
• The Interface - BBC Studios Audio 
• The Tea with Myriam François - MPWR Productions 
• The Trial - Daily Mail  
• The Wargame - Sky News 
• Today In Focus - The Guardian 

PARENTING

• ADHD Women's Wellbeing Podcast - ADHD Women's Wellbeing  
• Adopters Anonymous - Freelance 
• Autism Unpacked - Options Autism 
• Bitesize Parenting Teens - Porcelina Productions Ltd 
• CBeebies Parenting Helpline - Bite Your Tongue Productions 
• I'm Not Judging, But... - Fin (West) Limited 
• Judged: A Mother's Love - BBC 
• Momfessions - Mind Mommy Coaching 
• Parentline NI - Your Guide to Parenting - Children in Northern Ireland 
• Parent Unplugged - Parent Unplugged 
• Still Parents Podcast - The Lily Mae Foundation 
• The Teen Commandments - Audio Always 

RISING STAR

• Alex Berteanu - MMR Research 
• Anna Wolfe - Rethink Audio 
• Eva Brookes - Reduced Listening Ltd 
• Georgie Styles  
• Hugh Sheehan  
• Iona Bain - Fresh Air 
• Issey Walton - tiny pink dvd player productions 
• Katie Bridget Murphy - BBC NI 
• Linda Du - Moola Money 
• May, Marie & Mel - Dramax Sounds 
• Maya Raichoora - Audible 
• Naomi Bloomstein 

SEX & RELATIONSHIPS

• Atonement: The John Paulk Story - Goldhawk, Platform Media 
• Bisexual Brunch - Made in Manchester Ltd 
• The Divorce Podcast - amicable 
• Trans Crush - Trans Crush 
• Sex in Space - String Theory Ltd 

SPORT

• F1: Chequered Flag - IMG 
• Football Weekly - The Guardian 
• For The Love of Cricket - Crowd Network 
• Game's Gone - The Steve Bracknall Podcast - Persephonica Limited 
• Golf Is Ruining My Life - Ruining My Life Productions ltd 
• Hospital Ball - York Hospital Radio 
• Pat Brown & Dave Allen Discuss... - Matchroom Boxing 
• RYA 150 Podcast - RYA 
• Stick to Cricket - The Overlap 
• Stick to Football - The Overlap 
• SwimOut - Swimoutpodcast 
• That Peter Crouch Podcast - Marvellous 
• The Climate of Sport - Sport Positive  
• The Good, The Bad & The Football - Platform Media 
• The Ruck - The Times and The Sunday Times 
• Whistleblowers - Daily Mail  
• Wild Swimming Wangers - Hector Productions 

TRUE CRIME

• Beware Book - Bauer Media 
• Codename Badger - Audio Always 
• Coining It - Free Turn 
• Crime Next Door: The Ballad of Big Mags - BBC 
• Crime Next Door: The Beast of Birkenhead - BBC NI 
• Cyber Hack: Evil Corp - BBC  
• Fraudacious - Novel 
• Love and Radio: Blood Memory - Love and Radio 
• Matched with a Predator - BBC 
• Murder in the Masai Mara - The Telegraph 
• Natalie McNally Murder: Youtuber on Trial - BBC News NI 
• Off Duty - The Guardian 
• Ransom Man - BBC Studios Audio 
• Seventeen Years: The Andrew Malkinson - The Times and The Sunday Times 
• The Darkest Web - BBC 
• The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer - Novel 
• The Missing Sister - Free Turn 
• The Mystic and the Mayor - Bite Your Tongue Productions 
• The Poppy Day Bomb - The Times and The Sunday Times 
• The Trial - Daily Mail  

VIDEO INNOVATION

• Bitesize Parenting Teens - Porcelina Productions Ltd 
• Dish - Cold Glass Productions 
• Do I detect a problem? - Sync Clap Limited 
• Game's Gone - The Steve Bracknall Podcast - Persephonica Limited 
• Get Birding - Peanut & Crumb 
• Joe Marler Will See You Now - Platform Media 
• Reporting History - ITV News (ITN) 
• The Daily T - The Telegraph 
• The Girls Bathroom - Audio Always 
• The Mishal Husain Show - Bloomberg 
• This Paranormal Life - This Paranormal Life 
• Ukraine: the Latest - The Telegraph 

WELSH LANGUAGE

• Hanes Mawr Cymru - Terrier Productions 
• Rhaglen Cymru - Independent 
• Siarad Siop efo Mari a Meilir - Siarad Siop efo Mari a Meilir 
• Sgwrsio - Sgwrsio 
• Sut i Ddarllen - Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru | Books Council of Wales 
• Sŵntrack gyda Joe - sŵntrack

Mercury is on the search for serious independent creators with established shows who want to take their content to the next level, and you can apply here.

And to celebrate #IndiePodDay, Mercury is teaming up with luxury resort Baha Mar to offer its new creator an exclusive three-night Creator Residency in the Bahamas, to live like a VIP and record in their state-of-the-art studio.

The winning creator, and Mercury’s biggest new addition, will enjoy: Three nights in a one bedroom suite in The Reserve at Baha Mar.

• $200 per night Food and beverage credit
• Fully curated stay
• One resort wildlife activity
• One cabana day
• A four-hour session in The Studio with a technician.

“When we launched Mercury, it was about levelling the playing field, and giving independent creators the rockstar treatment,” says its founder and CEO Liam Heffernan. “To be partnering with Baha Mar and giving the next best indie creator this life-changing opportunity is something quite extraordinary, and something they will never forget.”

The Studio at Baha Mar is a one-of-a-kind podcast studio and café set just steps from the brilliant turquoise waters of The Bahamas. Designed with state-of-the-art production capabilities and the ability to host live audiences, The Studio offers an immersive environment where culture, conversation, and creative expression take center stage.

Set atop the East Tower, along with a limited collection of Poolside Villas, The Reserve at Grand Hyatt Baha Mar offers a private, elevated experience defined by highly personalized services and amenities. Guests of The Reserve enjoy a dedicated VIP arrival, exclusive lounge access, and attentive personalized service designed to anticipate every need -creating a refined enclave for those who value both privacy and effortless access.

Applications for Mercury’s next show, and the recipient of this incredible opportunity, are open today (July 4th) until 12pm midday BST on Saturday July 25th.

Mercury is especially interested in creators with established shows but room to grow; particularly those with a demonstrable social following. Those who represent and/or champion underrepresented and marginalised voices are encouraged to apply.

Apply here

Every podcast starts with an idea. But for many creators, the journey can stall before the first episode is even recorded. Choosing a compelling name, defining a clear positioning, and understanding how listeners might discover the show are often some of the first barriers to launching.

To help remove this friction, Ausha has transformed its Podcast Name Generator into an AI-powered tool designed to support creators at the earliest stage of podcast creation.

Users can now describe their podcast concept, choose their show's tone and format, and instantly receive 10 tailored podcast name ideas, each scored for relevance and paired with availability insights.

Along with each suggested name, creators receive an SEO-optimized title of up to 140 characters, up to seven strategic keywords, and insights explaining why the recommendation is a strong fit for their podcast concept.

All recommendations are available instantly and free of charge, with no registration required.

This evolution reflects Ausha's broader mission to amplify every creator’s voice and bring more podcasts into the world. By removing one of the first barriers to launching a show — finding the right name and building a clear, searchable identity — Ausha aims to make it easier for first-time podcasters to launch with confidence and be discovered from the start.

Once creators have found the right name and positioning, they can launch their show directly from the tool on Ausha's podcast hosting platform.

The new AI-powered Podcast Name Generator is available for free.

Cold Glass Productions, the company behind award winning show Dish From Waitrose, today announce Outsiding, a new digital entertainment franchise. Hosted by broadcaster and author Caitlin Moran and leading garden designer and TV presenter Adam Frost, Outsiding will see Caitlin and Adam celebrate the simple joys of nature, wildlife, and gardening inviting celebrity guests to join them outdoors for a chat.

The joyful conversation set outside in gardens, surrounded by nature, will uncover a side to the celebrity guest not usually revealed in interviews. 

It’ll be a conversation that should heighten the senses and help us all to re-evaluate the world around us. Encouraging us to pay more attention to the things that will bring us joy and cost us nothing. You will want to spend more time in the garden or to go on a walk in the countryside after watching or listening.

To support this premise, the show is produced completely on-location with no episode taking place inside a studio - the outdoors is the backdrop and lens for the conversation. 

With episodes released every Thursday, comedian and TV presenter Bob Mortimer is the first guest to join Caitlinand Adam this Thursday, sharing memories of his father, “rock n roll” exploits from the Vic & Bob era, and the joy of a pint following a country walk. Other guests confirmed across the ongoing series include an array of celebrities including Adrian Lester, Alex James, Alexander Armstrong, Charlotte Church, Dawn O’Porter, Kerry Godliman, Mel Giedroyc and Mike D from the Beastie Boys.

Adam will also be using his gardening expertise to provide accessible, practical advice that helps Caitlin, their guests and the audience enjoy their garden and life outdoors. 

The franchise will span long-form podcast and YouTube episodes, short-form content across YouTube Shorts, TikTok and Instagram. You’ll be able to subscribe to Outsiding on Substack which will provide the community with access to additional video content, photos and articles.

Caitlin Moran, said: "Three years ago, I put a wish out into the universe: I wanted a Gardening Friend. None of my friends are into gardening, and I desperately wanted someone to nerd out with about soil, and who would really appreciate my dazzling "strike an epimedium"* joke. Imagine how thrilled I was when the universe ended up giving me GARDENING GOD ADAM FROST, and our own podcast - where we can nerd out together, with like-minded Outsiders, about buds, bugs, and being outside in the sun" (rain also acceptable, so long as we have waterproofs and a cuppa)

Adam Frost, said: “I can’t wait to spend time with Caitlin every week. My hope for this podcast is that it makes people smile - after that everything is a bonus. I'm really not sure where our conversations will go, which is why I'm looking forward to it - we might even learn something along the way! On top of that we are going to meet so many new people and chat all things Outsiding (whatever that is)!!”

Ben Kerr, CEO of Cold Glass Productions, said: “There are 13.1 million people in the UK who regularly listen to podcasts and love being outside in either the countryside or their garden. Outsiding is the show for them, wherever they are, at whatever time of day they can get outdoors with Adam, Caitlin and our celebrity guests. For a world in flux we will offer; company, bonhomie, laughter, advice, inspiring stories and escapism with a community of like-minded people.”

Outsiding follows the ongoing success of Cold Glass Productions’ multi-award-winning podcast Dish from Waitrose, co-hosted by Nick Grimshaw and Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett OBE. The show continues to dominate the podcast charts, attract headline guests including Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Cynthia Erivo, Keira Knightley, Romesh Ranganathan, Helena Bonham Carter, Dua Lipa, Florence Pugh, Shania Twain, Tom Holland and Gordon Ramsay, and has generated over a billion listens and views for Waitrose.

Cold Glass Productions works with talent, rights holders, broadcasters and advertisers to make digital entertainment.

Libsyn has appointed Elise Bergerson as its new Sr. Director of Business Development, effective immediately.

Based in New York, Bergerson will help drive strategic partnerships and business growth initiatives across Libsyn's podcasting ecosystem, working with creators, networks, agencies, and brands to unlock new opportunities for audience growth, monetization, and content expansion.

“Elise has built her career at the intersection of creators, content, and business growth, helping some of the most influential voices and organizations in podcasting scale their businesses and navigate an evolving media landscape. She brings a rare combination of creator-first thinking, operational leadership, and industry expertise that will strengthen our business development efforts and help us deliver even greater value to creators, networks, and advertising partners,” said Stephen Perlstein, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Libsyn, whom Elise will report to.

“Podcasting has evolved into a powerful ecosystem where creators can build audiences, businesses, and intellectual property across multiple platforms. Throughout my career, I've been passionate about helping creators and media companies navigate that evolution, and I'm excited to join Libsyn at a time when the opportunities for growth and innovation are greater than ever. I look forward to working with our partners to help them reach new audiences, expand their businesses, and maximize the value of their content,” said Elise Bergerson, Sr. Director of Business Development, Libsyn.

Elise joins Libsyn from Verve Talent & Literary Agency, where she served as Head of Audio, advising podcast networks, studios, and creators on business strategy, dealmaking, intellectual property development, and multi-platform growth. During her tenure, she helped creators develop and position original content for expansion across audio and adjacent media. Prior to Verve, Elise played a key role in building the operational infrastructure for This American Life and Serial Productions, helping support two of podcasting's most influential and successful franchises.

Backyard Ventures has added Grown & Growing, hosted by Keion and Shaunie Henderson, to its roster of represented podcasts, with Backyard Ventures serving as the exclusive advertising representative for the show. The partnership will include advertising opportunities across Grown & Growing's podcast, YouTube channel, and social platforms.

Grown & Growing features candid conversations on relationships, personal growth, faith, and culture. Shaunie is best known for executive producing and starring in VH1's Basketball Wives, while Keion is a recognized author, televangelist, and CEO of The Lighthouse Church & Ministries. Married in 2022, the couple holds no punches as they share relationship insights, real life advice, parenting tips, and honest reflections on their journey together as a couple. This authentic chemistry and perspective has resonated with listeners seeking meaningful conversation and practical guidance for navigating modern relationships and personal development.

Together, Keion and Shaunie have cultivated a powerful digital presence, reaching more than 3.5 million followers across Instagram.

"Grown & Growing is exactly the kind of show we love to represent. Keion and Shaunie have built something authentic, and their audience feels it. We're looking forward to connecting the right brands with that community," said Matt Cisneros, Founder of Backyard Ventures.

"At this stage of our journey, we weren't looking for someone to simply sell ads, we were looking for a strategic partner who understood the value of the community we serve. Backyard Ventures shares our commitment to creating authentic relationships between brands and audiences, without compromising trust. As Grown & Growing continues to expand, this partnership allows us to grow intentionally while staying true to the conversations that have made this platform meaningful. We're excited about what's ahead," said Keion and Shaunie Henderson.

As podcast advertising increasingly extends beyond audio into creator-led social media sponsorships, advertisers need unified reporting that captures the full impact of their investments. With this release, Podscribe automatically finds and tracks sponsored social posts associated with podcast campaigns, eliminating manual setup and bringing campaign engagement metrics into the same reporting workflow as attribution and conversion data.

What's New

Starting this month, July 2026, Podscribe will automatically scan shows with linked social media accounts associated with podcast campaigns and surface qualifying sponsored posts directly within the dashboard. Advertisers can immediately view engagement metrics without requiring additional implementation or configuration.

Key capabilities include:

• Automatic social post discovery for podcast campaigns across linked creator accounts.
• Engagement reporting including likes, comments, and views from Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
• Unified reporting that combines social engagement metrics with attribution and conversion data in the By Campaign report.
• Support for standalone social campaigns, allowing advertisers to create Instagram, TikTok, or other social-only campaigns directly within Podscribe.
• Simulcast campaign measurement, providing a centralized view of campaigns running across podcast, video, and social channels.

Publishers can also work with Podscribe to ensure their shows' social channels are properly linked for automatic tracking by reaching out to adops@podscribe.com .

Measuring the Full Impact of Creator Campaigns

As advertisers increasingly invest in integrated creator partnerships spanning podcasts, YouTube, and social media, campaign reporting has become fragmented across multiple platforms.

Podscribe's expanded social engagement reporting helps advertisers understand both audience interaction and business outcomes in a single platform. Connecting engagement signals with attribution metrics to provide a more comprehensive view of campaign performance.

Availability

Beginning July 2026, this feature is available to Podscribe customers directly within the Podscribe platform. For more information or to request a demo, visit podscribe.com or contact partnerships@podscribe.com.

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s speech at Davos garnered international attention but also raised questions about the exact nature and role of middle powers in a shift away from our decades-long dependency on the United States. These questions are the focus of eight brand-new episodes about the threat to Canada’s sovereignty and how the country can thrive in a new world disorder.

Gloves Off, season two, launches weekly starting on Canada Day wherever you get your podcasts. A video version can be seen on Youtube and Spotify. In addition, a Youtube aftershow called Cross Check features additional analysis from host Stephen Marche in conversation with Vass Bednar of the Canadian Shield Institute and Jon Shell of Social Capital Partners. Further research provided by the Canadian Shield Institute.

Season two subjects include: the viability and potential formation of middle power alliances; how Canada’s trade and economy might benefit from them; our adoption of asymmetric warfare capabilities, the building of digital sovereignty with a move away from the American tech stack; defense of our cognitive sovereignty; fending off foreign influence bad actors.

We talk to experts from around the globe who share lessons Canada could adopt to form a third pole of power in alliance with other middle powers.

Guests include: Peter MacKay and John Manley; Malcolm Turnbull (former Australian Prime Minister); Alastair Campbell (former Tony Blair campaign director); Antony Dworkin (European policy); Colin Robertson (former Canadian diplomat); digital experts – Cristina Caffara (Eurostack), Margarethe Vestager (anti-Apple and Amazon crusader), Tim Wu (author), Gil Duran (author, Nerd Reich), and tech critic Paris Marx; economists Dan Ciuriak, Monica De Bolle (Brazil), Huw Mckay (Australia); and many more. Plus personal stories from everyday Canadians and people in Greenland, Ukraine and the Hague.

The APAs from AudioUK return for their sixteenth year, with Audible as headline sponsor, celebrating the creativity, craft and talent shaping the UK podcast and audio industry. Recognising the people both behind the scenes and in front of the mic, the awards honour excellence across podcasts, radio, audiobooks, sound design, production and presenting.

Organised by AudioUK, the industry body dedicated to advancing the podcast and audio industry the APAs are where the podcast and audio community comes together to recognise outstanding achievement and celebrate another year of exceptional work.

Chris Baughen, CEO of AudioUK, said: "The APAs have always been one of the highlights of the industry calendar for me. Over the years I've attended as a producer, commissioner, Content Head and sponsor, and what has always struck me is the genuine sense of community in the room. The APAs celebrate the people behind the podcasts, audiobooks and radio we all love: the producers, editors, sound designers, presenters, writers and teams whose creativity brings great ideas to life.

Now, as CEO of AudioUK, I'm incredibly proud to play a part in championing these awards. They reflect everything that makes our industry special: outstanding creativity, collaboration, innovation and a shared passion for great storytelling.

I'm also delighted to welcome back Audible as our headline partner and grateful to Amazon Music for continuing to support our Pay What You Can scheme, helping to ensure entries to the awards remain accesssible."

2026 brings the biggest shake-up to the APAs category list yet. Six new and updated categories join the lineup this year: Executive Producer of the Year, International Breakthrough Award, Experimental Sound Design, and Best Use of Video are brand new, while Non-Fiction Audiobook and Ensemble Cast each become standalone categories in their own right for the first time.

Across all 30 categories, the awards celebrate production excellence spanning Comedy, Factual / Documentary, Audio Drama, Arts & Culture, Music, Entertainment, Lifestyle & Society, True Crime, History, Sound Design and more, plus a variety of on-mic and emerging talent awards. There are also the coveted awards for Production Company of the Year, Publisher or Network of the Year, Producer of the Year, and the new Executive Producer of the Year: recognising the leaders and visionaries who shape what gets made.

The Kids Content category returns, celebrating the explosion of audio and podcasts being created for younger audiences and as always, it will be judged by its target audience. Kids!

Most categories are open to individual producers as well as teams of producers working closely together, in recognition that many productions cannot be narrowed down to the work of a single person. Entrants are encouraged to read the category citations for the full entry guidelines.

Entry Information

The Awards are opening on 1st July and applicants will have 11 weeks to enter.

Early Bird entry fee for AudioUK Members is £50+VAT and £60+VAT for non-members and will run for an extended period of 10 weeks until Sunday 30th August. From then on, the standard entry fee will be £60+VAT for AudioUK Members and £70+VAT for non-members until the final deadline on Wednesday 16th September at 2pm (please note: there will be no late extension to the entry deadline).

Pay What You Can Scheme

With support from Amazon Music, AudioUK will be running the Pay What You Can scheme again, offering discounted entry rates for those under financial constraints, who would otherwise be unable to enter the Awards. Please email roshan.roberts@audiouk.org.uk to access the scheme.

TO ENTER plus all category descriptions, eligibility criteria, and further details, go to www.theapas.co.uk

If you’d like to find out more about joining AudioUK, you can do so here: https://www.audiouk.org.uk/join-us/

Key Dates:

• Entry opens: Wednesday 1st July 12PM (11 weeks)
• Early Bird entry fee: Wednesday 1st July - Sunday 30th August Midnight (8 weeks)
• Standard entry fee from Monday 31st August
• Final deadline: Wednesday 16th September 2PM. (Please note there will be no extension of the entry deadline)
• Shortlist announced & event tickets on sale: Monday 26th October
• Awards Ceremony at the BFI, London, Southbank: Thursday 26th November
• Winners Published: Thursday 26th November

The APAs from AudioUK - Categories for 2026:

INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM OF PRODUCERS WORKING CLOSELY TOGETHER

• Arts & Culture
• Audio Drama
• Best Use of Video
• Branded Content
• Comedy
• Entertainment
• Experimental Sound Design
• Factual / Documentary
• Fiction Audiobook
• History
• Kids Content
• Lifestyle & Society
• Music
• News / Politics
• Non Fiction Audiobook
• Sound Design
• Sports
• True Crime

  INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

• Executive Producer of the Year
• Narrator
• New Producer
• New Voice
• Presenter / Host
• Producer of the Year

  PERFORMANCE AWARDS

• Ensemble Cast
• Presenting Team

  COMPANY / ORGANISATION AWARDS

• International Breakthrough Award
• Network or Publisher of the Year
• Production Company of the Year

  IMPACT & SPECIAL AWARDS

• Changemaker Award
• AudioUK Award

All category descriptions and eligibility criteria can be found here.

Following her hyper-local series Great Days Out on the bus from Buxton, Producer Maria Passingham is launching a new podcast dedicated to capturing the stories, voices, and atmosphere of Buxton Festival Fringe.

“Our small town in the middle of the country punches above its weight when it comes to culture. The Fringe is one of my favourite things about living here, but it can be overwhelming! I wanted to make a podcast that helps people discover great shows, and captures the atmosphere and creativity that makes the Fringe so special” says Maria.

As both a lover of culture, and a fastidious planner, Maria will be equipping listeners throughout the Fringe with all they need to decide who to see, where to go, and what hidden gems await in the town’s back rooms, shop fronts, and public spaces.

“If you’re the type to find yourself standing in Pavilion Gardens with a handful of flyers, ten minutes until the next show starts, and no idea what to see next…. This is the guide you need” Maria promises in the trailer.

Buxton Fringe Weekly will feature conversations with comedians, actors, musicians, poets, and filmmakers, and hear reactions from audiences fresh out of shows and stories from the streets. Familiar favourites and first-timers alike will join Maria each week to hype up their shows, spill some behind the scenes intel, and help listeners determine their Fringe plans. With a considerable amount of production happening during the Fringe, the podcast will be reactive and dynamic, responding to live events and unfolding surprises.

Maria’s podcasts have a history celebrating the places and people around her, and Buxton Fringe Weekly is no different. That includes audience members! Listeners are encouraged to leave a voice note online or via email, reviewing the shows that have wowed or surprised them.

Episode 1 launches on the first day of the Fringe (8th July), and new episodes follow each week.

Buxton Fringe Weekly is produced in collaboration with Buxton Festival Fringe. Hear more of Maria’s podcast work here.

There's no better way to celebrate Canada Day than with another murder.

The acclaimed scripted comedy podcast Sorry About The Murder invites listeners back to the nice little Canadian town of Beavermount, Ontario. Where every day, Frenchie the Zamboni driver must solve a grisly murder to clear his Québecois name…and the ice for the nightly hockey game.

Part cozy mystery, part absurdist comedy, Sorry About The Murder has become a favourite with audio fiction fans for its sharp writing, cinematic sound design, and affectionate skewering of Canadian culture. Since its debut, the series reached #1 on Canada’s fiction charts, earned multiple international awards, and was named as a Podcast Of The Week in The Guardian.

“Canadians are this weird combination of politeness and violence,” says creator, writer and director Drew Frohmann. “Growing up in small town Northern Ontario, a murder mystery seemed a great way to celebrate all these funny Canadian quirks.”

In Season 3, Frenchie must dive into the murky depths of old Beavermount grudges to try and solve the murder of Greg “Greggy” Sullivan, while avoiding the wrath of vengeful townsfolk, angry loggers, and marauding Canada Geese.

New episodes debut July 1st, Canada Day on all major podcast platforms.

About Sorry About The Murder

Sorry About The Murder is Canadian scripted murder mystery comedy set in the fictional town of Beavermount, Ontario. Where every day, Frenchie the Zamboni driver must solve a grisly murder to clear his Québecois name…and the ice for the nightly hockey game. 


Produced by TA2 Productions and recorded at TA2 Sound + Music in Toronto, Ontario, the series is a proud member of the Fable & Folly Network.

Today, Liberated Syndication Inc. (“Libsyn”), the leading podcasting platform for creators and advertisers,announced a new multi-year exclusive hosting and advertising partnership with Sibling Rivalry, the hit comedy and culture podcast hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race royalty Bob The Drag Queen and Monét X Change. Under the agreement, Libsyn will exclusively host and monetize the weekly audio and video show, connecting premium advertisers with a highly engaged audience of comedy fans, pop culture enthusiasts, LGBTQIA+ consumers, and trend-conscious viewers who return week after week for the duo’s unmistakable chemistry and commentary.

“There’s no formula for what Bob and Monét do, they’re just two of the funniest people in the room and their audience never skips an episode,” said Stephen Perlstein, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Libsyn. “We’re proud to host and monetize Sibling Rivalry, and to put that loyal fan base in front of brands who want in on the fun.”

Bob The Drag Queen and Monét X Change added, “We've spent years laughing, oversharing, arguing, and somehow turning it all into a hit podcast people actually want to watch and listen to. Partnering with Libsyn gives us the tools, distribution, and advertising support to keep growing Sibling Rivalry across audio and video while staying exactly as chaotic as our audience expects.”

Sibling Rivalry creates a highly engaged listening and viewing environment where audiences come for the comedy but stay for the dynamic between two of drag's biggest stars – offering a compelling setting for brands looking to connect with culturally connected, highly active consumers. Hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8 winner Bob The Drag Queen and Season 10 Miss Congeniality and All Stars 4 winner Monét X Change, the show delivers an intensely hilarious mix of comedy, culture, and pop commentary. Despite the title, the two aren't actuallyrelated, but their sister-like banter, constant debates, and unfiltered conversations have helped build a devoted fan base and a catalog reachexceeding 100,000.

Whether discussing drag culture, celebrity feuds, internet obsessions, or deeply specific topics like bidets, robots, and hypothetical life dilemmas, Bob and Monét transform everyday conversations into laugh-out-loud entertainment. Sometimes the show is audio-only, sometimes it expands into special video episodes on YouTube – but one thing remains consistent: it's always funny. The result is a show that blends humor, authenticity, and cultural relevance in a way that keeps audiences coming back and actively engaging across platforms. It's also earned more than devoted fans – Sibling Rivalry received the 2023 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Podcast and the 2023 Webby People's VoiceAward for Podcasts: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Bob The Drag Queen is a Peabody Award-winning entertainer, New York Times bestselling author, comedian, television personality, and producer. Over the past few years, Bob has interviewed with Gayle King, Whoopi Goldberg, Seth Meyers, Sherri Shepherd, Kesha, and NPR's Ari Shapiro; emerged as a breakout star on Peacock's The Traitors; served as Master of Ceremonies for Madonna's international Celebration Tour; released the debut novel Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert; launched the production company Purse First Studios; and starred in MoulinRouge! The Musical on Broadway.

Monét X Change is an R&B vocalist, comedian, classically trained opera singer, and television personality born and raised in New York City. Her one-woman comedy show, Life Be Lifin', was named a Playbill Pick at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and praised as “a work on par with the likes of Mike Birbiglia and Alex Edelman.” Her opera career has included performances with Opera Colorado, Minnesota Opera, and Lincoln Center. She recently appeared on Peacock's The Traitors and now co-hosts RE!CAP on E! Network.

Libsyn delivers podcast hosting built for creators who are serious about growth, combining intuitive workflows with advanced analytics, audio and video publishing, and integrated monetization and marketing tools. Designed to scale alongside creators, the platform makes it easy to expand reach, build lasting brands, and maintain creative control. Through partnerships with Apple’s HLS-enabled video in Apple Podcasts, Spotify’s video distribution API, and YouTube, Libsyn also enables seamless publishing across the industry’s leading audio and video platforms.

This partnership leverages Libsyn Ads advanced solutions, including Host-Read (available for episodic and simulcast formats), programmatic Automatic Podcast Ads, and Integrated Brand Opportunities created to authentically resonate with Sibling Rivalry's comedy-loving, pop culture-obsessed, and highly engaged audience.

For advertisers seeking additional scale, the Libsyn Audience Network (LAN) provides access to premium, brand-safe inventory across Libsyn’s broader portfolio. With audience-based targeting across both new episodes and full catalogs, LAN combines the authenticity of host-read ads with the scale of broader inventory, all backed by Libsyn Ads’ buying, measurement, and campaign management capabilities.

For more information or to advertise on Sibling Rivalry, please contact ad-sales@libsyn.com.

Sibling Rivalry was represented for the deal by UTA and the law offices of Brett Green.

Audion, an AI-driven advertising platform specialising in digital audio, has appointed Liora Fox to the newly created role of director of sales for EMEA. Bringing on board the award winning ‘rising star’ is a strategic move for the company as it continues the expansion of its European leadership team to deliver on its growth plans.

Fox was previously business lead at global adtech specialist Ogury. Prior to that she was responsible for cross channel media buying (audio, digital, print, radio and out-of-home) for clients at Wavemaker and its predecessor Maxus Global.

Consistently promoted during the five and a half years she worked at Ogury, Fox has also been recognised regularly across major industry awards including: BRAVE 10 Rising Ad Tech Stars under 35 (2026); the Media Leader Future 100 (2025); Performance Marketing World 30 under 30 (2025); Business Insider Ad Tech Rising Star (2024); Performance Marketing World Star Performer (2024), The Wires Ad Tech Rising Star (2023) and Media Week 30 under 30 (2023).

Audion has seen more than 100% revenue growth in the first half of 2026, during which time it has also doubled the size of its global team. Fox will drive the company’s commercial growth and revenue strategy across the EMEA region. She will be responsible for scaling Audion’s adtech tools and its ‘performance audio’ advertising solution Audion AI (launched earlier this year); in addition, she will establish strategic partnerships with premium brands and media agencies. Fox will also play an active part in managing new publisher partnerships scheduled for the second half of 2026.

Elie Kauffmann, head of sales for EMEA at Audion, says: “Installing a dedicated director of sales for the entire EMEA region is a major milestone for Audion as we continue to forge ahead in Europe. Liora’s appointment demonstrates first hand our ability to attract top-tier senior talent; it also cements our commitment to fulfilling our ambition to become the definitive operating system for digital audio advertising across Europe.”

Fox says: “The call for solutions that deliver non-intrusive, highly targeted advertising is only getting louder - and this is exactly where audio delivers. Audion has an impressive track record in this growing arena; more than that, its eye is firmly on the future as it works on technology and innovations that play an integral part in the channel going from strength to strength. I’m excited to join!”

Global independent marketing and content company Miroma Group today announced it has acquired a majority stake in Ad Results Media (ARM) from Shamrock Capital, a Los Angeles-based investment firm specializing in media, entertainment, communications and related sectors, which will retain a minority stake in the business.

ARM is a leading creator, audio and performance media agency, working with brands including FanDuel, Molson Coors and ZipRecruiter. The acquisition, which adds offices in New York, Houston and Los Angeles, represents Miroma’s most significant expansion into the U.S. market to date, increasing the group’s annual media investment to more than $750 million.

“Creators have become one of the most powerful forces in modern media, and the convergence of audio, video and social is at the heart of that transformation,” said Marc Boyan, Founder and CEO of Miroma Group. “ARM has built one of the world’s leading creator and audio businesses, helping brands connect with audiences through the creators and voices they trust most. Bringing ARM into Miroma strengthens our position as a global leader in media, entertainment and the creator economy, while creating a platform that helps both brands and creators grow.”

ARM is one of the world’s largest buyers of creator, audio and podcast media, connecting brands with audiences across podcasts, YouTube, streaming platforms, radio and social channels. As creators have evolved into global media businesses with highly engaged communities, ARM has become a market leader in helping brands partner with creator talent through data-driven strategy, planning, buying, measurement and optimisation.

Joining Miroma brings ARM into a group of more than two dozen specialist businesses spanning entertainment, media, creative, technology and performance. Together, the group employs more than 900 people globally and includes agencies such as Mx Location Experts, Fold7, SpotCo, Maker Lab, Dewynters, Sold Out and Miroma Founders Network, partnering with global brands including Adidas, Carlsberg, Amazon Audible, McDonald’s, Live Nation and Google.

“ARM has an established leadership position in creator and audio media, and Miroma is the natural partner for our next phase,” said Jordan Fox, CEO of ARM. “Joining the group opens up new opportunities for our clients and partners, while allowing us to leverage Miroma’s global scale and breadth of service-led capabilities. Marc and his team have built an incredible business that I’ve admired for years, and together we’ll accelerate ARM’s growth.”

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Jordan Fox will remain CEO of ARM. Shamrock Capital will retain a minority stake in the business, reflecting its continued confidence in ARM’s long-term growth under Miroma’s ownership.

Incorporating Amazon’s authenticated signals into iHeartMedia’s premium inventory allows advertisers to access solutions supported by real shopping insights. These signals help improve relevance and performance across campaigns for enhanced audience planning, targeting, and measurement, all while creating flexible, integrated programs designed to deliver both scale and precision.

“Advertisers are increasingly looking for media solutions that combine scale, intelligence and simplicity across channels. By combining Amazon Ads’ shopping insights and advertising technology with iHeart’s audio leadership, we’re creating a more seamless, data-informed way for brands to create more effective campaigns across sound and sight,” said Lisa Coffey, Chief Business Officer for iHeartMedia.

“This expansion of our long-standing relationship with iHeartMedia gives brands new opportunities to connect with consumers across more screens and speakers with greater relevance and measurable outcomes,” said Jenn Donohue, Head of Local Ad Sales, Amazon Ads. “Together, we’re making it easier for advertisers to activate campaigns across premium audio and streaming environments while leveraging signals that support smarter planning, targeting, and performance.”

This collaboration offers advertisers a simplified approach to activating campaigns across Amazon Ads’ audio and video inventory while also tapping into iHeartMedia’s creative production, strategic sales consultation and integrated marketing capabilities.

The winners of the inaugural Scottish Podcast Awards were revealed before a packed audience at Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket following more than 400 entries which showed the strength of Scotland’s podcasting talent.

Open Goal, the football podcast hosted by ex-pros Si Ferry, Paul Slane and Andy Halliday, won two awards. It was chosen by Scottish podcast fans as the winner of the Spotify Listeners’ Choice Award and was also named the country’s best Football podcast.

Still Game and Chewin’ the Fat star Ford Kiernan was also among the biggest winners of the night. The Ford & Shelby Show, which he hosts with Shelby May, received the evening’s top gong when it was named Podcast of the Year. The show brings together the contrasting perspectives of its two hosts as they discuss generational differences, cultural absurdities and the state of the modern world.

During his acceptance speech, Kiernan praised his co-host and described May as the “find of the century”.

Female-led podcasts were also among the big winners, including Girls Overheard, hosted by Ash Reid, Eilidh Wells, and Lauren Fairbairn, and A Lot On Your Plate, hosted by friends Jess Tedds and Zoe Quinn.

The Go Radio Business Show with Hunter and Haughey, hosted by Sir Tom Hunter and Lord Willie Haughey, was named the winner of the Business 2 Business award while A Pint and Two Shots, hosted by Stephen Purdon, Grado and Chris Toal, won the Entertainment & Pop Culture award.

Goalhanger, the production company co-founded by former England footballer Gary Lineker, also collected two awards, with The Rest Is Politics and The Rest Is History both recognised.

Lochnorris Studios, a pupil-led educational podcast initiative based at Lochnorris Primary School in Cumnock, Scotland, run in partnership with Ayrshire College and Jonsan Media to teach children scriptwriting, recording, and digital audio skills, won the Community Impact and Charity award.

The ceremony was hosted by broadcaster and podcaster Kaye Adams and former Scottish Comedian of the Year Marc Jennings, who co-hosts the Some Laugh podcast with Stephen Buchanan.

The awards were developed by Sixty Steps Productions, founded by Mark Moir, Scot Gardiner and Corrinne Gardiner, to celebrate the quality and diversity of podcasts being produced in Scotland.

According to Ofcom, almost a quarter of adults in Scotland listen to podcasts every week, the highest proportion of any UK nation, while nearly half of Gen Z are regular listeners.

Scottish Podcast Awards co-founder Corrinne Gardiner said: “What an unbelievable night. We are immensely proud to have pulled this off, and it is safe to say this will not be the last Scottish Podcast Awards.

“The quality and variety across more than 400 entries was incredible. The awards demonstrated the talent already working in Scottish podcasting and the enormous enthusiasm surrounding the sector.

“Bringing creators together like this can only make Scotland’s podcasting community stronger.

“We are grateful to all our partners, including Spotify and Go Radio, to our brilliant hosts Kaye and Marc, and above all to every podcaster who entered and joined us on the night.”

THE 2026 SCOTTISH PODCAST AWARDS WINNERS

Podcasts Detail

• Arts & Culture: FONDS
• Best Podcast Artwork: New Frontiers
• Best Video Podcast: Girls Overheard
• Business 2 Business: The Go Radio Business Show with Hunter and Haughey
• Comedy: The Ford & Shelby Show
• Community Impact & Charity: Lochnorris Studios
• Documentary: The Cruelty
• Entertainment & Pop Culture: A Pint And Two Shots
• Fiction & Drama: The Jura Affair by William Boyd
• Food, Drink & Hospitality: Scran
• Football: Open Goal
• Gaelic: Big Gaels Don’t Cry
• History, Folklore & Heritage: Boswell’s Galloping Farmers, in Sound Escape Theatre
• International: The Rest Is History
• Interview: Blether Together with Farmstrong Scotland
• Lifestyles, Health & Wellbeing, Fashion & Beauty: A Lot on Your Plate Podcast
• News, Politics & Current Affairs: The Rest Is Politics: Leading
• Scotland’s Emerging Talent: The Reading Café
• Sex, Family & Relationships: My Family, Mental Illness, and Me
• Sport: Pike’n’Patter
• Travel & Outdoors: Scottish Island Adventures
• True Crime, Mystery & The Dark Stuff: Inside Forensic Science: Series 4 – A Case of Stolen Identity
• Spotify Listeners’ Choice: Open Goal
• Podcast of the Year: The Ford & Shelby Show

Sounds Profitable, the trade association for the podcasting industry, today revealed The Podcast Atlas, a new study that maps how audiences move across audio podcasts, video podcasts, social media, short-form clips, and newsletters within the modern creator economy. The findings, unveiled during a keynote presentation by Sounds Profitable Partner Tom Webster at VidCon, found that 73% of podcast listeners would follow a creator from audio to video, while 71% would follow that creator from long-form content to short-form clips, demonstrating that audience loyalty is tied more closely to creators than to any single platform or format.

Based on a survey of more than 5,000 U.S. consumers, The Podcast Atlas identifies five distinct territories that make up today's creator ecosystem: audio podcasts, video podcasts, short-form clips, social platforms, and newsletters. According to the results, rather than competing with one another, each serves a unique role in how audiences discover, engage with, and build relationships with creators.

"Audiences don't think in terms of platforms, they follow creators. ‘The Podcast Atlas’ shows how trust is built, strengthened, and converted across an ecosystem of touchpoints that includes audio, video, social media, clips, and newsletters," said Tom Webster, Partner at Sounds Profitable

Within that ecosystem, Sounds Profitable’s research found that audio podcasts serve as the trust engine. While industry conversations often focus on reach and video growth, audio audiences reported the highest levels of trust and credibility among all measured platforms. At the same time, audio and video listeners demonstrated nearly identical episode completion rates, challenging assumptions that video is replacing audio.

Video podcasts function as the ecosystem's engagement and activation layer, deepening creator relationships through visual connection. While trust levels between audio and video are comparable, video audiences were more likely to take post-ad actions such as searching for brands, taking screenshots, writing down promo codes, and making purchases.

Short-form clips act as a primary discovery mechanism, introducing audiences to creators and their content across social platforms. The study found that 84% of clip consumers say podcast clips lead them to become regular listeners at least sometimes, highlighting the important role clips play in audience growth and conversion.

Supporting the entire ecosystem are social platforms and newsletters. Social platforms provide the reach, distribution, and daily engagement that help creators find new audiences, while newsletters create direct, owned relationships that are independent of platform algorithms. Among newsletter subscribers, 87% said podcast newsletters lead them to listen to episodes, underscoring the value of owned channels for audience retention and re-engagement.

The findings suggest that creators and advertisers alike benefit when they view podcasting not as a standalone medium but as part of a broader creator ecosystem.

“Industry conversations often center on audio versus video, but that’s a false choice. The Podcast Atlas demonstrates that the real opportunity isn't choosing between formats, it's understanding how each format contributes to a larger audience journey," said Webster.

Webster presented the findings during a keynote session at VidCon on June 26, 2026, offering attendees a first look at the complete framework and its implications for creators, publishers, and advertisers. 

Sounds Profitable will further explore the research during a public webinar on July 1, 2026. You can sign up to that, free, here.

Comedy writers Freya Bennett and Lucy Regent— AKA the Hyperfixation Huns— are on a mission. In Big Little Interests, they’re diving into the weird and wonderful world of niche interests. And they won’t be doing it alone…

In each episode, hosts Freya & Lucy invite guests they admire to reveal their unusual area of interest and curiosity around that subject, and where it fits into their wider picture of their lives. Anything goes - from Anne Boleyn’s dog Purkoy, to limited edition Beanie Babies (check your attic, they’re worth 💸 these days) to people on TikTok who own bobcats to competitive cheese eating and woefully underused musical instruments. Freya and Lucy want to hear it all!

Guests range from side-splitting comedians like Steve Bugeja, Katie Pritchard and Suchandrika Chakrabati to TV personalities like Married at First Sight UK’s Emma Barnes. All four episodes will also be available to stream on audio platforms such as Apple, Spotify and to view as well on YouTube. The podcast will be released monthly.

In a world full of disheartening noise, Big Little Interests offers an offbeat, light-hearted, yet insightful interview podcast that gives listeners a unique glimpse into brilliant guests that they won’t find anywhere else. If you’re a fan of the weird and whimsical, then look (or listen) no further— this is the podcast for you!

Audio Always announces new investigative podcast series The Surgeon of St Helena, launching today

Following the critically-acclaimed series The Pitcairn Trials, season 2 takes host Luke Jones (pictured above) to another far-flung British Overseas Territory, the island of St Helena.

Combining powerful personal stories with detailed investigative journalism, The Surgeon of St Helena is a compelling examination of trust, power and accountability in one of Britain's most isolated communities.

St Helena is a remote island in the South Atlantic ocean, famous for two things: it's where Napoleon died, and is home to the oldest living land animal, Jonathon the tortoise. It's also where orthopedic surgeon Sergio Villatoro Bran arrived in 2016. The island's first resident orthopedic surgeon, the island was promised this talented Guatemalan living amongst them would be a great opportunity.

He begins operating on people at an astounding rate. Within five years 15 percent of the island had been under Sergio's scalpel. But all is not as it seems, join Luke Jones on a story which unpicks a medical scandal centuries in the making. Police tell us their investigation was watered down, victims accuse their own government of corruption, and of obstructing their access to justice.

Across the series, hear first-hand testimony from those whose lives were profoundly affected, from pensioners to children. Luke investigates this extremely remote, sub-tropical British society and tracks down those who control it.

The Surgeon of St Helena launches on 28 June 2026 and will be available wherever you get your podcasts. Produced by the award-winning team at Audio Always, The Surgeon Of St Helena joins the Always True Crime network alongside Answers For Claudia, UK True Crime and Project Mind Control.

Today, Liberated Syndication Inc. (“Libsyn”), the leading podcasting platform for creators and advertisers, announced a new exclusive hosting and advertising partnership with Gastronomics, the all-new audio and video podcast exploring the business of food. Hosted by Alex Mayyasi – author of Planet Money, a No. 3 New York Times bestseller, and longtime contributor to NPR's Planet Money – the show examines the economic forces shaping what we eat, where we eat, and why food trends emerge.

Under the agreement, Libsyn will exclusively host and monetize Gastronomics, connecting premium advertisers with a highly engaged audience of food enthusiasts, business-minded consumers, industry professionals, and culturally curious viewers seeking to better understand the forces shaping the modern food economy.

“Alex has a rare ability to make economics entertaining, accessible, and relevant to everyday life,” said Nick Zier, Senior Manager, Creator Partnerships, Libsyn. “Gastronomics sits at the intersection of food, business, culture, and consumer behavior, creating a valuable environment for advertisers looking to reach audiences who are curious, informed, and eager to discover what's driving the trends around them.”

Alex Mayyasi added, “I've always loved how stories about food make business and economics fun, relevant, and approachable. Gastronomics will be a resource for food nerds, people in the food industry, and everyone looking for an entertaining guide to the economy. Partnering with Libsyn gives me the tools and reach to share these ideas, stories, and conversations with a wider audience and connect with brand partners that fit the show's ethos and audience.”

Gastronomics creates an attention-rich listening and viewing environment where audiences come not just to hear about food, but to understand the business, economics, and cultural forces behind it – making it a compelling setting for brands looking to connect with curious, engaged consumers. In each episode, Alex Mayyasi talks with chefs, economists, and industry insiders to explore how economics shapes the modern menu. Meet a trend forecaster who tracks thousands of menus to know exactly when restaurants should start serving yuzu lemonade or ube pancakes. Discover how Best Restaurant lists get made. And learn why billionaires like Bill Gates buy lots and lots of farmland. The result is a show that turns everyday food decisions into fascinating stories about markets, culture, and human behavior.

Libsyn delivers podcast hosting built for creators who are serious about growth, combining intuitive workflows with advanced analytics, audio and video publishing, and integrated monetization and marketing tools. Designed to scale alongside creators, the platform makes it easy to expand reach, build lasting brands, and maintain creative control. Through partnerships with Apple’s HLS-enabled video in Apple Podcasts, Spotify’s video distribution API, and YouTube, Libsyn also enables seamless publishing across the industry’s leading audio and video platforms.

This partnership leverages Libsyn Ads advanced solutions, including Host-Read (available for episodic and simulcast formats), programmatic Automatic Podcast Ads, and Integrated Brand Opportunities designed to naturally align with Gastronomics’ food-curious, trend-aware, and business-minded audience.

For advertisers seeking additional scale, the Libsyn Audience Network (LAN) provides access to premium, brand-safe inventory across Libsyn’s broader portfolio. With audience-based targeting across both new episodes and full catalogs, LAN combines the authenticity of host-read ads with the scale of broader inventory, all backed by Libsyn Ads’ buying, measurement, and campaign management capabilities.

For more information or to advertise on Gastronomics, please contact ad-sales@libsyn.com.

Producing a podcast involves much more than recording an episode. Choosing titles, writing descriptions, categorizing content, and moderating increasingly active communities all require time and effort. With these new tools, iVoox simplifies some of the creators’ most common day-to-day tasks, helping them manage their projects more efficiently and dedicate more time to growing and professionalizing their podcasts.

An AI assistant to simplify episode publishing

The first new feature is the beta launch of iVoox’s AI assistant for episode uploads. Based on an audio transcription, the tool automatically generates title, description and tag suggestions related to the episode’s content, significantly reducing the time required to prepare an episode for publication.

These suggestions serve as a starting point and do not replace the creator’s decisions, as users always retain the ability to edit or discard them before publishing.

The assistant also takes into account the show’s recent context to generate suggestions that are aligned with the podcast’s usual topics and style, helping creators maintain a consistent editorial approach across episodes.

Automating moderation without losing control

Among the upcoming features currently in development is intelligent comment moderation powered by artificial intelligence. Once activated, the system will automatically identify and reject messages considered spam or offensive, while approving those that comply with participation guidelines. This will enable podcasters to spend less time on manual moderation and encourage healthier conversations around their content.

At the same time, creators will remain fully in control of the process. Through their dashboard, they will be able to review rejected comments, understand why they were blocked, and restore any comments they consider appropriate. In this way, podcasters will be able to automate much of the moderation process without losing control over conversations within their communities.

New tools to drive podcast creation and monetization

These new features are part of iVoox’s broader strategy to develop tools that help podcasters professionalize their work and manage their projects more efficiently.

Juan Ignacio Solera, founder of iVoox, said: “Artificial intelligence has enormous potential to eliminate repetitive tasks and allow creators to spend more time on what truly adds value: creating content, connecting with their audiences, and professionalizing their projects. Our goal is for these tools to act as assistants that support creators in their day-to-day work, while ensuring they always remain in control of their podcasts and communities.”

The company is also developing additional AI-powered features, including social media copy generation and new intelligent moderation tools to help creators manage their communities. In addition, iVoox is preparing new monetization options that will allow creators to offer one-off paid content and generate revenue through new content formats.

• Audio Ad Localization
• Podcast Localization

While many translation vendors focus on text-based, one-size-fits-all translation, Otonal's service addresses the distinct challenges of audio-first localization. The service goes beyond standard translation by rebuilding scripts for spoken Japanese, ensuring precise 15- and 30-second ad timings, adapting the content to local cultural context, and casting native Japanese voice talent suited to the content and delivery environment to maintain brand authority and tone.

Japan ranks among the world's leading economies and is one of Asia's largest advertising markets, making it one of the most commercially attractive and sophisticated media markets globally. As its digital audio ecosystem continues to grow rapidly, Japan presents an increasingly essential opportunity for international brands.

However, navigating the Japanese language poses a barrier for overseas entities. Japanese is highly contextual, with complex levels of politeness, and grammatical structures that mean call-to-actions are at the end of a sentence. Literal translations inevitably fail to capture the rhythm, emotion, and cultural nuances required for effective audio storytelling.

Taisuke Yagi, Otonal Inc.'s CEO, highlights the core challenge for international brands expanding into this market:

"A sentence can look accurate on paper, but can feel stiff, confusing, or emotionally flat when spoken aloud in a podcast or audio ad," says Yagi. "Audio spots live in seconds, not pages. Our goal is to bridge the gap between a brand's original editorial intent and the Japanese listener's ear, ensuring the localized edition feels as natural and strong as the English original."

Key Features of Otonal's Audio Localization Service:

• Audio-Ready Script Transcreation: Rebuilding English scripts specifically for spoken Japanese, carefully timed to fit strict 15/30/60-second ad slots or natural podcast pacing.
• Bilingual Professional Voice Casting: Access to polished Japanese voice talent via FM BIRD, Otonal's talent agency specializing in radio personalities and narrators.
• English-First Project Management: Designed for non-Japanese speaking global or APAC teams. Otonal provides transparent approval points, back-translations, and knowledge around expression/phrasing, with explanatory notes on wording and expressions in English so overseas teams can approve with full comprehension of the material.
• Platform-Ready Delivery & Optional Media Support: Delivering studio-quality audio files mixed and mastered for major audio platforms in Japan, like Spotify, radiko, and podcast networks. Otonal can also handle media planning and buying within Japan.

Otonal has planned over 4,500 digital audio campaigns and supported more than 1,500 advertisers in Japan. The localization service is available starting today for global teams looking to expand their audio footprint into Japan.

WNYC announced today the premiere of a new weekly radio program hosted by John Schaefer, longtime host of “Soundcheck” and “New Sounds.” Soundcheck, now premiering on the radio, will revisit the best of its namesake podcast to highlight exclusive live performances and interviews, priming audiences for new music releases and upcoming tours. The first episode will air on Saturday, June 27 at 8pm.

Through conversations about craft and process alongside in-studio performances, “Soundcheck” offers an in-depth look at extraordinary artists, their creative endeavors and personal influences. Expertly curated by host John Schaefer, the program is dedicated to introducing an immense array of genres and styles, bringing music from all over the world directly to new audiences. With Schaefer’s unique interviewing style that belies deep curiosity and broad listening experience, the episodes offer a global musical perspective and an exploration of the many brilliant facets of human creativity.

“Whether it’s a solo acoustic set by alt-country pioneer Rodney Crowell or horn-heavy dance music from Cuba’s Orquesta Akokan, ‘Soundcheck’ is not just about live music,” said Schaefer. “It’s about pulling aside the curtain to get a peek at the creative process: like getting to hear Carl Newman of the indie rock band The New Pornographers picking apart a Burt Bacharach tune to show how it broke all the rules of songwriting but still became a big hit. The show is as much about the artists and their stories as it is about the performances.”

“Soundcheck” will air on WNYC and wnyc.org on Saturdays at 8pm ET. Episodes will be available as a podcast after they air in the “Soundcheck” feed wherever you get your podcasts.

EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS:

Episode 1: Tank and the Bangas; Rodney Crowell (June 27)

The New Orleans band Tank and the Bangas have been public radio favorites since they won NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2017. Since then, they’ve built their considerable reputation on their high octane, dance-ready blend of R&B, hip hop, spoken word and pop. The Grammy-winning band has some new songs to play for us from their latest album, “The Last Balloon.” After that, wewelcome Rodney Crowell into our studio, who helped create the genre known as alternative country. He’s written #1 hits for himself and artists like Bob Seger and Waylon Jennings, as well as collaborating with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow and, most notably, Emmylou Harris. He joins us to tell some tales and give us a taste of his 2025 album “Airline Highway.” 

Episode 2: Horsegirl; Sullivan Fortner (July 4)

Music can be a serious business. But no one says, “I work music.” You play music. In this episode, discover two very different musical acts who understand the significance of having a playful streak. First, we welcome three best friends who formed the indie rock band Horsegirl when they were still in high school in Chicago; they play a couple of songs from their sophomore album, “Phonetics On and On.” Later, New Orleans-born, three-time Grammy-winning jazz pianist and composer Sullivan Fortner makes good use of our piano, performing some of his original music as well as a piece by Chopin in a way only he can.

Episode 3: Carminho; The New Pornographers (July 11)

What makes certain musical moments memorable? In the case of the Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers, it’s a quarter of a century filled with inventive arrangements, power pop melodies, and striking lyrics that feel both abstract and relatable. And in the case of Portuguese fado singer Carminho, it’s a single, show-stopping moment in the film “Poor Things,” where all the action stops as she sings an aching song from atop a balcony. On this edition of Soundcheck, The New Pornographers play some tracks from their latest record “The Former Site Of,” while Carminho breathes new life into songs from her album, titled “Eu Vou Morrer de Amor ou Resistir: ‘I’ll die of love, or I’ll resist.’”

Episode 4: The O’Farrill Family Band; Michael Winograd (July 18)

New York’s history as a city of immigrants has had a huge impact on music. Six-time Grammy-winning pianist Arturo O’Farrillfollows in the footsteps of his father, Chico O’Farrill, a pioneer of the Afro-Cuban jazz that developed in NY in the 1940s. Now, Arturo O’Farrill often collaborates with his own sons, trumpeter Adam O’Farrill and drummer Zack O’Farrill, in both Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and The O'Farrill Family Band. The latter group comes together to play music from all three generations in our studio. After that, another New York-based musician, clarinetist Michael Winograd and his all-star band, recreates a pivotal moment in the history of klezmer and jazz music, honoring the traditions of an earlier group of musical immigrants, the Jewish people of Eastern Europe.  

Episode 5: Julieta Venegas; Marilina Bertoldi (July 25)

Latin music culture has produced countless artists who amplify decades of traditions and stories through their unique point of view. Two of those artists are Julieta Venegas and Marilina Bertoldi, who have both earned numerous Latin Grammy nominations in recent years. Singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas, who collaborated with superstar Bad Bunny on “Lo Siento BB:/,” is a multi-instrumentalist whose artistry encapsulates pop, rock, and regional Mexican music. And Argentine rock 'n' roll icon Marilina Bertoldi’s creativity contains multitudes, as her retro electric guitar solos pierce through a wall of glitchy and sampled sounds. As you listen to both artists’ performances from our studios, you’ll be transported to a small seaside town in the summer in one moment, and a sweaty nightclub in the next.

Episode 6: Meklit; The Bad Plus (August 1)

On this episode of Soundcheck, a great band bids farewell after a monumental career that lasted more than a quarter of a century. American avant-garde group The Bad Plus spent long years fusing instrumental jazz with rock music, with each member playing their seemingly traditional instruments to their fullest extent in unexpected ways. They perform some tunes from their final record, “Complex Emotions” and reflect on their creative journey. Also, Ethiopia-born, California-based singer Meklit joins us with live renditions of some songs from her album, “A Piece of Infinity,” singing in her native tongue of Amharic and taking inspiration from the Golden Age of Ethiopian pop music.

Independent Australian podcast company Podshape has welcomed the establishment of a Tasmanian parliamentary inquiry into Tasmania Police responses to allegations of officer misconduct, following months of reporting through its investigative podcast Badge of Betrayal.

The inquiry, announced on 24 June 2026, will examine Tasmania Police responses to allegations of officer misconduct and will be conducted by the House of Assembly Standing Committee on Government Administration B. The official inquiry page lists Ms Ella Haddad MP as Chair and Dr Rosalie Woodruff MP as one of the committee members.

The inquiry will consider Tasmania Police responses to allegations of serious misconduct, including sexual misconduct and family violence, as well as the response from Tasmania Police and the Tasmanian Government in relation to the Paul Reynolds matter.

Badge of Betrayal, produced by Podshape, investigated the case of former Senior Sergeant Paul Reynolds and the broader questions surrounding police culture, complaints handling, institutional failure and the treatment of victim-survivors and whistleblowers.

In an interview aired on Badge of Betrayal, Tasmanian Greens Leader Dr Rosalie Woodruff acknowledged the role of the podcast in bringing new information to light.

“We are moving to have a parliamentary inquiry to investigate Tasmania Police’s response to the Paul Reynolds matter and to also investigate the responses of Tasmanian Government ministers and senior departmental staff,” Dr Woodruff said.

“We’re very concerned that there is unexamined evidence and questions unanswered about how Tasmania Police officers, including the past Commissioner, responded to and dealt with the allegations against police officer Paul Reynolds and his perpetration of child sexual abuse over a number of decades.”

Dr Woodruff said the podcast had helped expose further material that required scrutiny.

“You and your work and the work of the podcast has brought to light recently some conversations with police officers and especially right to information documents that give us more questions that have not been answered so far,” she said.

The Tasmanian Greens have also stated publicly that information aired on Badge of Betrayal raised further questions about the matter and that the inquiry will be able to hold public and confidential hearings under parliamentary privilege.

Podshape co-founder and host of the podcast Jay Walkerden said the inquiry shows the power of long-form investigative podcasting when it is led by evidence, courage and the voices of people who have been ignored for too long.

“This podcast was never about chasing headlines,” Mr Walkerden said. “It was about listening to victim-survivors, asking the questions that had not been properly answered, and following the evidence wherever it led.

“For people who have carried this for years, this inquiry matters. It gives them a chance to be heard in a process with powers, protections and public accountability.

“We are incredibly proud of the role Badge of Betrayal has played in helping keep these questions in the public conversation, but this moment belongs to the brave people who spoke up victim-survivors, whistleblowers, current and former police, and those who chose to remain anonymous because they still feared the consequences of telling the truth.

“This is not the end. It is only the beginning.”

Podshape co-founder Katie Mattin said the company remains committed to trauma-informed storytelling and giving people a safe way to share difficult experiences.

“These stories are not content to us,” Ms Mattin said. “They are people’s lives. They are years of pain, silence and unanswered questions. We take that responsibility seriously.

“When people trust us with their story, our job is to handle it with care, but also with courage.”

People who wish to follow the inquiry or provide information can visit the official Parliament of Tasmania inquiry page.

Helios Media, the dedicated podcast network from Radio America, announced it has signed The Morse Report with Matt Morse, one of the fastest-growing independent voices in news and political media.

Morse delivers daily news, analysis and commentary to an audience of millions who feel underserved by mainstream outlets. His direct, no-nonsense style has built one of the most loyal and engaged followings in independent media, with over 800,000 YouTube subscribers and more than 166 million total views. The Morse Report airs daily across YouTube, Rumble, Facebook and all audio podcast platforms.

Morse's daily live-streams cover breaking political news, policy developments, and cultural flashpoints, focusing on the stories his audience cares about most: government accountability, national sovereignty, the American family, immigration, free speech, and other issues shaping the future of the country. A husband, father, and proud American, Morse has built his audience on daily conversation and direct interaction with viewers.

"Matt has built a loyal and highly engaged audience through his independent, insightful commentary on the news and cultural issues shaping America. His authentic voice and growing influence have made him one of the most promising rising stars in independent media, said Mike Paradiso, President & CEO of Helios Media.

The addition of The Morse Report extends Helios Media's roster of voices that challenge the mainstream and speak with conviction. The network surrounds its creators with the infrastructure to grow and monetize their content, including content development, audience growth, multi-platform distribution, monetization strategy, branded podcast production, and public relations.

"As one of the fastest growing programs in conservative media, I’m excited to join forces with Helios Media to accelerate our growth across podcasting, video, and social platforms while continuing to build The Morse Report community. Their expertise in content distribution, audience development, and monetization makes them an ideal partner for the next phase of our growth, said Matt Morse.

Supporting Cast, the leading podcast subscription platform for top-tier podcasters, and PAVE Studios, an entertainment company specializing in creator-led IP across video, audio, live experiences, and more, today announced a partnership to power premium subscriptions for Crime House. As PAVE's creator-led true crime brand, Crime House has rapidly become one of the fastest-growing destinations for crime storytelling across audio, video, and social media.

Through the partnership, Supporting Cast will provide subscription infrastructure for Crime House's growing slate of premium offerings. The partnership enables fans to access ad-free listening, bonus episodes, early releases, exclusive content, and future subscriber-only experiences across the Crime House portfolio.

Since launching in 2024, Crime House has expanded into a multi-platform true crime brand featuring original series and creators reaching millions of listeners and viewers each month. The brand's roster includes some of the most recognizable voices in true crime, including Morgan Absher, Kaelyn Moore, Sarah Turney, Heidi Wong, Vanessa Richardson, Carter Roy, Dr. Tristin Engels, and Kourtney Nichole.

"Crime House was built around the idea that fans want deeper relationships with the creators and stories they love," said Max Cutler, Founder and CEO of PAVE Studios. "Supporting Cast gives us the infrastructure to create premium experiences that strengthen those connections while building a sustainable, direct relationship with our audience. This greatly expands our subscription offering after launching Crime House+ on Apple Podcasts last year. As we continue expanding Crime House across audio, video, live events, and beyond, this partnership helps lay the foundation for the next stage of growth."

The partnership reflects a broader shift across the podcast industry as creators and media brands increasingly invest in owned audience relationships and recurring revenue streams. Supporting Cast's platform allows publishers to manage subscriptions, premium content delivery, payment processing, newsletters, community features, and subscriber experiences from a single platform.

"Crime House has quickly established itself as one of the most exciting brands in true crime," said David Stern, CEO of Supporting Cast. "PAVE understands that the strongest media businesses are built around passionate audiences, and we're excited to help Crime House deepen those relationships through premium memberships that create value for both fans and creators."

The Crime House subscription can be found at crimehouseplus.com.

Platform Media is excited to appoint Chris Quinn as an Executive Producer within their sports slate. Quinn's 14-year production career spans some of the UK's most recognisable formats, including A League of Their Own, Last Leg of the Paralympics, and Alan Carr: Chatty Man.

Following a hugely successful run of Platform Media original show launches, Quinn’s new role will build on their growing sports offering. 

Quinn will lead on the content and growth of The Good, The Bad and The Football, hosted by Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt alongside award-winning comedian Paddy McGuinness during the World Cup. Since launching in September 2025, the show has built a loyal audience at speed - surpassing 500 million cross-platform views, amassing more than 800,000 followers, and clocking half a million hours of consumption in the last month alone.

The slate is also home to The Good, The Bad and The Rugby, The Wayne Rooney Show, and Joe Marler Will See You Now. The company’s latest signing is former world champion boxer Tony Bellew who teams up with content creator Charlie Parsons to host Fight Your Corner: a joint IP venture that has seen over 9 million streams across long-form episodes and social media in the first four weeks.

The continued growth has led to a headline sponsorship with Midnite across both Fight Your Corner and The Good, The Bad and The Football, reinforcing the value of investing in talent and IP. 

The appointment reflects Platform’s strategy of investing in premium visual content, and its dedication to growing their original IP. Quinn’s track record in television and creative development will strengthen Platform’s ability to build worlds around the people, stories, and ideas audiences care about most.

Quinn voiced his excitement: “What Platform has built in sport in a short space of time is genuinely impressive — the numbers, the talent, the IP. That tells you everything about the foundation here. The strategy here has no ceiling and I’m excited to push that as far as possible."

Conor Hewitt, Head of Sport at Platform Media, added: “We're delighted to welcome Chris at such a pivotal point for Platform's sports slate. The appetite from audiences, sponsors and talent has never been stronger. Chris joins with the experience to match that ambition and makes him a hugely valuable addition to the team.”

True Native Media, a leading podcast representation and advertising agency, today announced the appointment of Julia Amran as Director of Podcast Development.

In this role, Amran will lead efforts to identify, recruit, and onboard podcast partners while helping expand and strengthen True Native Media's growing roster of creators and networks.

Amran joins True Native Media with extensive experience across podcasting, creator partnerships, content strategy, and business development. Most recently, she has executive produced shows for Slash Management and led Creator Acquisitions at Sonoro Global Media, where she focused on developing US podcast partnerships and supporting multi-channel talent. Prior to Sonoro, she spent nearly three years at Amazon Music, driving content and business development initiatives and executing strategic content partnerships.

Her background also includes innovative work at Wondery and Amazon Creator Services where she managed talent relations and partnerships, providing her with a unique perspective on creator development, media partnerships, and the evolving podcast ecosystem.

"Julia's experience spans nearly every corner of the podcast industry and entertainment, from creator partnerships and talent relations to content strategy to experiential/live and business development," said Heather Osgood, Founder and CEO of True Native Media. "She understands what creators need to grow sustainable businesses, and she brings an incredible network of relationships and industry expertise to our team. As we continue expanding our roster and supporting creators at every stage of growth, we're thrilled to welcome Julia to True Native Media."

As Director of Podcast Development, Amran will work closely with creators, networks, and industry partners to identify opportunities for growth and help connect high-quality podcasts with the resources, representation, and consultative support needed to scale their businesses.

"I've long admired True Native Media's creator-first approach and the reputation the team has built within the industry," said Amran. "Podcasting continues to evolve rapidly, and I'm excited to join a company that is deeply committed to helping creators grow sustainable businesses while maintaining the authenticity that makes the medium so powerful."

The appointment reflects True Native Media's continued investment in creator development and roster growth as the company expands its portfolio of podcast partners and advertising offerings.

Indigenous House, the new digital media platform celebrating Indigenous voices and creators led by Founder Crystal Echo Hawk (Pawnee) and Jade Begay (Tesuque Pueblo/Diné), and Little Bear Audio, the award-winning post-production studio led by audio engineer Ian Sorrentino, announced the launch of The Indigenous Setlist. Premiering on June 22, the podcast and video series explores how modern Native and Indigenous artists are redefining genres and creating today’s most electrifying music.

The Indigenous Setlist will take listeners on a genre-spanning journey into the artists, influences, and sounds powering contemporary Indigenous music — from hip-hop and alternative rock to electronic dance, country, folk, and beyond. Featuring Juno Award winners, artists whose music is featured on today’s biggest film and TV soundtracks, and some of the hottest acts breaking now, each weekly episode is a discovery engine for music lovers inside the beats, the bands, and the stories defining some of the most exciting music today.

“The artists featured in season one are scoring some of the most popular series streaming now, signing to major record labels, climbing the charts, and headlining some of the biggest music festivals around the country,” says Indigenous House Founder Crystal Echo Hawk. “These artists aren’t waiting for permission - they are pushing boundaries, blending their own personal stories and lived experiences with new and innovative sounds that are looking towards the future and reshaping the modern music landscape. I’m so excited that The Indigenous Setlist will serve as a platform to both discover what’s next and go behind the scenes to hear more from this incredible lineup of artists, showcasing their rich cultural histories, raw talent, and captivating sounds. The story isn’t that Indigenous music is having a moment — it’s that the moment is everywhere, and this show is the front-row seat.” 

The inaugural season features a diverse roster of trailblazers and visionaries. The first episode will premiere on June 22 with the EDM group The Halluci Nation, the first independent Indigenous artists from North America to cross 100 million streams on Spotify, with subsequent episodes released weekly.

• June 22: The Halluci Nation (EDM) – Representing the Six Nations of the Grand River (Mohawk) and Cayuga Nations
• June 29: Maoli (Country Reggae) – Representing the Native Hawaiian community
• July 6: THRONE (Hip-Hop, R&B) – Representing the Mvskogee Nation (Creek)
• July 13: LOV (R&B Soul) – Representing Poundmaker Cree Nation
• July 20: Aysanabee (Alt-Rock, Soul) – Representing the Sandy Lake First Nation (Oji-Cree)
• July 27: Natasha Fisher (Alt-Rock) – Representing the Long Lake #58 Ojibwe Nation
• August 3: Shawnee Kish (Alt-Rock, Country, Soul) - Representing Six Nations of Grand River (Mohawk)
• August 10: AJ Harvey (Pop Rock) – Representing the Pawnee, Ponca, and Hidatsa Nations
• August 17: Fawn Wood (Traditional) – Representing the Saddle Lake Cree and Coast Salish
• August 24: Dead Pioneers (Punk Rock) – Representing Pyramid Lake Paiute
• August 31: Cherokee Social (Indie-Rock) – Representing the Cherokee Nation
• September 7: Raye Zaragoza (Americana Folk, Pop) – Representing the Pima/Oʼodham Nation

“I’m so proud to partner with Indigenous House to shine the light on the diverse talent and wide-ranging genres of modern Indigenous music,” says Little Bear Audio’s Ian Sorrentino. “From folk to hip-hop, from well-known acts to emerging talent, the stories and sounds of these artists are vibrant and boundary-pushing, and I can’t wait for listeners to learn more about the motivations behind their music. These artists are proof that contemporary Indigenous music belongs in every playlist, on every soundtrack, and on every stage, and we invite everyone to tune in and learn more about these unique sounds.” 

The podcast is produced by Indigenous House, Ian Sorrentino, Little Bear Audio, Helen Gover (Diné, Pawnee, and Choctaw), and Quiet Star Collective, and will be released weekly beginning on Monday, June 22 on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Today, Crossed Wires podcast festival has revealed headline guests and local shows performing throughout Sheffield between Thursday 2nd - Sunday 5th July.

Miss Me? co-host and TV presenter Miquita Oliver is announced to join How to Fail with Elizabeth Day. In a world where success seems to be the only option, this conversation will serve as an insightful reminder that failure is required to grow and have fun along the way.

Drag queen Bimini Bon Boulash will join Bold Politics with Zack Polanski, where the two will discuss Bimini's incredible life and career, from taking part in Ru Paul’s Drag Race and walking the runway at London Fashion Week, to their work as an author and recording artist.

Greg James and Alice Levine are set to headline day one of the festival with the first-ever live show of their new podcast Bad Chat at City Hall. The chart-topping podcast launched in May with a clog-wearing fanbase and a wacky live show built to match.

That Boxing Show’s ‘Ingle Gym Special’ will bring to the stage seven boxing legends trained at the iconic academy; all brimming with insider stories, fight analysis, and bold predictions. Joining World Cruiser Weight Champion Johnny Nelson and musician and photographer Andy Nicholson for this special edition: undefeated WBC world champion Dalton Smith, Olympic bronze medallist Frazer Clarke, former IBF welterweight world champion Kell Brook, former featherweight world champion Kid Galahad, renowned trainer and leading boxing analyst Dave Coldwell, and rising Sheffield fighter John “Busta” Keaton.

Further headliners throughout the weekend include Get A Grip: Bras Off with Angela Scanlon & Vicky Pattison, JaackMaate's Happy Hour, The Elis & John Show, The Blindboy Podcast, Dig It with Jo Whiley & Zoe Ball, Weirdos Book Club with Sara Pascoe and Cariad Lloyd, If I Speak with Ash Sarkar & Moya Lothian McLean, British Scandal with Matt Forde & Alice Levine, Uncanny: Cold Cases with Danny Robins, and the All My Friends After Party.

Loose Lips returns to Leah's Yard, platforming ten South Yorkshire podcasts for all to enjoy in Sheffield's independent retail and trading hub. Ramble Rave merges good mood music with the beauty of the outdoors with ex Sheffield pirate radio DJ Tat, Surviving Horror Podcast looks at how horror characters could make better choices, and seven further podcasts.

Over at Barkers Pool, the Crossed Wires ‘Centre Stage’ will provide non-ticketed, inclusive family-friendly immersive live entertainment across the weekend. The Nice Type will be customising compliments on a vintage typewriter, followed by live music from Tracks. Rise Yoga will be hosting a morning flow on Saturday, before Neighbourhood Voices' community choir. Magician David Linacre will be primed for audience participation on Sunday ahead of an all-female award-winning Morris dancing team. Little Sounds Garden will bring Musical Storytime for 0-5’s, with older siblings welcome to listen to a story, sing, listen to the violin and move to music. Plus plenty more community events throughout the weekend.

The BBC Sounds Fringe returns to Cole Brothers, this year featuring Radio 2 Book Club with Sara Cox and author Lisa Jewell, Dilly Carter with Sort Your Life Out Unpacked, the making of Traitors: Uncloaked with Minah Shannon, and Chris Mason with Henry Zeffman for a special Newscast which looks at the tumultuous year in news, and many more.

Plus an additional stage takeover from BBC Radio 4 will be bring some of its flagship radio shows to The Montgomery, including Woman’s Hour with Anita Rani and Nuala McGovern, In Our Time with Misha Glenny, What’s Up Docs with Chris and Xand van Tulleken, Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, The Archers Podcast with Emma Freud, David Baddiel with his new series Sixty Years of Hurt, Lady Killers with Lucy Worsley, and more favourite Radio 4 shows including Loose Ends, Add to Playlist and Stand-Up Specials.

Crossed Wires is the world's biggest podcasting party on Thursday 2nd - Sunday 5th July. The festival brought 25,000 people to Sheffield in 2025 to see the biggest names in podcasting, and 2026 promises more never-seen-before performances, special guests, DJ sets and fan events.

You can grab tickets at the Crossed Wires website.