Wodcast, a new long-form interview series dedicated to exploring the power and beauty of words – a “Desert Island Discs for words” – on Wednesday launches its first series with Elif Shafak as the inaugural guest.

In 2023, Benjamin Aston began a word of the day (WOD) project on Instagram, which organically grew to an audience of over 1.6 million people. Ben met activist and film producer Mabel Evans, and through a shared love of literature, language and storytelling, they built Wodcast. Bringing together ‘wod’ and ‘podcast’, the interviews will be focused on intimate long-form conversations exploring the words that shape the people who are shaping culture.

Season one guests include Tim Rice, Elif Shafak, Stephen Fry, David Larbi, Professor David Nutt, Waad Al-Kateab, Nick Mulvey, Remi Olayjoyegbe and Hak Baker.

Wodcast is a reminder that the most powerful intelligence arises from our shared experience, from the ineffable thread that connects us all. In a digital world increasingly dominated by algorithms and AI, Wodcast celebrates the living intelligence of the human imagination, the warmth, the wit, and the wonder that no machine can replicate.

Beyond the interview series, they host events across Europe inspired by chosen words, from writing supper clubs to parties and creative gatherings, where guests are invited to engage, respond and bring words to life through collective intelligence.

Mabel Evans said: “Releasing the first episode of the Wodcast feels like reaching the end of a long, meandering river and finding ourselves at the edge of the ocean. Ben and I have spent 9 months immersed in conversations that have inspired, challenged, and shifted the way we see the world. In many ways, this project is autotelic: we began these conversations for ourselves, driven by genuine curiosity and a love of ideas. We share them because we believe there is value in the words and perspectives our guests bring. We hope our listeners find them as thought-provoking and transformative as we have.”

Benjamin Aston said: “On Wednesday 17th June we will release the first episode of the Wodcast with Elif Shafak. The pre-launch liminal state brings a strange comfort. Everything we’ve worked on is pure potential - nobody outside our immediate team has seen it - but we’re confident it’s going to land really well. Just the knowledge that we made something we believe in, and have the courage to find out what the world thinks, is exciting to me.”

CAA’s representation will focus on seamlessly translating and elevating Betches’ creator-led and social-first dominance into traditional entertainment spaces including linear television, streaming, film, live experiences, global brand partnerships, and more. CAA will partner closely with the company’s internal teams to package the brand’s established portfolio of in-house comedy creators, top podcasts, and original programming slate, including hit franchises like U Up?, Mention It All, and Style Therapy. The agency will also identify new opportunities for top-tier advertising partners to integrate into the expanding Betches ecosystem.

Aleen Dreksler, CEO and co-founder, Betches, said: “CAA is the gold standard for global talent and brand representation in Hollywood, and signing with them is a natural next step as we expand the Betches Cinematic Universe and continue to invest in our creators and drive the cultural conversation. We are operating at our highest cultural and commercial velocity, and this partnership with CAA is designed to accelerate our impact, creating unparalleled industry exposure for Betches across the evolving entertainment landscape.”

This year, Betches celebrates 15 years at the forefront of creator-driven entertainment as the unapologetic, definitive voice for millennial and Gen Z women who grew up on the internet. More than a milestone, 2026 marks an important chapter in the brand’s evolution into an entertainment and comedy powerhouse reaching nearly one in two women in the US.

About Betches

Betches is the leading entertainment destination for Millennial and Gen Z women, offering premium content across social, video, podcast, editorial, and immersive experiences. For 15 years, Betches has been the premier comedic voice for women, with a proven track record for launching A-list talent and driving digital culture through its collaborative writers’ room approach to content development. Backed by a team of brilliant creators, Betches’ powerful online presence generates over 540M monthly views across all channels, successfully reaching nearly one in two women across the United States.

Betches partners with blue-chip brands looking to connect with women through cultural relevance. In 2023, Betches was acquired by LBG Media, the owner of the leading global media brand LADbible Group.

AdLarge today announced the appointment of David Cohn as Chief Revenue Officer. Cohn will oversee revenue strategy and sales leadership across AdLarge and the fwd. network, helping drive the company's continued growth across audio, video, social, creator-led content, and branded partnerships.

The appointment comes as AdLarge and the fwd. network continue expanding their creator portfolio, cross-platform offerings, and advertiser solutions, helping brands connect with audiences through premium content, trusted creators, and integrated marketing programs. As brands look for more unified ways to reach audiences and creators seek broader monetization opportunities, AdLarge continues to expand its capabilities across platforms and formats.

Cohn brings more than 25 years of experience in digital advertising, media sales, and revenue leadership. Throughout his career, he has built and scaled high-performing sales organizations across media, technology, and content businesses, including leadership roles at WWE, Spotify, and Megaphone.

As Head of Sales at Megaphone, Cohn was a member of the company's executive leadership team through its acquisition by Spotify. Following the acquisition, he led Spotify's East Coast and Global Podcast Sales teams, overseeing strategic revenue initiatives across 11 international markets and helping evolve the Megaphone Targeted Marketplace into what became the Spotify Audience Network.

“For nearly 15 years, AdLarge has focused on helping advertisers, creators, and partners adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape,” said Cathy Csukas, CEO of AdLarge and the fwd. network. “As our business continues to grow and evolve, we're investing in the leadership and capabilities needed to support that growth. David's experience across audio, podcasting, digital media, and advertising makes him a strong addition to our team as we continue building for the future.”

“I've long admired what Cathy and the AdLarge team have built,” said Cohn. “The company has a strong foundation, trusted relationships throughout the industry, and a clear vision for the future. I'm excited to join the team and help expand opportunities for creators, advertisers, and partners as AdLarge continues to grow.”

In his new role, Cohn will focus on expanding revenue opportunities across AdLarge and the fwd. network, deepening advertiser and agency partnerships, and supporting the company's continued investment in creator monetization and cross-platform growth.

Today, the Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting (AMP), a task force dedicated to future-proofing podcasting amid a growing measurement crisis, announces the first unified impression framework for audio and video podcasting. Its ambition is to give advertisers and publishers a single consumption-based currency that lets them compare audio and video podcast inventory on common terms for the first time, while preserving the "download" as a delivery signal where it remains useful.

The download is the currency podcasting was built on. From the medium's beginning, it has been the unit by which shows are ranked, ad inventory is sold, and value is assigned. But as new podcasting platforms arose and the medium expanded to video, the gap between how each major platform measured impressions grew. Apple counts downloads. Spotify counts streams. YouTube counts views. None of those definitions describes the same human behavior, and none allows a chief marketing officer to compare audio and video podcast inventory on the same line of a media plan. That structural mismatch has eroded advertiser trust and spending, holding the medium back from its next phase of brand investment.

To address this, the AMP Task Force ratified a new framework with four exposure definitions, with no dissenting votes, bringing cross-platform consumption-based standards to podcasting for the first time:

• Podcast Play: 30 seconds of content played, audio or video, once per user per session.
• Podcast Audience: The number of unique users who had a Podcast Play.
• Ad Impression: A commercial begins playing for the user.
• Ad Audience: The number of users exposed to an Ad Impression.

Editor's note, Jun 18: AMP notified us that the "once per user per session" wording in their original press release, above, was sent in error.

Not only is this new standard consumption-based rather than delivery-based, it works the same way across audio and video, is applicable to listening or viewing on all platforms, and is enhanced by growing adoption of HLS standards. It also functions as a supplementary layer of measurement rather than a sudden currency replacement, allowing cross-platform comparison without forcing any single platform to abandon their existing systems. 

Beyond these exposure definitions, AMP seeks to develop a universal definition of "podcast," which impacts industry sizing, buying and selling processes, and measurement, as well as a comprehensive cross-platform attribution proposal. The task force will reveal its full guidance along with an implementation guide at Oxford Road's CAO Summit on July 23, 2026 at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

AMP comprises major industry leaders across platforms, advertisers, publishers and creators. This includes individuals from leading platforms where the vast majority of audio and video podcast content is consumed, hosting and monetization companies, top advertisers, leading talent, and independent measurement providers.

Select AMP members include:

• Oxford Road, CEO, Dan Granger and EVP of Strategy, Giles Martin
• Spotify, Head of Podcast Agency & Show Specialist Sales, Anna Hartman and Head of Content Partnerships, Jordan Newman
• BetterHelp, Senior Director of Growth Marketing, Brittany Clevenger
• DraftKings, Senior Manager, Growth Marketing, Mike Janigian
• United Talent Agency, Creators Agent, Rebecca Steinberg and Partner & Co-Head, UTA Creators, Oren Rosenbaum
• Libsyn, Executive Vice President of Sales, Anthony Savelli
• Podscribe, CEO & Founder, Pete Birsinger

"For years, the buy side and the sell side have argued about whether a ‘download’ equals a ‘listen,’ and how YouTube ‘views’ should be counted alongside podcast downloads. The AMP exposure framework finally gives the industry the answer it has needed: a single, consumption-based metric that can work across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and everywhere else," said Pete Birsinger, CEO and Founder of Podscribe.

"Selling apples, oranges and bananas at the same price and calling it a tomato may have worked for a while, but it makes for a lousy bloody mary. The time has come to harmonize the way we calculate and price audience exposure, no matter where someone played a podcast. This removes a major bottleneck that has undermined trust and clarity, and held back the growth of audiences and advertising dollars. Moving beyond the download as a measure of listening has been a long time coming, and gives the industry fresh momentum it's needed for the better part of a decade," said Dan Granger, CEO of Oxford Road. 

For more information, visit: ampaccords.com

Canada's podcast market reached new heights as 46% of Canadian adults now consume podcasts monthly, the largest single-year increase ever recorded for the format, up from 39% in 2024.

Triton Digital®, the global technology and services provider to the digital audio, podcast, and broadcast radio industries, today released its 2026 Canadian Podcast Report, a comprehensive year-in-review of podcast consumption across the country. The report analyzes audience behavior, content preferences, genre trends, and the nation’s top-performing shows from April 2025 through March 2026, incorporating findings from The Canadian Podcast Listener study by Signal Hill Insights and Ulster Media.

"The pace of change in Canada's podcast market is unlike anything we've seen before," said Daryl Battaglia, Senior Vice President of Measurement Products and Strategy at Triton Digital. "What's especially compelling is that growth is coming from multiple directions at once — new listeners entering the market, existing listeners consuming more content, and video transforming how the medium is experienced altogether. The Canadian podcast audience is growing, diversifying, and listening more. That's a powerful foundation for what comes next."

Video Enters the Mix, But Audio Remains the Foundation

While audio remains the primary way most Canadians consume podcasts, video is increasingly becoming part of the experience. More than half  (51%) of monthly podcast consumers now both watch and listen, signaling that video has emerged as a meaningful complement to the medium, even as audio-first consumption continues to define the majority of podcast behavior..

Amid this transformation, YouTube has solidified its position as the single most-used podcast platform in the country, as 40% of monthly listeners use the platform, up from 35% in 2024 and 29% in 2023. The platform's rise demonstrates how YouTube is bringing extra growth in podcast consumers to the market.

When it comes to RSS downloads, Apple Podcasts continues to lead, accounting for nearly half (49%) of all new episode downloads, followed by Spotify (19%).

Francophone Canada: A Market Reborn in Consumption and Engagement

After a dip in 2024, French-speaking Canadians are fueling new growth in the podcast market.

Francophone podcast consumption has rebounded sharply, climbing to 33% among French-speaking Canadians (18+) listening monthly, up from 24% in 2024. French speakers are significantly more likely to be new listeners, a signal that this audience is still in an early, expansive phase.

In fact, 70% of the content French-speaking Canadians consume is Canadian-made, underscoring the depth of cultural connection between Francophone listeners and locally produced audio.

Canadian Content Drives Local Connection

Canadian-made podcasts now hold their widest lead over U.S. podcasts in seven years, capturing 43% of average listening time among Canadian monthly podcast consumers, compared to 41% for U.S. content.

The top sales network and overall podcasts were nearly all Canadian productions, reflecting both the quality of homegrown content and the depth of Canadian listener loyalty.

CBC/Radio-Canada network leads with an average of 2.16 million average weekly downloads in Canada, more than double its nearest competitor.

CBC/Radio-Canada also led among top overall podcasts with shows including Front Burner, The World This Hour, World Report and The Current.

Top Content Categories Remained the Same Yet Platforms Vary Among Canadian Listeners

Content preferences have remained remarkably consistent even as the audience expands. News, True Crime and Comedy have held the top three positions for multiple years, demonstrating the enduring appeal of information, intrigue, and laughter. 

However, different genres attract strikingly different listeners. Comedy over-indexes heavily among 18-to-34-year-olds. Sports draws a predominantly male audience (78%) and reaches the 35-54 age range the most. True Crime and Health & Fitness are the most female-leaning genres, 65% and 68%, respectively. And Business listeners rank among the most educated (47% are University graduates) and highest-earning (38% have an income of $100K+).

Meanwhile, each platform tells a different story and serves a different audience. YouTube continues to skew male (56%), with Spotify dominating the younger audience of 18- 34-year-olds (51%). Apple Podcasts garners the most affluent (47%) and educated (79%) listeners.  

"Podcasting is no longer an emerging channel in Canada. It’s become mainstream, reaching nearly half of all Canadian adults and evolving rapidly in how it's consumed,” concluded Battaglia. “That scale, combined with the depth of engagement we're measuring, creates a compelling case for creators to invest in their content and for advertisers to treat audio as a core part of their media strategy. For creators, publishers and advertisers, that convergence represents a significant and durable opportunity."

Access the Full Report and Learn More

The 2026 Canadian Podcast Report is available in both English and French. To download the full reports visit:

• The 2026 Canadian Podcast Report (English): https://info.tritondigital.com/en-ca/canadianpodcastreport2026
• The 2026 Canadian Podcast Report (French): https://info.tritondigital.com/fr/rapport-canadien-sur-les-podcasts-2026

Editor's note: this is gated content, which we don't normally link to. Apologies.

To learn more about participating in Triton Digital's podcast and streaming rankers, contact solutions@tritondigital.com or visit www.tritonrankers.com.

Integral Ad Science (IAS), a leading global platform that connects AI-powered media quality to real business outcomes, today announced a new episode-level pre-bid optimisation solution for programmatic podcast audio and video as part of its strategic partnership with Spotify. Starting this month, leveraging IAS Context Control, advertisers can seamlessly apply episode-level contextual controls in The Trade Desk before a bid is placed, enhancing brand suitability, protecting brands and bolstering media quality performance across podcast impressions on the platform.

IAS delivers AI-powered media quality measurement and optimisation wherever advertisers invest, providing the clarity and control needed to boost business outcomes across social, CTV, audio, and the open web. This solution empowers marketers to buy podcast inventory through the Spotify Ad Exchange at scale with the confidence and precision they expect from digital display and video. It arrives as podcast advertising continues its powerful momentum, with IAB data revealing that in the U.S. alone, podcast ad revenue surged 17.6% year-over-year in 2025 to reach a record $2.9 billion.

"Programmatic audio has always allowed brands to reach a large and growing audience, and now, with this launch, it also allows for greater control," said Lisa Utzschneider, CEO, IAS. "By launching episode-level pre-bid optimisation for programmatic audio for Spotify, via The Trade Desk, we are enhancing brands’ ability to confidently drive their podcast ad spend, aligned to their own brand suitability profiles."

Context Control pre-bid optimisation segments for podcasts on Spotify offer:

• Confidence to scale. Allows advertisers to apply the same brand suitability standards from across digital campaigns to Spotify podcast inventory, before the bid.
• Episode-level precision. Contextual classification is applied at the individual episode level, not just at the show or app level, supporting greater accuracy and helping advertisers identify additional suitable inventory opportunities. 
• Industry-standard alignment. Advertisers can choose from 33 contextual avoidance segments across 11 industry-aligned categories at three risk levels (high, medium, and low).
• Seamless activation. IAS Context Control Pre-bid segments are available to apply to Spotify Ad Exchange PMP campaigns directly within The Trade Desk.

This partnership expands Integral Ad Science’s partnership with Spotify, having previously announced its AI-driven brand safety and suitability solutions for the Spotify Audience Network in May 2025. 

IAS Context Control segments for Spotify podcasts will be available via The Trade Desk starting today, and rolling out to other major DSP platforms in the coming months.

Built to address the growing demand for greater transparency and operational efficiency in digital audio, Content Hub combines audience intelligence, live inventory visibility, contextual discovery tools, pricing data, and campaign management into a single unified platform.

The tool gives advertisers and agencies access to detailed show-level insights across hundreds of thousands of podcasts while streamlining the workflow from planning to activation and performance monitoring.

“Programmatic podcast advertising has evolved into a major media channel, but the infrastructure supporting buyers has remained fragmented and opaque,” said David Krulewich, CEO of Mission Media. “No other media advertising company is offering a multi-functional platform that combines real-time inventory visibility, contextual intelligence, audience discovery, pricing transparency, and campaign management all in one environment. Content Hub was built to eliminate the black box around podcast buying and finally give advertisers the operational intelligence and control they’ve been missing.”

The launch comes as advertisers increasingly demand more effective curation, stronger contextual alignment, measurable outcomes, and greater visibility into where and how campaigns are running. Content Hub addresses those challenges through a centralized experience that combines planning, discovery, analytics, and activation.

Key Features of Content Hub

Intelligence for Planning:
Content Hub enables buyers to explore detailed show profiles, audience segments, listener trends, and category-level insights before campaigns go live. Advertisers can evaluate inventory using deeper contextual and demographic data to make more informed buying decisions.

Context for the Content:
The platform helps brands understand what shows are actually discussing, allowing advertisers to align messaging with the right content environments and audiences. This contextual layer is designed to improve both brand suitability and campaign performance.

Real-Time Buying Power:
Advertisers can curate custom podcast lists, review availability, and activate campaigns directly within the platform. Content Hub surfaces live inventory and pricing data so teams can move faster without sacrificing transparency.

Live Inventory and Pricing:
Unlike traditional buying environments that rely on delayed reporting, Content Hub provides continuously updated inventory and pricing visibility across participating publishers and marketplaces.

A Unified Dashboard for Podcast Media Buyers:
The platform’s dashboard consolidates campaign planning, audience intelligence, inventory discovery, pricing visibility, and campaign management into a single workspace, giving users access to over:

• 300,000 shows
• 116 million listeners
• 80,000 audience segments
• 200 content categories
• 235 original shows

Users can analyze listener trends by demographic, compare top-performing categories, search inventory by topic or keyword, and monitor availability in real time.

In addition to discovery and planning tools, the platform also introduces enhanced campaign management capabilities, allowing advertisers to monitor pacing, delivery, and reporting across active buys.

Designed for a More Transparent Audio Ecosystem

The platform was built to solve longstanding inefficiencies in podcast advertising, particularly around fragmented workflows, limited visibility, and outdated reporting environments.

By combining contextual discovery, live marketplace access, audience intelligence, pricing transparency, and campaign management into one operational platform, Content Hub gives brands and agencies a more direct, measurable, and intelligent approach to podcast media buying.

To learn more about access to the Mission Media Content Hub, reach out to contact@missionmedia.ai.

The Top Podcast Ranker and Top 300 Australian-Made Ranker are ranked by monthly listeners, in accordance with IAB Podcast Technical Measurement Guidelines.

In May, the Top International Podcast Ranker saw “Mamamia Out Loud” (Mamamia) rise to the #1 spot, with “Hamish & Andy” (LiSTNR (SCA)) falling to #2 and “Sky News Australia Update” _(News Corp Australia)_remaining in the top-ranked trio at #3.

The Top 300 Australian-made Ranker followed the same lineup, ranking “Mamamia Out Loud” (Mamamia) at #1, “Hamish & Andy” (LiSTNR (SCA)) at #2, and “Sky News Australia Update” (News Corp Australia) at #3.

Triton’s Demos+ tool – which leverages opt-in, download-based behavior data – found that in May the top categories for listeners were News at #1, Society & Culture at #2, and Sports at #3.

International-only debuts for May included “Money News” (Tapt Media), “Small Town Dicks” (Audioboom), “The Rabbit Hole” (Sports Entertainment Network (SEN)) and more.

Debuts of Australian-made shows this month included “ANOTHER CUPPA? with Granny Bingo” (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), “AFL Clubcast” (LiSTNR (SCA)), “The West Sport Show” (West Australian Newspapers) and more.

The shows “Do You F*cking Mind?” (NOVA Entertainment), “Occasionally Funny” (NOVA Entertainment), “SBS Learn English” (Special Broadcasting Service) and “KIIS Breakfast” (ARN/iHeart) debuted across both international and Australian-made shows.

Participating publishers in the Australian Ranker include Adore Beauty, All Ears English, Audioboom, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ARN/iHeart, BBC Studios, Bravecasting, Clubby Sports, DM Podcasts, Equity Mates Media, HODD Media, Johns Media, LiSTNR (SCA), Mamamia, Motorsport Podcast Network, New York Times, News Corp Australia, New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME), Nine, NOVA Entertainment, Podshape, Schwartz Media, Special Broadcasting Service, Sports Entertainment Network (SEN), Sport Social Podcast Network, Squiz Media, The Australia Institute, The Bye Round, The Guardian, The Washington Post Podcast Network, We Don’t Have Time For This, West Australian Newspapers, and Wondery.

To view the full results of this Ranker, participate in the ranker or sign up to receive future rankers, please visit: http://australianpodcastranker.com/. 

Triton Digital’s Podcast Metrics measurement service is certified by the IAB Tech Lab as complying with Version 2.2 of the IAB Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines. It provides accurate and insightful data around how, when, and where podcast content is being consumed across multiple hosting platforms, with the ability to view metrics by date range, location, device, podcast name, episode, title, and more.

Getty announced today the launch of its first video podcast OMMM: Our Museum Mindfulness Meditation - a meditation podcast focused on creating mindful interactions with artwork from its collection. Hosted by Getty gallery educator Lilit Sadoyan, OMMM is a space for listeners to recover and reflect in a busy world. Released twice weekly, episodes guide listeners in a breathing exercise and meditation, and provide insights about featured artworks.

The first season includes 12 meditation episodes, each focused on a different artwork from Getty’s museum collection. The first episode is available to stream now, focused on Getty’s beloved painting “Irises” by Vincent van Gogh. Future episodes include “Waiting” by Edgar Degas, “StarryNight” by Edvard Munch and the Central Garden at the Getty Center, designed by Robert Irwin.

Twelve additional bonus episodes will dive deeper into themes from the artwork or meditation. These conversations feature diverse special guests, including astrologer Chani Nicholas, sleep historian Roger Ekirch, Buddhist monk Shoukei Matsumoto, New York Times dance critic Gia Kourlas, JPL climate scientist Marek Slipski and mountain climber Katie Ives.

“We can all benefit from slowing down, being more present and fostering mindful moments with ourselves, those around us—and especially art,” said Lilit Sadoyan, gallery educator at the J. Paul Getty Museum. “OMMM will be a space for audiences to heal, learn and be empowered to embrace mindfulness in their daily lives.”

Sadoyan is a museum educator, independent curator and art historian. She has been a Getty gallery educator since 2008 and helps lead initiatives that investigate the impact of mindfulness in museums through programs and workshops, including a national convening on Mindfulness in the Museum. In recent years, she has worked with top scientists and mindfulness practitioners to study the impact of art on our bodies and minds.

“This is Getty’s first venture into video podcasts, which we hope allows audiences to connect to our art collection on a deeper level,” said Zoe Goldman, podcast producer at the J.Paul Getty Trust. "Whether engaging with OMMM from home or in our galleries, we are happy to create more avenues for experiencing art."

Built on the idea that every fanbase deserves a daily, dedicated podcast and that hyper-local coverage could draw large audiences, Locked On evolved from a single show in 2016 into a network of 275 daily podcasts covering every NBA, NFL, MLB, and NHL team, and major college sports programs daily. Earning more than 90 million combined listens, views, and social engagements each month, the Locked On Podcast Network produces the most total episodes and has the largest podcast audience of any native sports network.

"Locked On's founding principle, 'Your Team. Every Day,' has remained constant," said David Locke, president, Locked On Podcast Network. "We fully committed to the idea that sports fans are fans of their team first and have never wavered from that belief. We have proven we can be successful delivering daily team-specific coverage for passionate fans. Across 275 shows and 10 uninterrupted years, that idea has held true.”

In recent years, the podcast network has continued to build momentum with a slate of new initiatives, including Postcasts and Squad Shows, FAST TV channels, programming in partnership with Amazon Fire TV, including Bracket Breakdown and College Football Kickoff, and rapid expansion across social channels which has generated millions of views. In addition, a new, free NBA Draft Guide will debut this week, to immerse fans more fully in the draft.

"Our first decade proved that sports fans want more depth, more insights, and more of the voices that share their deep commitment and loyalty to their teams," said Carl Weinstein, chief operating officer, Locked On Podcast Network. "The next chapter is about delivering that in new ways. We're excited to continue growing and engaging fans, wherever they are, with innovative coverage every day."

Mercury Podcasts has today revealed the identity of the third and final inductee into its inaugural Heroes of Indie Podcasting Hall of Fame: Mark Asquith, CEO of Rebel Base Media and the co-creator of Captivate.fm, the UK's leading podcast hosting and growth platform.The Heroes of Indie Podcasting is an annual initiative designed to honour individuals whose work has helped shape and strengthen the independent podcasting ecosystem.

The announcement was made at Global's headquarters in London, where Mercury founder Liam Heffernan surprised Mark in person in front of his team, by making a speech and showing a special presentation that included colleagues and industry peers sharing their kind words about Mark's contribution to podcasting. Mark was presented with Mercury's iconic trophy to mark the occasion.

The win recognised Mark's extraordinary contribution to independent podcasting, both as a builder of essential podcast infrastructure and as one of the most respected voices in the global podcasting community.

Speaking on his win, Mark said: "This is incredible, genuinely, thank you. When Liam said this was an award for the mantle, I thought, this is going straight to the office, because that's exactly where it belongs. It belongs to the team. I’ve known Liam a long time, and we’ve been part of what feels like a real family in this industry. But none of what I do would mean anything without the people behind it. So, I'm honoured, and yes, this means everything — but I'm accepting it on behalf of everyone behind the scenes at Captivate and for every person who helped us get here."

Mark Asquith is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in independent podcasting. He has spent over a decade building the tools, platforms, and communities that have given independent podcasters the infrastructure to grow, monetise, and thrive.

Today, Captivate.fm sits at the heart of Rebel Base Media, the UK podcast technology group Mark leads as CEO. The platform is used by tens of thousands of independent podcasters globally, and is recognised for its growth-centric approach built by a podcaster, for podcasters.

Liam Heffernan, founder of Mercury Podcasts, said: "When we launched the Heroes of Indie Podcasting, we said the third inductee was a certified legend — and Mark Asquith is exactly that. He has spent years building the infrastructure that independent podcasters rely on every day, and doing it in a way that consistently puts creators first. We couldn't be prouder to honour him as one of our inaugural Heroes."

The Heroes of Indie Podcasting was created by Mercury Podcasts to celebrate the individuals whose work has helped build, shape, and sustain the independent podcasting ecosystem. This concludes the inaugural 2026 inductees as:

• Arielle Nissenblatt — Founder, EarBuds Podcast Collective
• Emma Turner — Co-Founder, Independent Podcast Awards
• Mark Asquith — CEO, Rebel Base Media / Captivate.fm

Each Hero receives one of Mercury's newly unveiled trophies, with new inductees to be celebrated annually.

PodGround is proud to announce the recipients of the second PodGround Creator Micro-Grant, a program designed to support independent podcasters who are creating meaningful content and making a positive impact in their communities.

This round, two creators will each receive $500 to invest in the growth and sustainability of their podcasts.

The grant was created to address a challenge many podcasters know all too well: podcasting can be rewarding, but it can also be isolating, time-consuming, and difficult to sustain without support. Through direct funding and community resources, PodGround aims to help creators continue sharing important stories and perspectives.

Keri Henderson, The Kickback with Keri podcast

Keri is the host of The Kickback with Keri, a podcast focused on amplifying Black-owned businesses and purpose-driven founders.

The show provides listeners with behind-the-scenes insights into launching and growing businesses while introducing audiences to brands they may not otherwise discover. Beyond promotion, the podcast serves as an educational resource for aspiring entrepreneurs seeking practical lessons from real founders.

Like many independent creators, Keri has balanced interviewing, editing, publishing, and promotion while working to grow the show. The grant funding will help cover software expenses required to produce and distribute the podcast.

"Being selected is confirmation to keep going," Keri said. "There have been many times where I questioned whether the time and effort were making a difference. This recognition reminds me that the work matters."

Adriana Galvan, Adriana Talks Dinero podcast

Adriana is the host of Adriana Talks Dinero, a bilingual financial literacy podcast serving English and Spanish speaking audiences.

The podcast was born from a simple but powerful realization: financial literacy should be accessible to everyone, regardless of language, background, or immigration status. Through conversations about money, investing, debt, and wealth-building, the show helps listeners gain the confidence and knowledge needed to take control of their financial futures.

Adriana plans to use the grant to expand support for the podcast by increasing virtual assistant hours focused on social media outreach and search visibility, while also upgrading video production quality to better serve a growing audience across podcast and video platforms.

"Financial literacy belongs to everyone," she shared. "When we educate our community about money, we're not just changing individual lives—we're shifting generational trajectories."

Supporting Independent Podcasters

The judging panel for this round included industry leaders Greg Wasserman (RSS.com), Arielle Nissenblatt (EarBuds Podcast Collective), Claire Waite Brown (Podcasting 2.0 in Practice), Gab Burke (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), and other supporters of creator growth and sustainability.

At a time when more than half of podcasts stop publishing after just a few episodes, PodGround remains committed to helping creators build sustainable shows through community, learning, accountability, and direct support.

"We believe podcasters are more likely to succeed when they have access to community, resources, and people who understand the journey," said Remi Roy Osi, founder of PodGround. "These creators are doing important work, and we're honored to play a small role in helping them continue."

Learn more about PodGround and future Creator Micro-Grant opportunities at podground.io

Dan Price has spent 40 years making voices sell things. As founder of Oink Ink Radio, he has directed voice performances for Google, IBM, Ford, AT&T, NBC, and Staples, winning nearly a thousand industry awards along the way, including Cannes Lions, Clios, One Show Pencils, Radio Mercury Awards, London International Awards, and more.

Now he is turning that expertise loose on AI.

BionicVO is a professional voice cloning platform for creative teams that need AI efficiency without sacrificing the quality of real voice talent. Unlike platforms that offer only synthetic, computer-generated voices, BionicVO uses real, professional voice actors. Every voice on the platform was hand-picked by Price because it is distinct, human, and authentic, the kind AI could never replicate on its own. These are working pros from Madison Avenue and Hollywood, some of the very best voiceover artists in the United States, who have chosen to license their voices on their own terms.

What sets BionicVO apart is what happens before the user ever touches the platform. Price and his engineering team apply 40 years of audio direction and sound design to the source audio itself, the same production methodology behind Oink Ink’s decades of award-winning campaigns. Users browse the actor roster, upload a script, generate a clone, and refine it in a built-in production studio, then take it the rest of the way with the tools and best practices built into the platform.

“AI voices aren’t bad because the technology is bad. They’re bad because no one is directing the performance. We built BionicVO to master these tools, not just use them.” - Dan Price, Founder of Oink Ink Radio & Managing Member, BionicVO

Every time a voice is used, the actor gets paid. BionicVO runs on a royalty model, not a synthetic voice bank. No fake voices. No stolen likenesses.

The global AI voice market is projected to reach $21.75 billion by 2030. BionicVO enters it with a combination the rest of the field cannot match: a hand-picked roster of authentic voices, plus four decades of knowing how to direct them.

About BionicVO

BionicVO is a professional voice cloning platform for creative teams that refuse to compromise on sound. Founded by veteran audio producer Dan Price of Oink Ink Radio, BionicVO combines a hand-picked roster of elite U.S. voice actors, source audio crafted by professional voice directors and sound designers, and ethical AI practices to deliver performances that sound intentional, human, and production-ready.

Broadcaster Kaye Adams believes podcasts are no longer on the fringes of the media landscape as it was announced that she and stand-up comedian Marc Jennings will host the inaugural Scottish Podcast Awards this month. 

The pair, who are both podcasters themselves, will entertain more than 400 people – including many of their fellow hosts – at the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow on Thursday, June 25. 

Kaye, one of Scotland’s best-known radio and television broadcasters, joined the podcasting world four years ago with her show How To Be 60.

The Loose Woman panelist said: “Not that long ago, podcasting was seen as fringe, but that has changed radically in a very short space of time.

“The way we see the whole media landscape now has changed. Now, we talk about good content, and getting good content to people who want to consume it, by whatever means.

“Whether it is television, radio, podcasts or whatever else, people want to access content in the way that suits them. It levels the playing field.

“It feels like night and day since I started my podcast four years ago. It has really taken off.

She continued: “Sometimes it can feel as if it is just you and your little studio, but this event shows there is a bigger community out there and gives us the chance to connect.

“We can all learn from each other — our triumphs and failures — and share knowledge to rise together.

“Perhaps the only problem with the Scottish podcasting scene is that it does not realise how vibrant it is, with so many unique and authentic voices.

“What these awards are trying to do is demonstrate to everyone in the podcasting community, and outside it, the huge potential that is there. It can only grow and get better.”

Kaye’s co-host Marc Jennings will be among those in contention on the night with the Some Laugh podcast, which he hosts alongside fellow comedians Stephen Buchanan and Stuart McPherson, 

Marc, who recently presented the BBC comedy documentary “Why Vote?”, will be competing against one of Scotland’s biggest comedy names, Ford Kiernan, host of The Ford and Shelby Show, in the Spotify Listeners’ Choice Award category, one of 24 awards covering areas including comedy, football, politics, sex, business, culture and entertainment.  

The Scottish Comedian of the Year winner, who has sold out his Edinburgh Fringe show five years in a row, said: “There are a lot of weel-kent faces, particularly from comedy and football involved, so I’m buzzing to be nominated, and to be hosting it.

“We started the podcast off our own backs and didn’t know if anybody would listen, but it has given us the chance to perform live at the Pavilion, interview amazing guests and meet some of our heroes.

“We’ve found a new audience through it. People maybe knew the three of us individually before, but now they get to know us as friends as well. I cannae wait for the awards.” 

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

Audiences also have plenty to choose from, with more than 4.5 million podcasts now available worldwide.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that Goalhanger, the media production company co-founded by former England footballer Gary Lineker and behind The Rest Is... series of podcasts, is now the fastest-growing business in Britain.

Goalhanger, who have also entered into two categories at this year’s awards, made £37.9 million in sales in 2025, growing at an average annual rate of 321% over the past three years, according to the latest Sunday Times list of the 100 quickest-growing private companies.

The Scottish Podcast Awards, which have been developed by Sixty Steps Productions, founded by Mark Moir, Scot Gardiner and Corrinne Gardiner, attracted more than 400 entries across entertainment, sport, business and culture.

Corrinne said: “We still can’t believe there wasn’t anything like this before. The response has been incredible, whether that was when we announced the categories or put tickets on sale.

“I just can’t wait for the night now. Giving all these creators the chance to come together is only going to make Scotland’s podcasting scene stronger, and we know Scottish podcasts will continue to punch above their weight.

“We’re grateful to all our partners, including Spotify, Go Radio and all the amazing podcasters who entered.

“We can’t wait for the night, which we know will be fantastic, especially with our two brilliant hosts in Kaye and Marc.”

The last remaining tickets are now on sale, here.

This year’s festival which runs from 10-15 June was curated from over 2,900 submissions and includes 45 World Premieres, 17 International Premieres, 5 European Premieres, and 35 UK Premieres from 64 Countries.

As the 33rd Festival draws to a close, Sheffield DocFest, in partnership with Showroom Cinema, will continue its engagement with the documentary community in Sheffield with the monthly DocNights screening Programme, which is dedicated to championing the work of documentary filmmakers and bringing documentary cinema to audiences all year round. Other year-round programmes to come in 2026/2027 include the continuation of monthly documentary screening programmes in London.

Raul Niño Zambrano, Creative Director of Sheffield DocFest said: “After six inspiring days of talks, film screenings, performances, industry pitches, and vital discussions, this edition of Sheffield DocFest has come to an end. But more than the packed schedule, what truly matters is what we've witnessed: Sheffield DocFest continues to be a nurturing space for encounters, for building networks, for dialogue and above all, for friendship. All the films we’ve shared this week have found new audiences and we simply hope that the platform we’ve humbly provided helps those stories go even further.”

Mimi Poskitt, Managing Director of Sheffield DocFest said: “From World Premieres to live podcasts, live music to national treasures - and even some sword dancing and a city map of Sheffield constructed in Minecraft: the sheer range of this year’s festival has been a delight. 

We’ve also been thrilled to bring the love of non-fiction storytelling to younger audiences, with the launch of GEN DocFest our new children, young people and family strand. 

Over the last 6 days we have welcomed thousands of people to the city. At a time when so much of our national dialogue is so polarised, it has been heartening to see the ever larger and more engaged audiences - and a sizeable number of standing ovations. We close the festival with gratitude to all the people who took part and excitement for the next chapter.”

2026 AWARD WINNERS

International Competition (Grand Jury Award) (Supported by Apple TV)

The Grand Jury Award for the International Competition was awarded to Filthy (Sucia – Per què no vas fer res?) directed by Bàrbara Mestanza and Marc Pujolar. This Award is Academy Award® accredited and honours films that best display strong artistic vision and courageous storytelling. This award is supported by Apple TV.

The Jury Members for the International Competition were: producer and broadcaster Mark Edwards, Kiyoko McCraea filmmaker and Program Director at Chicken & Egg Films, and Noa Nwande, Head of International Sales at Watermelon Pictures.

The jury said: “Through courageous storytelling and remarkable creative vision, this film transforms personal trauma into a collective reckoning. While rooted in the singularity of the filmmaker’s personal story, the film opens outward, asking larger questions about guilt, shame, power, performance, and the systems that shape our complicity in violence. Its disciplined and compelling editing weaves together years of artistic creation and legal pursuit, creating a gripping journey that challenges audiences to look inward and examine their own narratives. For its bold artistry, precision of its inquiry, and extraordinary commitment over time, the jury awards Filthy, directed by Barbara Mestanza and Marc Pujolar.”

Special Mention: Time Machine Maidan (Машина Часу Майдан) directed by Roman Liubyi, and Volodymyr Tykhyy

The jury said: “Through its inventive and immersive approach, this film brings the recent past vividly to life, illuminating the enduring courage and resilience of ordinary people. Both a testament and a warning, it shows us that history's most consequential turning points are made of individual acts of commitment and sacrifice that must be recognized and confronted in the present moment. In doing so, the film invites us to reckon with our own responsibility in the ongoing struggle for freedom. For its extraordinary vision, masterful use of collective archival footage, and profound exploration of resistance at a defining historical moment, the jury is honored to award a Special Mention to Time Machine Maidan, directed by Roman Liubyi and Volodymyr Tykhyy.”
 

International First Feature Competition (supported by Netflix)

The Grand Jury Award for the International First Feature Competition Magma directed by Mia Bendrimia. This competition honours the future of non-fiction film and celebrates promising new talent and is supported by Netflix.

The International First Feature Competition jury members were: award-winning filmmaker Paul Sng, Darren Lawford (producer and former trustee of Sheffield DocFest), and Malikkha Rollins (producer and Director of Industry and Education for DOC NYC)

The jury said: “This film is a bold personal-political documentary exploring generational trauma resulting from the wounds of colonialism. We were unanimous in our decision to award this film for its intimate access and a creative and courageous act of storytelling from the filmmaker. The Grand Jury Award for the International First Feature Competition goes to Magma”

Special Mention: A City in the Forest directed by Lev Omelchenko and Nolan Huber

International Short Film Competition

The Grand Jury Award for the International Short Film Competition was awarded to Maybe Tomorrow directed by Waad Al-Kateab and Wafa Mustafa. This Academy Award®, BAFTA and BIFA accredited award honours the best creative approaches in documentaries under 40 minutes.

The International Short Film Competition jury members were: double BAFTA award-winning director Olaide Sadiq (Grenfell: Uncovered winner of Sheffield DocFest Audience Award 2025) , Joe Hunting (Creative Director at Painting Clouds), and filmmaker Laura Warner (The Cranes Call, A Last Big Story)

The jury said:  “Being present with Mustafa during this urgent time of resistance through the grounded lens she co-directed offers a vital and emotive watch that expands beyond her intimate family case, representing this large-scale crisis and its social impact.

Nuanced, impactful and the story went beyond to tell the bigger picture excellently. The relationship between the filmmaker and subject was precious too.

This film presented brave filmmaking, and a journey that stays with you; topical, timely and moving. The film had great moments of joy and warmth, balancing what was ultimately a distressing but determined investigative piece. It remained emotively charged, well edited, and encapsulated prolonged uncertainty whilst sensitively depicting a very palpable emotional toll. 

A spirited, emotional and beautiful piece. Through the lens of an intimate and personal portrait, the film succeeds in exploring the suffering of a whole nation.”

Special Mention: The Anatomy of a Portrait directed by Juan Felipe León 

The jury said: “We thought this film was beautifully provoking in its artful image making, exploring its themes of age, death and art with sensitivity and poetry. Captivating and cinematic in equal measure, this was a rich, visually impressive and thoughtful piece. The Special Mention goes to The Anatomy of a Portrait.”

Tim Hetherington Award (presented in association with Dogwoof)

The Tim Hetherington Award was presented to The Long Cuban Night directed by Sergio Fernandez Borras. The award recognises a film and filmmaker that best reflects the legacy of photojournalist and filmmaker Tim Hetherington and is presented in association with Dogwoof.

Jurors for the Tim Hetherington Award were:  Brenda Danker (Malaysia Freedom Film Network co-founder), Sam Holland (ex-director of Migration Matters festival in Sheffield) and Andrii Kotliar (Ukrainian producer/filmmaker part of the #babylon 13 collective).

The Jury said: “The jury found all 5 films shortlisted for the Tim Hetherington Award deeply moving and powerful and it proved a challenging process to decide between them. In thinking about which film should receive the award, perhaps the most important criteria was a film that we felt spoke to the spirit of Tim Hetherington’s work and legacy. 

The film we selected is incendiary, raw, and defiant in the face of oppression. It demonstrates the power of documentary, and the tool ordinary citizens have when a government tries to silence and censor its people, even if that tool is simply a camera phone and a livestream. The film demonstrates a community’s bravery and commitment to a cause that is so unwavering, that they risk their lives for it. It is a documentary that we feel truly honours Tim’s legacy.”

Special Mention: Birds of War directed by Janay Boulos and Abd Alkader Habak

Youth Jury Award

The Youth Jury Award was presented to Crocodile directed by The Critics and Pietra Brettkelly by five of the UK’s most passionate young documentary lovers to celebrate non-fiction cinema.

Special Mention: All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea directed by Jeanie Finlay.

The Youth Jury were: Julianne Gazzingan, Sadie Coll, Jagraj Singh, Clementine Cunningham and Shae Beckford. They curated a selection of six films considered in a mentored deliberation.

The Jury said: “During our time as the youth jury, watching all of your wonderful films and speaking to you, we have learnt that the particular is universal, that personal connections make a film, and that this medium truly can inspire hope. 

The six films we have selected speak directly to this, bringing humanity into the uncertain times we live in. Before we announce our winner, we would like to add a special mention to All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea. We feel this film encompasses a deep sense of resilience and community which spoke to us all. 

As the youth jury, we feel that as young people growing up today under the pressures of technology, climate change and political violence, a great deal of the future feels shrouded in gloom. Yet the sense of resilience, passion and momentum that shines throughout our winning film ignites us with a newfound sense of hope and agency, and that is why we have chosen Crocodile as our winner.”

Shine Global Children’s Resilience Award for Documentary

The Shine Global Children's Resilience Award for Documentary was presented to Itab Azzam and Jack MacInnes for One In a Million. The Award recognises storytelling that expands understanding of children’s experiences around the world and the courage they show in confronting extraordinary challenges.

Alexandra Blaney, Co-CEO and Creative Director of Shine Global said:  “One In a Millionis an incredible feat of documentary filmmaking. Through Isra’a’s decade-long journey, the film allows us to look beyond headlines and statistics and witness the long-term emotional realities of displacement. We are honored to recognize Itab Azzam, Jack MacInnes, and the entire filmmaking team for a work that so powerfully reflects the spirit of the Children’s Resilience Award.”

Sheffield DocFest Football Documentary Award

The Sheffield DocFest Football Documentary Award was presented to David Tryhorn and Ben Nicholas for Cantona. 

Raul Niño Zambrano said:  “We are incredibly proud to award the Sheffield DocFest Football Documentary Award to CANTONA. This standout documentary captivated our team with its unique creative direction and unprecedented access to one of football's most magnetic and enigmatic figures. Told largely in his own words, the film charts Eric Cantona’s historic rise from a volatile French prodigy to an iconic Manchester United legend. Utilizing a brilliant array of archive and deeply personal interviews with Cantona, Alex Ferguson, and David Beckham, the film expertly explores the fine line between brilliance and controversy, proving exactly why Cantona's legacy still echoes today.”

PITCH SESSION WINNERS

The Whickers Pitch, Film & TV Funding Award 2026

The Whickers Pitch, Film & TV Funding Award 2025 with a prize of £120,000 went to Children of Honey directed by Jigar Ganatra and Emanuel Musa Marco and the development prize of £25,000 went to Welcome to Our Bathhouse directed byTommaso Barbetta.

The Whickers Pitch, Film & TV Funding Award 2026 judging panel were: Jane Mote (Whickers’ Consultant Editor), Raul Niño Zambrano (Sheffield DocFest Creative Director), Anna Berthollet (Lightdox), David Green (Whicker’s World Director), Fozia Khan (Head of Unscripted at Amazon Studios UK), and Sam Soko (co-founder of LBx Africa and award-winning documentary filmmaker).

Sam Soko, filmmaker and Co founder of LBx Africa and Whickers Judge on Children of Honey: “Children of Honey is a beautiful, cinematic project from Tanzania which offers us a rare window into the Hadza community,  This community is often only seen through the lens of outsiders but in this film the Hadza have real agency in the telling and the owning of the story, bringing authenticity and depth to the narrative."

Fozia Khan, Head of Unscripted Amazon MGM Studios UK and Whicker Judge on Welcome to Our Bathhouse: "This project gives us a rare glimpse into a secretive world, full of heart.  A story of love, friendship,  belonging and age - of both people and places - with humour and vulnerability."

The award recognises original and innovative documentary, and uses the generous legacy of its namesake, pioneering broadcaster Alan Whicker, to support emerging, international directors working on their first feature-length documentaries.

The Whickers Podcast Pitch 

The Whickers Podcast Pitch first prize (£15,000) went to The many gendered mothers of my heart, presented by David Green, and the development prize (£5,000) went to The Riverbank, presented by Jane Ray and Lieven Heeremans.

The winners were chosen for being the most creative and promising pitches, and the prizes were funded by the Whickers foundation.

The judging panel on The many gendered mothers of my heart, : “A stand-out for its humanity, humour and clarity of purpose. A clear example of how audio documentary can lend a voice to those who can’t tell their stories to a lens. The judges appreciated the idea that this work, once completed could be shared with isolated communities as a form of outreach and connection. The blending of a personal journey of love in front of the backdrop of those who have tried to pave the way through secret letters is deeply compelling and will be hugely revealing to audiences at home and abroad. We can’t wait to hear it.”

The judging panel on The Riverbank:  “A moving, poetic example of how the most powerful stories sometimes exist in the spaces around and between the narrative. Chirae’s determination and clarity of vision shone through the painful subject matter- it is clear this project is the work of a powerful creative mind- and could only be told in audio. The judges also appreciated Chi’s clear understanding of how she would tell chapters of her story and characters over multiple episodes. The 2026 development award goes to: The Riverbank.”

The judging panel were: Dan Clarke (Commissioning Editor Factual, BBC Radio 4), Talia Augustidis (Award-winning Audio Producer) and Emmanuel Dzotsi (Podcast Journalist & Producer, This American Life).

Channel 4 First Cut Pitch 

Channel 4 First Cut Pitch saw five short-listed directors present and discuss a 3-minute micro-documentary on the theme End of the Line in front of a live audience and a panel of industry experts.

The judging panel were: Rita Daniels (Commissioning Editor, First Cut), Peter Beard (Co-Founder and Creative Director, Story Films), Rupert Houseman (Film Editor), and

Aysha Rafaele (Writer/Director and Executive Producer, Halcyon Heart Films).

Winner: Flora Stewart

Senior Commissioning Editor, Rita Daniels said: ‘We’re really happy to announce Flora Stewart as the winner of the First Cut Pitch 2026. Her film was engaging, character driven and captured the essence of what First Cut is. We are really excited to work with her.’

Finalists: Callum McCulloch Nowlan, Tamara Lois Ansah, Kiran Sira and Mal Senanayake 

Climate Spring Digital-First Pitch

The Climate Pitch invited four creatives to pitch their digital-first documentary idea at Sheffield DocFest 2026, with one winner receiving £10,000 in development funding and support from Climate Spring.The Climate Spring Pitch champions creatives to explore bold and innovative unscripted storytelling for digital audiences, centering the power of community and offering solution-oriented visions of the future.

Winner: Ruben Against The Machine, directed by Ruben Reuter and Rosie Baldwin.

The judging panel were:️ Alice Aedy (Filmmaker, Nat Geo Explorer, CoFounder Earthrise), Josh Reynolds (Executive Producer, Zandland), ️Sam Pearson (Executive Producer, Hearst Canvas), and Ameenah Taher (Digital Commissioning Executive, Channel 4).

THE MEETMARKET AWARDS

We are delighted to announce the MeetMarket Awards for Sheffield DocFest 2026, awarding filmmakers with the opportunity to further develop their projects.

This year, the festival has partnered with several international organisations to recognise and propel standout documentary projects and support emerging talent.

The awards offer crucial support, including cash prizes, post-production services, international market access, and mentorship. Details of the partner organisation and the support they are awarding at this year’s festival includes:

AIDC Award

AIDC is a leading organisation for the documentary and factual sector in Australia, supporting and elevating nonfiction storytelling and storytellers to create a vibrant, diverse and sustainable industry ecosystem. AIDC’s annual Australian International Documentary Conference is the premier documentary and factual forum and market in the Southern Hemisphere, with a world-class, agenda-setting program that brings together representatives from across the globe to showcase new ideas and trends and drive inspiration, collaboration and production.

The AIDC Award includes 2x complimentary All Access Passes to participate in AIDC 2027 and a waiver code to submit for The FACTory International Pitching Forum.

Winner: Disruption directed by Sarvnik Kaur

Produced by: Monisha Thyagarajan and Sarvnik Kaur 

Country of production: India

Country of co-production: France 

DAE Talent Encouragement Award

The DAE Talent Encouragement Award is awarded to one team with a project showing great international potential, offering free membership to the DAE (Documentary Association of Europe) for the producer and director for 12 months, including access to all D member offers and services, as well as a one-off consultation with a DAE senior consultant.

Winner: Rebellion of Memory directed by Joël Jent

Produced by Sophia Rubischung and Claudia Chávez Lévano

Country of production: Switzerland

Country of co-production: Peru

Tokyo Docs Award

The Tokyo Docs Award 2026 is presented to bold documentary projects with strong international market potential. It supports Japanese and Asian filmmakers, as well as international filmmakers telling compelling stories about Japan. Award-winning projects will receive a waiver of the Tokyo Docs participation fee.If selected for the Tokyo Docs Pitching Forum, one representative of the project will be invited, with travel and accommodation covered. Any additional costs will be the responsibility of the participants. Tokyo Docs 2026 will take place from November 3 to 6, 2026.

Winner: Taxi Driver directed by Sarah Chishti

Produced by Sarah Chishti

Country of Production: USA

East Doc Platform Award

The East Doc Award is presented by the Institute of Documentary Film. The winning project receives a work-in-progress consultation with the Institute's specialists, offering focused feedback to help shape the film during production.

Winner: Slavik’s Journey to Forever directed by Vladyslav Vasylchenko

Produced by Bohdanna Semen / Babylon'13, 

Country: Ukraine

MEDIMED Award

MEDIMED Doc Market presents a special award to one of the standout projects featured at Sheffield DocFest’s MeetMarket. The selected project will be given the opportunity to pitch at MEDIMED’s central Pitching Forum on October 9–10 in Sitges, in front of a curated group of internationally renowned industry professionals. The film’s producer will be invited to attend the market, with accommodation, transportation, and accreditation fully covered.

Winner: Anywhere but here directed by Emilio di Stefano

Produced by Daniéla Frykstrand and Elin Kamlert

Country of Production: Sweden

Ji.hlava Award

The selected project will receive two industry accreditations for the 30th Ji.hlava IDFF and will be included in the Ji.hlava New Visions Market 2026.

Winner: SUDAN - The Invisible War

Bird Street Productions Award

The Changemaker Award by Bird Street Productions is presented to the documentary project that most profoundly embodies the spirit of their mission: to craft films that not only entertain but also provoke thought and inspire change. This project is distinguished by its unwavering commitment to illuminating unseen truths, challenging societal norms, and giving a powerful voice to the underrepresented.  The award is given to an emerging filmmaker with a project in development or production. The award consists of a £10,000 cash prize.

Winner: The Bologna Trial directed by Paolo Fiore Angelini

Produced by Thierry Detaille, Serena Gramizzi 

Thierry Detaille, Serena Gramizzi 

Country of Production:  Belgium

Country of Co-production: Italy

The Farm Post-Production Award

Presented to the project that demonstrates the most visually distinctive and impactful approach to documentary filmmaking. The award acknowledges a commitment to high-quality visual storytelling and innovative cinematography. The award has a value of £10,000 and will consist of in-kind post-production services from The Farm facilities tailored to the specific needs of the winning project. The winner of MeetMarket award has the option of: 8 days Sound Editorial for 5 Days Audio Mix.

This package will need to be booked in and scheduled when our creatives are available and claimed by the 1st June 2027 - subject to availability. T&C's do apply.

Winner: Upstream directed by Moira Fett, Natalie Berger

Produced by Martha Gregory, Sean Weiner

Country of Production: USA

DocsConnect Conscious Filmmaking Award by Taskovski Training  

Mentorship & Automatic selection to the 2026-2027 training

Winner: Before our Diaspora directed by Theo Panagopoulos

Produced by Nadja Lapcevic

Country of production United Kingdom

Country of co-production France

Taskovski PR & Publicity award

A complementary consultancy service for the film's world premiere.

Winner: Rebellion of Memory directed by Joël Jent

Produced by Sophia Rubischung and Claudia Chávez Lévano

Country of production: Switzerland

Country of co-production: Peru

Sheffield DocFest runs from 10 - 15 June. For further information please visit www.sheffdocfest.com/

Sheffield DocFest is made possible thanks to the support of our partners, funders and sponsors, including Principal Funders BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, Sheffield City Council and Arts Council England. Additionally, the BFI National Lottery UK Focus Fund is one of the supporters of Sheffield DocFest's industry facing marketplace activities.

Latest Campaign: The Set-It-and-Forget-It Listener Engine. Hosts publish one permanent keyword (like "PODCAST") tied directly to their RSS feed. Any fan who comments or DMs that keyword receives the host's most recent episode automatically, including episode artwork pulled from the feed. When a new episode publishes, the next fan who asks gets it. No updates, no campaign management, no manual work. Ever.

Episode Keyword Campaigns: Back Catalog on Demand. Hosts connect their RSS feed once and browse their entire catalog inside Stampede's campaign builder. Assign a unique keyword to any episode, new release or back-catalog gem, and every fan who comments that keyword gets a direct DM link to that exact episode. The smart setup: run a permanent PODCAST campaign alongside per-episode keywords so every post drives to the right episode.

Host-Read Ad Attribution: DM-Based Sponsor Tracking Without Pixels. When a host reads a mid-roll ad, they give listeners a keyword to DM (like "CLASSIC50"). Stampede fires back an instant DM with the sponsor's destination link and promo code, and tracks every single click. Sponsors stop asking whether the ad worked and start seeing real attribution data tied to air date and episode, with none of the tech setup that pixel-based tracking requires.

"Your next thousand listeners are already commenting," said Jeff Dwoskin, Co-founder of Stampede Social. "We built these features so a host can set up once and run forever, and so sponsors finally get click data instead of promo code guesses."

The three podcast features work with any podcast RSS feed. If your hosting platform publishes an RSS feed, you're good to go. Feeds refresh every hour. Setup takes under five minutes.

All features are available now at stampede.social.

Los podcasts más escuchados en España publican episodios de 64,7 minutos de media (mediana de 55,2), según un estudio elaborado por la consultora Comunicando Audio a partir de los rankings de Apple Podcasts (Top 200), Spotify (Top 100) e iVoox (Top 200) obtenidos en la primera semana de  junio de 2026. El análisis examina los últimos 20 episodios de cada programa con feed RSS público: 333 programas únicos medidos.

El estudio desmonta el tópico del éxito del formato breve: más de la mitad de los programas del top (51,6 %) publica episodios de entre 40 y 90 minutos, y solo el 7,8 % baja de los 20. La convergencia entre plataformas es notable, con medianas casi idénticas en Apple (53,3 min), Spotify (53,4) e iVoox (56,6).

“Con los datos en la mano, podemos afirmar que para que un podcast triunfe no es necesario que sea corto", señala José A. Gelado, autor del estudio y fundador de Comunicando Audio.

La duración, además, es un rasgo de género: Cultura y Sociedad lidera con 81,9 minutos de media, seguida de Historia (66,2) y Deportes (59,2), mientras que los crímenes reales (41,4) y la ficción sonora ocupan el extremo corto.

El análisis revela también que las tres principales plataformas tienen escasa intersección: solo 36 programas aparecen en los tres rankings a la vez. iVoox mantiene el perfil más diferenciado (113 de sus 200 primeros no figuran en los otros tops) y Spotify el más volcado en creadores independientes y videopodcasts.

Y un dato más relevante para la industria: 19 de los 100 programas del top de Spotify España carecen de feed RSS público, por lo que quedan fuera de cualquier medición independiente. 

Sobre el autor. José A. Gelado es uno de los pioneros del podcasting en español y consultor especializado en descubribilidad de podcasts a través de Comunicando Audio y recientemente ha lanzado Podcast Auditor, una herramienta gratuita para analizar y optimizar podcast y detectar presencia en IAs.

Material disponible: tablas completas del estudio, metodología detallada y gráficos en el blog joseantoniogelado.com.

Audible, a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, today unveils a launch campaign for Adam Buxton’s new podcast, Successpod, by Audible.

Created by Fold7, the work drives excitement for the new title, which is the antidote to hustle culture and about Adam's paranoia around ageing and becoming irrelevant in this modern landscape.

To prick the pomposity of podcast culture, Fold7 identified what it is that makes audiences suspicious about modern hustle culture. Namely how over-engineered it is; flashy graphics, exaggerated SFX, clickbait statements, gimmicks, camera trickery and podcasting hosts doing anything to remain relevant to audiences.

This led to the idea of ‘Hyperbuxton’: two promos that start out taking cues from the slick, overly produced modern podcasting landscape, before the façade begins to unravel.

In the first film, Buxton films himself in a private jet, saying: “Hi Adam Buxton here, welcome to the private jet that podcasting bought.” The camera pulls back revealing it’s just a DIY set-up.

A second film sees Buxton filming himself against a picture-perfect backdrop of a tropical beach. “Sup bro, Adam Buxton here. Yeah, I’m one of the most successful podcasters in the world. Why else would I be on a private beach.” An interruption by a local neighbour reveals he’s standing in front of a green screen in a local park by a dog waste bin.

Both films end with the line: “Successpod, my desperate quest for relevance.”

Dave Billing, Executive Creative Director at Fold7, said: “I’ve long been a fan of Adam’s, all the way from the Adam & Joe Show through to his hugely successful podcast. So, working with him was a bit of a treat, all the more so because this new podcast touches on a subject never far from the mind of any creative person over the age of forty: how do you stay relevant and at what price does success come? As you’d imagine, there was a lot of co-creation on this project as we needed to leave room for Adam’s unique comedic brain to roam free.”

James Finn, Global Head of Brand & Content Marketing at Audible said: "Adam Buxton's comedy works because it's honest about the thing nobody admits: the desperate quest to stay relevant. We didn't want a campaign that sat next to the show – we wanted one as funny, self-aware and absurd as Adam himself. Working with Fold7, that's exactly what we made: something authentically Adam."

The campaign breaks today on paid social and YouTube pre-rolls, DOOH and radio. Media planning and buying is by GoodStuff.

Global, the Media and Entertainment group, today (Thursday, 11 June) announced the launch of its ground-breaking new self-service advertising platform, AdPower.

For the first time, businesses of all sizes can now directly book campaigns on the UK’s number 1 audio & outdoor advertising networks, all through one self-service platform. 

Live now at adpower.com, AdPower makes it simple to plan, create, book and measure premium media campaigns, on some of the UK’s largest mainstream media brands and networks, in just a few clicks.

Users can upload their own creative assets, or use AdPower’s AI design tools to create both radio and outdoor adverts for free, in minutes.

With campaigns able to go live on Global’s FM, DAB and DAX audio platforms, as well as Global’s outdoor network, as soon as the next day, advertisers can be live as soon as they like, and track delivery and performance through live dashboards in real time. 

From radio ads on some of the UK’s best-loved brands such as Heart and Capital, to outdoor campaigns across city centres and major transport networks on the UK’s number 1 outdoor network, AdPower combines self-service simplicity with the scale, quality and trust of Global’s unrivalled media network. It brings professional-grade, mainstream scale advertising, within reach of ambitious businesses that are used to buying digital media, but may be new to outdoor and radio or audio advertising.

AdPower is designed to make booking audio and outdoor media quick and simple for businesses of all sizes, opening up premium mainstream media to a new generation of advertisers.

Miranda Mathews, Director, AdPower, said: “Until now, premium mass-reach media has often felt too slow, too complex or too confusing for many digitally native businesses. Today, AdPower changes that. It gives advertisers a simple, fast and direct way to access the scale and impact of outdoor and audio advertising. From booking a radio ad on Heart to a billboard on the Underground, huge reach is now just a few clicks away.”

Ashley Tabor-King CBE, Founder & Executive President of Global, said: “AdPower is a major step for mainstream media. Never before has it truly been possible to book mainstream premium media campaigns on radio across FM, DAB and DAX, as well as our outdoor network, online, yourself, in minutes, enabling businesses right across the UK who may never have engaged with traditional media before, to do so quickly and easily. It’s a super smart, fast and frictionless experience.  AdPower has been years in the making to make it super simple to use, and I’m incredibly proud of the teams at Global who have quietly built and tested this pioneering self-service platform that launches today.”

AdPower has been extensively tested in pre-launch trials in recent months. Companies that took part in the pilot include PerfectTed, the UK’s fastest-growing Matcha tea brand. Co-founder Marisa Poser said: “I think this platform is incredible because you can book media as easily as you can book an Uber. It’s just reducing the barriers to usage for brands like us which is so appreciated and well overdue.” 

AdPower is an important strategic step in opening up Global’s powerful media inventory, including Heart, Capital, LBC, and its nationwide outdoor network, to a new generation of UK advertisers. 

The AdPower platform is now live, and campaigns can be booked instantly at adpower.com

Tapt Media has announced a new podcast series which asks the question - are some of Australia’s most notorious unsolved murders and disappearances connected?

Publishing into the Motive & Method RSS feed and YouTube Channel, forensic scientist and criminologist Dr Xanthe Weston and criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro will take listeners and viewers inside a landmark parliamentary inquiry, examining dozens of unsolved cases across New South Wales.

With unprecedented access to the inquiry process, the series follows the hearings as they unfold, exploring the evidence, investigative failures, unanswered questions and potential links between cases spanning more than four decades.

As expert witnesses appearing before the inquiry, Dr Weston and Watson-Munro offer unique insight into the cases under examination, and the issues now being scrutinised. From long-held suspicions surrounding Ivan Milat to emerging theories about other possible offenders, Australia’s Killer Secrets investigates some of the nation’s most enduring mysteries.

Tapt Media Head of Podcasts, Del Fordham said “With Xanthe and Tim appearing at the inquiry the team were presented with the perfect opportunity to bring their expertise and real time insight to our audience, and we hope that through our channels we can create more awareness of these cases.”

Forensic scientist and criminologist, Dr Xanthe Weston said “This inquiry is wide ranging, will ask questions that have been unanswered for decades, and is a genuine opportunity to make connections between cases, potentially leading to new lines of investigation. Families will never speak of closure, but resolution for some is still possible. We owe it to them to try.”

In the first episode (which is out now), Dr Weston and Watson-Munro dive into some of Australia's most notorious cold cases that are being re-examined, including some they have been working on professionally for years alongside family members. In episode two (which is out today), follow Dr Weston and Watson-Munro to Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands, as they take their audience inside the hearings and break down their own evidence.

A total of seven episodes in the series will be published throughout June.

BBC Studios Digital Brands has appointed Lindsay Turner as VP Digital Growth and Strategy to lead its advertising proposition and commercial partnerships, as the business retains its position as the number one YouTube watch time platform in its global competitor set for the second consecutive year.

BBC Studios Digital Brands connects advertisers with highly engaged audiences around IP including Bluey, Doctor Who, BBC Earth and Top Gear, through bespoke advertising and branded content packages. These highly engaged audiences are increasingly watching on the biggest screen in the room: 77% of watch time now comes through TV devices. The US accounts for 33% of watch time and 54% of revenue. Under-34s make up 43% of adult channel audiences and 58% across kids’ channels.

Turner's remit covers commercial partnerships across the full portfolio, from platform relationships with YouTube and TikTok to client partnerships and rights-holder relationships, alongside ownership of the global advertising proposition and go-to-market delivery.

Turner joins from VCCP Media, where she was Managing Director. Before that she spent four years at LADbible Group and held CEO roles at Spark Foundry and Blue 449.

The commercial momentum behind her appointment is significant. In FY25/26, Digital total revenue grew 23% year-on-year, YouTube revenue up 22%, and branded content up 124%. The business generated 7 billion ad impressions across its YouTube Network and CID offering, and 15.1 billion YouTube views, up 21%. It retains the number one position for YouTube watch time in its global competitor set for the second year running, with watch time more than double that of nearest competitor Netflix in the measured set. The portfolio spans around 150 channels across 17 languages, including two of YouTube's top 1% channels globally, reaching 350 million people.

Jasmine Dawson, SVP, BBC Studios Digital Brands, said: “The numbers tell a clear story, but the real strength is what’s driving them. Audiences are not just finding our content, they are choosing to come back to it - often on the biggest screen in the room, in markets that matter to advertisers. That kind of relationship is hard to build, and we’ve done it by putting IP, fandom and platform behaviour at the centre of our strategy. Now the focus is on scaling the commercial opportunity around that - particularly in advertising and branded content. Bringing in Lindsay at this point is a deliberate step. Her experience in building high-value partnerships and shaping go-to-market strategy will be key to ensuring our commercial model is as strong and ambitious as the content itself.”

Lindsay Turner, VP Commercial, BBC Studios Digital Brands, said: “BBC Studios Digital Brands brings together global scale, trusted IP and highly engaged audiences across the platforms where people are choosing to watch. My focus is on helping advertisers and partners understand that opportunity, and on building the commercial relationships that will take it into its next phase of growth, and I look forward to getting started.”

Australia's audio industry is growing faster than it has ever been recognised. Radio reaches millions daily. Podcasting has become a booming multi-million-dollar economy. Audiobooks are the fastest-growing format in publishing. Voice-over artists have shaped the sound of Australian life for decades. The industry has never been more active, more diverse, or more in need of an initiative that can hold all of it together.

That initiative is SONARR. Short for Sound and Narrative, it covers the full audio landscape across Podcast, Radio, Audiobook, and Voice-over. With 35 categories, a dedicated $10,000 prize pool split evenly between Commercial and Indie streams, practitioner-led judging, and a formal gala dinner on 15 October 2026 at Machine Hall, SONARR is not a replacement for what came before. It is something the industry has not had before.

The Australian Commercial Radio Awards ran for decades before ending in 2025. The last Australian Podcast Awards was held in 2024. Pariya Taherzadeh, an award-winning executive producer and academic, founded SONARR in response: an independent program that spans the full medium, recognises independent creators on equal footing with major networks, and pairs genuine accessibility with the prestige of a proper gala presentation.

Built for the Audio Industry as It Exists Today

Australia's audio industry has four active and disruptive cores: Podcast, Radio, Audiobook, and Voice-over. Each is growing and each has produced exceptional work. SONARR's 35 categories are organised into six judging blocks spanning Sound, Narrative, Voice, Impact, Vision, and the Grand Prize, covering everything from technical sound design and sonic identity to long-form storytelling and multiplatform marketing.

The program explicitly recognises creators who have historically been marginalised in industry awards, with dedicated categories for First Nations creators, CALD, LGBTQIA+, female creators, students, and independent producers. Submission fees are structured to be genuinely accessible to independent and emerging creators, not only those backed by major networks.

AFTRS Named as Founding Educational Partner

The Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) has joined SONARR as its Founding Educational Partner, with naming rights attached to the ‘AFTRS Narrative Excellence Award’, recognising outstanding original audio storytelling across fiction and non-fiction work.

"Audio in Australia is not one simple industry. It’s a vast, multifaceted world of radio, podcast, audiobook, and voice, converging into something entirely new every day. SONARR exists to recognise that convergence, to elevate the craft that drives it, and to make sure the creators building this future are finally seen. Not just the biggest ones, but the independent, the regional, and the underrepresented." - Pariya Taherzadeh, Executive Producer and Founder, SONARR Awards

Pariya Taherzadeh. Pic: Amirnasser Dabaghian

The 35 SONARR Award Categories

Sound

• Audio Production Award
• Sound Design & Atmosphere Award
• Original Sonic Identity Award

Narrative

• AFTRS Narrative Excellence Award
• Audio Drama Award
• Investigative & Documentary Award
• Cultural & Social Insight Award
• News & Public Discourse Award
• Knowledge & Learning Award
• STEM Award
• Business & Entrepreneurship Award
• Health & Wellbeing Award
• Entertainment & Lifestyle Award
• Comedy Award
• Youth & Family Award
• Arts & Culture Award
• Music Award

Voice

• Indie Creator Excellence Award
• First Nations Creator Excellence Award
• Female Creator Excellence Award
• LGBTQIA+ Creator Excellence Award
• CALD Creator Excellence Award
• Student Creator Excellence Award
• Host / Presenter Excellence Award
• Producer Excellence Award
• Performance / Acting Excellence Award
• Network Excellence Award

Impact

• Community Wave Maker Award
• Innovation Award
• Audience Connection Award

Vision

• Video for Audio Award
• Visual Identity Award
• Events for Audio Award
• Marketing for Audio Award

Grand Award

• Audio Work of the Year (Commercial/Indie)

Recorded from the very launch site that propelled the U.S. space program, We Choose to Go to Kennedy is the official podcast of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, offering the public another powerful way to connect with the space program by delivering detailed, up-to-date and behind-the-scenes insights into humanity’s journey beyond Earth.

Hosted by members of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex communications team, We Choose to Go to Kennedy takes audiences behind the gates of the visitor complex and into the heart of human spaceflight. Each episode features immersive conversations, captivating stories and insider perspectives from iconic launch history to the cutting-edge innovations shaping the next era of exploration.

“Inspiring curiosity and connecting the public to space exploration is at the heart of everything we do,” said Howard Schwartz, interim chief operating officer of Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. “We are always looking for new and different ways to deliver timely, engaging news about space, and this podcast allows us to take audiences behind the scenes, sharing stories, insights and experiences that bring the space program to life in an entirely new way.”

In addition to exploring space history and innovation, the podcast also covers special events and entertainment taking place at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, offering insider perspectives and advance intel on fan-favorite experiences and new offerings.

This month, Derrol Nail, a NASA Launch Commentator, is a guest on We Choose to Go To Kennedy, and will share insight and information about the upcoming Artemis II mission. To date, featured guests have included renowned astronauts Winston Scott, Mike Foreman and Ellen Ochoa, along with leading space experts such as Robert Pearlman, prominent space historian, journalist, and the founder/editor of collectSPACE.com and Dr. Luis Quiroga-Nuñez, Director of the Ortega Observatory. Other special guests have included project managers and industry leaders who are shaping the future of space exploration.

About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Go beyond imagination and into something real at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Named the No. 1 U.S. Attraction by Tripadvisor’s 2025 Travelers’ Choice Awards, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex gets visitors up close to real flight flown artifacts, meet a veteran NASA astronaut, feel the rumble of a rocket launch, and so much more. Just 45 minutes from Orlando, Fla., Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opens daily at 9 a.m. with closing times varying by season. The popular two-day ticket, which can be used for up to six months from purchase and averages a cost of $45 per day, is now available for $91 per adult and $81 per child. Single-day admission is $77 per adult; $67 per child. For more information, call 877-313-2610 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.

Football Fan Fanatics is a brand-new weekly podcast dedicated to unpacking the beautiful game, which launched 9 June 2026.

Hosted by 20-year-old sports presenter James Palin and his mum, broadcaster and journalist Nadine Dereza, the show delivers unfiltered football conversation, bringing you the best and worst of the beautiful game. Designed for die-hard supporters and casual fans alike, Football Fan Fanatics covers the highs, the lows and the glorious chaos of football.

“Fans today are smarter than ever; they don't want recycled scorelines and basic match reports. With Football Fan Fanatics, we're inviting listeners into the stories shaping the season: the Premier League, the lower leagues, the Champions League and the moments that matter globally" said James Palin, Co-Host.

"It's the mother-son football podcast you never knew you needed. We want to bridge the gap between fans and the game and build a community of football lovers worldwide" said Nadine Dereza, Co-Host.

The debut episode tackles the EFL Championship's Spygate saga and previews the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Football Fan Fanatics is an independent football media brand founded in 2026 by James Palin and Nadine Dereza, dedicated to authentic, fan-led sports storytelling.

The AudioZoo Podcast Drama Network, led by producers Jerry Bader and Sash Mutze, is proud to announce the highly anticipated second season of its gritty Neo-Noir crime series, The Collector. Following the established narrative excellence of the network, this season continues to explore the dark undercurrents of Toronto's underworld, focusing on the weirder and more dangerous stories hidden in plain sight.

The Collector is written by Jerry Bader, a prolific master of the genre with a signature style honed over 40 books spanning the Neo-Noir Detective, Spy, and Crime categories. This series brings that extensive literary expertise to the audio medium, delivering a high-stakes dramatic experience characterized by dry, observational commentary and the bureaucratic absurdity of the criminal underworld.

While upcoming specials like "The Story of Amadeus Nickels" -the tale of an average man of little consequence-are currently in development, The Collector remains the flagship of AudioZoo's hard-boiled programming. Season Two promises to double down on the tension, featuring the complex plotting and atmospheric depth that have become hallmarks of Bader's extensive body of work.

NOVA Entertainment, in collaboration with News Corp Australia, today announced that News Corp-owned global sports media powerhouse talkSPORT has expanded into the Australian market, with the launch of the talkSPORT Australia YouTube channel and its first Australian original series, talkSPORT World Cup Shootout. 

Reaching 3.6 million listeners every week in the UK, talkSPORT is expanding its Australian presence with its first locally produced series. With the first episode out now, talkSPORT World Cup Shootout sees respected football voices Andy Harper, Teo Pellizzeri, and Kat Sasso break down all the action from football’s biggest international tournament period, the FIFA™ World Cup. 

Released as both a video series on YouTube and an audio podcast across all major podcast platforms, the show will cover the biggest moments, emerging storylines, controversies and predictions, delivering fans a uniquely Australian take on the world game.

Throughout the tournament, the trio will also be joined by former Socceroos players and talkSPORT’s suite of international football experts, bringing together elite football minds from both Australia and abroad. 

Said talkSPORT presenter Andy Harper, “The more football, the better! The upcoming FIFA™ World Cup was already eagerly anticipated, so being a part of talkSPORT World Cup Shootout and joining Teo, Kate and the rest of the team is sure to only increase the fun and I can’t wait to get started.” 

Added News Corp Australia General Manager, Commercial Video, Audio & Branded Content, Ryan Hedditch, “At News Corp Australia, our vision is to tell the stories that matter, and for millions of Australians, nothing matters more than the drama of a World Cup. We are heavily investing in building premium, original video franchises, and talkSPORT World Cup Shootout is a marquee example of this strategy in action. By collaborating with NOVA Entertainment, we are bringing a much-loved brand to Australia and injecting it with a distinctly local perspective. It’s a brilliant showcase of how we can combine global sports authority with our massive digital network to deliver a truly modern sports show for Australian fans." 

NOVA Entertainment’s Chief Growth Officer, Adam Johnson, said “With NOVA having successfully partnered with both talkSPORT UK and News Corp Australia across streaming and podcasts, this is a great opportunity for us all to come together around the world’s biggest sporting event this year. Combining talkSPORT’s unparalleled football access and expertise, the might and digital reach of News Corp along with NOVA’s market-leading production skills and audio audience reach, I’m confident this will be a great watch, a great listen and a fantastic integration opportunity for brands to connect with passionate Aussie football fans.” 

The launch marks a major collaboration between three industry leaders, with talkSPORT, News Corp Australia and NOVA Entertainment combining forces to create premium football content for Australian audiences across video, audio and digital platforms. 

News Corp Australia will serve as the digital distribution partner for talkSPORT Australia, launching and operating its new YouTube channel and syndicating episodes across news.com.au, CODE Sports and SuperCoach. Together, these platforms represent one of the nation’s largest digital sports audiences, reaching more than 4 million^ Australians. 

NOVA Entertainment has partnered with talkSPORT since 2023, giving Australian fans closer access to the world’s game than ever before. Coverage of the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, including 24/7 commentary from the talkSPORT team, is available live and free via the Nova Player. 

talkSPORT World Cup Shootout is available on the new talkSPORT Australia YouTube channel and all major podcast platforms, with new episodes dropping weekly.

Media and entertainment powerhouse Banijay Entertainment today unveils Players Network – powered by Banijay Entertainment, its new overarching digital sports brand to house bold, personality‑driven, social‑first sports entertainment formats. Signalling the group’s commitment to innovation and continued expansion into premium, talent‑led sports content, the brand’s first title, Jamie Vardy's Having a Party, from Banijay UK label Workerbee, launches Wednesday 10th June, in time for the World Cup, on YouTube, Amazon Prime and all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple.

Produced by Workerbee, in collaboration with sports and entertainment content studio Contentuual, Jamie Vardy's Having a Party is fronted by one of football’s most dynamic and charismatic players, Jamie Vardy, former Premier League winner with Leicester in 2016 and star England striker. The series will also feature an array of guest stars, from creators to the world of sports, broadcast, arts and entertainment, comedy and other areas. Rebekah Vardy will also make special guest appearances on the show.

Banijay Rights is distributing the series which will also launch in the US. The launch will be supported by a major billboard campaign in the UK. Further strengthening Banijay Entertainment’s existing capabilities in sport, Jamie Vardy's Having a Party marks the first launch under Players Network – powered by Banijay Entertainment, with further announcements to follow internationally.

Jamie Vardy comments: “I am excited to launch the podcast with one of the major players in the game, Banijay Entertainment. I am still an active player but having an opportunity to chat football and have a banter off the pitch is something that I am really looking forward to.”

Rick Murray, CEO, Workerbee adds: “Sport is a big part of our strategy, and we're focused on creating digital-first formats that put great talent front and centre. Jamie Vardy's Having a Party is a perfect example – it's entertaining, highly shareable and driven by one of football's biggest personalities. As we grow our direct-to-consumer offering, we're looking for more projects that can connect with audiences across platforms and look forward to developing more projects with Jamie and Rebekah.”

Fresh, relatable and proudly unpredictable, Jamie Vardy's Having a Party is larger‑than‑life sports entertainment, built for digital-native, social‑first audiences. Taking fans inside the biggest stories, fiercest debates, and most entertaining personalities in football, the video series blends football, culture and entertainment, with the feel‑good chaos only Jamie Vardy can deliver. 

Banijay Sports is the specialised division dedicated to broadening Banijay Entertainment’s efforts in sportainment, documentary, digital, live events, live hosting, creator economy, and scripted, via new partnerships, content investments and M&A. Latest successes in sports from across the group include the recently launched sportainment format Football Island, from Banijay Benelux’s SimpelZodiak and Southfields; documentaries Homecoming: The Tokyo Series from Banijay Americas’ BD4, and The Eubanks: Like Father, Like Son from Banijay UK’s Workerbee; and the launch of creator-led football club FC Failliet/Finesse from Banijay Benelux’s Southfields and Banijay NXT.

The podcast industry is home to some of the most passionate fan communities in the world, and it’s no wonder why. It allows for a real and authentic relationship between the creators and consumers in a way that few other mediums do, and that relationship is only becoming more valuable to advertisers.

Today, DAX US, the pioneering digital advertising exchange owned by Global, announced an exclusive host read ad representation partnership with actor, producer and podcast creator Katee Sackhoff for her hit podcast, Battlestar React-ica.

As part of the agreement, DAX US will exclusively represent host read advertising opportunities for Battlestar React-ica, while Captivate, Global’s podcast hosting, distribution and monetization platform, continues to power hosting and podcast delivery for the show.

Katee Sackhoff is widely known for her iconic role as Starbuck in the acclaimed sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica, as well as her fan-favorite portrayal of Bo-Katan Kryze in The Mandalorian and The Clone Wars. Beyond television and film, Sackhoff has built a highly engaged podcast audience through in-depth conversations, behind-the-scenes storytelling and passionate fan community interaction. Battlestar React-ica documents Katee’s reactions and commentary as she watches Battlestar Galactica for the first time. The first season of this show had well over 1 Million views and downloads in just 4 months.

The partnership reflects DAX US and Captivate’s continued commitment to helping premium creators unlock sustainable podcast revenue through authentic advertising experiences and scalable monetization infrastructure.

“Podcasting is built on trust and connection, and Katee has cultivated an incredibly loyal audience with her show,” said Mark Asquith, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Captivate. “We’re thrilled to continue supporting Battlestar React-ica on Captivate while DAX US brings premium host read advertising opportunities to the table. This is exactly the kind of creator-first ecosystem we’ve worked hard to build.”

Host read podcast advertising continues to deliver strong performance for brands by combining the scale of digital audio with the authenticity and credibility of creator endorsement. Through this partnership, advertisers will gain direct access to highly engaged entertainment, sci-fi and pop culture audiences through one of the medium’s most recognizable voices.

“I’ve always made it a priority to stay connected with fans, and podcasting has become one of my favorite ways to do that on a much larger scale. There’s something incredibly personal about the medium. People aren’t just tuning in for sound bites, they’re showing up because they genuinely care about the conversation. That creates a level of trust and community that’s really special.” Said Katee Sackhoff. “As the podcast continues to grow, it was important to partner with a team that understands creators, audiences, and where this space is headed. DAX US and Captivate share that vision, and I’m excited to grow the show in a way that feels authentic while creating new opportunities for the future.”

The agreement further expands DAX US’s growing portfolio of creator partnerships and reinforces Captivate’s position as the hosting and monetization platform of choice for serious podcasters building scalable media brands.

“Katee’s connection with her audience is exactly what makes podcast advertising so powerful,” said Rob Walch, VP of Podcast Relations at DAX US. “Her listeners are deeply invested in her content, her personality and the communities she’s built around these shows. We’re excited to help bring brands into that environment in a way that feels authentic, thoughtful and valuable for everyone involved.”

Advertising opportunities for Battlestar React-ica are available immediately through DAX US by contacting podcastads@global.com

Podcast Nation has partnered with Confetti Cannon, the LGBTQ+ podcast network from Producer Entertainment Group (PEG), for exclusive advertising sales representation of SAPPHIRA, the video-first interview podcast hosted by drag superstar Sapphira Cristál, runner-up and Miss Congeniality of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 16.

SAPPHIRA brings Sapphira's signature charisma, humor, and candid storytelling to long-form conversations with an eclectic lineup of guests spanning entertainment, comedy, drag, and culture.

Since launching just eight weeks ago, the video-first series has already surpassed half a million views on YouTube and continues to build momentum across platforms. Released on all major podcast platforms including Spotify Video, Apple Video, and YouTube, SAPPHIRA delivers a multi-platform experience designed for today's video-first audience.

Under the partnership, Podcast Nation exclusively represents advertising sales for the show, connecting brands with SAPPHIRA's highly engaged and growing audience across both audio and video.

"We're thrilled to partner with Confetti Cannon and the incredible team at Producer Entertainment Group on SAPPHIRA," said Clio de la Llave, Co-Founder of Podcast Nation. "Sapphira has built a deeply loyal fanbase through her authenticity, artistry, and undeniable star power. The show is a perfect example of how creators are building meaningful communities through both audio and video, and we're excited to help bring innovative brand partners into that ecosystem."

The partnership further expands Podcast Nation's relationship with Producer Entertainment Group and Confetti Cannon while strengthening its roster of creator-led shows across entertainment, culture, and lifestyle.

Podcast Movement](https://podcastmovement.com/), the leading event series shaping the future of the podcast industry, announced that tickets are now on sale and the call for speakers is open for Podcast Movement New York, taking place September 17–18, 2026 at Terminal 5 in Manhattan.

General Admission tickets are available now at $199, providing access to all programming across multiple concurrent tracks, all networking events, and live podcast recordings each evening. There are no ticket tiers and no premium upgrades. One ticket allows attendees to access everything throughout the two day event.

"The future of podcasting is built by creators and that only works if we're actually letting them in the door and giving them the opportunity to share their skills and expertise. New York is where so many of those creators already are and has a storied history in the arts. Podcast Movement belongs in their backyard at a price point that acknowledges that even the most celebrated creators operate on a budget and accessibility for those driving our industry forward might just be the most important piece of building the ideal podcast conference," said Bryan Barletta, Partner at Sounds Profitable and President of Podcast Movement. 

Programming will span every discipline that matters to a working creator, including craft, growth, monetization, production, distribution, video, community, and the business of running a show. Each evening will feature live podcast recordings, giving attendees an inside look at how working creators make their shows.

An Open, Transparent Speaker Selection Process

The call for speakers at Podcast Movement is now open. Podcast Movement's selection process is designed to elevate the most impactful discussions regardless of a speaker's profile or platform size. Submissions do not require a large audience, an established industry profile, or prior conference experience, only a clear idea and a defined audience for it.

Half of the sessions on the final schedule will be selected through popular vote. The remaining half will be chosen by a community selection committee using a published rubric that prioritizes diversity of voice, perspective, and background alongside content quality.

Podcast Movement is building what it describes as the most diverse speaker lineup in podcasting, including creators of color, creators from underserved communities, creators working in niches the conference circuit typically overlooks, and creators at every stage of their careers.

To submit session ideas for Podcast Movement NYC, please visit: https://sessionize.com/podcast-movement-2026/. 

To purchase tickets for Podcast Movement NYC, click here.

Canadaland Inc. and its founder Jesse Brown will pay a total of $885,000 in damages and costs to Theresa Kielburger, an 82-year-old retired Toronto schoolteacher and the mother of WE Charity co-founders Marc Kielburger and Craig Kielburger, to settle her defamation lawsuit.

The lawsuit centred on Canadaland's key claim in The White Saviors podcast series: that Mrs. Kielburger had taken hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable donations and deposited them into a family bank account. It was a foundational allegation on which Canadaland built its broader thesis that the Kielburger family had personally and improperly benefited from WE Charity. That claim is now formally retracted.

The court found that Mr. Brown was in possession of the very documents that disproved it and never mentioned them. He never contacted Mrs. Kielburger before publication.

"Theresa Kielburger has spent her life helping people. She raised the sons who built one of Canada's most recognized children's charities," stated Peter Downard, counsel for Mrs. Kielburger. "The settlement provides her with the vindication she deserves."

"Mr. Brown recklessly attacked Mrs. Kielburger, who has always been a real force for good in the world," added co-counsel William McDowell. I am glad that we were able to achieve this public vindication for her."

Settlement Terms

Under the settlement terms, Mr. Brown appeared in open court and read a full retraction and apology aloud. The full apology must be posted prominently and permanently on the Canadaland website and across every social media and podcast platform where the episode appears. An audio retraction must also be inserted into the original podcast episode, replacing existing versions on all platforms.

The settlement payment of $775,000, combined with the $110,000 already ordered following Mr. Brown's failed anti-SLAPP motion, brings the total paid by Canadaland and Mr. Brown to $885,000.

Canadaland retraction

The central allegation of the lawsuit was the claim broadcast by Mr. Brown in the August 2021 The White Saviors podcast that Theresa Kielburger had personally deposited hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable donations into her family's personal bank account. In Mr. Brown's apology read in court, he stated plainly: "This was unfounded. We were wrong to have published it."

The false claim was not new. It had first been published in 1996 by Saturday Night magazine. Craig Kielburger sued; Saturday Night settled in 1999 for $319,000. Twenty-five years later, Canadaland republished the same claim as the cornerstone of an entire podcast series. The Kielburger family is now twice on the public record as having been falsely accused of the same misconduct. In both cases, the publishers responsible paid substantial damages.

Canadaland never contacted Mrs. Kielburger before broadcast. Asked in court why no comment was sought, Mr. Brown said he "did not seek comment from the plaintiff for the same reason why I didn't seek comment from my own mother." Mr. Brown was also in possession of letters from the charity's accountant and the Ontario Federation of Labour that explicitly disproved the allegation, and neither was mentioned in the podcast.

Court Findings

In May 2024, Justice E.M. Morgan of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice rejected Canadaland's anti-SLAPP motion (an attempt to have the case dismissed before trial) and ordered Canadaland to pay $110,000 in costs.

In his reasons, Justice Morgan found "[T]here is no reason to believe that Brown and Canadaland have any valid defence." The court also found that "the cynicism of Brown's explanation not only accentuates the defamatory sting of his words, but could be considered high handed and oppressive," that it suggested "the Plaintiff's feelings are worth nothing," and that the defamation was "more a personal attack on the plaintiff's character" than legitimate journalism.

Canadaland brands itself as Canada's media accountability outlet, whose stated purpose is to hold other journalists to higher standards. The court's findings describe an outlet that republished a known false claim, ignored documents in its own possession that disproved it, and never asked its subject to respond. These are the very failures Canadaland claims to exist to call out in others.

The full apology

Mr. Brown read the following statement in open court. It is posted permanently across all Canadaland platforms:

"On August 20, 2021, Canadaland published The Children's Crusade, the first episode of a podcast series entitled The White Saviors. In that episode we stated that Theresa Kielburger had placed hundreds of thousands of dollars of donations to a children's charity in a family bank account. This was unfounded. We were wrong to have published it. Canadaland wholly retracts its statement about Ms. Kielburger. We apologize unreservedly to her for the harm caused by our publication of it. Canadaland has agreed to pay substantial damages to Ms. Kielburger."

Background materials: Justice Morgan's reasons in Kielburger v. Canadaland Inc., 2024 ONSC 2622;

About WE Charity

WE Charity is a Canadian international development and youth empowerment organization co-founded in 1995 by Craig and Marc Kielburger. At its peak, WE Day events engaged more than two million young people annually in acts of service across Canada, the United States, and internationally.

Launching in June 2026, the series offers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the creation and evolution of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), told by one of the sport’s original architects. Through candid conversations, untold stories, and firsthand accounts, McLaren revisits the earliest UFC events and the extraordinary journey that transformed Mixed Martial Arts from a controversial spectacle into one of the world’s most successful sports properties.

Each episode features a special guest co-host connected to the early days of the UFC, providing additional insight and perspective on the moments, personalities, and decisions that helped build the global phenomenon. Guests throughout the series include legendary UFC champion Royce Gracie, acclaimed filmmaker Christian Gudegast, and other influential figures from combat sports and entertainment.

“The original UFC events were legendary, but the stories behind them are epic and have never been told until now,” said Campbell McLaren. “This podcast gives listeners a front-row seat to the chaos, creativity, and determination that built a sport and changed the entertainment landscape forever.”

The series is produced by Jacqueline McLaren, the award-winning producer of the 2024 MMA documentary Unfightable.

“We are thrilled to partner with Campbell McLaren and bring this remarkable series to audiences around the world,” said Jack Hobbs, President & CEO of reVolver Podcasts. “Campbell’s role in creating the UFC places him at the center of one of the most fascinating stories in sports history. There Are No Rules offers listeners exclusive access to the people, events, and behind-the-scenes moments that transformed MMA into a global powerhouse. This is exactly the kind of compelling storytelling that resonates across our network and with audiences everywhere.”

Since departing the UFC, McLaren has continued to shape combat sports and entertainment, producing numerous television projects and launching Combate Global, the premier Hispanic Mixed Martial Arts organization. Under his leadership, Combate Global has produced more than 150 televised events and continues to expand MMA’s reach among Spanish-speaking audiences worldwide.

Already live in the United States, the Fire TV Channels is set to roll out across the UK, Germany and Canada in the coming months. Through this agreement, Bauer Media Audio will be available to Fire TV users, representing a significant expansion of audience reach beyond its owned and operated platforms and enabling the company to engage audiences in new, high-growth connected TV environments.

As part of the launch, Bauer Media Audio will introduce channels from several of its leading brands and podcasts, including in the UK: Hits Radio, KISS, Pete Wicks’ Man Made, Katherine Ryan’s What’s My Age Again, and Lost in Translation; and in Ireland: Off The Ball, Newstalk, Talking Bollox, Mark Mehigan's Weekly Roast, Stall It and Family Flowers Only. Fire TV customers will be able to seamlessly access Bauer Media Audio’s video and video podcast content without subscription barriers, unlocking new audience touchpoints.

This initiative forms part of Bauer Media Audio’s broader strategy to expand its audiovisual footprint and evolve into a multi-platform content business. By extending distribution into connected TV, Bauer Media is strengthening cross-platform engagement, scaling its content beyond traditional audio channels, and building a more diversified and future-facing media ecosystem

Tobias Nielsen, SVP of Digital, Bauer Media Audio, said: “Launching on Amazon Fire TV marks an important step in scaling our audiovisual distribution and unlocking new commercial opportunities across connected TV. By bringing our UK and Ireland brands to Fire TV’s curated channels platform, we’re expanding our reach beyond owned platforms and creating new high-value advertising opportunities.”

Waitrose and Cold Glass Productions today announce that Dish from Waitrose has become the world’s most successful branded podcast, surpassing one billion combined downloads, views, and listens since launching in 2022*.

Hosted by Nick Grimshaw and Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett OBE, the show has produced 165 episodes and is currently the only branded podcast featured in both the Apple and Spotify top 100 charts globally and the only branded podcast in the UK top 20.

The show combines conversations about food, life and culture with A-list guests including Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Dua Lipa, Florence Pugh, Tom Holland and Gordon Ramsay, with forthcoming episodes featuring Marcus Mumford, Kevin McCloud, Olivia Cooke, Sam Smith, Sir Lenny Henry, Simon Pegg, Sophie Wilan and Ray Winstone.

Since launching in 2022, Dish from Waitrose has grown into one of the UK’s most popular food and entertainment podcasts, attracting a broad and highly engaged audience. The Tom Holland episode reached an audience of 2.3 million. Dish from Waitrose continues to grow, with listens up 35% year-on-year. It is also reaching a younger audience, with almost 30% of the show's UK podcast listeners and 35% of YouTube viewers aged under 35. More people now watch Dish from Waitrose than listen to it, reflecting the growing popularity of video-first podcasting.

At a time when brands are increasingly investing in creator-led and long-form content, Dish from Waitrose has emerged as a standout example of how branded media can achieve genuine cultural cut-through without compromising authenticity or audience trust. Research conducted in May 2026 found that 78% of listeners said that Dish from Waitrose had encouraged them to shop more frequently at Waitrose. It also found that the more episodes listeners engage with, the more likely they are to associate Waitrose with helping them discover new products, food trends and cooking skills**.

The podcast has become an essential long-term brand-building tool for Waitrose, seamlessly placing its recipes and ingredients at the centre of entertainment, celebrity and culture, while reaching new audiences and driving increased footfall across its stores. Blending Angela’s culinary expertise and warmth with Nick’s humour, curiosity and effortless charm, Dish from Waitrose has carved out a unique space in British media, where exceptional food meets unfiltered conversation around the table.

Nick Grimshaw, Dish co-host, said: “I love doing Dish. Getting to spend time laughing and learning with Angela has been one of my most favourite things I’ve ever done and I can’t believe it’s grown into this community. It feels special because we have become firm friends and our relationship has grown with our audience witnessing our growing love (and/or annoyance) for one another.”

Angela Hartnett, Dish co-host, said: “I love working with Nick, The Cold Glass and Waitrose team and all the amazing guests that come on. We have a lot of fun, and I believe that's reflected in the show."

Ben Kerr, CEO of Cold Glass Productions, the producer behind Dish, said: “Behind the billion views, downloads and listens and millions of likes, shares and comments is a community of food lovers who are hungry to engage with the show across multiple video channels for; recipes, celebrity chat, the fast-food quiz, cooking tips, Nick and Angela’s relationship and more. Dish is there for them however they want to engage, and it’s a joy to share the show with our fans.”

Nathan Ansell, Waitrose Chief Customer Officer, said: "Customers are increasingly looking for ideas, inspiration and expertise alongside the products they buy, and helping people discover and enjoy great food has always been at the heart of Waitrose. From our Partners and food experts to our products, magazines and podcasts, customers trust us to inspire and guide them in the kitchen. Our commitment to food storytelling stretches back decades and today we’re bringing that expertise to new formats including podcasts and video. We’re excited about the next phase of our strategy with more opportunities for customers to engage directly with our food experts and Partners.”

Dish from Waitrose has also received widespread industry acclaim, winning Best Hosts at the British Podcast Awards 2025, Best Branded Podcast at the Adweek Audio Awards, Gold at the Lovie Awards and the Chair’s Award at the Drum Content Awards, alongside multiple nominations from Marketing Week and the International Content Marketing Awards.

Dish from Waitrose is available now on all major podcast platforms and YouTube.

SmashCast Media is a premium combat sports podcast network built around elite fight analysis, betting insights, fighter culture, and the business of combat sports. The network brings together some of the most recognizable voices in MMA, UFC, boxing, wrestling, and sports betting under one unified umbrella, with weekly programming designed for highly engaged combat sports audiences.

The network's flagship program, Undefeated & Undisputed, hosted by Ian Parker and Chael Sonnen, delivers expert-level analysis, commentary, and insider perspectives on the biggest stories in combat sports. Combining Parker's betting expertise with Sonnen's industry experience, the show offers fans a unique look at the athletes, events, and conversations shaping the world of combat sports.

As SmashCast Media continues to expand, the network plans to grow its programming slate with additional talent, shows, and creator-led content spanning the broader combat sports ecosystem.

"SmashCast Media brings together some of the most respected voices in combat sports, creating a premium platform for both fans and brand partners," said Matt Cisneros. "Built on a strong foundation of fight analysis, sports betting, and creator-driven content, the network is uniquely positioned for growth, and we're excited to help brands connect with this passionate audience."

"Backyard Ventures is a proven force multiplier. They bring the industry expertise, credibility, market intelligence, and—most importantly—the strategic sensibility to represent SmashCast Media in a way that opens the right doors without compromising what we've built or who we are," said Kham Lam, SmashCast Media. "We're confident this partnership will accelerate our growth and create meaningful opportunities for both our talent and brand partners."

The partnership will include advertising opportunities across Undefeated & Undisputed, as well as future programming developed under the broader SmashCast Media brand.

For inquiries, please reach out to smashcast@wearebv.com.

Australia's most trusted media literacy resource for primary school kids, Newshounds, has received a welcome boost with the announcement of a four-year funding deal by the South Australian government.

The collaboration between the South Australian government and Squiz Media – creators of Newshounds – will see South Australian kids become the most media literate in Australia.

Newshounds teaches kids to 'Stop, Think and Check' before believing everything they see online.

"In a digital age, learning to think critically about what they see online is just as important a life skill for primary school kids as reading, writing and arithmetic," said Newshounds Director, Bryce Corbett. "The South Australian government has been the first to recognise this, and we're delighted to be partnering with them in this world-first educational initiative."

Under the terms of the partnership, announced in last week's State Budget, the Newshounds media literacy program will be rolled out to every South Australian primary school.

"With misinformation rife on the internet, we now live in an age where media literacy is an essential life skill," said Premier Malinauskas. "It has become just as important to teach children how to spot dangerous disinformation online as it is to teach them to read and write. That's why we are funding this media literacy program to roll out in all our primary schools."

South Australia's Education Minister Lucy Hood said: "Our Government is proud to open up this program to every primary school student in the state and we will continue to look at innovative ways to support children to combat dodgy disinformation."

South Australia's elevation of media literacy as an essential life skill will make it the first state in Australia to do so.

"Premier Malinauskas and his government were the first in Australia to call for a social media ban for under 16s," said Mr Corbett. "Now they've become national leaders again, recognising that a ban will only ever be as effective as the education that precedes it."

Newshounds is a world-first media literacy program for children in Years 3–6. The plug-and-play classroom resource is led by the cartoon detective dog, Squiz-E the Newshound, who teaches kids to sniff out mis- and disinformation on the internet. It works on the principle of teaching kids vital critical thinking skills before they get a smartphone in their hands.

In its existing format, Newshounds is already in more than 5,000 classrooms around Australia.

A new-and-improved Newshounds – with an emphasis on artificial intelligence, improved classroom resources and enhanced teacher instruction – will be designed specifically for South Australian classrooms and rolled out exclusively to schools across the state later this year.

Newshounds is an initiative of Squiz Media – publishers of The Squiz daily news podcast and newsletter, News Club, and Squiz Kids – Australia's premier daily news podcast for kids.

The Squiz Kids podcast is a kid-friendly take on the daily news – listened to by over 160,000 kids and their families every day, including in some 5,000 primary school classrooms around the country.

Empowered Podcasting LLC has announced the return of The Empowered Podcasting Conference, a three-day live event in which attendees will hear from successful podcasters, marketing experts, industry leaders, and media professionals using podcasting to expand their reach and grow their organizations. The event takes place Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23 at The Hyatt Centric Hotel in Uptown Charlotte (South Park). A welcome mixer/icebreaker event takes place Thursday, August 20 at the hotel for arriving attendees and speakers.

"We've designed Empowered Podcasting to be more than a conference," said Marc Ronick, the event's founder. "It's a place where independent creators can learn from industry leaders, connect with like-minded people, and discover new opportunities to grow their audience, their skills, and their business."

The conference features workshops and breakout presentations covering podcast launch strategies, how to market your show, tips for building better content, how to grow your audience, the best ways to monetize your content, plus space for networking. Happy hour on Friday evening, lunch provided by Empowered Podcasting on Saturday, and a post-event party at The Hyatt Centric on Saturday evening continue the community-building aspect of the conference.

"We've built an incredible schedule for this year's event and feel our speaker lineup is second to none," claimed Jason Cercone, Chief Operations Officer at Empowered Podcasting. "We've seen our community grow and thrive since we started hosting these events and feel this year's conference will raise the bar even more."

This year's conference features The Content Creator's Accountant as a title sponsor. Founded and operated by Ralph Estep, Jr., The Content Creator's Accountant partners with creators to wisely and efficiently manage revenue they generate from their podcasts.

"As both a returning attendee and this year's Title Sponsor, I've seen firsthand how Empowered Podcasting uniquely serves independent podcasters," Estep said. "You'll walk away with tangible skills, from storytelling fundamentals to monetization strategies, alongside the relationships that actually drive business growth."

Since Empowered Podcasting's inaugural conference in 2024, the event has grown in size, scope, and mission. But at its core, it's always been about connecting podcasters and creators with one another and opening doors of opportunity for everyone in attendance. This year, the event is expected to host 200–250 attendees.

"The thing I love about the Empowered Podcasting community is it's made up of industry leaders who value learning and growth," said Rich Perry, Chief Marketing Officer at Empowered Podcasting. "I look forward to attending the conference each year because it means spending time with some of my favorite content creators and friends."

Tickets are on sale now through August 20 with a discounted rate available until July 14, 2026. Sponsorship opportunities are also available for organizations interested in connecting with a highly engaged audience of podcasters, content creators, and industry leaders.

To learn more or to register to attend the Empowered Podcasting Conference, visit the website.

Bumper, a leader in podcast data and growth solutions, today announced a major expansion of the Bumper Dashboard opening the platform to all podcasters with a new free tier, restructured pricing, and an enterprise-level AI integration that connects podcast data directly to AI tools via a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server.

The Bumper Score, Bumper's independent audience verification tool, is now available across all plans. Having tracked more than 3 billion hours of podcast consumption to date, Bumper is making the data infrastructure that powers its industry work accessible to creators and publishers at every level.

Podcast measurement remains one of the industry's most persistent operational challenges. The data publishers need to understand their audience, from hosting providers, podcast apps, attribution platforms, exists across too many sources to manage manually. The Bumper Dashboard solves this by aggregating listeners, viewers, listen time, playback, followers, downloads, and more into a single automatically updated view, at both the show and episode level, without requiring users to log in to multiple platforms or export CSV files.

"Better data shouldn't be a premium feature. The free tier in the Bumper Dashboard exists because we want the floor for podcast measurement to be higher across the whole industry, not just for the publishers who can afford enterprise tools," said Jonas Woost, Co-founder at Bumper.

New Tiers Make Professional Analytics Available to Every Podcaster

Starting today, Bumper Dashboard access is structured across three plans:

Free: Access to the most recent three months of data. Designed for independent podcasters who want a clearer picture of their audience without the complexity of managing multiple data sources.

Pro ($50/month per show): Full access to the Bumper Dashboard's analytics suite, including complete episode history and consumption data. Built for professional creators and growing networks who need a comprehensive, real-time view of performance.

Enterprise ($500/month): Everything in Pro, plus access to 10 podcasts and a discount for additional shows. Users also receive access to the Bumper MCP server, enabling teams to connect AI tools directly to their dashboard data for natural-language queries and advanced analysis. Designed for media companies and large-scale publishers managing complex show portfolios.

The Bumper Score: Available Across All Plans

The Bumper Score, Bumper's benchmark that measures a podcast's performance in context, against comparable shows, is now available to all users regardless of plan. The Score gives publishers a standardized, reliable signal of how their content is performing, grounded in actual consumption data rather than download counts alone.

The distinction matters: as the industry has learned in recent years, downloads can be a poor proxy for audience size. Many publishers have seen download numbers decline due to changes in industry definition and platform updates, while their actual audience, when measured in verified listeners, has continued to grow. The Bumper Score and Dashboard together give publishers an accurate read on what is actually happening with their content.

Enterprise: Connect AI Tools Directly to Your Podcast Data

For Enterprise subscribers, Bumper is introducing MCP server access for the first time, which is a direct integration that allows users to connect AI assistants to their Bumper Dashboard data. Rather than logging in to pull reports, Enterprise users can ask natural-language questions about their podcast performance and receive instant, data-driven answers, without leaving the tools they already work in.

The capability reflects where the broader media and marketing industry is heading. MCP integrations are gaining traction as publishers and analytics teams look for ways to bring AI closer to their proprietary data and enable faster decisions without adding to the burden of managing yet another platform.

To learn more about the Bumper Dashboard, please contact hello@wearebumper.com.

koolio.ai, a leading podcast production platform, today announced a massive rollout of new features and infrastructure upgrades designed to dramatically increase the reliability and efficiency of audio creation. The new and improved platform consolidates the fragmented podcasting workflow, allowing creators to record, edit, collaborate, and publish all from a single, user-friendly workspace.

As the podcasting landscape grows increasingly competitive, audio quality and production speed have become major barriers for independent creators and networks alike. To solve this, koolio.ai has completely overhauled its core toolset, focusing on intuitive design and professional-grade audio automation.

"We realized that podcasters were spending more time bouncing between different apps for recording, editing, and sound design than they were actually creating content," said Narayan, Founder & CEO of koolio.ai. "With this latest upgrade, we've removed the friction. Our goal is to empower anyone to produce a radio-ready podcast in a fraction of the time, without needing a background in audio engineering."

The upgraded koolio.ai platform features powerful new capabilities designed to make podcasting easier and more professional, including:

• A Unified Creative Workflow: Creators can now seamlessly generate audio, record their own audio, edit speaker & music tracks, collaborate with team members, and publish directly to major platforms — all without leaving koolio.ai.
• Intuitive Sound Design: The platform makes it effortless for users to upload their own audio or craft custom soundscapes, allowing creators to easily drag and drop music, sound effects, intros, and outros into their episodes.
• Automated Audio Mastering: An advanced suite of automated audio cleaning tools instantly elevates production value. With a single click, users can eliminate background noise, shorten long pauses, remove room echo, and automatically level audio channels so all hosts and guests sound perfectly balanced.

By streamlining the most tedious and technically demanding aspects of audio production, koolio.ai is setting a new standard for creator efficiency. The fully upgraded koolio.ai platform is available now. For more information, or to try the platform for free, visit www.koolio.ai.

About koolio.ai

koolio.ai is an innovative audio platform built to simplify the podcast production process. By combining recording, editing, sound design, and publishing into one seamless workspace, koolio.ai empowers creators and businesses to produce professional-quality audio content faster and easier than ever before.

PodcastVideos.com has named Andrea Roten as Business Development Executive. Roten is a consultative sales and business development professional with more than 20 years of experience building strategic partnerships. She will focus on driving new revenue and client relationships.

"Andrea brings the kind of experience and perspective that can help us grow thoughtfully," said Eric Howerton, Founder of PodcastVideos.com. "She understands how to build strong relationships, spot opportunity and help organizations move from conversation to action."

Founded in 2022 and named a 2026 Arkansas Business of the Year finalist and 2025 Small Business of the Year by the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal, PodcastVideos.com has grown into a full-service video storytelling operation — helping higher education institutions, businesses, healthcare organizations, nonprofits and civic organizations build consistent presences through video and audio podcasts, YouTube shows and short-form social content. Two cornerstone client shows, Doing Business in Bentonville and Big Talk About Small Business, each surpassed 100 episodes in 2025.

Roten previously served in director-level talent and business development leadership roles at Walton Enterprises, Walmart Inc. and Deloitte Consulting. Roten is also the founder and CEO of WayPave, Inc., a hiring tech startup that uses a swipe-matching model to connect frontline employers and job seekers in seconds. Her career has been built around developing trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and driving organizational growth across complex, multi-sector environments.

"Andrea connects with people quickly, understands what matters to them and knows how to move a conversation forward," said Bob Halstead, President of PodcastVideos.com. "She's going to be a strong representative of this company as we continue expanding our reach."

PodcastVideos.com operates a purpose-built studio at 5102 W. Pauline Whitaker Pkwy in Rogers, featuring multiple camera setups, broadcast lighting and professional audio for group and individual recordings. The company's video-first model turns a single recorded conversation into a full publishing package — video episodes, audio podcast feeds, short-form clips, show notes and newsletter content — allowing clients to maintain consistent visibility without adding internal headcount.

PodcastVideos.com helps higher education institutions, businesses, healthcare organizations, nonprofits and civic organizations scale video storytelling through video and audio podcasts, YouTube shows and short-form social content. The company's Rogers studio produces more than 50 shows per month. Learn more at podcastvideos.com.

The Overlap’s Stick to Football will broadcast from New York throughout this summer’s World Cup.

Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Ian Wright, Jamie Carragher and Jill Scott will host 12 episodes from a dedicated Stateside studio, joined by some of the biggest names in football.

The special World Cup series will feature elite analysis, big personalities and candid conversations, with fresh episodes available across the tournament.

Gary Neville said: “A World Cup is always special, but taking Stick to Football to New York for the tournament is something we’re all really excited about. We’ll be right in the middle of it, bringing fans the biggest stories, brilliant guests and plenty of debate along the way.”

All episodes will be available throughout the tournament on The Overlap’s YouTube channel and across major audio platforms. The first show will be on Wednesday, 10th June.

Stick to Football is sponsored by Sky Bet.

Pushkin Industries and Critical Frequency announced today the launch of First America, a new narrative podcast that explores the untold story of the United States’ origins through the unwritten Native history of the country. With Award-winning journalist and activist Rebecca Nagle, (This Land) citizen of Cherokee Nation, as host, the six-episode series will release on Monday, June 22.

Throughout each episode of the podcast, Rebecca will revisit moments of early American History, recontextualize these events to accurately center the participation of Indigenous Tribes, and build a connection to the current state of the country. First America will feature Rebecca, conversing with other leading Indigenous scholars and historians such as Maggie Blackhawk, (Fond du Lac Ojibwe), Ned Blackhawk (citizen of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone), Phil Deloria (descendant of the Standing Rock and Yankton Sioux tribes), and Nick Estes (citizen of the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe), to examine how events such as the Boston Tea Party and the Revolutionary War were built on the mistreatment of Indigenous peoples and were an integral part of the origins of the United States.

“Most often, when I hear the story of America, Native people are missing. We've been written out of the history. But without us, you don't know what happened,” said Rebecca Nagle, host of the series. “We don’t know how America got here as a country, because we don’t know how it started. First America tells the true story of our country's founding. And how our current political crisis is 250 years in the making."

“When Rebecca approached Pushkin about partnering on this podcast, it was an immediate yes,” said Gretta Cohn, CEO of Pushkin Industries. “A powerful journalist and storyteller in her own right, she has also assembled a standout production team of collaborators, including extraordinary sound design and score. The result is an evocative and immersive podcast that demonstrates deeply how our past always connects with our present.”

The first episode of First America launches on Monday, June 22, with new episodes releasing weekly. The series will be available on Apple, Spotify, and all major podcast platforms, with the theme song being written by Pulitzer Prize-winning Navajo composer, educator, and performer Raven Chacon, whose work has appeared at LACMA, The Kennedy Center, and The Whitney Biennial. The show’s score also features Raven alongside award-winning White Mountain Apache musician Laura Ortman, whose performances have taken her from the Guggenheim and the Whitney Museum to the Venice Biennale and beyond.

Goalhanger, a media producer best known for its The Rest of… podcasts and based in London, is Britain’s fastest-growing private company, according to the fifth annual Sunday Times 100 rankings.

The list is published today online at thesundaytimes.com/100 and available as a supplement with the print edition of the newspaper this Sunday 7th June.

The annual ranking identifies and celebrates Britain’s 100 leading entrepreneurial businesses, and showcases the people behind these most dynamic private companies. The Sunday Times 100 excludes companies selling their own technology, which now feature in the sister table, The Sunday Times 100 Tech.

Goalhanger made £37.9 million in sales in 2025, a staggering 321.25% average annual growth in the last three years. This year Goalhanger expects to entertain one billion people with their long-form audio and video show, which includes The Rest is Politics, The Rest is Football and an unlikely successfully niche history podcast, WW2 podcast: We Have Ways of Making You Talk.

It was founded by Tony Pastor, former ITV sport controller, with Jack Davenport, an audio producer, as well as former England footballer Gary Lineker. Together they own a large majority stake in the business.  It employs 80 people at its headquarters in London.

Despite their track record, launching the business was not straightforward as the UK market for podcasts was tiny at the time. Pastor told The Sunday Times; “We were forced to think much more entrepreneurially about how we could build the business. With our first podcast we had ads, host read partnerships, and then a membership scheme for fans to join, a live festival and then started selling T-shirts. We built it out iteratively.”

The research for The Sunday Times 100 found on average the top 100 fastest-growing companies have increased their sales by 108% a year over the last three years to a combined £4 billion in sales. This figure is up by £600 million in the last year, with the 2025 cohort of top 100 fastest growing companies achieving £3.4 billion in sales.

In total these companies employ 13,700 people, having created 8,900 new jobs in the last three years, with almost all of them planning further hires in the next 12 months - equating to around 4,200 additional roles.

Out of the 100 companies featured in the ranking 45 are based in London, with the rest spread through-out the country. This includes 14 in the northwest, 10 in the southeast, 8 each in the east of England and the Midlands, 5 in Yorkshire and the Humber, 4 in Wales, 3 in the southwest, 2 in Scotland and 1 in the northeast.

A record number 33 of the businesses have female founders, co-founders or chief executives: they include Michelle Laithwaite of FuelHub and Megan Rossi of Bio&Me.

Nearly three-quarters of the companies (72) were founded in the last decade – in 2015 or after. The oldest company on the list is Leeds-based Wilson Power Solutions. This third-generation manufacturer began life in 1946, when its founder, Richard Wilson, started selling flameproof equipment, pumps and motors. It is now led by Erika Wilson, 47, apprentice-turned-managing director. The company makes transformers — crucial components of the power grid that increase and decrease voltage. The group has also expanded overseas, with a factory in Chennai, India, and a transformer rental power business in Dubai.

The youngest companies on the list were founded in 2022, including the top company Goalhanger, beauty brand REHAB, and construction contractor City Grey.

Approximately half of the companies on the list trade internationally, including Ancient & Brave (No 7). The health supplements brand has expanded into markets including Germany, Spain and the US. Sales reached £53.7 million in the last year. 

Jon Yeomans, business editor of The Sunday Times, said: "Celebrating five years of The Sunday Times 100 shows the amazing variety of British businesses, led this year by the media producer Goalhanger taking the number one spot. The biggest trend over the last five years is the rise of consumer brands, with food, drink, fashion, and beauty companies now making up nearly half the list. 

Several businesses who have featured in the past, such as Huel and Applied Nutrition, have continued to grow and find huge success, from launching on the stock market to being bought out by global giants." 

Mohammad Kamal Syed, Head of Private Bank and Wealth Management UK and Crown Dependencies, said: “Britain’s fastest-growing private companies are built by founders with ambition, resilience, and a clear vision for the future. As founders scale, achieving the right outcome is about more than value - it’s about securing the long-term success of the business and its people.

At Barclays, we understand that no two journeys are the same. By bringing together expertise across Private Banking, Corporate Banking and Investment Banking, we provide founders with deep, real-time insight and tailored support as they navigate growth, investment and succession decisions.

Our continued support for The Sunday Times 100 reflects our commitment to backing Britain’s entrepreneurial businesses at every stage of their growth and celebrating the innovation and impact that they bring to the UK economy.”

The research for the Sunday Times 100 was conducted by our business reporters, in partnership with Beauhurst, a source of private company data. As well as a dedicated online hub and print supplement, The Sunday Times 100 also hosts networking events for participants. 

To be included on the list companies have to be registered in the UK and be independent, unquoted and ultimate holding companies. Sales growth is measured by compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the latest three financial years. Annualised sales have to exceed £250,000 in the base year and not show a drop from the penultimate to the latest year, in which total sales must exceed £5 million. The companies also need to make a profit in their latest year of trading.

The Sunday Times 100 forms part of The Times Entrepreneurs Network, staffed by reporters from The Times and The Sunday Times, which was launched in 2021 to provide advice, inspire and inform established business leaders and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Through this partnership, PAVE’s newly-launched history themed brand, Rewind, will adapt five series into audio podcasts: ‘History’s Greatest Mysteries,’ ‘Modern Marvels,’ ‘The UnBelievable,’ ‘Celebrity Ghost Stories,’ and ‘The UnXplained.’ Additionally, Crime House, PAVE Studios' true crime brand, will produce a new original weekly audio podcast of ‘The First 48.’ This marks the first-ever audio adaptation of the network's #1 true crime franchise and one of the longest-running and most-watched true crime series in cable television history. 

"A+E has built some of the most iconic franchises in true crime and history, and this partnership lets us bring that proven IP into Crime House and Rewind - brands that we're scaling across audio, video, live experiences, and more,” said PAVE Studios Founder & CEO Max Cutler. “For longtime fans, it's a new way into the stories they love; for a new generation, it's the start of something bigger.”

The below series will roll out across all major podcast platforms starting later this year.

• ‘History’s Greatest Mysteries’ (Rewind) – Some of history's biggest questions have never been answered, and History's Greatest Mysteries is determined to change that. Each episode zeroes in on one of history's most enigmatic puzzles, examining the top theories and challenging what we think we know. From the Roswell UFO crash and the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa to the enduring secrets of the Titanic, the host guides viewers through stories that pull from historians, scientists, authors, and researchers to explore unsolved crimes, lost treasures, and the disappearances of iconic figures.
• ‘Modern Marvels’ (Rewind) – From the Statue of Liberty to distilled spirits, canals to bridges, no subject is too big or too small for Modern Marvels. This landmark series dives deep into science, technology, engineering, manufacturing, agriculture, and architecture to reveal the full story behind the things we use, build, and depend on every day. From the construction of the Hoover Dam and the design of the Supermarine Spitfire, to the evolution of bombs and modern warfare, every episode is a masterclass in how human creativity and problem-solving have shaped civilization.
• ‘The First 48’ (Crime House) – Re-produced by Crime House from a library of over 450 episodes, the podcast will revisit landmark homicide cases through the lens of the first 48 hours after a murder, when leads are fragile, pressure is relentless, and every decision can determine whether justice is found or lost. The series is set to launch Q3 2026 across all major podcast platforms, with new episodes each Thursday.
• ‘The UnBelievable’ (Rewind) – Every episode of The UnBelievable opens the cabinet of curiosities to reveal mysterious inventions, bizarre creatures, and the wildest moments in human history. From the Great Boston Molasses Flood to bat bombs and war dolphins to the strangest inventions ever conceived, the host guides viewers through stories that sound too strange to be real, but absolutely are. Every episode is proof that history is far weirder than anything you could make up.
• ‘Celebrity Ghost Stories’ (Rewind) — pulls back the curtain on the side of fame nobody talks about: haunted homes, unexplained encounters, and spirits that have followed some of entertainment's biggest names for years. From Carrie Fisher's chilling experience after losing her best friend, to Paula Abdul’s homes - plural - being haunted, each episode features deeply personal accounts brought to life. The series proves that when it comes to the paranormal, even celebrities don't get a pass.
• ‘The UnXplained’ (Rewind) – Some questions have no easy answers, and The UnXplained lives in that space. Each episode tackles the world's most baffling phenomena, from the mysteries of the brain and alien encounters to the Oak Island curse, bizarre rituals, dark prophecies, and superhuman feats, drawing on insights from scientists, historians, engineers, and firsthand witnesses. This series invites viewers to sit with the strange, the inexplicable, and the unresolved.

Podcast Show Highlights:

• Crime Junkie and The Daily maintained their positions as the #1 and #2 podcasts by audio reach in May.
• One of the month's largest gains came from The Mel Robbins Podcast, which climbed three places from #6 to #3, growing 39% month-over-month to reach 5.7 million listeners.
• Stuff You Should Know entered the audio reach rankings at #10 with 3.1 million listeners.
• The Oprah Podcast climbed from #7 to #4 in downloads and views per episode, increasing 7%.
• Crime Junkie also saw substantial engagement growth, jumping from #10 to #4 in monthly downloads and views with 43.2 million downloads and views, a 55% increase from April.
• Kill Tony maintained its #5 position in downloads and views per episode despite a slight 2% decline.

Publisher Highlights:

• Publisher rankings remained relatively stable in May, with no new entrants or departures from the top 10 publishers by audio reach.
• The most significant movement came from iHeartMedia, which increased audio reach by 31% to 44.2 million listeners, moving into the #2 position overall. iHeartMedia also gained three spots in monthly downloads and views, rising from #8 to #5 with 174.7 million.
• Acast moved from #4 to #3 in monthly downloads and views, reaching 197.2 million (+7%).
• Libsyn Ads climbed three positions from #7 to #4 in monthly downloads and views with 187.0 million.

Advertisers Highlights:

• Podcast advertising remained strong in May, with every advertiser in the top 10 increasing estimated spend compared to the previous month.
• Shopify retained its position as the #1 podcast advertiser, making it notable that all top 10 advertisers represented different industries.
• BetterHelp returned to the #2 position after increasing estimated spend by 28% to $4.7 million.
• Red Bull re-entered the top 10 at #5 with an estimated $2.9 million in spend, representing a 503% increase month-over-month.
• Progressive Insurance returned at #7 (+98%) and Toyota returned at #8 (+71%).
• PrizePicks entered the top 10 for the first time, while Wayfair rounded out the rankings at #10.

Explore the full May 2026 Podscribe podcast industry rankings:

• Top Podcasts: https://podscribe.com/podcast-rankings/may-2026
• Top Publishers: https://podscribe.com/top-publishers/may-2026
• Top Advertisers: https://podscribe.com/top-advertisers/may-2026

Introducing Back Your Body, a brand new health-focused podcast from Holland & Barrett, produced in partnership with Audio Always. Hosted by comedian and broadcaster Ellie Taylor, the show sits at the heart of Holland & Barrett's new Back Your Body brand platform.

Each episode, Ellie sits down with celebrities, influencers and experts to talk honestly about their relationship with their bodies. The conversation explores the triumphs, the setbacks, the comebacks and the health conversations people don't usually say out loud.

In the opening episodes, Bradley Wiggins talks about the body that won him Olympic gold — and carried him through addiction. Dr Alex George opens up about his weight journey and TV star Mollie Pearce shares what life is like living with a stoma.

Paul Fernley, Business Development Director, Audio Always: "Back Your Body is a brilliant example of what branded content in podcast form can do that other formats simply can't. When a brand gives people a genuinely useful, genuinely entertaining show it creates a truly engaging audience connection, that in turn really delivers for the brand."

As the host, Ellie brings warmth, humour and an ability to make people feel at ease — the result is a production that manages to be both moving and, at times, very funny. Which is exactly what good branded audio should be.

Holland & Barrett spokesperson: "We partnered with Audio Always to create something that felt right for our audience and new brand platform Back Your Body. The conversations Ellie has drawn out of the guests are fascinating and inspirational."

Full video episodes are available on YouTube and Spotify. Audio is available on all major podcast platforms from today.

The HISTORY Channel™ today released its new original podcast “Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise” featuring commentary from President Barack Obama and hosted by Malcolm Gladwell. Produced in collaboration with Barack and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground, Malcom Gladwell’s Pushkin Industries and Audible, the powerful eight-part audio series is available today, Thursday, June 4 exclusively from Audible. All episodes from the series will later be released on all podcast platforms beginning Thursday, June 18 through Thursday, July 16.

“The Reconstruction Era was a brief but pivotal and turbulent chapter in our nation’s history – one that is often overlooked, even though its consequences are still felt today,” said President Barack Obama. “In confronting this period honestly, I hope audiences can rediscover an essential part of our past and remember that even in moments of deep conflict and contradiction, persistence and perseverance remain powerful sources of hope.”

Exploring the history, complexities and enduring legacy of America’s Reconstruction Era, the podcast examines a pivotal period beginning in 1865 when the United States had the opportunity to reimagine society—from the foundations of its economy to the very nature of citizenship itself. The audio series highlights the missed opportunities and complicated legacy of that moment while drawing lessons that continue to shape the nation today.

Reconstruction begins where, for most Americans, the story of the Civil War ends – the North is victorious, and slavery is abolished. But what happened next was one of the most important decades in American history, a moment when our country grappled with its original sin and imagined, and briefly enacted, a more perfect union. Drawing from archives, letters, diaries, court records, eyewitness testimonies and some of America’s most accomplished scholars and storytellers, “Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise” explores this unprecedented historical moment in rich, kaleidoscopic detail. The series unpacks a time when a determined band of reformers attempted to radically reimagine American society, from the Constitution to the roots of its economy to the very nature of citizenship itself. 

Both beginning and concluding with a candid conversation between President Barack Obama and Malcolm Gladwell, the series features commentary from cultural luminaries such as Jelani Cobb, Wyatt Cenac, David Blight, Kai Wright, Kellie Carter Jackson, Ashley C. Ford, Manisha Sinha, Kidada Williams, and Eric Foner. Each episode examines the complexities of the era, the stakes at play, and the efforts of determined reformers, while asking whether the democratic promises of the Reconstruction era are still possible for achievement today. 

“Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise” is part of the HISTORY Honors 250 campaign. Leading up to the landmark 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in July 2026, The HISTORY Channel is marking this historic milestone with HISTORY Honors 250, a dynamic, multiplatform initiative spanning nearly two years. The epic commemoration includes long-form and short-form programming, digital and social content, custom partnerships, premium events, and more. HISTORY Honors 250 highlights breakthrough innovations, major achievements, and unsung heroes that have shaped the United States since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. For more information, visit history.com/250.

Higher Ground, an Academy Award® and Emmy® Award-winning media company, collaborates with Audible on hit podcasts under their first-look deal, such as Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast, Your Mama’s Kitchen: Conversations from the Heart of the Home hosted by Michele Norris, The Wonder of Stevie hosted by Wesley Morris, and Peabody Award-winner Fela Kuti: Fear No Man hosted by Jad Abumrad. Higher Ground’s other hit podcasts also include IMO with Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson, which features the former First Lady and her older brother giving their opinions and candid perspectives to the everyday questions shaping our lives, relationships, and the world around us; Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso, the weekly podcast featuring intimate, long-form interviews with people from all walks of life; Stories from a Stranger with Hunter Prosper, based on Prosper’s hit digital series; and Lemme Say This with Hunter Harris and Peyton Dix. 

A+E Global Media holds worldwide distribution rights to “Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise.”

“Reconstruction: The Unfinished Promise” is produced by Higher Ground, Pushkin Industries, and Audible, in partnership with The HISTORY Channel™. Nick White, Mukta Mohan, and Dan Fierman serve as executive producers for Higher Ground. Jacob Smith and Gretta Cohn serve as executive producers for Pushkin Industries. Kate Navin, Ann Heppermann, and Glynn Pogue serve as executive producers for Audible. Eli Lehrer and Mike Stiller serve as executive producers for The HISTORY Channel.

NPR's award-winning audio documentary podcast Embedded is partnering with The Seattle Times and KUOW to launch We Keep Us Safe, a new series investigating the unsolved homicide of Antonio Mays Jr. The 16-year-old Black teenager was shot and killed inside Seattle's occupied, racial-justice protest zone in the summer of 2020.

We Keep Us Safe is hosted by The Seattle Times reporter Sydney Brownstone and KUOW's Will James, of the award-winning NPR Network podcast Lost Patients, and features reporting by David Gutman, who covers local politics and government for The Seattle Times.

Beginning June 11, the eight-episode series probes whether the death of Antonio Mays Jr. was an act of self-defense by protesters or a killing in cold blood — and who should be held accountable six years later. The reporters have reviewed evidence that's never been public before and interviewed witnesses who say they've never talked to police. Despite video footage of the incident and a recent $30.5 million jury verdict against the City of Seattle, why does Antonio's case remain a mystery?

We Keep Us Safe is a gripping story of an unsolved killing that doubles as a lens into one of the most polarizing political moments in recent U.S. history.

"As reporters who covered the 2020 protests in Seattle, this story has hung over us for six years," Brownstone said. "The killing of Antonio Mays Jr. at CHOP felt like a moral injury — both for us as reporters and for the city. The fact that so few people wanted to talk to us about this pushed us to dig into the painful parts of this story other people didn't want us to know."

"We had a feeling that this unsolved case had something to teach us about our city and about America right now," said James. "And it did. It's a story about uncomfortable truths and the lengths people will go to protect themselves."

Embedded's showrunner Katie Simon says the We Keep Us Safe series represents the best of narrative audio storytelling: "With this series, Embedded is adopting true-crime storytelling techniques and pairing those with the unparalleled journalistic rigor of Sydney Brownstone, Will James and David Gutman, who have spent more than a year delving into unresolved trauma in their city with compassion, clarity and nuance."

"This series shows the power of local journalism," said Michele Matassa Flores, executive editor of The Seattle Times. "When police, politicians and even many protesters wouldn't discuss this case, our reporters set out to find answers on their own, interviewing nearly 100 people and pressing them for information. They've never given up on getting to the truth."

"This is a story that needed to be told. And it was only possible through collaboration," said KUOW chief content officer Marshall Eisen. "Embedded brought gold standard podcast sensibilities, KUOW and The Seattle Times journalists brought in-depth local reporting, and Omari Salisbury and Converge Media offered first-person perspectives and a trove of live-streamed media from the contested events of 2020."

We Keep Us Safe will publish weekly in the Embedded feed wherever you get your podcasts.

NPR+ supporters get early access to every episode in Embedded. To sign up for NPR+, go to plus.npr.org.

iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and Mail Order Company, the production studio founded by Adam Devine, Anders Holm and Blake Anderson, today announced a new multi-year contract renewal for their coproduced hit comedy podcast “This Is Important.” The renewed agreement extends the long-running partnership between iHeartPodcasts and the creators behind the beloved comedy series “Workaholics,” continuing the show’s reign as one of podcasting’s most successful comedy franchises.

Since launching with iHeartPodcasts in 2020, “This Is Important” has become a fan-favorite destination for absurd humor, unfiltered conversations and the hosts’ signature chemistry, building a devoted audience across audio and video platforms. The show is approaching its milestone 300th episode and is consistently ranked in the Top 50 of Apple Podcasts’ Comedy chart. “This Is Important” was recognized as the Best Comedy Podcast at the 2024 iHeartPodcast Awards and was selected as part of iHeartMedia’s exclusive video podcast partnership with Netflix. The podcast has also expanded its connection with fans through the “TII Tour,” bringing the show’s signature comedy and chaos to live audiences across the country, with additional live events planned HERE.

Under the renewed agreement, “This Is Important” will continue as a weekly audio and video podcast, with iHeart significantly expanding its production and marketing investment behind the franchise. Each season will be supported by robust platform-wide promotion and enhanced production resources, further strengthening the podcast’s position as a leading title within the iHeartPodcasts network.

“WeHeart iHeart with all of rHearts and we’ll continue to bring inarguably thee most importantest “content” to the network,” said Adam, Anders, and Blake. “We look forward to growing TII Nation and expanding our friendship family in the years to come <3 Popozão to all!” 

“It’s no surprise that ‘This Is Important’ has built such an incredibly loyal fan base with its authentic and original style of unfiltered comedy,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “We’re thrilled to expand our partnership and continue investing in one of the funniest teams in podcasting.”

In addition to the renewal of the flagship “This Is Important” podcast, Devine, Holm and Anderson, alongside iHeart recently announced an expansion of the franchise to developadditional podcast projects executive produced by the team, including the just launched comedy history podcast “Look Back At It,” hosted by Emmy-nominated writer and comedian Sam Jay and acclaimed comedian Alex English.

“This Is Important” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts. New episodes are available Tuesdays on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard.

Podcast Watching and Listening Are Now Virtually Even

Video podcast consumption overtook audio-only consumption for the first time in Q3 2025 Edison Podcast Metrics, with 82% of weekly podcast consumers actively watching video compared to 78% listening to audio only. The two formats have been running neck and neck ever since, a dramatic shift from 2023 when 89% of weekly consumers listened to audio only while just 73% watched video.

Podcast Audiences Are Heavy Audio Consumers

Daily podcast consumers spend 5 hours and 11 minutes per day with all audio sources, according to Edison's Share of Ear study (Q1 2026). That's over an hour more than the 3 hours and 57 minutes per day spent with all audio sources by Americans ages 13+.

Daily podcast consumers spend 36% of their daily audio time with podcasts and 51% of their daily ad-supported audio time with podcasts.

Podcasts Have Proven Ad Impact

Seventy-six percent of weekly podcast consumers say they have acted as a result of hearing a podcast ad, including visiting a website, making a purchase, using a promo code, or recommending a product.

Shifting a portion of ad budget to podcasts can increase reach. A real-world media mix analysis found that reallocating budget to podcasts lifted reach among adults 18–54 by 41%, with no increase in spend, according to Nielsen Podcast Fusion powered by Edison Podcast Metrics.

Podcast Consumers Have Nuanced Views on AI

Podcast consumers have strong feelings about generative AI, and the data is nuanced. Consumers are largely open to AI handling behind-the-scenes production tasks: 69% approve of AI being used to conduct research, and 69% approve of AI being used to brainstorm ideas. However, they also have concerns: 62% of weekly podcast consumers consider AI a threat to the credibility of podcasts, and 59% see it as a threat to creativity.

Vice President Megan Lazovick presented findings from the study, which combines research from The Infinite Dial®, Share of Ear®, Edison Podcast Metrics™, and Sports Poll by SSRS.

Lazovick said, “This presentation represents just a fraction of the research we conduct to understand the U.S. podcast consumer. The growth of this medium has been an incredible thing to watch, and the data continues to show an audience that is deeply engaged, fiercely loyal, and growing every year.”