Beginning today, May 7, the improvised Hollywood roundtable podcast will release all-new episodes under the Big Money Players network with upcoming guests including Anna Konkle, Chanse McCrary, Ashby, and Tim Baltz.

“Artists on Artists on Artists on Artists” (AOAOAOA), the improvised comedy podcast featuring chaotic, pretentious, and hilariously unfiltered conversations between fictional Hollywood personalities, joins iHeartMedia and Will Ferrell’s Big Money Players network (BMP) today. 

Hosted by Kylie Brakeman, Jeremy Culhane, Angela Giarratana and Patrick McDonald, the show was born out of a creative partnership that began on an Upright Citizens Brigade sketch team in 2019. The group launched the podcast during the pandemic as a way to keep creating together, building a following around its fully improvised format and ensemble dynamic. Since then, AOAOAOA has released more than 220 episodes.

“We are so excited for AOAOAOA to join the BMP family. This is a huge win for annoying people everywhere,” said Kylie, Jeremy, Angela and Patrick.

See the full lineup of Big Money Player podcasts HERE.

Today, Rebel Audio, the Nashville based AI-powered podcasting platform, announces Mike “Big Mike” Majlak has joined the company as Chief Creator in Residence and partner. The Impaulsive co-host and entrepreneur is stepping in as both a cultural force and hands-on operator across content development, product growth and brand strategy. Positioned as “the Canva of podcasting,” the AI-powered platform simplifies how podcasts are created, produced, and scaled.

With the podcast industry projected to be worth $114B by 2030, Majlak joins Rebel Audio at a pivotal time. A seasoned marketer and entrepreneur, he brings a track record of building momentum and shaping narratives that resonate at scale. As co-host of Impaulsive, he has helped redefine what a podcast can be, turning it into a global media property that blends entertainment, distribution and brand integration. This move marks a full-circle moment, returning to his roots in media while stepping into ownership of a new frontier. At Rebel Audio, he will apply that experience to help creators not only launch podcasts, but build enduring platforms around them.

“Podcasting has been a huge part of my life for the past eight years, building one of the first creator-led podcasts from the ground up,” said Mike Majlak. “I’ve been in front of the camera for 500+ episodes, building real audience growth, connecting with real brands and now it’s time to go behind the scenes and work with creators on how to turn content into a real business. Rebel Audio is the tool I wish I had to work smarter and faster and now the technology is here to help the next generation of talent.”

As Chief Creator-in-Residence, Majlak will serve as an ambassador for Rebel Audio, appearing at major cultural moments including CMA Fest, Comic-Con, and key events across sports, media and pop culture. He will drive awareness of the platform, support content development, and connect directly with creators in the field. With experience in audience growth and viral distribution, his role reinforces Rebel Audio’s focus on helping creators own their voice and build their own platforms.

“Mike understands what it takes to break through in today’s attention economy, positioning him to be this generation's Howard Stern,” said Rebel Audio Founder and CEO Jared Gutstadt. “We’re entering a new era of social audio, where top creators are stepping into ownership and executive roles across emerging platforms, blending influence with entrepreneurship. Mike is a sharp and curious marketing genius with an unmatched network across media, sports, and politics. His involvement with Rebel Audio reflects our commitment to putting power back in the hands of the creators driving the ecosystem.”

The company’s strategic investor network includes Julie Gauthier, Benjamin Lurie, Jonathan Schulman, Launch Tennessee, Market Square Ventures, and Mark Burnett (Shark Tank, The Voice) as an advisor. 

Rebel Audio arrives today; join the waitlist for early access - www.rebelaudio.ai. Watch the explainer video HERE.

• A new report from the Reuters Institute shows the rapidly changing nature of news podcasts, with publishers pivoting to video as a response to audience demand and new platform features.
• The report, based on a mixture of audience research and interviews with media managers, suggests this is an uneven shift, with some publishers creating multi-modal versions of all their shows and others converting only chat formats to video and keeping narrative shows as audio-only productions.
• Qualitative research shows that video podcasting audiences mostly overlap with audio ones, suggesting the same people access them in different contexts. But video is also reaching new audiences with different expectations, and this creates dilemmas for publishers in terms of distribution and monetisation.
• While big titles (New York Times, The Economist and Die Zeit) are launching audio-only subscriptions, podcast-focused companies such as Chora Media and Goalhanger are adopting a flywheel approach, making money with events, merchandise, and bonus content to overcome resistance to pay.

These are some of the findings from The Changing shape and new economics of news podcasting, a report authored by Nic Newman, published by the Reuters Institute.

The report provides a valuable snapshot at a momentous time for the news industry, with audio podcasts are being transformed into video ones, personality-driven chat shows squeezing out more traditional narrative series, and business models changing, with some shows going behind paywalls. It explores how audiences feel about these changes and how publishers are responding to them.

The report draws on qualitative audience research conducted in the US, the UK and Norway. It is also based on interviews with leading news publishers such as the New York Times, the Guardian, The Economist, Schibsted, Bonnier and Die Zeit, as well as podcast-first companies Goalhanger and Chora Media. You can get a free copy of the report here.

Here are the key findings:

1. Production is shifting towards conversational podcasts

Publishers are producing fewer documentary-style series and more conversational shows, especially in the US. The narrative boom that began with Serial in 2014 led to a wave of investment in podcast studios. But monetisation proved weaker than expected, and platforms such as Spotify, which had partly funded the boom, cut back and production has largely shifted into cheaper conversational podcasts. Podcasts have also become more reactive to major news events, with companies releasing emergency episodes to fulfil audience demand.

New platform features are accelerating these changes. Spotify, YouTube, Netflix and others see podcasts as an opportunity to grow their business and have invested in new content. Discovery mechanisms have been supercharged and platforms such as Apple and Spotify now also offer different routes to monetisation, including subscriptions. But that’s not the whole story. Podcast-only start-ups such as Podimo and Podme have become a key feature of some European markets, stimulating the market for paid content, while some publishers have invested in their own apps.

2. Platforms are fuelling the pivot to video

These platform changes are accelerating the shift towards conversational and video-first podcasts. Spotify pioneered video podcasts in 2020 for a few limited shows, partly as a defensive move against YouTube. By 2024 there were over 250,000 video podcasts on its platform and half of the top 20 shows, including the Joe Rogan Experience and Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy, are now available in video. In February 2026 Apple announced it would be supporting video formats for the first time, allowing users to switch seamlessly between audio and video. Platforms see podcasts as a cheap way of driving usage through connected televisions, enabling them to compete meaningfully with streaming services such as Netflix.

Nic Newman, Senior Research Associate and author of the report, said:

“Video is no longer an optional extra for podcasting – it’s becoming central to how shows are discovered, distributed, and monetised. But that doesn’t mean audio disappears; it means publishers have to think much more carefully about what each format is for.”

3. This shift to video is also fuelled by audience demand

Younger audiences are used to watching online video and prefer to consume podcasts through the screen. These generations have grown up with networks such as YouTube and TikTok, and many say they prefer to take in information this way. But context matters too. At home, many people who already use YouTube heavily or have access to connected televisions tend to default to video, but they also consume audio while driving, exercising or cooking.

Most of the respondents we surveyed are more attracted to video for non-news-related podcasts such as comedy, fashion, or entertainment. This chimes with the experience of UK podcast-first company Goalhanger. Around 10-15% of YouTube consumption of The Rest is Politics, a show with a strong audio heritage, is in video. This contrasts with The Rest is Science, which reaches 60–70% and is presented by Michael Stevens, a creator who cut his teeth on YouTube.

4. Publishers are embracing video (with some caution)

Video is reshaping discovery, production, and editorial strategies in news podcasting. Even though the economics and audience behaviours differ across markets, publishers are embracing video for three reasons: as a tool to reach entirely new audiences on video-led platforms; as a way to build loyalty and deepen the parasocial relationship between hosts and their audience; and as a way to tap into growing video advertising budgets and show their content on connected TV sets.

The report provides a deep dive into the podcast strategies of a dozen of major publishers in Europe and the US. Some worry about the extra costs involved and think video could distort (or even destroy) the artisanal craft of audio podcasting. The shift to video is also forcing organisational change inside newsrooms. Audio teams, video teams, and social media teams used to operate separately. Now video podcasts are blurring these boundaries as a show can generate multiple outputs: a full podcast episode, a video version, short clips for social media, and written articles. This requires new workflows, new skills, and new structures.

5. Publishers are thinking beyond advertising

Most of the respondents we surveyed say they are reluctant to pay for podcasts. They don’t see the point in doing so, with so many free options available, even though they value news podcasts highly. Several respondents said they would simply switch to another podcast if their favourite show introduced a paywall. At the same time, audiences are more open to indirect forms of monetisation, such as donations or paying to attend live shows.

While advertising remains central, podcasting is moving towards hybrid business models. Podcast-first companies such as Italy’s Chora Media and UK’s Goalhanger are the best examples of this approach, with monetisation coming from advertising, live events, merchandise, and membership programmes. Goalhanger, for example, hires popular hosts in key verticals, and to build ‘fandoms’ around them. For these newer entrants, a podcast is only one expression of a wider ‘show’ built around talent and community, with revenues flowing from multiple streams.

Our methodology

The report is based on three different sources: semi-structured interviews with six experts and sixteen media managers from Europe and the US conducted in March 2026; a project of qualitative research conducted in February 2025 in the US, the UK and Norway; and survey data from the 2025 Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report.

The qualitative project, conducted by the market research company Differentology, aimed to understand the nature and context of podcast consumption, and the motivations for use, in three countries with high and mature levels of usage that have also seen significant experimentation around business models. We designed the research to uncover insights around the three key themes of this report: the growing role of personalities, the greater prevalence of video, and public attitudes towards payment and subscription. We ran a 50-person online community of regular news podcast users (20 in the US, 18 in the UK, and 12 in Norway) where we set various tasks. We followed this with mini-groups drawn from a subset of these users to further explore issues in greater depth.

The report includes quantitative data from the Digital News Report, an annual online survey of news use conducted by YouGov. Details of the methodology for this survey can be found here.

Contact and more information

For more information, interview requests or a copy of the report, please contact Eduardo Suárez at eduardo.suarez@politics.ox.ac.uk or Matthew Leake at matthew.leake@politics.ox.ac.uk.

About the author

Nic Newman is Senior Research Associate at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, where was lead author of the annual Digital News Report between 2012 and 2025. He is also a consultant on digital media, working actively with news companies on product, audience, and business strategies. He has produced a media and journalism predictions report for almost twenty years. This is the tenth to be published by the Reuters Institute. Nic was a founding member of the BBC News website, leading international coverage as World Editor (1997-2001). As Head of Product Development (2001-10) he led digital teams, developing websites, mobile, and interactive TV applications for all BBC Journalism sites.

About the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism is dedicated to exploring the future of journalism worldwide. The Institute receives core funding from the Thomson Reuters Foundation and is based in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Oxford. It was launched in November 2006 and developed from the Reuters Journalist Fellowship Programme, established at Oxford four decades ago. In addition to the fellowship programme for mid-career journalists from around the world, the Institute hosts leadership development programmes and research projects focused on the future of journalism. See https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/

Funding acknowledgement

This piece of research was supported by Google as part of its Global News Initiative.

Today, OnlyFans CEO Keily Blair has launched three OnlyFans community pages dedicated to Sports, Comedy and Podcasts.

Unveiled at the Online Marketing Rockstars (OMR) Festival in Hamburg, the new community pages onlyfans.com/sports, onlyfans.com/comedy and onlyfans.com/podcasts will highlight the creators in these fields and showcase the content they are creating on the platform. 

Spotlighting sport on OnlyFans

Over 285 of professional athletes are already using the platform to connect with fans, sharing exclusive behind-the-scenes content, from training to competing. 

Creators on the platform include French tennis star Chloe Paquet; Portuguese big wave surfer Tony Laureano; Swiss motorcycle racer Robin Mulhauser; British professional long-distance triathlete Steph Clutterbuck; Czech professional water sports athlete Paula Novotna; Brazilian-American mixed martial artist Cris Cyborg; American professional cliff diver Ellie Smart.

Olympians are also finding success on the platform, including Olympic Alpine Skiing Athlete Joan Verdú, German bobsledder Lisa Buckwitz and Belgian long-track and inline speed skater Bart Swings.

OnlyFans also hosts the popular series ‘Rise & Grind’ on OFTV, which follows athletes at the big sporting moments in their careers. 

A home for comedy creators

Comedy is one of the fastest-growing categories on OnlyFans, with performers using the platform to test material in front of a strictly 18+ adult audience without unnecessary censorship.

The new comedy page celebrates creators who are redefining the genre online including American comedians Claire Sundbye and Molly Brenner, alongside stand-up comedian and television personality Jessimae Peluso.

OnlyFans also supports comedians through its OFTV comedy series LMAOF, which airs exclusively on the platform and showcases emerging comedy talent; each episode features a new city and new comedians. 

Rising influence of podcasters

Podcasting is another rapidly expanding space on OnlyFans, with popular creators increasingly using the platform to offer exclusive episodes to expand their profile outside of their core subscriber page.

The new podcast-focused pages will give further exposure to hosts and creators including the comedy podcast Tiger Mom with Jiaoying Summers, dating, sex, and relationships podcast Boyfriend Material with Harry Jowsey and mind-shift podcast Billion Dollar Barbie.

Keily Blair, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at OnlyFans said:

“OnlyFans has always celebrated creators from every genre, who want to connect with a global audience of fans in a space designed for adults. 

The creator economy continues to evolve as audiences want more engagement with the people they follow. These new dedicated community pages are designed to celebrate the incredible range of talent on our platform, while helping creators grow their followings and unlock new revenue opportunities.”

The launch of the new pages reflects the continued diversification of content available on OnlyFans.

The Golden Lobes - the comedy podcast awards hosted by Cheerful Earful, the world's funniest podcast festival - held its 2026 ceremony last night at the Clapham Grand, celebrating the best, funniest, and most gloriously chaotic corners of comedy podcasting.

Across 17 awards, the night honoured everything from gloriously off-topic tangents and bloopers to sharp scripted writing, electric live shows, behind-the-scenes heroes, and earworm theme tunes - with a level playing field for indie creators and household names alike.

The headline award, the Big Ears for Funniest Podcast of the Year (supported by Rusty Quill), went to Crowley Time with me, Tom Crowley, beating off stiff competition from nominees including Birthday Girls House Party, Pappy's Flatshare, and The Romesh Ranganathan Show.

The Lobes Legend Award - a lifetime-ish achievement honour for a show that has shaped the comedy podcast scene - was presented to Wolf & Owl with Romesh Ranganathan and Tom Davis, recognised for five years of unformatted, unprepared, and consistently brilliant broadcasting.

The Listener's Lobe, the only award decided entirely by the public, went to BudPod with Glenn Moore & Pierre Novellie - who also picked up Best Tangent on the night, making it a double for the pod. (Glenn Moore also picked up a "best artwork" award, as seen above, for Button Boys).

The full winners were:

Podcasts Detail

• Big Ears for Funniest Podcast of the Year (supported by Rusty Quill): Crowley Time with me, Tom Crowley
• Lobes Legend Award: Wolf & Owl with Romesh Ranganathan and Tom Davis
• The Listener's Lobe: BudPod with Glenn Moore & Pierre Novellie
• Best Artwork (supported by Thunderbird Fried Chicken): Button Boys
• Best Social (supported by Podshop): This Paranormal Life
• Best Guest: Katie Norris on The Truth (In My Opinion)
• Best New Show (supported by AVC): Tonsil Hockey
• Best Live Show (supported by Chewboy Productions): Lateral with Tom Scott
• Best Scripted Show (supported by Podomedy): Listen Through the Brown Window
• Best Listener Moment (supported by Audio UK): Marcel Lucont's Whine List
• Best International Show (supported by Sounds Profitable): Push The Roll with Ross Bryant
• Grower Not A Shower (supported by the Independent Podcast Awards): Week Minded with Stuart Laws & Daman Bamrah
• Best Blooper: I've Had A Rosé, Let's Talk About Feelings with Sam Lake
• Beyond The Feed (supported by Podcast Rex): The Podcast Nobody Asked For
• Earworm Award: Wolf & Owl with Romesh Ranganathan and Tom Davis
• Behind The Scenes Hero (supported by Descript): Becky Carewe Jeffries for The Truth (In My Opinion)

The Truth (In My Opinion) had a particularly strong night, picking up Best Guest and Behind The Scenes Hero, while Wolf & Owl claimed both the Earworm Award and the Lobes Legend.

Giles Gear, organiser of the Golden Lobes and Cheerful Earful, said: "Another triumphant night for comedy podcasts of all shapes and sizes - the Golden Lobes has cemented itself as a staple in the podcasting calendar. We can't wait to celebrate with some live shows when the festival kicks off this autumn."

The Golden Lobes are part of the Cheerful Earful Podcast Festival - a global celebration of funny podcasting running across the UK, Australia, and the USA. The 2026 festival runs 28 September to 18 October.

Audio Always has appointed Lisa Solman as Sales Director. Lisa joins from WPP Media, where she spent several years as a Director within the Creative Futures team.

Lisa arrives at an exciting moment for Audio Always. Recent months have seen the arrival of The Girls Bathroom and The Teen Commandments onto the podcast slate, along with the launch of Fact Up with Joe and James and The Jack & Ash Show. Last month Audio Always assumed commercial responsibility for The Elis James and John Robins Podcast, and last week the Audio Always Originals podcast network received a nomination for Audio Brand of the Year at the 2026 ARIAs.

In her new role, Lisa will lead the Audio Always sales operation, connecting the company's growing roster of podcast talent with the brand partners best placed to reach their audiences.

Paul Fernley, Business Development Director, Audio Always - "This is the perfect time to be bringing in someone with Lisa's commercial instincts. She understands podcasting, she knows what brands are looking for, and she has the track record to prove it. We’ve built a network of brilliant shows with brilliant audiences at Audio Always and we couldn’t be more pleased to have Lisa with us."

Lisa Solman, Sales Director, Audio Always - "I’ve admired what Audio Always has been building. The talent on this network is extraordinary. My ambition is simple: to connect those shows with brands who understand the value of great content, and to do it in a way that works for everyone. I can’t wait to get stuck in."

Lisa joins having spent almost five years at WPP Media, where she led podcast, publisher, digital and social partnerships across EssenceMediacom North. During that time she brokered some of the largest partnerships in the space, including a three-year headline deal between Continental Tyres and The Good, The Bad and The Rugby. Before that, she worked alongside Dominic McGregor to develop the media partnerships offering at Manchester based Social Chain, and has previously led partnership campaigns on behalf of publisher brands including The Guardian and the full Future portfolio (formerly Time Inc.), serving agencies across the UK.

Sheffield DocFest has today revealed its full Industry Programme, completing the lineup for the 33rd edition of the UK’s leading documentary festival, which returns to venues and locations throughout Sheffield from 10 - 15 June. It follows the announcement of the public programme which took place on 29 April - full details here.

One of the world’s most influential markets for documentary projects, Sheffield DocFest offers an expansive industry programme for documentary makers consisting of 41 different sessions. These include 6 Craft Focus sessions, 4 Live Pitches, the return of the popular Marketplace and Talent Meetings alongside the previously announced Filmmaker Challenge and MeetMarket. Part of DocFest’s comprehensive talent development offering, the Industry Programme offers support for documentary makers at every stage of their careers alongside bespoke development and funding opportunities for early career makers. 

This year’s programme explores in detail documentary-making in all its forms, and the many different factors impacting the sector today. It provides opportunities for both established and early career documentary makers to forge valuable connections with leading figures within the sector, secure future lives for their projects and further develop their craft. The programme compliments the previously announced public programme by offering insight into the process and context behind numerous films selected for this year’s festival. 

Raul Niño Zambrano, Creative Director, Sheffield DocFest said: “We are incredibly proud to announce this year’s industry activities, which are designed to align with the core themes of our 2026 programme. We are creating a unique space where the artistry on screen directly informs the vital industry dialogues of today. From deep-dive sessions on activism and emerging technologies to our dedicated Production Hub, we are ensuring that our industry delegates are not just observers, but active participants in the shifting landscape of global documentary storytelling.”

Mimi Poskitt, Managing Director, Sheffield DocFest said: “Sheffield DocFest has always been a centre for dazzling creativity, but we are also immensely proud of the role the festival plays in facilitating the business of the industry, whether that's procuring  funding , making deals, or finding the right co-production partners. From our Meetmarket and the vital discussions generated by our highly-targeted expert industry and craft sessions, to welcoming key delegations from across the world, as well as new initiatives bringing the broader factual community together, such as our inaugural Production Hub, we continue to build on this role. We are delighted to continue to create this space for filmmakers and factual storytellers as we look towards this upcoming edition - and the future of the documentary form.”

Industry Sessions:

This year’s festival will feature a total of 41 Sessions for industry delegates including discussions, panels, workshops and pitches - presented in collaboration with 17 industry sponsors and 12 partners. 

The programme will combine urgent global issues and conversations with the practical realities of working in documentary today; from conflict reporting, citizen journalism and the ethics of authorship to political suppression and the evolving role of AI, drama and digital platforms in nonfiction storytelling. In addition, the Industry Sessions will explore shifts in audience patterns and how filmmakers are responding to them, and the structures that are shaping the industry itself, from co-production and funding models to career sustainability and collective organising. Alongside there will be a series of workshops and working sessions focused on inclusivity, accessibility and environmental sustainability within the sector, supporting disabled contributors and crews, and developing fairer working practices for the future.

The industry sponsors for this year’s sessions are: 5, BAFTA, BBC, British Council, Channel 4, Climate Spring, Creators Counsel, Documentary Film Council, ESPN, ITN, National Geographic, Netflix, New Generation Europe Foundation, Reuters Connect, Screen Scotland, Sky Documentaries, The Whickers. The partners are #Docsafe, AKO Storytelling Institute, Bournemouth University, Glimmerama, Goalhanger, Documentary Showcase, Film in Mind, Freedom Film Network, If Not Us, Then Who?, StitchNBitch and ZBD Talent.

Emily Copley, Talks & Sessions Programmer and Senior Producer says: “In our industry sessions at Sheffield DocFest this year, we’re bringing together the forces shaping documentary right now, from shifting platforms and storytelling forms to the ethical and structural challenges facing the field. This programme is about opening up honest, practical conversations, whether that’s how we work more sustainably, how we reach audiences in new ways, or how we navigate questions of truth, power and responsibility. It’s a space for shared thinking, critical reflection and collective action, and I’m excited to welcome such a wide range of voices into that conversation.”

Craft Focus Sessions:

Six craft-focused sessions will spotlight the creative decisions and processes that shape nonfiction filmmaking. From legal frameworks to technical innovation, distribution to authorship, these sessions offer insight into how documentaries are made, shaped and shared with their audiences.

The sessions include: a live event exploring fair use as both a legal and creative tool in archive storytelling; a myth-busting conversation on film distribution and how projects connect with audiences; a deep dive into the role of technical innovation in post-production and how this is shaping contemporary documentary aesthetics; a timely discussion positioning subtitles and captions as acts of authorship, exploring translation, access and creative intention; and two masterclasses with Oscar®-nominated directors Maite Alberdi and Sara Dosa on their distinctive approaches to storytelling.

Live Pitches:

The Festival will host four live pitches which provide valuable opportunities for early-career film and audio makers to present their non-fiction projects to panels of judges. This year the opportunities include, The Whickers Film & TV Pitch, which offers a newly expanded £120,000 Film & TV Funding Award; the Channel 4 First Cut Pitch which awards a commission for a 60-minute film, and one month of fully-paid development and mentorship with an indie; The Whickers Podcast Pitch where an independent jury award two prizes of £15,000 and £5,000; and the Climate Spring Digital-First Pitch, which this year will focus on digital formats, offering £10,000 in development funding, narrative consultation and support from Climate Spring to the winning climate story. Winners for all four pitches will be announced as part of the festival Awards Ceremony on Sunday 14 June.

Filmmaker Challenge:

Returning for its 5th and largest edition to date, the 2026 Filmmaker Challenge, supported by Principal Sponsor Prime Video Pathway, will for the first time expand beyond Sheffield supporting twice as many filmmakers as ever before. This new iteration looks to help address regional access disparities within the UK film industry by offering high-quality training and career development to early career artists.

Twelve filmmakers from three regions across the UK - Yorkshire, Cornwall and Wales -  will be selected to take part in the challenge receiving support from this year’s Guest Mentor double Grierson Award winning, Emmy, BAFTA and RTS nominated filmmaker Alex Thomas. The selected filmmakers will each create a 3 minute non-fiction film in and around one of the three areas, receiving a micro-budget, equipment and guidance and support from Thomas. In addition they will be invited to take part in a three-day residential workshop that will explore aspects of the filmmaking journey, from idea development to distribution strategies. The finished documentaries will be presented at a public screening at the Festival on Saturday 13 June. 

Sheffield DocFest will also host several practical Amazon Prime Video Pathway Reskill/Upskill retraining and training workshops during the festival.

Alex Thomas, Filmmaker Challenge Guest Mentor said: "I'm really honoured to be part of this year’s Filmmaker Challenge. These kinds of opportunities, where emerging filmmakers are challenged to respond quickly, creatively, and with urgency, remind me of how I started, and of the many moments in our lives and careers when we’ve had to do the same. I’m looking forward to supporting each filmmaker as they shape their stories, and to learning from their perspectives too."

Marketplace:

Running in conjunction with the festival, Sheffield DocFest’s Marketplace connects new projects to industry partners, providing valuable networking opportunities, curated meetings, practical sessions and roundtables to support filmmakers at every stage of their careers. The 2026 programme includes Switchboard, where industry experts will advise on funding, distribution and partnership in addition to which delegates are in attendance; DocFest Roundtables which offer intimate sessions with specialists in series, festival, distribution and creative fields; workshops focusing on how to navigate funding and financing for documentary projects in the US; a series of industry networking events such as Snap Chats; film showcases that include four features from the Palestine Film Institute and three works-in-progress from BFI Doc Society; and returning for 2026 are two Marketplace breakfasts, this year supported by The Guardian in association with ARTE and Directors UK. 

The Marketplace programme also features DocFest’s annual hub for the best documentary talent, the Meetmarket. Over two days the 50 selected projects (previously announced here), will connect with leading international and UK industry representatives for one to one meetings, with an invited few presenting part of their documentaries to a room of industry experts to help progress their projects as part of the Meetmarket Rough Cut Presentations. Sheffield DocFest's Marketplace activities are supported by the BFI UK Focus Fund, awarding National Lottery funding.

Patrizia Mancini, Industry Senior Consultant: “We are delighted for the 2026 edition to extend again the Marketplace activities to the Saturday and we are pleased to be hosting three showcases featuring an array of incredible talents coming from Palestine, India and Bangladesh, in collaboration with the Palestinian Film Institute, Doc Edge Kolkata and Dhaka DocLab and thanks to the support of the British Council. 

This year we are pleased to welcome a group of talented filmmakers who will be part of the #DocsConnect Delegation. The #DocsConnect Delegation, run by Taskovski Films, is an international training and networking programme for documentary and non-fiction filmmakers. Operated by Taskovski Films Ltd., a London-based sales and production company specializing in independent films, it offers masterclasses, mentorship, and workshops led by award-winning industry experts. 

The programme also features two in-depth workshops with leading industry experts: filmmaker & producer Tracie Holder, Women Make Movies’ CEO Debra Zimmerman and producer Ryan Harrington. These sessions are open to all delegates and will offer a deep dive into new models for funding and financing strategies in the UK and the essentials of grant-writing.

Rounding out this exciting programme are our essential Switchboard & Consultancies and Industry Roundtables.

We look forward to welcoming creatives, storytellers, and industry experts to connect, discover, learn, and share in our common passion for non-fiction storytelling.”

Talent Meetings

2026 marks the 6th edition of  Amplify: Production Talent which provides support to eight early career professionals working in TV production by connecting them with UK production company executives in the factual/documentary TV sector for a series of one to one meetings, supported by BBC, Channel 4 and ScreenSkills.

The Production Hub

New for this year is DocFest’s Production Hub - a dedicated platform at the heart of the festival designed to spotlight the companies, people, and providers powering factual film and TV, ranging from music production to archives to equipment providers.

The Production Hub creates a focused commercial space for global visibility, international networking, and direct access to world-renown producers, filmmakers, and decision-makers at Sheffield DocFest.

As the #impact podcast approaches its 10-year anniversary, founder, host, and executive producer Regina Larko is opening the mic to the world.

With the launch of the “more #impact” series, listeners and everyday voices are invited to become part of the podcast, not just as traditional guests, but as contributors to a growing, global audio movement.

Since its launch in Hong Kong nearly a decade ago, #impact has grown into a recognised social-impact podcast, amplifying conversations around purpose, changemaking, and the Sustainable Development Goals. Now, as it moves toward its 10th birthday, the podcast is shifting from curated conversations to collective expression.

An Open Invitation to Be Heard

The “more #impact” series invites people from around the world to submit short audio reflections, stories, questions, or insights, creating a living archive of what impact sounds like in real life, right now.

No studio. No polished script. No gatekeeping.

Just your voice.

In a time where visibility is often tied to algorithms and performance, this series brings the focus back to something more human: the intimacy and immediacy of audio.

“There’s something that happens when you hear someone’s voice,” Larko explains. “You feel them. Their pauses, their energy, their truth. That’s where connection lives. And that’s where real impact begins.”

A Shared Goal: 1000 Voices by February 2027

Currently at 200+ episodes, #impact is setting an ambitious goal: to reach 1000 episodes by its 10-year anniversary in February 2027.

The “more #impact” series is a core part of that journey, turning the podcast into a collective effort, shaped by a global community of voices.

Open for Collaborations and Partnerships

As part of this next chapter, #impact is actively seeking collaborations with organisations, communities, media platforms, and brands that believe in the power of voice and storytelling.

From curated voice collections to live, offline activations and co-created audio experiences, the “more #impact” series opens up new ways to engage audiences through authentic, human stories.

How to Participate

Submissions are now open. Contributors can send in their audio via:
www.hashtagimpact.com/more

Whether you’ve been listening for years or just discovered the show, your voice is so welcome.

About #impact - A Podcast about stuff that matters

Founded by Regina Larko, #impact has been on air for social good since 2017. With listeners across the globe, the show has featured changemakers, social entrepreneurs, and thought leaders working towards a more sustainable and inclusive future.

PodGround is back with its second Creator Micro-Grant, giving independent podcasters the opportunity to receive funding, support, and resources to grow their shows. Two $500 micro-grants will be awarded to help with creative development, production, or promotional needs. Applications open May 4 and close May 15, 2026 at podground.io/grant.

The platform provides a supportive space where independent podcasters can connect, learn, and grow alongside others facing the same challenges. Through community, peer feedback, and practical resources, the platform helps creators overcome isolation, streamline production, and sustain their shows for the long term.

About the Creator Micro-Grant

In this cycle, the $500 micro-grant will be awarded to two podcasters to support creative development, production, or promotional needs. Applicants can submit entries from May 4 through May 15, 2026 at podground.io/grant. The judging panel for this round includes:

• Greg Wasserman of RSS.com
• Arielle Nissenblatt of EarBuds Podcast Collective
• Claire Waite Brown of Podcasting 2.0 in Practice
• Gab Burke (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
  …and other experts dedicated to creator wellness and sustainability.

"Podfade is real, but it’s often avoidable with the right support," said Remi Roy Osi, founder of PodGround. "Most new podcasters give up after just a few episodes. We’re building a space where creators don’t have to do it alone, and we’re backing that belief with direct funding and a platform that puts community first."

Previous Grant Winners

The first round of the PodGround Creator Micro-Grant in February helped podcasters like Cody Hufstedler and Denise Hamilton-Mace get funding and support:

• Cody Hufstedler, Host of Dying To Tell You
  Cody’s podcast shares deeply human stories from people facing serious illness. “Hearing these stories allows listeners to reflect on what’s truly important in life,” he says. The micro-grant helped Cody invest in marketing to reach a wider audience and expand the podcast’s impact. Click here to read Cody’s full interview.
• Denise Hamilton-Mace, Host of The Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife Podcast
  Denise focuses on helping listeners rethink their relationship with alcohol in a judgment-free way. “Podcasting can be lonely. This grant felt like someone sitting beside me and saying, ‘You’ve got this. We believe in you,’” she says. Click here to read Denise’s full interview.

Supporting Independent Podcasters

While the podcast industry is booming, more than 50% of new podcasts don’t make it past their third episode. PodGround addresses these challenges by giving creators the resources, guidance, and community connections they need to thrive.

The platform blends social networking, cohort learning, a resource library, and live events, all designed for podcasters who want to grow without burning out. From one-on-one peer connections to virtual coworking and feedback sessions, PodGround reduces isolation and helps podcasters at every stage sustain their shows.

Key features include:

• A community hub to find collaborators, guests, and support
• Resource library with video breakdowns, summaries, and action guides
• Events, workshops, and meetups
• Virtual co-working sessions for accountability and live support
• Podcast-connected profiles to easily listen to and engage with other members’ episodes

What the PodGround Hosts Are Saying

“I wanted to thank you for the amazing community you're creating. A few months ago, I subscribed to many supporting groups and channels, and PodGround is the only one I attend now, as I feel I have found my tribe.” — Cecile L, host of Living the Dream: Women Reinventing Their Careers Abroad | Stories from the French Riviera

“I reached 1000 downloads a little while ago on my podcast! It might not seem like a huge accomplishment, but to me, it totally is! I've also seen growth implementing the tips and tools I've learned from PodGround events and resources. ” — Marquita G, host of Black in the Stacks

“Podcasting relies on community more than it often admits. Not every community works, but a niche one like this can concentrate on its core goals and draw in people who are ready to give as much as they hope to get.” — Tony Doe, host of Into the Podverse

About PodGround

Founded by Remi Roy Osi, an independent podcaster and community builder, PodGround helps creators grow without burnout. Remi hosts The Driven Introvert Podcast and has led live events and listening parties for podcasters across genres. Drawing from her own early challenges with isolation and podfade, she created PodGround to offer the support she wished existed when she started out.

PodGround is on a mission to reduce podfade and help creators sustain their voices for the long haul, through collaboration, community, and direct support.

Learn more or apply for the Creator Micro-Grant at: podground.io/grant

NOVA Entertainment today announced a major expansion of its content offering with the launch of Bush Deep, the network’s first-ever video-led series, created in collaboration with comedian Nikki Osborne and premiering on Tuesday, May 12.

The launch signals NOVA’s first step into video-first original storytelling, extending the network’s audio offering into a highly scalable, multi-platform format.

The new weekly comedy series is hosted by Osborne’s alter ego and social media sensation ‘Bushie’, with 30-minute episodes premiering on Osborne’s own YouTube channel, alongside the audio version available on all podcast platforms via the Nova Podcast Network. 

Bushie is already a recognisable figure in her own right and, for many fans, even more familiar than Osborne herself. Wildly Australian, completely unfiltered and unapologetically bold, the character has even been compared to ‘Crocodile Dundee’.

Bush Deep follows Bushie as she travels across Australia in search of a good yarn, sitting down with celebrities and everyday legends alike. With equal parts chaos and charm, Bushie asks the questions no one else would dare to…and always with tongue planted firmly in cheek. 

Boasting an online following of more than one million fans, Bushie brings her signature irreverence to a stellar lineup of guests throughout the series, including Larry Emdur, Manu Feildel, Steph Tolev, Colin Fassnidge, Osher Gunsberg and Colin Mochrie. No one is safe from her unique, hilarious brand of interrogation. 

Said Osborne, “It’s my absolute dream to pick up where Dame Edna and Croc Dundee left off and now that I’ve got a powerful machine like Nova behind me, well shoot, we might have a shot. Being the first video-led project with NOVA is a huge nod of respect and a responsibility I don’t take lightly. I’ve convinced a lot of execs that I know what I’m doing and now I have to prove it.”

Network Director of Nova Podcasts Rachel Corbett said, “Bush Deep is a really exciting step for us as we start to build out video-first originals alongside audio. Nikki has created a character people genuinely love, so we’re looking forward to expanding that across platforms. Bushie is loose, chaotic and very funny, but Nikki’s always in control and that balance is what makes it so watchable. We can’t wait to see where this show goes.”

Nikki Osborne is an Australian comedian, actor, producer, content creator, national columnist and ratings-winning Nova radio host. She studied acting at university, directing at AFTRS, advertising at AWARD School, and through her production company is often engaged by brands to create viral content.

Osborne’s credits include appearances on Dancing with the Stars, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, Hughesy, We Have a Problem, Just for Laughs Uncut, Jim Jefferies and Friends, The Big Trip, Celebrity Name Game, Celebrity Mastermind, Quizmania, Kinne and Drunk History. Acting credits include Ned, The Mystery of Natalie Wood and Hoges.

Red Seat Ventures, a division of Fox Corporation’s (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX) Tubi Media Group, today announced that Daniel Schneider has been named Vice President of Video Content Syndication & Licensing, reporting to Eric Pearce, Executive Vice President, Creator Operations.

Schneider brings more than a decade of experience building and scaling distribution businesses across MVPD, FAST, SVOD, AVOD and digital platforms. In his new role, he will lead Red Seat Ventures efforts to expand creator content beyond audio into video licensing, streaming platforms and emerging distribution channels — an expansion enabled by the company’s full-stack infrastructure across Supercast and Speakeasy.

“Our goal has always been to help creators unlock the full value of their content and Daniel is the right person to lead this effort,” said Chris Balfe, CEO of Red Seat Ventures. “ He brings a deep understanding of the distribution landscape across streaming and digital platforms, along with a track record of scaling businesses from the ground up. Alongside our platforms, Daniel will help drive creators’ expansion into new formats and broader audiences.”

Schneider has held senior roles across the streaming and digital media landscape, including leading distribution and business development at Cheddar, where he played a key role in scaling the digital news network from early-stage startup through its acquisition. Schneider has additionally held roles in content acquisition and partnerships at Sling TV, contributing to the launch of the first TV-over-the-internet service.

The daily live podcasting discussion show formerly known as Podcasting Morning Chat is officially rebranding to Podcasting Morning Show, with a new live streaming start time of 8:00 AM Eastern Time, beginning Monday, May 4, 2026.

The show is co-executive produced by Marc Ronick, the show’s founder, and Ralph Estep Jr. It has become a go-to destination for podcasters, creators, and industry professionals seeking real-time insights, collaboration, and community-driven conversation.

Why the Change?

The shift from 7:00 AM to 8:00 AM ET is designed to create greater accessibility for guests and contributors, allowing more voices to participate in the daily conversation.

“When I started this show, the goal was simple: bring podcasters together for real conversations that help them grow,” said Marc Ronick. “As the community has grown, it’s clear that evolving the format and time gives us the opportunity to include even more voices and make the experience stronger for everyone involved.”

“We’ve built something special with this community, and we want to make it even more accessible,” said Ralph Estep Jr. “Moving our live stream to 8:00 AM allows more creators to join us live, contribute, and be part of the conversation in a meaningful way.”

The updated name, Podcasting Morning Show, reflects a broader vision: positioning the program as more than just a chat, but a dynamic, structured show that blends expert insights, industry news, and interactive audience participation.

Where to Watch and Participate

Podcasting Morning Show will continue to be a fully interactive, live experience:

• Join live conversations on Clubhouse
• Watch live streams on YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Engage in real time through audience participation on stage and in chat

What Listeners Can Expect

• Daily live discussions with podcasters and industry experts
• Expanded guest access and broader participation
• Conversations focused on podcast growth, monetization, and strategy
• A collaborative environment built for creators at every level

Join the Conversation

Podcasting Morning Show streams live Monday through Friday at 8:00 AM ET starting May 4, 2026. It is also available via podcast a few hours after the live stream concludes.

For more information and to join the live experience, visit:
https://podcastingmorningshow.com

About Podcasting Morning Show

Podcasting Morning Show is a daily live show and podcast, dedicated to helping podcasters grow, monetize, and improve their craft through real-time conversation, expert insights, and community engagement. Built on collaboration and shared learning, the show brings together creators from around the world to start their day with actionable ideas and meaningful discussion.

Daylight Media today announced the launch of Homicide 360, a new true crime podcast created and hosted by Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi and Scott Weinberger, the team behind the hit podcast Anatomy of Murder.

Homicide 360 takes listeners inside real criminal investigations, telling each story through the voices of victims' loved ones, investigators, and prosecutors.

Nicolazzi and Weinberger bring rare insider credentials to the genre: Nicolazzi spent 21 years at the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office, 16 of those as a member of its elite Homicide Bureau, where she specialized in complex cases and left as Chief of Trials. Weinberger began his career as a deputy sheriff, then moved on to become an Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist whose career has been defined by unparalleled access to law enforcement. In 2024, he spent two years embedded inside a police department, contributing to the investigation that resolved a 40-year-old cold case murder.

The show launches with a two-part premiere built around the testimony of a survivor of a home invasion and double homicide — a moving opening episode for a podcast that puts victims at the centre of every story.

Homicide 360 is available on all major podcast platforms from 26 May.

Flightpath, the industry’s leading inventory management solution and predictive analytics platform for on-demand media, today announced a new partnership with Lemonada Media, one of the top independent podcast publishers in the U.S. Through Flightpath’s forecasting and campaign performance prediction, Lemonada will elevate its sales operations, planning processes, and data strategy; bringing greater precision, visibility, and scalability to its rapidly growing business.

The collaboration equips Lemonada’s revenue team with centralized traffic management capabilities, forecasting intelligence, and real-time performance insights, enabling more accurate inventory planning, improved campaign execution, and stronger alignment between content, sales, and advertiser demand. With a consolidated view of inventory across platforms, Lemonada will be able to proactively manage inventory, optimize campaign pacing, and identify new revenue opportunities, while streamlining workflows and improving operational efficiency.

“We’re excited to partner with Flightpath to bring greater clarity and precision to our forecasting and campaign management,” said Mike MacDonald, Lemonada's Head of Revenue.  “As our business continues to scale, having deeper visibility into our inventory and performance allows us to better support our creators and deliver stronger, more strategic outcomes for our advertising partners.”

“As long time fans of Lemonada, we are thrilled to partner with them to support their continued growth,” said Laurie Belleau, Chief Revenue Officer at Flightpath. “Lemonada has built a premium, creator-first network offering a compelling slate of shows that reaches an audience of millions with their engaging content. Flightpath brings together reliable inventory forecasting and predictive analytics to provide the visibility and control needed to drive sustainable revenue growth.”

For inquiries about Flightpath, contact laurie@flightpath.fm.

abandoned: The All-American Ruins Podcast, the Ambie Award-winning show from multidisciplinary artist Blake Pfeil, returns for its fourth season on April 30.

Part of the Airwave Media Network, the podcast blends immersive sound design, field recordings, archival tape, and personal journals to reinvent real-world explorations of abandoned spaces across the U.S. and beyond.

Season 4, “Fading Transmissions from a Republic of Ruins,” opens with a live-recorded episode developed with support from Green Box Arts in Colorado, using a performance-driven approach that moves beyond traditional live podcast experiences. The season also expands its structure with guest hosts: Atlas Obscura co-founder Dylan Thuras, storyteller Stev Hull-Allen, and returning collaborator Isabel Wilder, a Signal Award winner for her Season 3 episode “Frozen in Time.”

The season was also produced with support from Radio Kingston’s community podcast program, part of the Hudson Valley station’s broader push to expand what community radio can be for independent audio makers and broadcasters. Across the season, abandoned continues its focus on the cultural, historical, and emotional landscapes of forgotten places, with episodes spanning Colorado, Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, California, New York, Vermont, Minnesota, and Missouri. The show won the 2026 Podcast of the Year Grand Prize from the American Writing Awards and previously reached No. 1 on Apple Podcasts’ Travel & Places charts.

As live podcasting evolves beyond traditional stage recordings, abandoned reflects an experimental shift toward immersive, performance-driven formats. Developed through funded residencies like Green Box Arts and supported by hyper-local platforms like Radio Kingston, the show points to an emerging production model—one that combines community infrastructure and funding, live events (including the most recent edition of On Air Fest and the upcoming NYC Podcast Awards Live Listening Party on June 5), and boutique network distribution to create new creative and financial pathways for independent audio producers. Seasons 1–3 are available now on major podcast platforms.

This year's event features a dynamic lineup of panels, fireside chats and the region's most anticipated audio showcase, all designed to spark conversation among creators, journalists, educators, and media professionals.

From explorations of video podcasting across the Arab world to bold Arabic-language voices tackling politics, feminism and civil society, PodFest Cairo 2026 expands its reach beyond Egypt to celebrate the full breadth of Pan-Arab audio storytelling. The centerpiece of the afternoon is The ECCO Listening Session of Pan-Arab Audio Stories, in partnership with Goethe Institut Amman, hosted by award-winning documentarian, journalist and storyteller Jasmin Bauomy.

Organized by AUC’s JRMC’s Professor of Practice Kim Fox, PodFest Cairo has become the heartbeat of Egypt's podcasting community and a growing voice in the wider Arab audio landscape. If you make podcasts, love podcasts or have simply been meaning to start one, PodFest Cairo is the place to be.

PodFest Cairo is free and open to the public. Sessions will be held in English and/or Arabic. Unfortunately, simultaneous translation will NOT be provided.

Follow PodFest Cairo on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X/Twitter for updates. The conference hashtag is: #PodFestCairo.

PodFest Cairo is Egypt and Africa’s inaugural podcasting conference, featuring conversations and networking focused on cultivating the podcasting community in the region.

London Fields Cricket Club (LFCC) is proud to announce a new partnership with hit global podcast channel The Bugle, who will become the club’s official sponsor for the 2026 season. This collaboration brings together a grassroots community cricket club and one of the UK’s most distinctive satirical voices, united by a shared commitment to community engagement, creativity, and a passion for cricket.

As part of the partnership, The Bugle will actively support LFCC’s ongoing charitable work, particularly its fundraising efforts for St Joseph’s Hospice, helping to expand the reach and impact of initiatives such as the club’s annual Charity Sixes Tournament, as the club look to pass the £20,000 donation mark for the local charity.

The Bugle’s support will also be visible on the field, with its logo set to feature on a unique London Fields Cricket Club kit for the 2026 season, symbolising the fusion of sport, humour, and community spirit that defines both organisations. LFCC, based in Hackney, has long been recognised for its inclusive ethos and strong local presence, and this partnership marks an exciting new chapter in its development.

“Statistically speaking a Bugle / Andy Zaltman sponsorship is pretty unprecedented. We’re not sure it’s not an act of satire. That said, we’re delighted be able to support our local causes, in collaboration with The Bugle” – Billy Bowry, LFCC Captain

“The Bugle scoured the sporting world to find for the best team to sponsor. Despite several hundred of the world's leading clubs and franchises - from American major league behemoths and Formula 1 zoomsters, to giants of European football and top-ranked husky-dog sledding outfits - basically begging to have The Bugle emblazoned on their kits, we decided London Fields Cricket Club was the optimum possible partner.” – Andy Zaltzman, The Bugle

Created to spotlight creators exploring the unexplained, the Parapod Podcast Awards celebrates standout storytelling, production quality, and audience engagement across a wide range of paranormal genres.

“Parapod was created to give paranormal creators the recognition they deserve and to celebrate the voices shaping the future of this genre,” said Tony Sweet, founder of the Parapod Podcast Awards.

“We’re proud to continue building a space that celebrates the creativity and passion driving this category forward.”

A Growing Platform for Paranormal Podcasting

Now in its fourth year, the awards span multiple categories reflecting the diversity and evolution of the genre:

PARANORMAL

• Best Overall Paranormal Podcast
• Best Ghost / Haunting Podcast
• Best UFO / UAP Podcast
• Best Psychic / Medium Podcast
• Best Cryptid Podcast
• Best Archaeology / Ancient History Podcast
• Best Metaphysical / Spiritual Podcast
• Best Psychic
• Best Newcomer
• Best Paranormal TV Show

TRUE CRIME

• Best True Crime Podcast
• Best Investigative Podcast

HYBRID / CONSPIRACY

• Best Conspiracy Podcast

PERFORMANCE & PRODUCTION

• Best Host / Podcast Personality
• Best Production & Sound Design

2026 Special Honors Announced

• George Noory – Living Legend Award
• Erich von Däniken – The Cosmic Legacy Award (Posthumously)
• Nick Pope – The Disclosure Leadership Award (Posthumously)
• David Wilcock – The Cosmic Visionary Award (Posthumously)

Supporting Podcast Creators Through Spreaker

The Parapod Podcast Awards is proud to announce its official Media Sponsor and Distribution Partner, Spreaker, part of Triton Digital and the iHeartMedia family of brands.

All eligible submissions will receive:

• Consideration for inclusion in Spreaker Prime
• Promotional visibility across Facebook and Instagram
• Exposure to new listeners, creators, and industry partners

Award winners will receive:

• Inclusion in Spreaker Prime
• Featured promotional spotlight
• Additional social media promotion
• Recognition as one of the top paranormal podcasts of the year

Submissions Open May 1, 2026

Podcast creators, networks, and producers across the United States are invited to submit their shows beginning May 1, 2026.

About the Parapod Podcast Awards

The Parapod Podcast Awards is a U.S.-based program dedicated to recognizing excellence in paranormal podcasting.

Magellan AI has been a preferred attribution partner for iHeartMedia across podcasts, streaming audio, connected TV, and other digital media. This expansion extends measurement capabilities to broadcast radio, enabling advertisers to evaluate performance across audio and digital channels within a unified framework.

Magellan AI’s platform will leverage iHeartMedia’s simulcast data, which maps listeners exposed to broadcast radio to measurable outcomes. Attribution reporting powered by that data will be available exclusively to advertisers working with iHeartMedia.

Advertisers using the solution will gain deeper insights into how radio campaigns deliver full funnel results, including web visits, form fills, leads and purchases. By combining measurement across the full spectrum of audio and digital channels, Magellan AI provides a complete view of how campaigns perform across the media mix.

“Advertisers want clearer insight into how every channel contributes to outcomes,” said Cameron Hendrix, CEO and Co-Founder of Magellan AI. “Our expanded partnership with iHeartMedia brings broadcast radio into the same attribution framework as digital audio and other media, giving brands a more complete view of campaign performance.”

“iHeartMedia has always focused on helping advertisers understand the power of audio,” said Lainie Fertick, President, iHeartMedia Insights. “By combining Magellan AI’s attribution technology with our proprietary in-market simulcast data, we’re providing brands with deeper visibility into how broadcast radio works alongside podcasts, streaming audio, connected TV, and other channels to drive meaningful results.”

For more information about iHeartMedia and Magellan AI, visit iHeartMedia.com and magellan.ai.

Podcasting has always been about meeting listeners where they are, and now that includes video on Apple Podcasts.

Buzzsprout is excited to announce that video distribution to Apple Podcasts is out of beta and available to all Buzzsprout podcasters, today.

Creators can now upload a single file to Buzzsprout, and easily send video to Apple Podcasts while continuing to distribute audio everywhere else.

“We’re seeing a lot of excitement around video on Apple Podcasts, and we think it creates a real growth opportunity for indie podcasters,” said Alban Brooke, Head of Marketing at Buzzsprout.

All Buzzsprout video plans include transcripts, so podcasters can give their audience more ways to enjoy each episode in Apple Podcasts. Listeners can listen, read, or watch all in one place.

Video distribution to Apple Podcasts is available today, with more video destinations planned for the near future.

SuperAwesome, the leader in data, technology, and services for safely engaging Gen Alpha and Gen Z, today announces an exclusive advertising partnership with Tinkercast, the audio-first children's media company behind Wow in the World – the #1 kids and family podcast globally.

SuperAwesome will serve as Tinkercast's exclusive direct-sales advertising partner, connecting brands with Wow in the World's millions of co-listening families across a premium, brand-safe environment, alongside Tinkercast’s other award-winning podcasts.

Created by Tinkercast and hosted by podcast pioneers Guy Raz (How I Built This) and Mindy Thomas (SXM’s Kid’s Place), who were both named among The Hollywood Reporter's "50 Most Powerful Players in Kids Entertainment" in 2024, Wow in the World is the most listened to kids and family podcast of all time.

Wow in the World has expanded into a 360° franchise that connects laughter to learning through New York Times bestselling books, the first-ever podcast-based toy lines, and sold-out live shows across the U.S. Tinkercast podcasts have logged a staggering 300 million lifetime listens, with 5.7 million hours of listening in the past year alone.

“Tinkercast has set the bar for what great audio content sounds like”, said Jed Baker, Head of Audio at SuperAwesome. “Partnering with these highly talented creators and the most exciting brands means kids and families can continue to benefit from well-funded and engaging content. We can’t wait to help brands succeed with the highly attentive families listening to Tinkercast’s slate of quality, scaled shows.”

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Awesome Audio, the only platform solely dedicated to supporting and growing kids' and families' podcasts,” said Meredith Halpern-Ranzer, CEO and Co-Founder at Tinkercast. We have long admired the amazing team at SuperAwesome for their commitment to protecting Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and we look forward to growing new relationships with kids, families, and brands in ways that are authentic, trusted, and true to our shared missions.”

The deal introduces the leading podcast to Awesome Audio, the largest kids & family audio ecosystem delivering over 18 million listens per month across its shows. Through the partnership, SuperAwesome will connect Tinkercast’s audience with global brands, reaching an audience that includes 92% of parents who listen alongside their children.

This year is shaping up to be full of ‘WOW’ moments for Tinkercast. In addition to the 11th season of Wow in the World, which debuted on May 4, 2026, Tinkercast will also release a new season of their hit podcast game show, Two Whats?! And A Wow!, as a vodcast every Friday beginning May 8th, 2026.

As one of the first kids and family vodcasts, Two Whats?! And A Wow!: People Who Wow Edition will feature special guests - from celebrities that parents and kids love, to people with cool jobs, to real everyday kids. With each episode, kids and families will learn more about the guest and, more importantly, how to make real, human connections in an increasingly digital world.

Tinkercast will also expand its YouTube footprint with simulcast releases on both YouTube and podcast feeds of its top shows, including Wow in the World, Two Whats?! And A Wow! and Who, When, Wow!.

The partnership underscores SuperAwesome’s continued momentum in delivering the next generation of engagement for the next generation, bringing together premium content, trusted environments, and scale to help grow the youth digital ecosystem.

UTA brokered the partnership and represents Raz, Thomas, Tinkercast, and its programming.

Presented by CrimeCon, the world’s largest event for genre consumers, crime experts and professionals, the CLUE Awards will take place Saturday, May 30 at Caesars Palace, during CrimeCon’s annual, three-day flagship event.

Alongside its full list of nominees across true crime content – and its finalists for “People’s Choice: Creator of the Year,” presented by Investigation Discovery – CLUE has unveiled the recipients of its prestigious “Crimefighter of the Year” honor: Jena-Lisa Jones, Haley Robson and Courtney Wild, Jeffrey Epstein survivors and members of The Survivors, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to guiding sexual assault survivors by offering vital resources and personalized life coaching. Previous Crimefighter of the Year recipients include The Black & Missing Foundation, The Gabby Petito Foundation, America’s Most Wanted creator and NCMEC co-founder John Walsh, and the families of Abigail Williams and Liberty German, along with Lt. Jerry Holeman and Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland. 

Additionally, the finalists for CLUE’s “America’s Greatest Detective” award, presented by Law & Crime, have been revealed. This award honors the incredible investigative work of crime-solving law enforcement professionals across the country. The 2026 finalists include: Tara Augustin and Alyson Dupouy, decorated detectives for Maryland’s Montgomery County PD known for their recent contributions in solving the Leslie Preer cold case; Jenn Benjamins, retired sergeant of the Las Vegas Metropolitan PD and founder of law enforcement training company Covert Blue LLC; and Vicki Rains Pearson, sergeant with the Richland County Sheriff’s Office in South Carolina, recently featured in Netflix documentary Missing: Dead or Alive.

The CLUE Awards ceremony will close out programming for “Day 2” of CrimeCon 2026. In addition to Hansen, the ceremony’s presenters will include On Patrol: Live analyst Tom Rizzo, CSI Creator Anthony Zuiker and lauded crime scene investigator Sheryl McCollum, among many others.

The 2026 CLUE Award nominees – across TV, podcasting, film and publishing – include:

TV: Outstanding Docuseries

• Death Cap: The Mushroom Murders | (Stan, CNN, Netflix UK) Dreamchaser, Den of Martians and Fifth Season
• Girl on the Run: Hunt for America’s Most Wanted | (Hulu) Plum Pictures and ABC News Studios
• Death of a Showjumper | (Sky) Walk on Air Films and Sky Studios 
• Amy Bradley is Missing | (Netflix) Ample Entertainment
• Betrayal: Under His Eye | (Hulu) ABC News Studios and Glass Entertainment Group

TV: Outstanding Episodic Series

• FEDS | (Investigation Discovery) Orit Entertainment and October Films
• Desert Law | (A&E Network) Twenty Twenty Productions
• 24 Hours in Police Custody: Murder is No Game | (Channel 4) The Garden Productions
• On the Case with Paula Zahn | (Investigation Discovery) Scott Sternberg Productions, Inc. and Weinberger Media
• The Death Investigator with Barbara Butcher | (Oxygen True Crime) Wolf Entertainment, Alfred Street Industries and Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group

TV: Outstanding Scripted Series

• Dark Winds | (AMC) AMC Studios
• Paradise | (Hulu) 20th Television
• Reasonable Doubt | (Hulu) 20th Television and Onyx Collective
• RJ Decker | (ABC) 20th Television
• Only Murders in the Building | (Hulu) 20th Television

Podcast: Outstanding Docuseries

• Burden of Guilt | Glass Podcasts in partnership with iHeart Podcasts
• Hunting the Bogeyman | Perfect Cadence
• Blood is Thicker: The Farris Wheel | 48 Hours (CBS News)
• Shipwreck | Audible and Sugar23
• Betrayal | Glass Podcasts in partnership with iHeart Podcasts

Podcast: Outstanding Episodic Series

• 48 Hours: Post Mortem | 48 Hours (CBS News)
• True Crime Recaps | Jellysmack and Trendly
• Lawless Planet | Audible
• One Minute Remaining | Mashed Pumpkin Productions PTY LTD
• Mind Over Murder | Another Dog Productions and Absolute Zero Productions

Outstanding Documentary Film

• My Father, the BTK Killer | (Netflix) Campfire Studios
• Night in West Texas | (Theatrical) Myths of Monsters, Naked Edge Films and Texas Monthly
• Prince Andrew: On Trial | (Channel 5 / True Royalty) Good TV
• Unknown Number: The High School Catfish | (Netflix) Campfire Studios in association with Terminal B TV
• Ruby Red Handed: Stealing America’s Most Famous Pair of Shoes | (Hulu) Committee Films in association with ABC News Studios

True Crime Book of the Year

• Something Big: The True Story of the Brown's Chicken Massacre | (Post Hill Press) Written by Patrick Wohl
• Expert Witness | (Grand Central Publishing) Written by Dr. Ann Wolbert Burgess
• Out of the Woods | (Thomas & Mercer, an imprint of Amazon Publishing) Written by Gregg Olsen
• Injustice Town | (Pegasus Books) Written by Rick Tulsky
• Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter | (Pegasus Books) Written by Troy Hillman

People’s Choice: Creator of the Year (Presented by Investigation Discovery)

• Annie Elise (“SERIALously,” “10 to LIFE”)
• Crime Stories with Nancy Grace – Nancy Grace
• Crime Weekly – Stephanie Harlowe, Derrick Levasseur
• Courtroom Confidential – Joshua Ritter
• The Prosecutors – Alice LaCour, Brett Talley

About CrimeCon

CrimeCon is an immersive three-day experience for true crime fans, creators and leading industry professionals. Since its launch in 2017, CrimeCon has connected thousands of true crime enthusiasts with the mysteries, cases and issues that intrigue them. With a heavy focus on education, CrimeCon features speakers, panels, breakout sessions, hands-on experiences and more, allowing fans to completely delve into the world of true crime. Created by fans, for fans, CrimeCon brings together the true crime community for a weekend filled with learning, understanding and advocacy. The event is produced by Red Seat Ventures, a digital media company based in New York City. For more information, visit www.CrimeCon.com.

The ABC today announced a new podcast hosted by Annabel Crabb for ABC listen, History Or Hoarding? launches 22 April in collaboration with the State Library of New South Wales. Amateur historian and library enthusiast Annabel Crabb delves into the remarkable, surprising and sometimes strange items hidden deep within the institution’s vast collection. 

Across eight episodes, the series takes listeners behind the scenes of the library’s secret stacks as it marks its 200th year.

Accompanied by producer Rachael Cusick (formerly Radiolab) and researcher Julia O’Shea, Annabel is surprised to discover that of six million items in the library’s collection, only two million are books.

Annabel Crabb said, “There are seven underground floors beneath the library, and the stuff down there is wild. Alongside treasures like Matthew Flinders’ hat or a ribbon from the Sydney Harbour Bridge opening are the more unexpected finds – fruit sticker collections, century-old menus and even a confronting amount of human hair. Every object has a story attached.

But most of all, it’s a story about the people preserving these items in an effort to capture our collective memory – and how subjective those decisions can be. What we choose to keep says as much about us now as it did two centuries ago.”

Jessica Radburn, Head of ABC Audio on Demand said, “We often underplay the incredible value our cultural institutions offer us. Their impact goes beyond cataloguing and preserving; they are society’s memory palace. Who better than Annabel Crabb to uncover the stories, characters and objects behind our institutions in this enlightening and often laugh out loud funny journey through the hallowed stacks of the State Library of NSW in this first season of History Or Hoarding?”

Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon, NSW State Librarian said, "The State Library of NSW has been a place of curiosity for 200 years, with a history as rich - and sometimes as unexpected - as its world-renowned collections. Beneath the building, our underground stacks hold everything from rare journals and maps to surprising gems. We were thrilled to invite Annabel Crabb and Rachael Cusick behind the scenes to explore this wonderfully curious and complex place, alongside our expert staff, for History Or Hoarding? I can’t wait for audiences to hear what they discover.”

History Or Hoarding? is produced by Rachael Cusick for the ABC in collaboration with the State Library of New South Wales.  Episode 1 is available now with new episodes dropping each Wednesday on ABC listen or wherever you get your podcasts.

The demand for video within podcasting is growing rapidly. To meet this, Acast is reinforcing its local content team with two key hires focused specifically on video.

Otto Jorméus joins as Content Director, bringing extensive experience from his previous role as Editor-in-Chief for Fotbollsmorgon, where he spearheaded the development of one of Sweden's most successful formats in sports and video. Joining him is Gustaf Angelin, stepping in as Video and Podcast Producer, with a broad background in productions that seamlessly merge audio and moving images.

“With Otto and Gustaf joining the team, we’re adding the specialized expertise needed to better meet listeners exactly where they are. Otto’s experience in building powerful formats and Gustaf’s production skills are vital additions to our mission: making video a natural layer of the podcast experience. Audio remains the heart of everything we do, and we’re now ensuring it reaches its full potential across all visual channels,” says Josephine Forssjö Hellstrand, Content Director Nordic at Acast.

Acast has also upgraded its studios in Stockholm and Oslo. These investments mean that video is now an integrated part of the core offering — a solution that makes it easy for both creators and advertisers to make video a natural part of their podcast business.

“By uniting the right expertise with a seamless infrastructure, we are taking the next step in our Nordic growth journey. Our video initiative meets a growing demand from both creators and advertisers, reinforcing our position as an innovation leader in podcasting,” says Jenny Frängsmyr, Managing Director Acast Nordics. “This initiative isn't a change in our core; it’s an expansion of our commitment to keeping creators at the center of the conversation, regardless of the format.”

In conjunction with these hires, Acast is rolling out its partnership with Apple Podcasts to distribute video podcasts using HLS in Sweden. As one of the first global partners in Apple’s new video integration, Acast gives listeners the ability to seamlessly switch between audio and video directly in the app. For creators, this means video can now be published while maintaining full dynamic advertising capabilities.

In Sweden, the initiative launches exclusively with Framgångspodden, Det Skaver, and Hör Här, with more titles set to join throughout the year.

The Resilient Retail Game Plan, the weekly podcast for independent retailers hosted by retail expert and business mentor Catherine Erdly, and produced by Podknows Podcasting has reached two significant milestones simultaneously: its 300th episode and more than 1 million total downloads.

Launched in 2020 during the first Covid-19 lockdown, the show has grown into one of the UK's leading resources for independent and small retail business owners, covering stock management, cash flow, profit margins, retail mindset, and business resilience.

To mark the occasion, episode 300 takes stock of the themes that have defined the show across six years of continuous publication. Rather than introducing new content, Erdly uses the episode to curate the four back-catalogue episodes she considers the most essential entry point for any independent retailer — covering dead stock and cash flow (episode 278), the SHOPS financial framework (episode 262), profit margin strategy (episode 259), and retail mindset and resilience (episode 296).

"I started recording this podcast from my tiny office in the middle of a pandemic," said Erdly. "Since then, the retail industry has gone through what I'd almost describe as a perma-crisis — there hasn't been a single year where everything has just been fine. And yet I'm genuinely optimistic about the future of independent retail. The fundamentals haven't changed: stock, profit, and mindset. That's what 300 episodes keep coming back to."

The show is the main marketing channel for "Resilient Retail Club", Erdly's membership community for independent retailers, and the annual industry event Retail Roar (retailroar.co.uk).

Episode 300, "Retail Stock, Profit, and Mindset: The Three Pillars of a Resilient Business," is available now on ALL platforms.

Links to all four recommended episodes can be found in the latest podcast post at resilientretailclub.com/podcast.

15 percent of Sweden’s population aged 15–74, corresponding to 1.2 million people, listen to audiobooks on an average day during the first quarter of the year. Of these, just under 70,000 listen exclusively via Spotify, indicating that the service’s contribution to daily reach is still limited.

Spotify’s much-discussed entry into the audiobook market has not yet had any major impact on the total number of listeners, says Fredrik Liljeqvist, Principal Analyst at Mediavision. Most people who listen to audiobooks via Spotify also use other services, suggesting that many are trying it out while keeping their existing audiobook subscriptions.

Looking at all listening on Spotify, music still dominates, accounting for just over 75 percent of total listening time on the service. Audiobook listening represents just under five percent in Q1. At the same time, the number of households with access to a paid audiobook service nearly doubled when Spotify launched audiobooks for premium subscribers by the end of 2025.

The launch of audiobooks on Spotify represents a shift in the market, even if the immediate effects on listening have been limited so far. As awareness grows and user behaviors evolves, there is potential for both increased competition and a stronger audiobook segment.

A major new European study into advertising trends signals a clear turning point for audio, with 96% of advertisers planning to maintain or increase spend. 

The research, Sound Check Europe 2026, conducted by Bauer Media Audio in partnership with Elevate Consultancy, is based on responses from more than 1,000 senior agency and advertiser decision-makers across nine markets, making it one of the most comprehensive snapshots of audio advertising attitudes in Europe and the UK.

Its findings point to a market shifting decisively toward audio. 86% of advertisers now consider it a core part of their media strategy, as budgets begin to move toward channels that deliver trust, attention and measurable impact.

Crucially, this shift signals the market starting to close the gap between extensive evidence of audio’s effectiveness and current levels of investment.

In the UK, the study shows that the market has already moved past questioning whether audio works, with 91% of respondents saying it is important to their strategy. However, growth is uneven: 59% of agencies expect their investment in audio to increase, compared with 47% of brands. This suggests that the UK no longer needs convincing about audio’s effectiveness, it now needs to focus on activation.

The study highlights how audio is moving from a supporting role to a central pillar of modern media planning:

• Digital audio comes of age: Advertisers in Europe view digital audio as a brand-safe (70%), high-quality environment that combines broadcast-scale reach (66%) with digital targeting and flexibility. In the UK, 81% say broadcast delivers scale while digital adds perception and that the two play complementary roles (79%). 
• Podcast boom gathering pace: 82% of advertisers in Europe say podcasts reach highly engaged audiences, with 47% planning to increase podcast investment. In the UK, 79% of advertisers are aware of podcast formats, yet only 49% consider podcasting important, signalling significant untapped opportunity. 
• Effectiveness evidence remains key to unlocking further investment: Across Europe, only 13% of advertisers confidently use audio attribution tools (dropping to 10% in the UK), yet 73% in Europe and 68% in the UK say they would invest more if stronger evidence of effectiveness were available.
• AI adoption rises with trust a key barrier: Advertisers are embracing AI in audio for its speed, scalability and efficiency, but concerns around brand risk, trust and the impact on human creativity remain significant, with 38% citing trust as the biggest barrier.

A proven opportunity with room to grow

The findings are supported by a strong body of international evidence demonstrating audio’s effectiveness and scale. Across Europe, audio accounts for around a fifth of total media consumption but attracts only a c. 5% share of ad investment, while consistently delivering above-average ROI and acting as a multiplier for wider campaign performance.

In the UK, advertisers are already recognising audio’s importance, the priority now is translating confidence into greater investment and more sophisticated use of the channel. The gap between strong audience engagement and relatively low spend signals a clear opportunity - particularly in areas like digital audio and podcasting, where capabilities are still underutilised. 

Taken together, the findings suggest audio is becoming an increasingly powerful force in a fragmented media landscape, offering advertisers a rare combination of scale, trust, attention and proven commercial impact, with clear headroom for further growth.

Simon Kilby, MD, Bauer Media Advertising (UK), says: "In the UK, we’re seeing growing demand for channels that deliver both scale and accountability - and audio has proven it can do both. In a media landscape where advertisers need digital first solutions and trusted, brand-safe environments, audio is increasingly standing out.”

Simon Myciunka, President Audio, Bauer Media, comments: 

“Advertisers are no longer testing audio, they’re scaling it. When nearly half of the market is either increasing or maintaining audio spend, that signals a fundamental shift. But the bigger story is the opportunity. Audiences are already there, effectiveness is proven, and now is the time for investment to grow.

The direction of travel is clear. Advertisers aren’t asking whether audio works anymore - they’re deciding how fast to scale it. Those that do will see the advantage first.

For us at Bauer Media Audio, this is about turning that momentum into something actionable. We are working with customers on strategic partnerships that bring clearer impact, stronger cross-channel planning, better data integration, and measurable outcomes for advertisers across all our markets.”

DeTraglia will serve as a strategic narrative engine for Nielsen marketing, sitting at the intersection of data, culture and technology.  She will be based out of Nielsen’s New York headquarters and report to Sacha Weinberg, Nielsen’s Head of Global Marketing. 

"Julie has a rare talent for transforming data into clear, actionable strategy. She doesn't just look at where the market has been—she identifies the signals that tell us where it’s going next,” said Weinberg. “Her ability to synthesize deep historical insights with current market dynamics will be a game-changer for how we deliver value to our clients in a constantly evolving landscape."

DeTraglia most recently served as Vice President of Ads Measurement at Netflix. Prior to that, she was Global Head of Sports Strategy and Research at Amazon. She previously held research leadership roles at Disney, Hulu and NBCUniversal. 

Nielsen is focused on creating solutions and products with its clients. The company has recently hired several top executives who held leadership positions at major national clients, including:

• Peter Naylor, Nielsen Chief Client Officer (previously of Netflix, Snap, Hulu and NBCU)
• Roberto Ruiz, Nielsen Head of Measurement Science (previously of TelevisaUnivision)
• Seth Ladetsky, Nielsen Head of Global Sports (previously of WarnerBros. Discovery) 
• Trevor Fellows, Nielsen Head of Advertiser/Agency (previously of NBCU)
• Sacha Weinberg, Nielsen Head of Global Marketing (previously of Amazon, Disney)

Today, London Records announce the launch of a brand-new podcast, Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story - an immersive, star-studded deep dive into one of pop’s greatest untold stories: the confidence, chaos and cultural impact of one of the UK’s most influential record labels.

Starting with the rise of the label through the early ‘80s — London Records’ defining era – the series transports listeners right back to its stratospheric heyday and goes on to course through three decades of music supercharged with hits, misses and bold reinventions that reshaped the pop landscape forever.

Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story places the label firmly amongst the ranks of pop culture legend: a powerhouse combination of DIY-driven, maverick spirit and an almost unfair knack for turning bold ideas into global hits. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94uuvDmUIPU

From early success with Bananarama and Blancmange, international domination with Bronski Beat and Fine Young Cannibals, street savvy antidote to 90s manufactured bands (East-17, All Saints) and onto Orbital, Goldie and the UK dance music explosion, this brand-new, tell-all podcast delves into the risk-takers, rule-breakers, unlikely triumphs and some spectacular failures that defined the sound of a generation. 

Host and journalist Siân Pattenden is joined by an all-star line-up of London Records signings including Goldie, Paul Hartnoll (Orbital), Sara Dallin and KerenWoodward (Bananarama), Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama, Shakespears Sister), DanniiMinogue, Shaznay Lewis (All Saints), Reverend Richard Coles (Communards), Tony Mortimer (East 17), Roland Gift (Fine Young Cannibals) Neil Arthur (Blancmange) and many more, including broadcaster Miranda Sawyer, and former London Records staffmembers, novelist and screenwriter John Niven, DJ and A&R Supremo Pete Tong, and DJand broadcaster Sean Rowley.

Across five episodes, together they unearth the punk ethos that coursed through London Records’ distinctive style of pop; the risk-taking, art-school attitude behind its sometimes undercelebrated hits; the rave revolution and dawn of hip-hop and drum & bass; the anarchic hedonism that threatened to split the label apart; and finally the label’s renaissance in recentyears, with exciting new talent such as Alewya and Joalin and new music from original legends like Goldie and Orbital. 

Featuring revelatory interviews and all of London Records’ best known tracks, Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story is the greatest record label story you’ve never heard.

Weekly episodes drop at 6am every Wednesday.

Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story is produced by Podmasters, home to the likes of Talk 90s to Me and The Bunker, and one of the UK's leading independent podcast networks with a reach of well over two million monthly listeners. 

Laura Kelly, London Records MD says: "The London Records Story podcast traces the roots of a label like no other; its meteoric success, notorious excess and the extraordinary artists and records that shaped music culture. As London Records moves into a new era, balancing emerging talent with legendary names, the podcast unpacks the label’s original DNA and takes listeners back to a time when the music industry was at its most electric, revealing what it was really like to work inside a record label at its peak."

John Niven, author, screenwriter and former London A&R added: "Working at London Records was like going on an SAS raid performed by the cast of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.” 

Sioban Fahey (Shakespears Sister / Bananarama) says: “I’ve worked with London Records throughout my career, from my days with Bananarama through to two albums with Shakespears Sister, even reuniting with the label again for a new EP in 2019. The label’s history is one of both spectacular hits and epic misses, with a cast and crew like no other. Listening again to this podcast reminds me just how extraordinary and sometimes unlikely this journey was!”

Coinciding with the podcast’s launch, London Records will also release a 2CD / digital compilation Hit That Perfect Beat. The ideal companion to the brand-new podcast, the new compilation will be released June 12 and showcases the incredible success, breadth and variety of London Records — featuring over 40 top 40 hits, 20 top 10 hits, 15 top 5s and 5 number 1s.

Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story launches on 6 May 2026 across all streaming services, with new episodes released weekly. The Hit That Perfect Beat is out digitally on 6 May 2026 and available on 2CD from 12 June 2026

The first episode of Hit That Perfect Beat: The London Records Story drops on 6 May 2026.

Vox Media, the leader in modern media, announced its latest podcast partnership with The Red Flags Podcast, the #1 Formula 1 focused podcast produced in the U.S., hosted by longtime friends Brian Muller and Matt Elisofon. Launched in 2021 after they became obsessed with Drive to Survive, The Red Flags Podcast series reimagines Formula 1 through an entertainment-first lens, offering a fresh perspective for longtime fans and newcomers alike. The show blends insightful commentary with humor to explore the personalities, rivalries, and cultural moments that make F1a high-speed spectacle both on and off the track. 

Building on the success of The Red Flags Podcast, Muller and Elisofon also launched a special series, Vankah Hours, where they are joined by former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner. Every Wednesday, they share insightful predictions and behind-the-scenes perspectives about racing teams.

“We’ve always considered our podcast to be the dumbest show in the Formula 1 space, so joining the smartest network in podcasting feels like the ultimate thought experiment,” said Muller and Elisofon. “Honestly we can’t wait to see how this plays out — whether Vox Media makes us smarter or we bring them down to our level. Either way, it’ll be as thrilling as the sport itself.”

“I have managed teams without money or resources for years so when I started Vankah Hours with Matt and Brian it felt close to home… unfortunately,” said Steiner. “Now we’re joining Vox Media and all of a sudden people are taking us seriously. I have no idea how this happened. Neither does Matt. Neither does Brian. But here we are, and we are not going to ask too many questions.”

“Brian and Matt have built the definitive F1 podcast for the Drive to Survive generation that also speaks to the diehards,” said Lillian Xu, vice president of podcasts at Vox Media. “Together with Guenther, they have created a deeply informed, irreverent, unfailingly fun show and we’re so excited to partner with them and grow the business together.” 

At Vox Media, The Red Flags Podcast joins one of the largest U.S. podcast publishers and a slate of influential series including Pretty Tough with Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova, Bird’s Eye View hosted by world-renowned athlete Sue Bird, Pivot hosted by journalist Kara Swisher and entrepreneur Scott Galloway, The Curiosity Shop hosted by research professor Brené Brown and organizational psychologist Adam Grant, and more.

As part of this rollout, Libsyn creators can now publish video podcasts directly to Spotify starting today, alongside other distribution channels, enabled by Libsyn’s completed integration with Spotify’s Distribution API.

This milestone reflects Libsyn’s broader video strategy. As video becomes an increasingly important part of podcasting, Libsyn is doubling down on a simple premise: give creators one platform to publish everywhere and monetize across formats – all without added complexity. Spotify’s continued investment in native video, including its Spotify Partner Program updates and Distribution API, signals a broader shift toward multi-format consumption. As a launch partner, Libsyn enables creators to publish and monetize video podcasts directly on Spotify without changing hosts, extending reach to one of the fastest-growing video podcast platforms.

Libsyn’s Approach to Video: Open, Accessible & Built for Scale 

Libsyn is taking an open, creator-first approach to video, making video podcasting available to its entire creator base – not just a select few. As of today, all creators using Libsyn can publish and distribute video across Spotify and YouTube – with Apple Podcasts rolling out soon – making Libsyn among the first platforms offering this level of open, cross-platform video distribution at scale.

“We view video as a natural progression for podcasting – it gives creators more ways to engage audiences, deepen storytelling, and grow their businesses,” said Brendan Monaghan, President and CEO of Libsyn. “Creators don’t want to choose between audio or video, or between platforms. That’s why we’re opening video to every Libsyn creator – not hand-selecting a few shows. We believe the platforms that win in this next era of podcasting won’t be the ones that limit access – they’ll be the ones that empower creators at scale.”

As podcasting expands across platforms, Libsyn is prioritizing openness, accessibility, and monetization – while ensuring creators aren’t left to absorb the full cost of video on their own. The goal is simple: expand reach and discovery without adding complexity, while preserving what makes podcasting work: authentic conversations and loyal audiences. 

Apple Podcasts HLS Video Integration: Coming Soon

Libsyn is also proud to be a partner in Apple’s new HLS video rollout, with availability coming soon. This is another step forward in our strategy to expand access to video distribution and monetization – empowering creators to reach audiences in the ways that work best for them. 

Effective today, all existing Libsyn customers have access to video functionality within their current plans, with pricing starting at an industry-leading $8 per month. Spotify distribution functionality is available on plans starting at $25 per month. New creators can visit Libsyn.com to begin their video podcasting journey with a 30-day free trial.

Red Seat Ventures, a Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX) creator-led media company, today announced a multiyear partnership with Kill Tony, the world’s most popular live comedy podcast, making the company’s first major move into live entertainment and comedy. Under the agreement, Red Seat Ventures will serve as the exclusive audio and video ad sales partner for Kill Tony and distribute the show across FOX’s streaming platforms – including Tubi and FOX One – as well as YouTube and other third-party platforms.

The partnership will also bring ad-free episodes of Kill Tony to fans through a monthly subscription on Supercast, Red Seat Ventures’ premium podcast subscription platform. Additional announcements about the partnership will be made soon.

Part talent show, part roast battle, Kill Tony blends stand-up, improv and comedy talent discovery in one of the most influential and longest-running live podcasts in any genre. The show has amassed over 2.6 million subscribers on YouTube and nearly 3 million downloads per episode across Spotify and Apple Podcasts, making it the #1 live podcast in the world.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Tony and the Kill Tony entourage in bringing their wildly funny and captivating live comedy podcast to our growing portfolio of genre-defining creator content,” said Chris Balfe, CEO of Red Seat Ventures. “We look forward to expanding their audience across FOX’s streaming services and empowering them to scale and monetize their business in new ways.”

“Red Seat Ventures is the perfect partner for our podcast – they understand our brand, our vision and the importance of capturing and delivering live content to audiences,” said Tony Hinchcliffe. “Chris and his team have the right tools and resources for us to maximize and elevate our podcasting footprint, and we’re excited to kick off the partnership with even more great comedic content for our audiences.”

The deal builds on Red Seat Ventures’ continued evolution from a podcast network into a full-scale creator-led media company. By pairing the biggest creators with best-in-class distribution, monetization and technology — including its recently launched Speakeasy hosting and ad-tech platform — Red Seat Ventures is building lasting creator-led franchises at scale.

A formidable force in comedy, Hinchcliffe has toured globally for nearly two decades and is known for his razor-sharp wit and his preeminent role in roast battles. In 2024, Hinchcliffe took Kill Tony on a triumphant tour through some of the nation’s largest and most prestigious arenas, underscoring the podcast’s unmatched influence in the stand-up comedy world. Hinchcliffe’s flagship show, now permanently nestled at The Comedy Mothership in downtown Austin, consistently sells out in minutes and draws a throng of budding comedians eager for their moment in the spotlight.

Kill Tony is represented by UTA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Triton Digital's Podcast Metrics Demos+ data within NMI provides users with comprehensive, representative insights for every podcast show, network and subnetwork included in Triton's underlying podcast download data, thereby strengthening how podcast publishers and sales networks are represented in the planning ecosystem. This empowers advertisers to more effectively plan campaigns, whether it be targeting a specific individual show or executing a full programmatic campaign across a vast array of long-tail podcasts. Advertisers will unlock deeper, more actionable insights into podcast audiences to better understand behavior, optimize media mix strategies and more effectively compare podcast reach and targeting against other channels.

“Our collaboration with Triton Digital makes it easier for advertisers to evaluate and plan podcasts alongside, and with the same level of precision, comparability and confidence as other media channels, delivering a critical need,” said Rich Tunkel, Managing Director, Nielsen Audio.

“Podcasting delivers a unique combination of scale, intimacy, and attention that few other channels can match,” said John Rosso, CEO, Triton Digital. “Triton has built the industry’s most complete podcast measurement offerings, with the scale, granularity, and utility the market increasingly demands. Together with Nielsen, we’re unlocking the value and capabilities podcasts deliver in a modern media plan.”

Triton Digital® is the global technology and services leader to the digital audio, podcast, and broadcast radio industries. Nielsen will serve as the primary sales representative for Triton Digital’s podcast measurement offerings in the U.S., expanding access to Triton’s measurement solutions through Nielsen’s established publisher, agency, and advertiser relationships.

Grey divorce rates among couples over 50 have doubled in the last thirty years. Researchers point to many causes. Judy and David point to one that nobody is talking about loudly enough: perimenopause. Most menopause content talks only to women. Marriage and Menopause talks to couples. 

It is the only show in the space co-hosted by both partners, built from their real journals and emails written during the years when perimenopause nearly dismantled their marriage. GenX built its identity on not being told what to feel or how to handle it. This show is exactly that.

Judy and David are a GenX couple based in Savannah, Georgia. They are not clinicians; they are just a couple surviving menopause together. Judy spent years navigating symptoms that were dismissed, misdiagnosed, and minimized before she got the care she needed. She is done being quiet about it. David spent those same years watching his wife change into a shell of herself, and not understanding why. Together, they nearly lost their marriage before either of them had a name for what was happening.

"Nobody hands you a manual," said David. "One day your wife is fine, the next day your jokes are wrong, your libido is gone, and you feel like you are failing a test you never studied for."

The show covers the topics most couples need: menopausal rage, desire loss, medical gaslighting, the husband's experience, and what it actually takes to rebuild your connection when hormones have declined. 

Judy brings the fire of a woman who was failed by a medical system that told her, “It’s just stress,” and she had had enough. David brings the perspective of a husband who got it wrong, stayed anyway, and wants other men to stop making the same mistakes he made. Every episode leads with a real story and backs it up with science.

The GenX audience is the most underserved demographic in the menopause conversation. They grew up being told to push through. They watched their mothers suffer in silence. They are not interested in doing the same. Marriage and Menopause meets them exactly where they are: angry, uninformed, and ready for something real.

The couple's angle on menopause is almost entirely unoccupied in podcasting. Most content excludes husbands entirely. Judy and David built this show because they know firsthand what it costs a marriage when nobody is honest about what perimenopause actually does. They are passionate about reaching couples before they reach for a lawyer.

The show is available on all major platforms. A free Menopause for Men Playbook for husbands is available online.

Five‑year‑old Ruby Webb never set out to create an award‑nominated podcast.

She was simply doing what kids do best, laughing through piggyback rides on Aunty Stacey’s back during a sunny beach walk in Townsville, while a very cheeky hat refused to stay on her head.

Somewhere between the salty breeze and the hat popping back on yet again, Ruby burst into giggles and declared, “It’s Hat Business time.”

That joyful moment sparked Hat Business – Fun Stories for Kids, the imaginative children’s podcast now nominated for Best Children’s Entertainment Podcast at the Australian Audio Awards, alongside Bluey: Listen Along.

The awards will be announced on May 28 at Carriageworks, Sydney, on the closing night of Mumbrella360, placing Ruby’s home‑grown idea among Australia’s most recognised children’s storytelling brands.

In a category dominated by global entertainment giants and household names, Hat Business has emerged as a modern‑day David vs Goliath story. Created from a spontaneous beachside moment in regional Queensland, the independently produced podcast now finds itself standing alongside one of Australia’s biggest children’s brands on the national awards stage.

Hat Business follows Ruby and her Hat as they leap into adventures filled with giggles, curious problem‑solving, brave little wins and all the wonderful magic of childhood. Each episode captures moments kids know best, sandy toes, big feelings, tiny triumphs and tumbles that end in laughter.

Ruby’s mum, Townsville audio producer Allison Rasmussen, helped turn the spontaneous idea into a polished podcast through her production company Audio Cowboy.

“For me, this nomination feels incredibly special,” Allison said. “It all started with Ruby at the beach laughing and singing. When she said, ‘It’s Hat Business time,’ it instantly felt like the beginning of something.”

While the stories are driven by Ruby’s imagination and curiosity, the podcast also carries Allison’s award‑winning audio craftsmanship. She previously won Best Achievement in Production at the 2019 ACRAS, but says this nomination feels different.

“This one has Ruby’s fingerprints all over it. Her curiosity, her adventures and her joy are what made Hat Business what it is.” Since launch, the Townsville‑made podcast has become a favourite with families and children aged four to eight, with weekly episodes encouraging imagination, curiosity and sun‑safe outdoor play.

The show has also attracted some familiar voices, with Triple M favourites Guy “Cliffo” Clifton, Cliff “CK” Kern and Steve “Pricey” Price making playful cameo appearances for listening parents.

From a sunny beach walk in Townsville to a national awards stage normally reserved for entertainment giants, Ruby's Hat Business is a modern‑day David vs Goliath story, proving that big ideas can come from the smallest voices.

Cette levée de fonds a été réalisée auprès des fonds Elevation Capital Partners, Founders Future et Bpifrance, qui accompagnent Audion dans cette nouvelle phase de croissance et d’internationalisation.

Fondée en 2018 par Arthur Larrey et Kamel El Hadef, Audion s’est rapidement imposée comme l’un des acteurs pionniers de l’audio digital en Europe. Après une première levée de 1,1 million d’euros en 2019, suivie d’une seconde de 6 millions d’euros en 2022, la société a développé des solutions technologiques innovantes et performantes à destination des annonceurs et de leurs agences média.

Avec plus de 1500 clients à l’échelle internationale, Audion s’est imposé comme l’un des acteurs clé de la publicité audio digitale en Europe. Début 2026, l’entreprise a lancé Audion AI, la première suite d’agents IA dédiée à l’audio performance, conçue pour automatiser et optimiser les campagnes à grande échelle et maximiser l'impact business des marques et des agences médias. Cette suite propriétaire répond aux mutations profondes du marché, marquées par la convergence de l’audio, de la vidéo et de l’IA. Grâce à des agents IA spécialisés, Audion AI permet notamment de qualifier et activer des audiences en multimodal, de générer des spots publicitaires via la GenAI et d’optimiser en continu les campagnes pour maximiser le ROI des marques.

Avec cette nouvelle levée de fonds, Audion ambitionne de devenir un leader international de l’audio digital, en s’appuyant sur ses positions déjà très établies en Europe - notamment en France, Italie, Royaume-Uni, Allemagne, Belgique et aux Pays-Bas - et sur son expansion prochaine aux États-Unis.

Dans ce cadre, Arthur Larrey prendra la direction des opérations d’Audion aux États-Unis afin d’y structurer le développement commercial et opérationnel. L’entreprise prévoit de recruter une dizaine de profils experts d’ici la fin de l’année pour accompagner cette implantation stratégique.

« Cette levée marque un tournant : la convergence de l’audio, de la vidéo et de l’IA redéfinit le marché et permet à l’audio de devenir un véritable canal de performance. Les États-Unis, premier marché mondial, sont notre prochaine étape pour accélérer et confirmer la traction d’Audion AI à l’échelle internationale » déclare Arthur Larrey, co-fondateur d’Audion

« Le lancement aux États-Unis s’inscrit dans la continuité de notre développement en Europe, où nous accompagnons déjà de nombreux annonceurs et agences média. Cette expansion va nous permettre de déployer notre expertise à plus grande échelle et de soutenir nos clients sur un marché en très forte évolution » ajoute Kamel El Hadef, co-fondateur d’Audion.

Async, the AI-powered content creation platform formerly known as Podcastle, has released an open benchmark measuring how accurately commercial streaming TTS (text-to-speech) systems pronounce non-standard text. This includes dates, currencies, phone numbers, and similar content under real production conditions.

The voice AI market crossed $22 billion globally in 2026, with the voice AI agents segment alone projected to reach $47.5 billion by 2034. As real-time voice agents move from experimentation to production across industries, these limitations become increasingly visible. The mispronunciation of a payment confirmation or a callback number erodes trust and creates compliance risk. The results reveal significant failure rates across leading providers when tested through their streaming interfaces without preprocessing.

"Normalization failures in streaming TTS produce no signal in standard monitoring – latency is fine, the audio is valid, nothing errors out," said Arto Yeritsyan, CEO of Async. "A model update that improves voice quality but breaks phone number handling looks like a win on every dashboard. Teams need to measure this explicitly before it reaches users."

The evaluation covers 1,000+ sentences with 2,200+ non-standard words (e.g., “03/15/2024” or “$4.99”) across 31 categories. Every audio sample was generated through each provider's streaming API with no text preprocessing applied, under the same conditions used in production voice agents. 

Judging was performed by Gemini 2.5 Pro with category-specific rubrics, validated at over 90% agreement with human annotators. The full dataset, audio samples, and evaluation methodology are publicly available.

Async Flash v1.0 achieved the highest performance across both unit-level and sentence-level accuracy among the evaluated models.

The full benchmark dataset, audio samples, and evaluation methodology are publicly available on Hugging Face. Async invites the research community and TTS providers to examine the data and submit additional models for evaluation as the benchmark expands to new categories and languages.

Carlo joins Corsa Digital after five years at Equativ (formerly Sharethrough), where he focused on programmatic sales across video and native formats. Prior to that, he worked at agency trading desks, Accuen (OMD) and Amnet (Dentsu).

“Carlo is one of the most respected voices across omnichannel programmatic formats,” said Brandon Belsky, EVP of Global Strategy for Corsa Digital. “His background in programmatic buying and selling makes him an invaluable addition as we expand into CTV and scale Corsa’s marketplace, continuing to deliver transparent, high-performing solutions for agencies and brands.”

“Corsa is building exactly what the industry needs—an agile, transparent, and performance-focused omnichannel marketplace spanning audio, CTV, video, and display,” said Carlo. “I’m excited to join Brandon and Richard to help lead this next phase of growth, expanding our CTV capabilities while enabling brands and agencies to connect with audiences more effectively across channels.”

Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Austin, Corsa Digital has rapidly emerged as the go-to marketplace for performance-driven media agencies seeking scale, precision, and transparency in digital audio. With over five billion monthly impressions and direct access to top premium publishers, Corsa enables advertisers to reach tuned-in audiences through highly targeted, optimized programmatic deals supported by accurate, real-time reporting.

With its expansion into CTV, video, and display, Corsa is extending these capabilities into a more unified, omnichannel offering for agencies and brands.

PAVE Studios, an entertainment company specializing in creator-led IP across video, audio, live experiences, and more, has today announced the launch of Rewind, a new brand focused on delivering thoughtful, modern storytelling for audiences who are obsessed with history and the stories that go beyond what is taught in classrooms.

Rewind explores significant moments, unresolved questions, and lesser‑examined narratives from the past, presenting them with a contemporary voice. From the infamous to the unexplained, and everything in between, Rewind is home to the stories that history forgot to finish, unraveling the collapses, mysteries, and secrets that some tried to bury – and the stories that refuse to stay forgotten.

The launch builds on PAVE Studios’ growth since its founding in April 2024. Over the past two years, the company has expanded its audience and portfolio of owned content. It has launched and developed successful brands Crime House (true crime) and Open Mind (featuring big, unfiltered personalities such as Khloé Kardashian). Thanks to the success of shows such as Clues, Khloé in Wonder Land, and Murder True Crime Stories, and a strategy of nurturing a creator network that reaches more than 350 million followers /subscribers – including 50 million across Crime House alone), PAVE Studios has shown an average monthly growth rate in the double digits, with more than 10 million per month watching/listening via Apple, Spotify, YouTube and other top platforms. 

“Creators are no longer just a part of the entertainment industry. They are the entertainment industry. The studios that thrive in this new era will be the ones built to amplify multi-hyphenate storytellers across every format, from long- and short-form video to audio and social,” said Cutler. “History has proven itself as a genre that attracts big, loyal audiences interested in high-quality programming. The creators we are choosing to work with have unique voices that we believe will be a strong foundation on which we will build Rewind into our next big brand.”

Many creators and shows will be announced in the coming months with Rewind planning to premiere at least five new original video series this year, all developed and owned by PAVE Studios, and also available as audio podcasts. The initial creators signed with PAVE Studios to work under the Rewind brand are: 

• Connor Tomlinson – a breakout star and fan favorite from Seasons 2, 3 and 4 of Netflix’s Love on the Spectrum U.S., the Emmy-winning docuseries. Living with Level 1 Autism, Connor has built a loyal following of over 2.8 million fans on his social media. He uses his platform to connect with audiences and champion visibility, understanding, and representation for the neurodivergent community. Connor is known for his quick wit, big heart, and deep love of history, British culture, and his Pomeranian, Coco. 
• Greg Jackson – best known as the creator and host of the top 10 podcast History That Doesn't' Suck, Dr. Jackson holds a PhD in history, is a tenured Associate Professor and Senior Fellow in National Security Studies, as well as Fellow of Integrated Studies at Utah Valley University. He is also a frequent commentator in HISTORY® Channel documentaries including History’s Greatest of All Time with Peyton Manning, How Disney Built America, and Abraham Lincoln executive produced by Doris Kearns Goodwin. His recent book, Been There, Done That: How Today’s Crises Are The Same As Yesteryear’s – And Can Be Overcome was published by Simon & Schuster in 2025.
• Harini Bhat – A clinical pharmacist and science storyteller obsessed with questions that don't have answers, Dr. Bhat has built a following of 2.5 million by making complex science feel like something you can't stop watching. Her popular YouTube series Today I Learned Science boasts 105 million views and 650K+ subscribers. She also hosts PBS’ In the Margins, an NAACP-nominated series bridging digital-first science with premium educational TV.
• Lindsey Cormack – an associate professor of Political Science at Stevens Institute of Technology, Dr. Cormack has authored two books, How to Raise a Citizen (And Why it’s Up to You to Do It) and Congress and U.S. Veterans: From the GI Bill to the VA Crisis. She earned her PhD in Government from New York University and created and maintains the digital database of all official Congress-to-constituent e-newsletters at www.dcinbox.com.

Rewind content will be available on YouTube and on top podcast platforms, beginning with Hidden History (premieres May 11) and Government That Doesn’t Suck (premieres in July). 

PAVE Studios’ launch of Rewind aligns with continued growth in demand for history‑based content across digital platforms. According to The Podcast Landscape 2025 by Sounds Profitable, 22% of monthly podcast consumers listen to or watch History-themed podcasts each month. In fact, the popularity of history content continues to grow across both audio (where it’s a top 10 category each year, and according to Acast, in 2021 grew +409%) and video (from YouTube to long-form TV series, including reality, docu-style, and historical dramas).

RESONATE Podcast Festival, the celebrated gathering for audio storytelling and narrative podcasting, today announced its first-ever African edition: RESONATE Podcast Festival Cape Town, taking place Friday and Saturday, February 19–20, 2027, at the Homecoming Centre.

Curated by RESONATE founder Chioke l'Anson at The Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU and produced in partnership with Radio Workshop, RESONATE Podcast Festival Cape Town will bring together leading voices in audio from around the world alongside a vibrant program rooted in Cape Town's creative community.

"This is the same festival, on a different continent," said l'Anson.

"We're excited to bring the RESONATE spirit to Africa for the first time, and to do it in Cape Town. It’s a pivotal moment for the continent’s rapidly expanding audio storytelling landscape."

The festival coincides with the Investec Cape Town Art Fair, the largest art fair on the African continent, making the weekend a landmark cultural event across disciplines. Mid-February in Cape Town falls at the height of summer, offering international attendees ideal conditions alongside world-class programming.

Tickets go on sale July 15, 2026, priced at $100 per ticket.

In the lead-up to the festival, RESONATE and Radio Workshop will launch the RESONATE Story Lab: Africa Otherwise, a six-month audio documentary residency supporting a cohort of Africa-based storytellers. Applications are open now with a deadline of May 11, 2026.

iVoox, the leading Spanish-language podcast platform, is making its debut on television with its first-ever advertising campaign in the medium. The initiative was developed by independent creative agency Drop&Vase and launched across Mediaset España channels.

Under the creative concept “You’ll never run out of iVoox,” the campaign highlights one of the platform’s key strengths: the vast diversity of content available on iVoox. The spots focus on two of the most popular podcast genres — true crime and comedy — portraying listening situations that are both familiar and unexpected, such as listening to crime stories before going to sleep or doing household chores while enjoying an entertainment podcast.

Through humor and exaggeration, the pieces capture small, relatable micro-insights that all listeners recognize — from laughing at the questionable decisions made by characters in chilling stories, to imagining ourselves as ninjas while listening to a historical narrative. The result is a campaign that combines audio connection, everyday humor, and a highly realistic observation of user behavior, set to run in two waves throughout the year.

Laura Torner, Marketing Director at iVoox, explains: “Moving into television was an opportunity to continue championing the power of audio and independent, diverse podcasting. With this campaign, we aimed to connect through a close, relatable approach, reflecting real listening habits and continuing to build brand awareness.”

An agency with startup DNA


The creative work was developed by Drop&Vase, an agency founded in 2013 by Ana Vida and David Freixanet. Since its inception, the agency has specialized in strategy and brand-building for tech startups, contributing to the growth of companies such as Wallapop, Glovo, Badi, eCooltra, and Job Today. Its track record is closely tied to projects that have redefined entire categories, positioning it as an independent agency with strong strategic and creative DNA.

Ana Vida, founder and Creative Director of Drop&Vase, adds: “One of the things that attracted us most to iVoox was its ability to grow around a powerful idea and a high-quality product while maintaining its independence. In a landscape where many startups lose their essence as they scale, iVoox has managed to preserve that original magic. It has incredible potential in terms of people, product, and vision.” The spot was produced in Barcelona together with Retina Contents, which led the production process. The piece embraces a narrative driven by sound and tension, aligned with podcast DNA and the true crime genre, blending suspense and humor to reinforce brand recall.

An independent story in a market dominated by giants

Since its founding in 2010, iVoox has established itself as one of the leading players in the Spanish-language audio ecosystem, with more than 5 million monthly unique users and the largest podcast catalog in Spanish. After more than a decade driving the professionalization of podcasting in Spain and Latin America, the brand is now entering a new phase of growth and visibility by embracing a mass medium like television, alongside its strategic partner Mediaset España.

In a sector dominated by global tech giants, iVoox has built its growth while maintaining independence and a strong focus on product and community. The Spanish company has evolved from a pioneering startup into a complete ecosystem for listening, discovery, and monetization of content, competing with international platforms. This independent positioning — increasingly rare in today’s digital landscape — has allowed it to preserve a distinct identity and maintain a direct relationship with its community of creators and listeners.

Podnews has captioned the tv spot in English below. Turn on captions in your browser if you need them.

Marcus and Megan Bagala are bringing a new kind of indie ambition to this year’s Tribeca Festival. The husband-and-wife podcast veterans, whose work spans top shows for DC (DC High Volume: Batman), Marvel, Star Trek: Khan, Gimlet, Spotify, and Wondery, have been selected for the festival’s audio lineup with The Dolos Project, an original psychological sci-fi thriller.

Set in an alternate 1987, The Dolos Project begins in the aftermath of Earth’s nuclear annihilation. From a remote space station, co-pilots David and Sarah, alongside their AI companion SAI, may be the last remnants of humanity. As they search for survivors, an unsettling question emerges: what if nothing is as it seems?

An intimate, cerebral thriller, the series explores the psychological toll of total loss, the fragile persistence of hope, and the moral trade-offs behind advancing artificial intelligence. It combines retro-futurist worldbuilding with a deeply contained, character-driven narrative designed to place listeners inside a claustrophobic station at the edge of the end of the world.

For the first time in public, Podnews can share the full video trailer here:

The project marks a major pivot for the Bagalas, who have spent the past decade shaping hit podcasts across the industry. With The Dolos Project, they’ve independently built a premium fiction series from the ground up, writing, directing, producing, and composing the pilot themselves. Season one is structured as an eight-episode, half-hour audio drama, with a sustainable production model aimed at delivering cinematic storytelling at an indie scale.

The pilot, premiering at Tribeca, features a cast of stage and screen talent, including Kelsey Lea Jones (Beef Season 2) and Lexi Rabadi (Operation Mincemeat on Broadway), and showcases sound design talent with credits tied to Quiet Part Loud, Spotify’s #1 fiction podcast from Monkeypaw and Gimlet. Following its Tribeca debut, the team is seeking partners for a full eight-episode season, targeted for release in late 2025 or early 2026.

Richard Bacon returns to his broadcasting roots with a new ongoing interview series asking successful people the question that keeps him up at night: Why Are You More Successful Than Me?

Launching today, the new ongoing weekly audio and video podcast sees Richard sitting down with people he finds genuinely fascinating - from cultural powerhouses to broadcasters, writers, athletes, CEOs and creatives who have achieved extraordinary things.

Richard says: “I’ve missed interviewing. I’ve missed sitting down with people I’m genuinely interested in, people who are driven, who’ve built things, who’ve taken risks, and really finding out what makes them tick. Success fascinates us all. I want to understand what it actually is, and how it really happens.”

On the show, Richard meets people he believes are more successful than him to ask them why. Don’t be thinking Richard isn’t successful. He is. He’s doing absolutely fine. But this series isn’t about Richard’s insecurity. It’s about curiosity, ambition and what really drives people who operate at the top of their fields.

Each episode dives deep into what success actually means. Is it money? Freedom? Recognition? Impact? Security? Or something harder to define? Through candid, probing and often disarming conversations, Richard explores the habits, psychology, advantages, failures and turning points that shape high achievement.

The series launches with Gary Lineker, Dexter Fletcher and continues with Elizabeth Day, Emma Barnett, Lynda La Plante, Chris Chibnall, Caroline Hirons, Chris McCausland, Ash Atalla, Miles Kane.

For Richard, the podcast marks a return to the broadcasting he loves most. After more than two decades as a television and radio host on both sides of the Atlantic, and currently an inventive and influential global format creator, this series brings him back to his favourite place: sitting across from someone interesting and getting them to talk.

Why Are You More Successful Than Me? is produced by Yes Yes Media and launches today, 23rd April, on all major podcast platforms, with full video episodes available on Spotify & YouTube.

“When you look at what Ian, Johnny, Ryan, Glenn, Tyler, Liz, and Joe have built, you see creators who didn't wait for permission, they went and found their audiences and earned their loyalty,” said Stephen Perlstein, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Libsyn. “That's exactly who Libsyn isbuilt for. We're here to give those creators the infrastructure, the ad revenue, and the distribution, including through our direct integrations with the Spotify Partner Program and Apple Podcasts video, to turn what they've built into a real, lasting business.”

Locked In with Ian Bick reaches a highly engaged audience interested in real-life stories of redemption, second chances, and the criminal justice system, offering brands a meaningful way to connect with listeners who value authenticity and personal transformation. The show features candidconversations with individuals directly impacted by the justice system, giving voice to experiences that are rarely heard and building a loyal, repeat-listening audience.

Ian Bick said, “I started Locked In to give people a real voice and share stories that don’t usually get told. With Libsyn, we can take our podcast further by expanding across formats while continuing to elevate voices that deserve to be heard.”

Unlearned Wisdom with Johnny Chang Unlearned Wisdom with Johnny Chang draws a values-driven audience seeking guidance, faith-based insight, and spiritual growth, creating a natural environment for brands aligned with purpose and personal development. Hosted by ex-gang member turned pastor, Johnny Chang, the show explores spirituality, life change, and emotional healing, resonating deeply with listeners looking for clarity and direction.

"I'm not trying to be polished. I'm trying to be real about the Gospel, pain, and everything in between. Libsyn gives us the reach to do that at a bigger scale," commented Johnny Chang.

Restricted Handling appeals to a highly informed audience interested in geopolitics, intelligence, and global security, offering advertisers access to listeners who value expertise, insight, and real-worldperspective. Hosted by former CIA and U.S. Army Officer Ryan Fugit and retired CIA Senior Intelligence Service Officer Glenn Corn, the show delivers insider analysis on global events and security issues, creating a focused and attentive listener base.

“We built Restricted Handling to offer a perspective you can’t get from headlines – grounded in real-world experience and decades inside the intelligence community. Partnering with Libsyn allows us to grow the show while maintaining the depth and credibility our audience expects,” noted Ryan Fugitand Glenn Corn.

Was I In a Cult? reaches curious, story-driven listeners drawn to real-life experiences where belief, identity, and belonging collide. Hosted by documentary filmmaker Tyler Measom and writer/comedian Liz Iacuzzi, the show blends investigative storytelling with wry, irreverent humor -- unpacking the messy, complex realities of cultic environments through the voices of those who lived them. With a tone that’s equal parts empathetic, irreverent, and deeply human, the podcast creates a uniquely compelling space for brands looking to connect through authentic, narrative-driven storytelling.

Tyler Measom and Liz Iacuzzi added,"Cults are sad and scary, but they’re also funny. And, as cult survivors ourselves, we’ve found that humor is essential to telling these stories, not only for us as creatives, but for the survivors themselves. We’re excited that Libsyn understood that right away andwill help us expand our smart, weird in the best way, and deeply loyal audience.” 

The Joe Vulpis Podcast attracts a pop culture-savvy, digitally native audience that follows entertainment, celebrity, and viral moments, making it an ideal platform for brands looking to tap into culture and conversation at scale. Known for interviews with high-profile guests – from renowned wildlife biologists and Emmy Award-winning TV stars to top TikTok creators and New York Times No. 1 bestselling authors – and behind-the-scenes stories, the show consistently drives strong engagement and shareable content across platforms.

Joe Vulpis shared, “I’ve always wanted the show to feel like you’re getting the real story behind the people you see everywhere else – what actually happens when the cameras aren’t rolling. Partnering with Libsyn lets us take that even further, bringing that experience across more platforms and bringing it to bigger audiences.”

Libsyn delivers podcast hosting built for creators who are serious about growth, combining intuitive workflows with advanced analytics, audio and video publishing, and integrated monetization and marketing tools. The platform gives growth-minded creators the support they need to scale their shows, expand their audiences, and build lasting brands without giving up creative control. As a launch partner for Spotify’s video distribution API and a recently announced partner for Apple’s HLS-enabled video in Apple Podcasts, Libsyn also enables creators to publish once and distribute seamlessly across both platform-controlled ecosystems like YouTube and Spotify, as well as open podcast environments like Apple.

Libsyn Ads empowers brands to effectively target and reach a fast-growing and coveted podcast audience while helping creators monetize their audio and video content. The ad buying and management platform delivers end-to-end capabilities, streamlining the process for podcast advertisers to initiate and oversee highly targeted and measurable campaigns, while maximizing returns for creators. These partnership leverages Libsyn Ads’ advanced solutions, including Host-Read Ads for episodic and simulcast formats, programmatic Automatic Podcast Ads, Dynamic Ad Insertion by episode or across the full catalog, and Integrated Brand Opportunities, allowing the shows to seamlessly integrate premium brand messaging that matches the energy of each show while maintaining a compelling audience experience.

To extend this even further, the Libsyn Audience Network (LAN) gives advertisers a scalable, brand-safe way to reach audiences across Libsyn’s portfolio – while still aligning with premium creator content. With audience-based targeting across both new episodes and full catalogs, LAN allowsbrands to combine the authenticity of host-read ads with the scale of broader inventory, all supported by Libsyn Ads’ buying, measurement, and campaign management capabilities.

For more information or to advertise on Locked In with Ian Bick, Unlearned Wisdom with Johnny Chang, Restricted Handling, Was I In a Cult?, and The Joe Vulpis Podcast, please contact ad-sales@libsyn.com.

Audiences can now find SANEtv’s 24/7 stream of political analysis, culture deep-dives, and sharp-witted commentary on Amazon Prime Video, with plans to further expand in FAST TV and streaming to be announced.

SANEtv features a robust lineup of Crooked Media’s popular shows, including: Pod Save America, Pod Save the World, Lovett or Leave It, What A Day, Hysteria, Keep It, Offline with Jon Favreau, Strict Scrutiny, Runaway Country with Alex Wagner, Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, This F*cking Guy and more Crooked digital series.

"By bringing our roster of voices to FAST platforms, we’re moving beyond the traditional podcast space to compete directly with aggressive right-wing media, bringing our pro-democracy perspective into living rooms everywhere, meeting our audience where they are with the insider expertise and 'no-bullshit' analysis they can’t find anywhere else," said Lucinda Treat, CEO of Crooked Media.

Earlier this year, the media company founded by Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Tommy Vietor, also premiered “Crooked on MS NOW,” a new weekly compilation show airing weekly on MS NOW every Saturday. This was the strongest launch for a new MS NOW series among total viewers in three years, according to MS NOW, and its strongest launch in the demo in more than four years.

Crooked Media’s current podcast lineup generates more than 30 million monthly downloads, consistently topping competitive charts, with flagship Pod Save America reaching more than one million fans per episode. Recent guests across programming are some of the most interesting and impactful voices in politics and culture, including former President Barack Obama, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Chris Murphy, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, former FTC Commissioner Lina Khan, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Jane Fonda, Chrissy Teigen, and more.

Crooked's subscription Friends of the Pod shares exclusive content and access with fans across Substack, YouTube, Supercast, and Apple Podcasts. In addition, Crooked has a robust touring and live events business, including its first-ever Crooked Con in 2025, a merch and ecommerce business, a growing portfolio of newsletters, and expansions across audio, digital, film, and television. Crooked has earned more than 80 awards and nominations, from the Webbys and Tribeca Honors to a prestigious Peabody Award nomination, underscoring its impact and influence across the media landscape.

About SANEtv

Want to keep up with politics without losing your mind? SANEtv (Save America News and Entertainment) is here. We're the free always-on news and entertainment channel with expert analysis, freewheeling conversations, and 100 percent correct opinions - brought to you by your friends at Crooked Media and Pod Save America. We'll cover the latest, from the House to the Housewives, and all the news in between. If you're mad or worried or even a little bit hopeful (when nobody's looking) come hang with us. Because politics isn't just about what's broken, it's about what all of us can do to fix it - while occasionally laughing at inappropriate times.

Where to Watch

Viewers can access SANEtv immediately through: Amazon Prime Video: Available on all compatible smart TVs, mobile devices, and consoles.

The partnership will combine CMG’s experience in international production and development and Stak’s expertise in premium narrative podcast production. It will foster a new slate of gripping and character-driven stories for audio, as well as premium documentary and scripted drama.

CMG and Stak have selected four original projects for the initial slate all of which involve sport and crime, including stories from the UK, US, South Africa, and Latin America. They are currently in development stages and in discussions with platforms and commissioners.

CMG will produce and implement a broader content development strategy for each project to adapt the stories into other formats and genres. The partnership creates a long-term pipeline for premium IP creation, focused on stories based on gripping narratives that can travel for global audiences.

CMG is known for its unscripted slate specialising in sports and crime stories. CMG has worked with networks and studios including Netflix, Sky, ITV, NBC Peacock, and Paramount+ delivering programming including award-winning documentary The Footballer, His Wife and the Crash, and true crime feature documentaries including The Footballer Fraudster, The Durban Axe Murderer: The Rugby Killer, and Death in the Heartlands.

Stak is a multi award-winning independent podcast company and home to some of the UK's biggest shows, including The Football Ramble, P1 with Matt and Tommy, and their sports documentary anthology series, Legacy - drawing millions of downloads every month from listeners all around the world. Stak is renowned for their ground-breaking narrative work, including Dancing with Shadows, which won multiple NYC Podcast Awards 2026; The English Disease, which won Podcast of the Year at the Sports Journalism Awards 2024; and their latest series Defiant, nominated for Best Limited Series Podcast at this year's SJAs. Stak's exploration into the most compelling stories in sport goes beyond titles and scoreboards - it's all about the universal human stories rooted in the biggest sporting moments in history.

Claire McArdle, Co-CEO of CMG Productions says “It was clear from our first conversations with Stak that we were aligned on how to tell these captivating stories in the sport and crime space. Stak are leaders in the podcast production industry, and this partnership is an opportunity to bring these high-stakes stories to life in audio formats and beyond. We’re delighted to be working with their team to make that happen.”.

Nicky Anderson, Head of Narrative at Stak says: “Working with CMG is an exciting new venture for us, and one we’re really looking forward to building on. This collaboration is about bringing together two leading creative companies in their respective fields, that are united by a shared belief in the power of storytelling and a commitment to evolving the formats and mediums through which those stories are told.”

“Dawn has played a meaningful role in shaping the modern media and advertising landscape, and throughout her career has guided countless organizations through periods of significant transformation and digital evolution,” said Ikkjin Ahn, Co-Founder and CEO of Moloco. “As we look to make our own mark across the industry and move the entire digital ecosystem forward, Dawn’s experience leading major global organizations will be invaluable in guiding our next chapter.”

Ostroff is a seasoned media and technology executive known for building and scaling content and advertising businesses. She currently serves as an independent director on the boards of Mattel and Sweetgreen, and supports AI innovation through her advisory work with various hypergrowth startups. Ostroff previously served as Chief Content and Advertising Business Officer at Spotify, where she oversaw global content strategy and helped grow its advertising business into a scaled, data-driven platform.

“The Internet economy is increasingly shaped by data and AI systems,” said Ostroff. “Moloco is well-positioned to help businesses navigate that shift, and I’m excited to join the Board at such an important moment for the industry.”

Moloco is a global AI advertising company built to power growth on the open Internet. The company uses advanced AI systems to unlock the open Internet's full potential for app developers, retailers, and every business looking to drive outcomes. Moloco Ads enables mobile app marketers to find and engage the customers who will move their business across over two billion consumers on more than two million mobile apps and a growing number of connected TV platforms. Moloco Commerce Media brings the same power to retailers and marketplaces, delivering highly relevant, targeted experiences that deepen customer engagement and turn digital storefronts into revenue-generating ad businesses. Across its offerings, Moloco is dedicated to democratizing access to AI advertising – bringing the advanced intelligence and technology once reserved for tech giants to the open Internet and helping to shape the future of the digital ecosystem.

With the appointment of Ostroff, Moloco further strengthens its Board as it advances its vision to be the scaling engine for the Internet economy, building AI infrastructure that enables businesses worldwide to grow and compete. She joins independent directors Sabrina Simmons, Chief Financial Officer at Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc., and Pat Wadors, Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer at Intuitive Surgical Inc.

About Moloco

Moloco is an AI-native performance advertising company built for the open Internet. Founded in 2013, Moloco has spent more than a decade building AI systems that make ads more effective and has dedicated itself to shaping the future of the Internet economy. Its core business, Moloco Ads, is an AI-native performance advertising platform that empowers mobile app marketers to drive real business outcomes across millions of mobile apps and a growing number of connected TV platforms. Moloco Commerce Media, the company's AI-native retail media business, enables retailers and marketplaces to build ad businesses that balance shopper experience with advertiser performance. Moloco's solutions reach over 200 countries and territories, and the company has offices throughout the US, the UK, Germany, Korea, China, India, Japan, and Singapore.

Amazon and New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce announced today a special edition of their Wondery podcast, “New Heights Live in LA” at the historic Orpheum Theatre on June 15. The live podcast will take place in front of thousands of New Heights fans – 92%ers – and soccer fans alike, as the world soccer championship begins. The event will be sponsored by Enterprise as the official rental partner. Xfinity is the event's associate sponsor. Tickets can be purchased at HERE starting April 27.

“New Heights Live in LA” will mix the Kelce brothers’ energy and comedy with the excitement of a different kind of football, all delivered with the authenticity that’s made New Heights a cultural phenomenon. This live event will feature special appearances, including surprise celebrity guests, interactive audience opportunities, giveaways, and more. The “New Heights Live in LA” recorded episode will be available on YouTube, Prime Video, and wherever podcasts are available on Wednesday, June 17.

Jason and Travis Kelce shared, "We’re excited to announce we’re getting outta the house this summer and bringing our live show to the West Coast for ‘New Heights Live in LA.’ When the World Cup is bringing the world together, we couldn’t think of a better time to party with the 92%ers. The energy of a live show is unmatched, and we can’t wait to have some unforgettable moments with the fans, have a blast with some ‘friends of the show,’ and get everyone fired up to cheer on Team USA.”

“New Heights Live in LA” is an example of how Amazon partners with creators like Jason and Travis Kelce to build an expanding universe for fans that extends beyond their core show,” said Matt Sandler, GM, Creator Services, Amazon. “Following the launch of the Kelce Clubhouse retail destination, expanding New Heights further into live experiences was a natural evolution. We’re enabling creators to connect with fans, collaborate with brands, and build cultural moments across multiple channels – from content, to commerce, live events, and beyond."

“New Heights Live in LA” marks the next milestone between Amazon and New Heights, following the groundbreaking launch of the Kelce Clubhouse, a trailblazing retail destination that launched in January, that brings together commerce and content in innovative and immersive ways. In the Clubhouse, fans can watch clips from their hit podcast; access the latest episodes through YouTube and Prime Video; and get must-have exclusive products, including collaborations with license partners and pre-order their published book No Dumb Questions.

The collaboration with New Heights shows how Amazon works with leading creators to grow their businesses across content, commerce, and live experiences, while creating new ways for brands and fans to engage with the New Heights universe.

For the first time ever, we’re releasing the 2025 Top Ten Kids Podcasts for people 12 and under.

The Top Ten Kids Podcasts Among Kids 12 and Under

Podcasts Detail

• 1 Wow in the World
• 2 Brains On!
• 3 Story Pirates
• 4 Circle Round
• 5 But Why 
• 6 Smash Boom Best
• 7 Tumble Science Podcast for Kids
• 8 Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls
• 9 What If World
• 10 Little Stories for Tiny People

As with many older podcast listeners, kids are drawn to shows that feature immersive stories and help them learn new and interesting things. The titles listed in the graphic above are already engaging with the next generation of spoken-word audio consumers, helping to solidify podcasts into their audio listening habits. Find out more about a full subscription to Edison Podcast Metrics, the only podcast measurement service that measures consumption, not downloads, across all networks, shows, and platforms.

Amazon Ads and Global, the Media & Entertainment group, today announced a programmatic integration which gives advertisers using Amazon DSP access to the UK's biggest commercial audio brands including Heart, Capital, and Smooth.

The programmatic partnership integrates Amazon DSP directly with DAX, Global's pioneering digital ad exchange, which offers market-leading programmatic and data capabilities. It brings Amazon's trillions of shopping, streaming, and browsing signals together with Global’s millions of listeners, enabling advertisers to reach engaged audiences at scale with full-funnel measurement and attribution.

From today advertisers in the UK will be able to access these audiences online, on mobile, via the Global Player app, and on smart speakers, including Alexa through Amazon DSP.

Global’s radio brands attracted more than 1 billion listening hours in 2025 in the UK on Alexa, where listeners can live stream Capital, Heart, Classic FM, LBC, Smooth, Radio X, Capital XTRA and Gold Radio, rewind and catch up on shows, and browse thousands of podcasts and playlists.

The integration is the latest collaboration between the two companies, building on a relationship that began with Global’s first audio ad on Alexa in 2017. It delivers a better advertising experience when listening to Global on Alexa and makes it easier for brands to reach relevant audiences at scale.

"By combining Global's iconic audio brands, which reach millions of listeners throughout their day, with Amazon first-party signals, AI-powered tools, and measurement capabilities, we're creating powerful new ways for advertisers to connect with engaged audiences at scale,” said Phil Christer, Managing Director, UK, Amazon Ads. “Amazon DSP now offers advertisers extensive reach across premium audio in the UK, setting a new standard for how brands plan, activate, and measure audio advertising."

"Global's radio brands are the most listened to on smart speakers. Building on a long history of innovation with Amazon and Alexa, this programmatic partnership is another positive collaboration," said Tom Streetley, Director, Commercial DAX Audio at Global. "By combining the scale and reach of Global's radio brands with audience signals from Amazon Ads, we're giving advertisers the tools to reach millions of relevant listeners, confidently measure the impact of their digital audio investment, and provide clear proof of performance and business outcomes."

Global’s podcast portfolio will also be available later this year - from The News Agents, hosted by the UK’s top journalists Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall, to My Therapist Ghosted Me with Vogue Williams and Joanne McNally, and brand-new Formula 1 show Up To Speed that features an all-star presenter line-up: Drive to Survive star and F1 journalist Will Buxton, racing driver-turned-broadcaster Naomi Schiff, 13-time Grand Prix winner David Coulthard, and F1 presenter and content creator Jolie Sharpe.