Steven Bartlett launches major new podcast company

• Steven Barlett has launched Flight Studio, a podcast media and technology company. Flight Studio will be led and co-founded by Georgie Holt, Acast’s former Regional Managing Director for the Americas, and former US Head of Sales and Brand Partnerships, Christiana Brenton (both pictured above). The company launches with a number of new video podcasts, which will be translated into multiple languages, and will also represent Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO; Flight Studio will have global production studios based in London, Manchester, New York, Boston and Los Angeles. Diary of a CEO is the #2 show in the UK; Barlett is also one of the investors in the UK version of Shark Tank, Dragon’s Den.

• Podcasters are now earning more than $100 million in annual revenue on Substack the company says, a figure that has more than doubled in the past year. Of the 250 highest-revenue publications on Substack, more than half publish audio and video.

• The Independent Podcast Awards are open for entry. You’ve until May 31 to enter; the ceremony will be held in October in London. There are four new categories, and entry fees have been frozen from last year.

• The Podcast Show in London has published the full schedule for the event, which takes place next month. Find the schedule under the “by day” tab; our Editor, James Cridland, will be doing an opening keynote, as well as a live Podnews Weekly Review with Sam Sethi.

• Podcasting’s Conan O’Brien is taking part in a free livestreamed event tomorrow evening at The Paley Center for Media.

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• Richard Herring has shared “how he works with advertisers” for the RHLSTP podcast.

• Podfest is running a Podfest Masterclass AI & Creator Tools Summit, a virtual event from Apr 20 to Apr 25. Tickets start at $49, but our events section contains a code to get in for free, dear Podnews reader.

• Another big podcast is making its way onto TV: Bone Valley will become a multi-season scripted TV series. The show, which will also be a book later this year, is producing a second season.

• Pocket Casts appears to be looking at supporting websub, according to John Spurlock. We’ve written about websub, which is used to indicate to podcast directories that an RSS feed has just been updated (and its Podcasting 2.0 cousin, podping).

• Studio71 has signed an ad sales agreement with Juicy Scoop with Heather McDonald. The show was with Sony Music Entertainment.

Tips and tricks - with Memberful

• Does your podcast need video trailers? Podcast Discovery suggests that yes, it does.

• Your podcast isn’t about you, says Platform Podcasting - and gives some tips on how to make your listener front and centre of your show.

Podcast News - with New Podcast Trailers - the podcast

Face-Off: The U.S. vs China is new this week from Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Jane Perlez, former New York Times Beijing bureau chief and current fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center. It’s executive produced by Mia Lobel, ex of Pushkin Industries, and is from Airwave Media.

The Outer Limits Of Inner Truth, a metaphysical podcast, has celebrated its ten year anniversary. Over 435 episodes with over two million downloads, the program has encompassed freedom, deep introspection, self discovery, and spiritual growth.

Every leader’s career is defined by the moments where they stood at a crossroads with a critical decision to make. The Leadership Crossroads launches today, talking to leaders who made those choices - with guests including Dan Rosen, President of Warner Music Australasia, and the CEO of Novated Lease Australia, Bevan Guest. It’s hosted by Tim Hicks.

Curiously Kaitlyn is new today from Holy Post Media - a show aimed at making theology accessible, meaningful, and fun for listeners of all ages. It’s hosted by author and theologian Kaitlyn Schiess, and aims to open up big theological ideas that can impact our lives, shape our view of God, and help us understand Scripture in a new way.

Blippi & Meekah’s Road Trip will follow best friends Blippi and Meekah as they hop in their BlippiMobile and take a road trip to an awesome adventure driven by their curiosity. It’s the first ever podcast series featuring the beloved children’s character, and it’s new today from iHeartPodcasts and Moonbug Entertainment.