Author: jen

iHeartMedia To Launch Slate Of iHeartPodcasts In Asia

~ jen

iHeartMedia, the No.1 podcast network globally according to Podtrac, announced its plan to launch a slate of multi-language podcasts from high-profile hosts across the fast-growing Asian market. The pus into the Asian Pacific (APAC) region will be in partnership with Mammoth Media Asia, who will spearhead the partnerships and production on the ground.

The Asia Pacific podcast market was valued at US $373.57 million in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 30.2% to $3.1 billion value from 2024 to 2031, driving by rising internet penetration and increasing digital content consumption in China, Japan, India and South Korea according to Cognitive Market Research.

The influence of Asian culture has been growing rapidly around the world and the initial podcast slate will focus on presenting high-profile talent from across the Asian entertainment industries ranging from K-pop, to Bollywood, to China’s hip-hop scene and beyond. The podcasts will highlight the most exciting personalities, cultural trends and issues from the region featuring categories in music, entertainment, sports, wellness and business, and will be available in Asia and on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. The slate is expected to launch in June 2025.

In addition to producing original podcast content in Asia, this new partnership will also focus on extending the reach of iHeartPodcasts current catalogue of 800+ shows across Asia. iHeartMedia will work with the premiere distribution platforms and partners to bring iHeartPodcasts extensive range of engaging and influential podcasts to the widest Asian audience, unlocking opportunities for advertisers and brands throughout the region.

“We’ve seen the strong growth of the Asian markets – both on a domestic level and with influence across global markets and we are excited to partner with Mammoth Media Asia to launch the first-ever slate of iHeartPodcasts developed in Asia.,” said Conal Byrne, CEO of the iHeart Digital Audio Group. “We believe that together with Jonathan and Jay, we can develop groundbreaking audio content in Asia that can reach audience around the world.”

Jonathan Serbin, co-founder of Mammoth Media Aisa said: “We are thrilled to partner with iHeartMedia to develop and distribute world-class podcasts. Asian culture — including music, movies, TV drama, food and fashion – have become a major influence across the globe. We are excited to work with top talent and compelling storytellers to share their tales and experiences with a worldwide wide audience.”

Jay Farires, co-founder of Mammoth Media Asia added: “Podcasting across Asia has been growing rapidly over the last five years. It’s already a major force in the domestic audio markets and will continue to expand. We believe that by partnering with iHeart and accessing their unparalleled assets, distribution capabilities, reach, analytics and advertising network, we can become a significant part of this growing industry, enabling podcasters from Asia to access a worldwide audience.”

iHeartPodcasts produces thousands of shows across a wide variety of genres, that span every category from business, sports, spiritually and technology, to entertainment, family, comedy and true crime – and everything in between.

Mammoth Media Asia was recently founded and launched by Jonathan Serbin and Jay Faires. Jonathan Serbin was most recently Co-President of Asia and CEO of Greater China of Warner Music, overseeing eleven countries / territories across the region and was formerly Head of Asia for Billboard.

Jay Faires oversees The Wellness Agency (TWA) which works with the most important founders in wellness helping them scale their company’s globally. He is a seasoned media executive and entrepreneur in the content business having successfully sold companies he founded and built to both The Walt Disney Company and Lionsgate.

The Glass Cannon Podcast Joins Realm In Exclusive Partnership

~ jen

Realm, a podcast first digital media network, announced that The Glass Cannon Podcast, the hit actual RPG podcast, has joined Realm. As part of the exclusive distribution deal, Realm will represent the show for ad sales.

Since launching in 2015, The Glass Cannon Podcast has set the gold standard for tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) entertainment, delivering immersive storytelling infused with irreverent humor and high-stakes gameplay. Originally built using Paizo’s Pathfinder system, the series has captivated fans with its compelling narratives, dynamic characters, and the infectious camaraderie of its cast. 

Following the conclusion of the first campaign in 2022, the podcast has continued to evolve, launching Campaign Two in 2023 with the Pathfinder Second Edition Gatewalkers Adventure Path.

“We are thrilled to welcome The Glass Cannon Podcast to Realm,” said Sarah Bentley, Realm’s Head of Network. “The Glass Cannon team has built an incredible community through their passion for gaming, storytelling, and pure entertainment. We’re excited to support them in growing their audience, bringing their one-of-a-kind adventures to even more fans as we continue expanding Realm’s footprint in the gaming entrainment space.”

Founded by CEO and host Troy Lavalee, along with network co-founders Joe O’Brian, Skid Maher, an Matthew Capodicasa, the Glass Cannon Podcast has expanded into a full RPG entertainment network. The cast of the flagship show also features fan-favorite players Sydney Amanuel and Kate Stamas, who bring their own unique energy to the show’s ever-evolving stories.

“Joining Realm at this exciting point in our company’s trajectory feels like a perfect match,” said Glass Cannon CEO Troy Lavalle. “There’s a reason the top names in media have flocked to Realm’s banner, and we look forward to the opportunity to take our unique brand of entertainment to the next level with them.”

This year marks a series of major milestones for The Glass Cannon Podcast, including a 12-city tour and a 10-year anniversary celebration and retreat this June in Las Vegas. This summer, fans can anticipate the finale of The Glass Cannon Podcast Campaign Two and the start of a new Campaign Three as well as the long-awaited third season of their Masks of Nyarlathotep campaign, Time For Chaos.

Additionally, The Glass Cannon Podcast will feature an interactive exhibition booth at Gen Con 2025 in Indianapolis. With multiple episodes released per week, The Glass Cannon Podcast continues to be a must-listen for tabletop RPG fans, blending deep narrative immersion with quick-witted banter an thrilling dice rolls. Fans can listen wherever they get their podcasts.

Arno Stephanian Joins Just 4 Feet Studio Advisory Board

~ jen

Just 4 Feet Studio is proud to announce that Arno Stephanian, an Emmy-winning sound professional with 14 years of experience in post-production sound, has joined its advisory board. His extensive expertise in sound editing, mixing, and immersive audio will be instrumental in shaping the studio’s future endeavors.

Arno has contributed to more than 195 films, TV series, games, and other media, collaborating with leading teams to deliver exceptional results on complex projects. His technical proficiency, combined with his creativity as a jazz musician, brings a unique perspective to sound design and storytelling.

A passionate advocate for “Sound Awareness,” Arno emphasizes that critical role of sound not only in post-production but also in pre-production, acting, writing, directing, picture editing, set design, casting, and even costume design. His work has been featured in acclaimed productions such as Shōgun, Ted Lasso, and Zootopia+, showcasing his mastery of Foley mixing and supervision at Skywalker Sound.

Arno’s depth of experience and forward-thinking approach to sound make him a perfect fit for our advisory board,” said Tiphany Kane, CEO of Just 4 Feet Studio. “His commitment to innovation in storytelling through sound will help us push creative boundaries and refine our approach to immersive audio experiences.”

In addition to his industry contributions, Arno is dedicated to mentoring future sound professionals sharing his knowledge through workshops and events that inspire the next generation of audio storytellers.

Just 4 Feet Studio is thrilled to welcome Arno Stephanian to its advisory board and looks forward to leveraging his experience as the studio continues to pioneer excellence in post-production sound.

Oxford Road And Edison Research Publish Landmark White Paper Defining Podcasting For The Future

~ jen

Oxford Road, the world’s leading audio and podcast advertising agency, in partnership with Edison Research, a global authority in media research, announces the release of their comprehensive white paper, “What is a Podcast?”: Preserving its Essence, Structuring for Expansion.”

The groundbreaking report reveals critical insights into how evolving listener habits, industry fragmentation, and ambiguity in podcast definitions are affecting podcasting’s future growth and commercial viability.

Despite podcasting’s rise as a multi-billion dollar industry with enormous cultural influence, the study identifies a significant identity crisis driven by the convergence of audio-only content and video formats popularized by platforms like YouTube and Spotify. According to the new data:

72% of Americans 12+ consider recordings people discussing any topic on YouTube that are also available as audio-only shows elsewhere to be a podcast.

Advertisers face significant barriers to investment due to inconsistent standards, fragmented reporting, and unclear attribution.

A clear, shared definition and interoperable measurement are urgently needed to realize podcasting’s full economic potential.

“Podcasting has reached a pivotal moment where the next phase of growth depends on how clearly we define and measure it,” says Dan Granger, CEO of Oxford Rod and Veritone One.
“What was once a niche, audio-driven medium is now fragmented across platforms, formats, and metrics. Our research shows that to preserve what made podcasting powerful and drive sustainable growth, we must create a unified standard that welcomes innovation while maintaining clarity.”

The white paper synthesizes extensive research, including a nationally representative survey of over 4000 people (conducted by Edison Research), qualitative interviews with listeners, and insights from over 30 leading industry executive featured on Oxford Road’s Media Roundtable podcast series. The report proposes new working definitions:

Podcast (noun): “An on demand audio-driven program featuring episodic content across wide-ranging themes and formats. Traditionally delivered via open RSS and conversational in nature, it can include platform-based distribution and is commonly supplemented by video.”

Video Podcast (noun): “An episodic, on demand program centered on spoken-word content, where synchronized visuals meaningfully shape the experience.”

The research underscores that resolving definitional ambiguity and measurement inconsistency could unlock billions of dollars in advertiser investment. To address these challenges, the paper calls for an industry-wide collaboration to develop an Open Measurement Protocol for Podcasting, advocating for interoperable, privacy-safe measurement standards and clear taxonomy across al platforms. 

Podcast Powerhouse Nick Viall Inks Exclusive Landmark Deal With Libsyn

~ jen

Liberated Syndication Inc. (“Libsyn”), the leading podcast platform for creators and advertisers, announced an exclusive, multi-year advertising and hosting partnership with renewal with multi-hyphenate Nick Viall, his widely-popular podcast, The Viall Files, and his leading audio-first lifestyle media company, Envy Media, which specializes in pop culture and relationship-themed shows. 

This renewal follows a fiercely competitive bidding season, underscoring Libsyn’s commitment to fueling growth for top-tier creators and independent voices in podcasting.

This milestone marks a pivotal time for Nick and Libsyn, cementing Envy Media as the top pop culture podcast destination for listeners. As one of Libsyn’s most significant deals yet, it extends the successful partnership with Nick and Envy Media over the next three years.

“Speaking on behalf of everyone at Libsyn, we are honored to continue our partnership with The Viall Files and Envy Media,” says Libsyn Ads Chief Revenue Officer Rick Selah. “Nick Viall is the consummate professional in our business, and his group is simply incredible to work with, making it seamless for our sales team to drive successful brand campaigns within their content. We’re ecstatic for the opportunity to continue bringing millions of dollars of revenue to The Vial Files for years to come.”

Nick Viall is a TV personality, award-winning podcast host, and best-selling author. Since appearing on The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, and The Bachelor, and competing on Dancing with The Stars and Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. Nick has become one of the most well-known talking heads in the dating/relationship and TV space. 

His widely successful weekly, multi-episode podcast, The Viall Files, explores relationships dynamics and reality TV through exclusive interviews with celebrities and reality TV recaps. Since its inception 2019, the show has amassed over 250 million downloads, continuously charts at #1 in Society & Culture and #3 Globally on Apple Podcasts, and last year’s Spotify Wrapped Report named the show in the Top 50 Podcasts in the U.S.. It has also been nominated for a People’s Choice Award and was voted one of the Top 10 Podcasts by the Associate Press.

“Over the last six years, I’ve had the pleasure of having the best job in the world. My mission has been able to the ultimate destination for the things I love: pop culture, relationships, reality TV, and more. The team at Libsyn have been the best partners imagine in helping me reach that goal,” Nick Viall shares. “I’m beyond lucky to have my wife, Natalie, as my co-host, and I’m so excited about Envy’s growing family of hosts, including Katie Maloney, Dayna Kathan, Crystal Minkoff, Cynthia Bailey, and more to be announced soon. Above all, I’m grateful for our household of listeners who make this show possible every day.”

“It is so rare in the entertainment business to find a network that wants to get up every morning and be in the foxhole with you, and I feel so lucky to have found that in Libsyn,”says Byron Ashley of Settebello Entertainment, Viall’s manager and Executive Producer of The Viall Files. “The entire Libsyn team is insanely hard working, extraordinary sophisticated, and above-all, fair and honest, and I could not be more excited to spend the coming years continuing to build with all of them.”

Audacy Unveils Creator Lab

~ jen

Audacy announces the launch of the Audacy Creator Lab, an initiative designed to support podcast creators and deliver advertising opportunities at scale. The announcement was made a Podcast Movement Evolutions in Chicago.

Developed on the foundation of Podcorn, acquired by Audacy in 2021, the Audacy Creator Lab expands upon Audacy’s creator marketplace over 20,000 shows and 40,000 creators, enabling advertisers to reach highly engaged, precisely targeted audiences at scale across multiple hosting platforms.

The Audacy Creator Lab is also designed support creators of all sizes – form small independents to emerging shows — by providing monetization opportunities through host-read sponsorships and dynamically inserted pre-recorded ads.

Underscoring Audacy’s commitment to helping podcast creators grow their business, the Audacy Creator Lab will also offer free hosting and monetization services for emerging podcasters, connecting them to more advertisers so that more of their resources can go toward fueling their passions and making great content.

“When paired with The Audacy Podcast Network and our owned and operated shows, the Audacy Creator Lab expands our podcast offerings to now include deeply engaged, niche communities and the next generation of creators,” said Chris Oliviero, Chief Business Officer, Audacy. “As additional advertising capabilities are introduced on the platform, it will open even more opportunities for both advertisers and creators.”

Podcasters can apply for access and explore opportunities at creators.audacy.com.

Triton Digital To Expand US Podcast Ranker To Include All Publishers

~ jen

Triton Digital, the global technology and services leader in the digital audio, podcast, and broadcast radio industries, announced that it will add survey-based listener rankings to the existing U.S. Podcast Ranker to provide a holistic view of podcast consumption. 

Every quarter, in addition to downloads, the U.S. Podcast Ranker will feature survey-based listener rankings, where all publishers and podcasts will be incorporated, not just those that participate in Triton Digital’s download measurement. 

It will expand including top 200 podcast. The survey asks participants what podcasts they listened to or watched, which will include video podcasts consumed via platforms including YouTube. This will supplement the data that is already provided to publishers via Triton Digital’s YouTube integration, which offers insights into how their content is consumed on YouTube in conjunction with their overall podcast downloads.

The ranker will also leverage Demos+ measurement, which utilizes Triton’s proprietary modeling approach, combining listener surveys with download measurement, to list which podcasts most efficiently reach different audiences. The ranker will list the podcasts whose audience has the highest percentage of various age and gender, socio-economic, lifestyle and purchase intents segments.

This will be an impotent resource for advertisers and media buyers looking to identify the podcasts that reach their desired audiences at scale. This portion of the ranker requires publisher participation in Triton measurement.

“The combination of census-level download measurement blended with survey measurement provides the most comprehensive understanding of podcast audiences and their consumption habits,” said Daryl Battaglia, SVP of Measurement & Analytics at Triton Digital. “By adopting new methods to measure audience and augmenting our current tools, we are enriching the podcast information available to advertisers so they can feel confident in reaching their target audiences.”

The survey and Demos+ data will continue to be conducted in collaboration with Signal Hill Insights, Triton Digital’s trusted reach partner since 2021, maintaining the highest standards of data integrity and analysis. With a robust sample that is nationally representative, this survey ensures deep insights into audience behaviors and preferences. 

“We at Signal Hill are always focused on moving the podcast industry forward, and we’re excited to take this next step with Triton Digital,” said Paul Riismandel, President of Signal Hill Insights. “The addition of holistic industry-wide, survey-based rankings to the U.S. Podcast Ranker is another significant step, enhancing the depth and value of the insights we provide to the industry.”

For more than a decade, Triton Digital has remained focused on developing leading and best-in-class audio measurement tools and practices, and that includes operating and distributing streaming and podcast rankers in various countries and regions.

For each ranker, the team takes into account the needs of each local market, working with a local industry body or committee. In addition to producing monthly rankers, Triton Digital also produces annual reports that are an invaluable resource for the podcast industry.

Original Audio Lands As Australia’s AI-Driven Audio Creative Agency

~ jen

Creative Fix founder Aaron Matthews and NOVA Entertainment’s Adam Johnson announce the launch of Original Audio, an audio creative agency committed to delivering audio advertising effectiveness through technology.

Despite ad revenue in digital audio continuing to grow faster than any other medium in Australia, it remains under-monetized when compared to audience reach. Original Audio is built on the core belief that creativity and proven commercial effectiveness will drive the next wave of investment into audio and, to accelerate this, they have unified market-leading creatives, producers, and the best audio platforms from across the world.

With personalization at the heart of their offering, Original Audio have signed exclusive representation deal with AudioStack, a world leader in AI-powered audio production. Original Audio will have unique access to AudioStack’s AI-powered toolset and learnings to deliver dynamic creative campaigns that ensure listeners hear the perfect message at the perfect time.

To ensure seamless delivery and scaling of campaigns, as well as on-the-fly creative optimization, Frequency have also come aboard as a launch partner, with Original Audio’s workflows built on Frequency’s best-in-class infrastructure.

“Like other more traditional audio production businesses, I found myself experimenting with some of these tools” said Creative Director and co-founder Aaron Matthews, “but more as an ad-on to the core techniques that everyone else is using. Original Audio is an end-to-end offering with technology at its core, where the right set of world-class tools can be activated for the right brief. This spans everything from full audio branding projects to creating infinite versions of the same ad, ensuring each unique listener is more likely to act having heard one of our ads.” 

Co-founder and Managing Director Adam Johnson added, “There are many clever people developing fantastic audio ad products across the world, but we felt nobody was making them meaningful and accessible to Australian agencies, publishers and brands. We want Original Audio to rectify that and to help anybody buying audio campaigns ensure their investment works harder. We will ultimately be judged on whether the returns on the campaigns we deliver far exceed the modes extra investment it takes to harness these tools.”

On the partnership with Original Audio, Audiostack’s VP, Global Commercial Partnerships – Agency & Adtech, Silke Zetzche said, “Original Audio are leading the way in showing how AI creative tech can enhance, not replace, creativity. By choosing AudioStack as their preferred creative tech solution in Australia and across the APAC region, they’re making a clear statement about the power of AI to deliver smarter, more personalized advertising. We’re proud to support they vision and excited to see how our AI audio production infrastructure helps them drive better results for their clients.”

Pete Jimison, CEO & founder of launch partner Frequency added, “Original Audio represents the future of audio creative — combining cutting-edge technology with world-class storytelling to deliver highly effective, personalized campaigns. We’re thrilled to be a launch partner, providing the infrastructure to help bring these dynamic creative innovations to life at scale.”

Original Audio is already working on a number of campaigns with partners including Mastercard, BetterHelp, Aldi, and Salesforce.

The Power Of In-Person Discussion To Promote And Advance Podcasting As An Essential Part Of The Greater Media Landscape

~ jen

Good Tape, the leading magazine with critical coverage on entertainment and podcasting, officially launches “Off The Record,” a community-centered media business that facilitates real-time dialogues between podcast executives, creatives, and brands. Each event convenes diverse industry leaders and inspires conversations around hyper-relevant topics focused on evolving the medium.

What began in 2023 as an informal monthly coffee meetup in Brooklyn, NY – first hosted by Jeff Weiner, Joe Fucigna, and Dane Cardiel — has now evolved into a formalized network and new brand under the leadership of Dane Cardiel, Kristin Myers, and Meggan Ellingboe, who will establish Off The Record’s founding chapter in Los Angeles, CA.

As podcasting solidifies its position in mainstream media, Off The Record offers direction and intention to the industry’s growing identity crisis, providing a space for strategic minds to move beyond surface-level discussions and toward collaborative problem-solving.

“The idea remains the same as when we first started – connecting the well-appointed but often siloed podcast leaders who truly care about the future of the medium,” says Dane Cardiel, Good Tape’s founder. 

“These leaders hold deep expertise across the industry’s ecosystem and have a clear vision of what’s missing and what needs fixing, but are too isolated to affect widespread change. Off The Record is a container where these thinkers can move beyond talk and into action.”

Through intentionally curated gatherings over coffees, happy hours, or dinners, Off The Record brings together decision-makers to move past roadblocks, share expertise, and collectively shape the industry’s next chapter. 

“I’ve taken to calling this a bit of a thing-tank for podcasting,” says Kristen Myers, a host of the Los Angeles chapter. “There are more boutique teams, more brilliant consultants, more ways to monetize and grow than ever before, but none of that matters if the landscape cannot be navigated. There are still fundamental challenges and under-explored territories to be charted. We need every bit of passion, technology, and expertise we can find and we need it in one room, ready to earnestly make things happen.”

Off The Record is proud to partner with boutique podcast marketing consultancy, Listening Party Agency, as one of our launch partners. For more information about Off The Record, partnership opportunities, or to request an invite to our next gatherin

g near you, visit GoodTape.com/off the record or contact our@goodtape.com

Crowd Network’s For The Love Of Rugby Introduces Three New Presenters

~ jen

Crowd Network (Crowd), one of Europe’s fastest-growing independent podcast networks, has introduced three new prisoners to its podcast For The Love of Rugby, who are producing a series for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Red Roses Sadia Kabeyla (Loughborough Lightning) and Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury) and retired England player Shaunagh Brown (Harlequins Women) are presenting weekly episodes, delving into the tournament and sharing exclusive insights from the Red Roses’ camp.

The strengthened presenter roster is the latest example of Crowd championing women’s sports, creating female-led content and working with brands to secure authentic, meaningful partnerships. Crowd also works with Chelsea FC Women’s football team on the We Are Chelsea Podcast. Using content from the podcast, Chelsea FC Women’s TikTok’s received 50 million views in summer 2024 — more than any other women’s sports team globally.

Sage also continues its partnership with For The Love of Rugby, as its official insights partner, providing live data on the tournament. The new hosts use Sage insights to analyze the games and make predictions on upcoming matches for their audience. It follows Sage’s partnership with For The Love of Rugby for the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, where Sage insights formed the backbone of analysis and facilitated the creation of the “Rugbyverse” — a virtual podcast recording studio – in host Ben Youngs’ house.

For the Love of Rugby launched in January 2024 and has since grown its fanbase to become one of Crowd’s most popular podcasts, landing in the Top 10 for sports podcasts on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It recently featured Bristol Bears player and social media phenomenon Ilora Maher in a special episode, and it won the Gold Award for “Best Rugby Podcast” at the fan-voted 2025 Sports Podcast Awards.

Full-time hosts Ben Youngs and Dan Cole achieved chart-topping record downloads and more than 54 million social media views with their coverage of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations, and they will undertake a national podcast tour in April and May.

Louise Gwilliam, Talent Manager at Crowd Network, said: “2025 is set to be the biggest year in the history of rugby, never mind women’s rugby, and we’re so excited to bolster our world-class talent by welcoming Shaunagh, Sadia, and Maud to the Crowd community. They’re providing our listeners with next-level insights, both from their experience playing at the highest level and with data from our partner Sage. 

As we build towards the Women’s World Cup on English soil later this year, which is already breaking ticket sale records, we want more brands to join us in supporting women’s sports by investing in female-led content and partnering authentically with female athletes.”