BBC Studios

BBC Studios Partners With ARN’s iHeart To Represent BBC Podcasts In Australia

~ jen

BBC LogoBBC Studios and ARN’s iHeart have signed a multi-year partnership deal that will see iHeart represent BBC podcasts in Australia. iHeart will sell inventory across hundreds of hours of premium BBC podcasts as well as amplifying content in the market.

The BBC is one of the largest producers of audio in the world with a range of premium podcasts that are widely listened to by audiences in Australia and New Zealand, including BBC Global News Podcast, Football Daily, The Infinite Monkey Cage and History’s Youngest Heroes. Earlier this year a dedicated audio division was created in BBC Studios, paving the way for the company to fully realize the commercial opportunities in the global audio market.

ARN’s iHeart is Australia’s leading podcast publisher, reaching nearly 7 million listeners monthly with its extensive portfolio of local and international titles. Known for delivering best-in-class storytelling and engaging audio experiences, iHeart is a trusted destination for both listeners and advertisers.

This partnership provides advertisers with access to over 900,000 Australians who choose to listen to BBC content every month, future broadening the reach and scale of campaigns across ARN’s comprehensive audio network.

Louise la Grange, SVP, BBC Audio, Digital News and Streaming BBC Studios, said: “The BBC has a big and loyal podcast fan base in Australia. We’re delighted to partner with market leader iHeart for representing the BBC’s rich portfolio of shows including World of Secrets, The Global Story and You’re Dead To Me to the ad market in Australia where iHeart has enormous scale, deep expertise and a proven track record of representing premium brands.”

Corey Layton, ARN’s Head of Digital News and Streaming BBC Studios, said: “The BBC is renowned for producing some of the world’s most compelling and high-quality podcast, and we’re thrilled to bring their premium, brand-safe podcast slate to Australian audiences while delivering valuable opportunities for advertisers. By leveraging our local expertise and scale, we’re excited to amplify the reach of BBC podcasts and further cement iHeart’s position as Australia’s leading destination for audio entertainment.”

Jamie Chambers, VP Ad Sales and BBC StoryWorks, BBC Studios ANZ, said: “iHeart is an industry leader in ANZ. This partnership opens the door to advertisers looking to access scale deals in the audio space across BBC and other inventory represented by iHeart. For brands who want the very best of BBC audiences in Australia & New Zealand, we now have even greater capabilities to incorporate BBC Podcasts alongside campaign accessing the rest of the BBC Studios portfolio including BBC.com, BBC News & BBC Studios channels on YouTube, our TV channels on Foxtel and Fetch, TopGear.com, BBC Social channels, and the recently announced FAST channels on 9Now.”

The deal follows BBC Studios’ recent announcement that it has partnered with Triton Digital, the global technology and services leader in the digital audio, podcast and radio industries.

As the commercial arm of the BBC Group, BBC Studios is responsible for the international distribution and monetization of the BBC’s unrivaled catalog of premium audio originals across news, technology, sports, travel, science, true crime, food, finance, and more. 

The newly created BBC Studios Audio division is now home to one of the largest production companies in Europe as well as being the international distributor of BBC Audio content. BBC podcasts are widely available to listeners wherever you get your podcasts.

Annie Brown And Thomas Curry Join BBC Studios Audio

~ jen

BBC LogoRichard Knight – Director, BBC Studios Audio, announced the appointment of 2024 Ambie award winner Annie Brown as Executive Editor in the U.S.

BBC Studios Audio was created in 1 April 2024 following the transfer of some audio production from the BBC’s in-house production team to BBC Studios, the broadcaster’s commercial arm. The move established a multi-genre audio operation in BBC Studios which makes high quality programming for BBC audiences and explores opportunities in the global audio market. 

BBC Studios Audio productions include Desert Island Discs, In Our Time, This Cultural Life, Things Fell Apart, You’re Dead To Me, The News Quiz, I Am Not Nicholas, Evil Genius, History’s Secret Heroes, The Infinite Monkey Cage, To Catch A Scorpion, and many more.

Annie will be based in New York where she will lead BBC Studios Audio’s US strategy, oversee development for US audiences and platforms and work closely with development executives and producers in the UK.

She has a stellar track record as a producer and creative leader on The New York Times’ The Daily and 1619 podcasts. She also created the smash hit serial podcast, Ghost Story, with Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios. Ghost Story won the 2024 AmbieÒ Award for Best Documentary Series.

Thomas Curry is also joining Knight’s top team as Head of Production. Thomas will lead production management across BBC Studios Audio and oversee the delivery of a breath of outstanding content to the BBC and global platforms.

A British Podcast Award winner, Thomas brings a wealth of commercial and production experience to the role having worked with Apple, Audible, CBC, Criminal, Crooked, Love + Radio, Spotify, Wondery and others.

Annie and Thomas take up their positions this summer.

Richard Knight, Director, BBC Studios Audios, says: “At BBC Studios Audio, we’re proud of where we came from. Our heritage is unique. But we’re also excited about where we’re going. Our transfer to the BBC’s commercial arm opens up new possibilities and I’m delighted Annie and Tom are joining to help us explore them.”

Annie Brown says: “I’m thrilled to be joining such an exciting team and looking forward to supporting the future growth of the BBC Studios.”

In addition to appointing Annie Brown and Thomas Curry, BBC Studios has also hired Ella Woods as is first dedicated podcast marketing manager and Mary Milan as its first dedicated podcast insights analyst. 

BBC Studios Enters Licensing Agreement With Podster

~ jen

Podster has licensed one of BBC Studios’ original podcasts Killing Victoria. The miniseries will be adapted into new languages and marks the first of its kind licensing agreement for BBC Studios on translating their own podcasts.

Killing Victoria is a historical miniseries consisting of seven episodes. The show is based on the stories of the seven men who each made an attempt on Queen Victoria’s life during her reign. The podcast series brings the listener closer to the perpetrators, unpicks what might have driven them to take up arms, and brings a fresh perspective to the realities of life in Victorian England.

The show was commissioned and produced by BBC Studios Productions. It was published in the spring of 2023 on BBC Sounds and other podcast platforms globally. Following the podcast’s recent global publication in English, BBC Studios and Podster will now make this show available in new markets and languages.

The Danish startup Podster specializes in adapting local podcasts into new formats to reach a larger audience and bring in more revenue for publishers. Podster will focus on territories such as the Nordics, the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain.

“To be the first to enter this title arrangement with BBC Studios makes me feel humble and happy. BBC Studios is known for high content quality, and this is a great opportunity for both parties to reach new audiences,” says Henriette Høj Gharib, Co-founder and CEO of Podster.

Dr Bob Nicholson (Edge Hill University), historian and presenter of Killing Victoria, adds, “tracing the lives of the Queen’s seven assailants took me on a fascinating journey through Victorian history – from palaces to prisons, and onwards through asylums, pubs, parks, theaters, newspapers, convict ships, and eventually to Australia.”

Nicholson continues, “Back in the nineteenth century, these attacks made headlines around the world. Language was no barrier to the spread of such sensational news, and readers followed the cases in French, German, Italian, and Spanish newspapers. Now, the transaction of Killing Victoria means that new international audiences will be able to follow in their footsteps. I can’t wait to see what they make of it.”

BBC Studios Produces Podcast About The Clash

~ jen

BBC Studios has produced a new podcast documentary. It is called Stay Free: The Story of The Clash. This podcast was produced in partnership with Spotify, and will launch on Spotify on February 28, 2019.

Stay Free: The Story of The Clash is narrated by Public Enemy’s Chuck D. The podcast series takes a deep-dive into the rise, the reign, and the explosive self destruction of London punk rock legends, The Clash.

There is a video trailer for the podcast that you can watch on Spotify’s YouTube channel. The trailer is less than a minute long.

Stay Free: The Story of The Clash will have eight episodes that range from 30 to 45 minutes in length.

The multi award-winning BBC Studios Digital team creates original content for new platforms, breaks new talent, and develops innovative forms of storytelling for young audiences.

Recent commissions include short-form formats such as Big Narstie’s Let’s Settle This for BBC Three, and BBC Earth: Life in VR for Google Daydream, plus new formats for millennial African and Indian audiences across mobile and TV for the BBC.