Jones
BOMANI JONES has signed a new multi-year contract extension with ESPN that will have him continuing his twice-a-week podcast, "THE RIGHT TIME WITH BOMANI JONES," along with increasing his guest spots on DAN LE BATARD's "HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE," which JONES formerly co-hosted, to three or four days per week. JONES, whose extension announcement comes the day after his former "HIGH NOON" co-host PABLO TORRE's own contract extension was announced, will also appear regularly as a commentator on ESPN RADIO shows. more »
Gunpowder & Sky
Former MTV/VIACOM executive VAN TOFFLER's GUNPOWDER & SKY production company has reached an agreement on a multi-project deelopment and production deal with AMAZON's AUDIBLE to produce "original music narratives" for AUDIBLE's "Words & Music" storytelling initiative. Among the artists featured in the new slate of shows are ST. VINCENT, SMOKEY ROBINSON, and ALANIS MORISSETTE.
“During these unprecedented times, we are extraordinarily grateful to be able to continue to create unique, boundary-defying experiences for our millions of listeners,” said AUDIBLE EVP/Head of U.S. Content RACHEL GHIAZZA. “We are thrilled to join forces with GUNPOWDER & SKY to produce innovative content for our musical-storytelling initiative, featuring incredible artists choosing the intimacy of AUDIBLE to share their stories with fans at a time when staying connected is so necessary.”
“Music has the unique ability to tell stories that end up defining the highs and lows of our lives -- and, well, pretty much convey our emotions much better than we mortals can without these wonderful melodies,” said TOFFLER. “Teaming up with AUDBILE to shine a light on some of the most influential musicians of our time in new, innovative ways -- via words and music over songs and anecdotes -- is a dream come true.”
“Life is strange and full of uncertainty, right now,” said ST. VINCENT (ANNIE CLARK). “But music is a constant. Music transcends the chaos. It’s always been there for me when I’ve needed it -- whether in times of fear, heartbreak, anger, joy. So I’m thrilled to be working with AUDIBLE to share my story and my music, especially at a time when music is such a crucial part of coping and getting through these unprecedented days.”
“It’s always been my passion to create experiences that touch and move people," said SMOKEY ROBINSON. “I’m humbled to have the opportunity to share my story, the stories of my incomparable contemporaries like MARVIN and ARETHA, plus my music with the millions of AUDIBLE listeners who are looking for authentic stories told in ways they’ve never experienced before.”
Three new iHEARTRADIO Original Podcasts are joining the company's roster this week.
The three new shows include PARADE Editor-in-Chief JANICE KAPLAN's "THE GRATITUDE DIARIES," based on her book and looking at how gratitude changes people's lives; writer DANA SCHWARTZ's "POPCORN BOOK CLUB," with journalist JENNIFER WRIGHT, actress KORAMA DANQUAH, comic TIEN TRAN, and producer MELISSA HUNTER; and weekly NASCAR show "GONE RACIN'," hosted by driver BRENDAN GAUGHAN and LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY VP/Communications JEFF MOTTLEY.
Deal With Sony Music
MARC SMERLING, the creator of the true crime podcast "CRIMETOWN," is partnering with SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT for a slate of new true crime podcasts. SMERLING's TRUTH MEDIA will expand its roster under the agreement, starting with "MORALLY (IN)DEFENSIBLE," a companion podcast to SMERLING's new TV series on FX and FX ON HULU, "A WILDERNESS OF ERROR," based on ERROL MORRIS' book about the JEFFREY MACDONALD murder case that also served as the basis for JOE MCGINNIS' best-seller "FATAL VISION."
SMERLING, the filmmaker responsible for HOB's "THE JINX," the OSCAR-nominated "CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS," and "CATFISH," said, “I’m thrilled to be partnering with talented people who understand the power of audio storytelling, and have a deep and successful history in creating content. Our goal together is to expand the genre by telling truly unique stories that dive much deeper and say something larger about who we are and the world we live in.”
SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT Pres./Premium Content TOM MACKAY said, “From 'CRIMETOWN' to 'THE JINX' to 'CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS,' MARC SMERLING is a master of true crime storytelling whose groundbreaking hits have long captivated audiences. As a best-in-class podcaster and an award-winning film and television producer, he is a dual threat creative talent and we are pleased to be partnering with the team at TRUTH MEDIA in support of his creative vision.”
Benefit
UNITED STATIONS MEDIA NETWORKS and its STORIC MEDIA PODCAST NETWORK are holding a benefit concert on FRIDAY (7/3) at 8p (ET) (with a rebroadcast at 11p (ET) to benefit FEEDING AMERICA's COVID-19 Response Fund.
"ROCK FOR RELIEF" will be hosted by LOU BRUTUS and RIKI RACHTMAN, with interviews conducted by ALICE COOPER and JOE SATRIANI. The lineup includes COREY TAYLOR, GAVIN ROSSDALE, GEORGE THOROGOOD, DON FELDER, MYLES KENNEDY, LZZY HALE & JOE HOTTINGER of HALESTORM, 10 YEARS' JESSE HASEK, FILTER, LISA LOEB, THE DEAD DAISIES, BLACK STONE CHERRY's CHRIS ROBERTSON, STARSET, BRANDON SALLER, RICKY BYRD, BOBBY WHITLOCK & COCO CARMEL, JOE GRUSHECKY, KATHY SLEDGE, BONES OWENS, BJ THOMAS, DANIELIA COTTON, DINOSAUR PILE-UP's MATT BIGLAND, and more, plus appearances by PETER FRAMPTON amd SAINT ASONIA's ADAM GONTIER.
“Many people are struggling with hunger during this unprecedented time, including children, families and seniors. FEEDING AMERICA member food banks are on the ground helping to address the increased need in their communities,” said FEEDING AMERICA VP/Development DAN NISBET. “We are so grateful for UNITED STATIONS MEDIA NETWORKS and the talent involved in the ‘ROCK FOR RELIEF’ benefit concert, which will raise funds to provide meals to people who need them most.”
“We are so pleased to put on 'ROCK FOR RELIEF' in order to give back to our fellow Americans during such a tumultuous time,” said STORIC Dir. KRISTIN VERBITSKY. “I want to thank the incredible talent who graciously donated their time to make this happen. I know that music lovers are missing live concerts, myself included, and I’m hoping we can fill that void just a little bit this JULY 4TH weekend and raise funds for FEEDING AMERICA.”
Now Part Of LiveXLive
LIVEXLIVE has closed on the acquisition of PODCASTONE. The deal saw LIVEXLIVE acquiring 100% of the equity interests of PODCASTONE parent COURTSIDE GROUP, INC., issuing about 5.36 million restricted shares of LIVEXLIVE common stock to PODCASTONE shareholders, subject to a 12-month lock-up period and trading restrictions. PODCASTONE will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of LIVEXLIVE, with PODCASTONE Founder/Exec. Chairman NORM PATTIZ as "significant shareholder," continuing as Exec. Chairman of the subsidiary.
LIVEXLIVE CEO/Chairman ROB ELLIN said, "With this acquisition, we expand our business into the fast-growing podcast category, complementing our music platform of streaming audio, on-demand video and live event performances. We see a significant opportunity to cross-sell and cross-promote to our respective subscribers, advertisers, and sponsors, as well as provide our collective artists and on-air talent with an expanded platform to increase their social media and online presence."
"We did this deal to stay on the cutting edge of digital content," said PATTIZ. "We now offer streaming video to our podcast partners and sponsors in the form of 'Vodcasts'. Our creative teams are collaborating on a variety of new ideas to add to our arsenal of unique and compelling content and events. This is going to be fun!"
REVEAL FROM THE CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING is releasing its first serialized investigative reporting podcast on JULY 4th.
"AMERICAN REHAB" is an eight-episode series probing how one type of drug rehab establishment is turning those looking for treatment into unpaid labor. The show will appear in REVEAL's podcast feed and will also air on over 500 public radio stations across AMERICA via PRX.
Latino Podcast Report
EDISON RESEARCH released its first Latino Podcast Listener Report TUESDAY (6/30). The report, commissioned by ADONDE MEDIA, LANTIGUA WILLIAMS AND CO., LIBSYN, NPR, and PANDORA, looked at awareness of podcasting among U.S. Latinos as well as listening habits, and found that the medium is less familiar to Latino audiences in AMERICA but has vast growth potential.
Among the findings, the study showed that 25% of U.S. Latinos age 18+ have listened to a podcast in the last month, and 45% have ever listened to a podcast, although listening has increased since the pandemic outbreak. 61% of U.S. Latinos are familiar with the term “podcasting,” compared to 75% of the general population; practically all Spanish-language dominant Latinos in the U.S. familiar with the term "podcasting" are also already listening.
36% of U.S. Latinos have listened to a podcast in English and 24% have listened to a podcast in Spanish, the report indicated, but language dominance does not appear to correlate with the likelihood of being a podcast listener, with 25% of those in non-Spanish-language dominant households listening and 26% in Spanish-language dominant households. However, among podcast listeners, those in Spanish-language dominant households are much more likely -- 70% -- to have begun listening to podcasts recently than those in non-Spanish-language dominant households (47%). and among all U.S. Latino podcast listeners, 52% said that they are listening to podcasts more since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
“Today we learned that the majority of Latinos have only started listening to podcasts within the last year, and yet many are still unfamiliar with the term podcasting,” said Manager of Research GABRIEL SOTO. “Latinos have been and will continue to be essential for the sustained growth of podcast listening."
“It is so validating to see the data bear out what many of us have long known about the tremendous potential of the Latino podcast listening audience in the U.S., both in English and in Spanish,” said ADONDE MEDIA CEO MARTINA CASTRO. Now, the industry has the data that shows why making content for Latinos isn’t only the right thing to do, but is also simply a smart investment.”
Download the report by clicking here.
Murphy
EDISON INTERNATIONAL SVP/Strategy and Corporate Development DREW MURPHY has joined the Board of Trustees of AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA GROUP. MURPHY is serving as Vice Chair of APMG subsidiary SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RADIO's board and will serve as SCPR's representative on the APMG board.
“We are fortunate to add DREW’s strategic experience and his passion for public media to the APMG board,” said CEO JON MCTAGGART. “His involvement within both the SCPR and APMG boards provides valuable insights that he brings to our discussions and decision-making.”
Torre
ESPN AUDIO's "ESPN DAILY" podcast will be changing hosts this SUMMER, with PABLO TORRE taking over from MINA KIMES. TORRE has signed a new multi-year contract extension with ESPN and the daily morning podcast is part of his expanded duties. KIMES is adding duties as an analyst on the network's NFL LIVE team and continues as host of her own podcast "THE MINA KIMES SHOW FEATURING LENNY," part of ESPN's LE BATARD AND FRIENDS podcast network. Both TORRE and KIMES are frequent guests on "THE DAN LE BATARD SHOW WITH STUGOTZ" and LE BATARD's "HIGHLY QUESTIONABLE."
"I am wildly excited to accept the reins of ESPN DAILY from one of my closest friends, MNA KIMES,” said TORRE. “I love the show. I love its creative and journalistic potential. And I love the fact that MINA will no longer be able to make fun of me for being the last person on this planet to not have a podcast."
EVP/Exec. Editor NORBY WILLIAMSON said, “PABLO, with his multi-platform and journalistic expertise, will continue bringing the top sports stories to life in new and insightful ways for fans as the host of ESPN DAILY. Sports fans will appreciate PABLO joining the ESPN Podcast space as a leading, daily voice.”
NPR has announced three new limited-run podcasts coming in the next six months, and new hosts for one of its biggest existing podcasts.
The new shows include a new, as-yet-untitled podcast on the "interconnected rise of hip-hop and mass incarceration" from NPR MUSIC, hosted by RODNEY CARMICHAEL and SIDNEY MADDEN and coming in SEPTEMBER; a series on gun rights hardliners, "NO COMPROMISE," hosted by UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-KANSAS CITY Variety KCUR/KANSAS CITY's CHRIS HAXEL and ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS News-Talk WABE/ATLANTA's LISA HAGEN, to launch this FALL; and KQED INC. News-Talk KQED/SAN FRANCISCO's podcast on police internal affairs operations, "UNSEALED," hosted by SUKEY LEWIS and produced by SANDHYA DIRKS, debuting in early 2021. All three were developed through NPR's STORY LAB. more »
New
A trio of radio veterans are launching a podcast to discuss all things pop culture. "THE POP CULTURE SHOW WITH BARNES, LESLIE AND CUBBY" began its regular posting YESTERDAY (6/29) after a test run, hosted by former CUMULUS Alternative WNNX (99X)/ATLANTA morning co-hosts STEVE BARNES and LESLIE FRAM and iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM)/NEW YORK morning host PAUL "CUBBY" BRYANT. BARNES currently runs BARNES CREATIVE STUDIOS in ATLANTA, and FRAM is SVP/Music & Talent at CMT. more »
Guest Co-Hosts
With her regular co-host KATHRYN LAKE away for a few weeks, veteran radio personality TURI RYDER has a pair of prominent CHICAGO broadcasters coming in to guest on her "TURI RYDER'S SHE SAID WHAT?" podcast.
This week, CHICAGO radio legend and podcasting pioneer STEVE DAHL visits to compare notes on his and RYDER's "love-hate relationship" with radio. Next week, former WLS-A-F/CHICAGO host CATHERINE JOHNS will join RYDER.
Awards
The SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS has announced the winners of the 2019 SIGMA DELTA CHI AWARDS for excellence in journalism. 79 honorees were chosen from over 1,200 submissions. The awards were handed out in a virtual presentation hosted by CNN's ABBY PHILLIP; the in-person awards banquet was previously cancelled due to the pandemic.
Radio winners include:
Audio winners in other categories include:
GREG OLSEN, the former CAROLINA PANTHERS tight end now with the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, has joined the podcasting lineup at BLUE WIRE with "TE1," an interview show, reports THE WASHINGTON POST.
The show, expected to debut later this SUMMER, will launch with a seven-episode season featuring interviews with MIKE DITKA, SHANNON SHARPE, OZZIE NEWSOME, and GEORGE KITTLE. OLSEN has been touted as a likely future broadcaster after his NFL career, and has served as an analyst on FOX telecasts of the now-defunct XFL.
