UK-based radio group and worldwide media company Global has acquired podcast hosting/tech outfit Captivate. Global is the developer and holding company of DAX, the company’s international digital audio advertising exchange.
Captivate, founded by Mark Asquith and Kieran McKeefery, is based in Sheffield, England. Captivate has always included money-making options for its podcast clients; this acquisition multiplies those opportunities significantly. The founders will remain with the business post-acquisition.
Captivate will be folded into Global Player, an audio entertainment app offering a spectrum of live radio, “catch-up” radio, live playlists, and a robust international collection of podcasts. Within that framework, podcaster creators will be enabled to expand their monetization opportunities via the breadth of DAX, which reaches 110-million listeners. Captivate joins other DAX publishers including TuneIn, LiveXLive (via Slacker Radio), AccuRadio, and Beasley.
Global Player, browser app view of podcasts
Captivate co-founder, Mark Asquith, said: “Our vision for Captivate has always been clear: to proactively help independent podcast creators build their audio brand and to deliver a diverse range of monetization options for them. Joining Global allows us to continue to fulfil that vision by bringing DAX and Global Player to Captivate podcasters, while also providing more opportunities for the platform to positively contribute to the future of the industry.”
Les Hollander, CEO DAX, North America, said: "Captivate offers a suite of creator tools including hosting and monetization options through their self-service platform, one that’s highly regarded by the worldwide audio market. Combining Captivate technology with the soon-to-be -launched DAX Audio SSP in the US allows Global and DAX to offer a complete ad stack to creators and publishers with an array of options for automated monetization. Podcasters both large and emerging will be able to enjoy world class capabilities to enhance their offerings. As podcast content and advertiser demand continue to accelerate, there is a continued need for automated solutions.”