The podcast industry convened in Los Angeles this week to share news and announcements for the second annual upfront event. Podfront LA included presentations from several notable networks. Here are the presentation summaries as described in the Podfront LA press release.
Cadence13
Cadence13, a division of RADIO.COM, previewed the first half of its 2020 slate, presented by C13 Founding Partners Chris Corcoran, C13’s Chief Content Officer and Spencer Brown, SVP, RADIO.COM Podcast Network. The slate featured the latest breakthrough documentary franchises from C13Originals, creators of the #1 podcast Root of Evil, including: Season Two of the music documentary franchise Long May They Run, about iconic touring bands and their impact on music and culture; Season Two of Gangster Capitalism, the franchise about white collar corruption and the dark side of the American dream; and a new true life noir suspense franchise set in Los Angeles in the 80s. They also discussed the latest on the #1 new podcast Unlocking Us from Brené Brown, the globally renowned researcher and #1 New York Times bestselling author; and Origins: Almost Famous, the next chapter of the hit series hosted by award-winning journalist and bestselling author James Andrew Miller exploring the story behind Cameron Crowe’s iconic film in celebration of its 20th anniversary.
iHeart
iHeartRadio discussed the latest podcast trends and programming and its unique ability to provide scale through its broadcast radio stations to introduce podcasts to the vast majority of Americans. The iHeartPodcast Network features some of today’s most listened to podcasts, including Stuff You Should Know, The Ron Burgundy Podcast, Disgraceland, and Monster: DC Sniper. iHeartRadio also gave a sneak preview of its upcoming spring and summer line up featuring new series within their comedy, music and crime podcast slates.
Midroll/Stitcher
Stitcher and its advertising arm, Midroll, were represented by Chief Revenue Officer, Sarah van Mosel, who offered exclusive previews of upcoming shows from household names, new diverse voices and compelling true crime. Stitcher also showcased new ad products and discussed opportunities for advertisers and agencies in Los Angeles to partner with upcoming content. Sarah was joined by television host and comedian, Conan O’Brien, whose podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, launched its second season this past fall.
NPR
NPR podcast Host Shereen Marisol Meraji of Code Switch, Host & Editorial Director Guy Raz of TED Radio Hour, How I Built This, and Wow In The World discussed their creative craft, building community with their audiences and the power of audio storytelling. Senior Vice President for Programming and Audience Development of NPR Anya Grundmann, shared the latest programming updates and podcasting capabilities at NPR. President & CEO of National Public Media Gina Garrubbo presented insights into spoken word listening habits, changing consumer patterns in audio and sponsorship offerings from the podcast publisher with 9 of the Top 20 podcasts and 23.7M monthly listeners in the U.S. (Podtrac, December 2019).
PMM
PMM is proud to represent many of the top podcasts in the industry including The Joe Rogan Experience, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, This American Life, Serial, Anna Faris is Unqualified, and hit comedy podcasts Your Mom’s House, Two Bears One Cave, and Bertcast. David Raphael, CEO of PMM introduced Anna Faris, host of Anna Faris is Unqualified, Armchair Expert Hosts and introduced a new limited series from Armchair Expert, a 10 episode series about relationships called Monica and Jess Love Boys. The show will debut Valentine’s Day in the Armchair Expert feed. For a decade PMM has been providing the very best and most effective host read endorsement ads delivering wildly successful campaigns for direct response and brand campaigns.
PodcastOne
PodcastOne is the leading advertiser-supported podcast network. Presenting more than 400 hours of programming weekly, the network features cutting-edge content across every content category, reaching every demo. Home to the most successful celebrities, influencers, PodcastOne Sportsnet and true-crime podcasts, PodcastOne topped the charts and the news last year, including mega-hit 22 Hours: An American Nightmare, which held a spot at #1 on Apple Podcasts, and was named the #2 podcast of the year by the Associated Press. Other stars on the network include podcasting Guinness World Record holder Adam Carolla, WWE legend Steve Austin, bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe, and rapper multi-hyphenate T.I.
Westwood One
Westwood One’s President Suzanne Grimes reviewed America’s largest audio network’s commitment to continuous innovation, introducing new multi-platform ad opportunities and podcast industry insights. SVP Digital Partnerships Kelli Hurley previewed Westwood One’s expanded slate of blockbuster Conversational Podcasts in the News & Insights, Sports, Life & Entertainment, and Business, Money & Tech verticals, with memorable appearances from nationally syndicated radio host Zach Sang, reality television personality and businesswoman Vicki Gunvalson, NFL defensive lineman Michael Bennett and his accomplished wife Pele, and Sports podcasting superstars Mark Titus and Tate Frazier.
Wondery
Wondery’s CEO, Hernan Lopez presented Wondery’s exciting 2020 slate with new launches of Bunga Bunga, Even the Rich, and the follow-up season to the global phenomenon of Dr. Death, along with new partnerships such as School of Greatness, NBC News and All Things Comedy.
Wondery is the largest independent podcast publisher in the world, known for character-driven, binge-worthy stories including Dirty John, Dr. Death, WeCrashed, The Shrink Next Door, Blood Ties, and Business Wars. Wondery is behind 8 of the Top 20 New Shows of 2019 according to Podtrac. Twenty-five of Wondery’s shows have hit #1 on Apple Podcasts. Ten of them have been, or are in the process of being, adapted for scripted television. Wondery has gained critical acclaim and commercial success for its immersive approach to sonic, emotionally-immersive storytelling which helps listeners to feel the story.