Everything you need to know about The Podcast Show 2024
The Podcast Show is happening in London this week over two days on Wednesday and Thursday.
It will bring together industry leaders, brands, platforms and new creators from across the globe to celebrate and help shape the future of podcasting and takes place at The Business Design Centre in Islington, London.
This year’s official partners are Acast, Amazon Music and Wondery, Audioboom, BBC Sounds, Global, Spotify and Spreaker.
Further partners include Adtonos, ALF, Audible, Audio UK, BetterHelp, Dolby, IAB UK, Insanity, Netflix, Noiser, Podnews, Sony Music Entertainment, Sounds Profitable, The Radio Academy, The Telegraph, Tortoise Media and YouTube. International partners and exhibitors include Triton Digital, Canon, Framedrop, Hindenburg Systems, Quill, YourPodcast, StreamYard, Audi-on, SoundCast, PodcastAI, DHD Audio and The Podcast Academy.
A brand-new offering for 2024, The Podcast Show Plus OnDemand Audio content pass will be available directly after the show for delegates and those who can’t be at the Business Design Centre in person.
Stage Highlights
The Origin Theatre will host some of the podcast and entertainment world’s biggest names. Will Pearson (President of iHeartPodcasts) will be a Keynote Speaker on Day 1, with his talk focusing on ‘The State of Podcasting’. He will also be speaking at the ‘Podcast Dealmaking: Insights from the Negotiating Table’ session.
Actor, writer, producer and presenter James Corden will be ‘In Conversation with Scott Greenstein’ (President of SiriusXM). Together, they will discuss the state of the global audio landscape and SiriusXM’s place within it, plus James’s entrance into audio with his new SiriusXM show, This Life of Mine.
Elizabeth Day (host of How To Fail and founder of Daylight Productions) will be taking to the same stage for ‘No More Dad Pod: Unheard Voices and the Future of Diverse Podcasting’, presented by Sony Music Entertainment. She will ask why the top UK chart positions are still dominated by middle-aged white men and considers how the industry can elevate expert voices from different backgrounds.
Co-host of The News Agents, Lewis Goodall, chats to James O’Brien (host of Full Disclosure podcast on Global Player) about everything from reporting on the US election, to using audio and visual to build a multi-platform media brand for the podcast.
Global will also present ‘Say It With Your Chest: Authentic Podcasting From Day One’, featuring Mo Gilligan, Babatunde & Leonie Aléshé – hosts of two new podcasts that the media owner has commissioned in partnership with award-winning production company Lucky 17. They’ll be joined by Chris Lander (Head of Comedy Podcasts, Global) and the show’s executive producers, Eleanor Lawrence and Chike Orakwue (Lucky17).
Spencer Matthews (host of Big Fish and Spencer & Vogue) will be chatting with Oli Walters (Head of Podcast Sales, Global) and Brittany Clevenger (Senior Director of Growth Marketing, BetterHelp) to discuss ‘becoming the biggest podcast advertiser in the World’ and how BetterHelp’s relationship with creators has propelled them to advertising success.
Spotify’s Kat Miles (Partnership Manager, Spotify) will chair the ‘Powerhouse Women in Podcasting’ panel. Joined by The Receipt’s Audrey & Tolly T, Working Hard, Hardly Working host Grace Beverley, and My Therapist Ghosted Me co-host Vogue Williams, they will shine a light on the significance of sisterhood and the appetite advertisers have to reach more female listeners.
In the Amplify Theatre, ‘The Next Generation of Podcasting’ will be tackled by The Fellas Studios, the UK’s leading digital first podcast company for 18–35-year-olds. Callum Airey (CEO and Co-Founder) will discuss what’s next with GK Barry (Host of Saving Grace). The BBC will also dive into ‘Who Commissions Podcasts and What are They Looking For?’, delivering practical insights from five commissioners across their networks.
‘From Audio Production to Media Company: The Evolution of Audio Production Companies’ will be on The Studio Stage. CAA will bring together speakers Glenn Miller (Agent at CAA), Jessica Cordova Kramer (CEO & Co-Founder, Lemonada Media), Stuart Morgan (Founder & MD, Audio Always), Donald Albright (CEO & Co-Founder, Tenderfoot TV) and Matthew Sherry (CEO, Platform Media /Folding Pocket) to hear how these industry leaders scaled their audio businesses into media companies with diversified revenue.
‘Podcast Monetisation: Truths, Tears & Future Proofing’ will see Jordan Harbinger (Host, The Jordan Harbinger Show), Mark Asquith (Director & Co-Founder, Captivate.fm) and Sarah Ray (Head of Podcast Sales, Global) unpack the future of revenue generation and how you can get ahead of the game.
The Creator Stage, hosted by Spreaker, will present sessions dedicated to both new and experienced podcast creators, covering everything from marketing to negotiation. James Cridland (Editor of Podnews) will demonstrate the ‘AI Tools for podcasting you should be using’ live on-stage. City University is hosting ‘What Funding and Bursaries Are on Offer for New Young Podcast Creators?’ with speakers Brett Spencer (Director – Centre of Podcasting Excellence at City University), Ellie Clifford (Head of Content, Persephonica) and Cherise Hamilton (Producer, Transmission Roundhouse).
The Creator Stage will also welcome ‘Industry 101: Job Roles, Industry Insight and Jargon Busting’ with speakers Bea Duncan (Founder, The Entry Level Audio Network), Tess Davidson (Audio Producer & Writer), Meera Kumar (Podcast Producer, Freelance), Leanne Alie (Head of Podcasts, The Artists Partnership) and Elaina Boateng (Assistant Producer & Production Manager, BBC Studios Audio).
For the first time, BBC Sounds will present its own stage. ‘How To Be In The Spotlight with Rylan’ will see the podcast host talk about his move into podcasting and how he handles candid conversations with celebrity guests. It will also deep dive into ‘BBC Audiences: Key Listener Insights for Content Creators’, sharing why these matter for podcast creators. This session comes from Grace Jasper (Research Manager at BBC Sounds, Radio 4 & 4Extra) and Georgie Cavendish (Senior Audience Planner at BBC Sounds).
Writer and Producer of The Banksy Story, James Peak, will be sharing how he made a 25-year retrospective of the anonymous street artist an emotional rollercoaster of a journey. He will be joined by Dan Clarke (Commissioning Editor, Factual – BBC Radio 4 & BBC Sounds) and Steph Warren (Street Art Gallery Owner & Major Contributor, The Banksy Story).
The Brand Works Stage, presented by Global in association with IABUK, will bring together brands, advertisers and podcasters. Tom Webster (Partner, Sounds Profitable) is delivering a keynote on ‘The State of Podcast Advertising’. Delegates can also expect sessions including ‘Analytics Audio: The Podcast Metrics Your Brand Should (and Shouldn’t) Focus On’ with speakers Fatima Zaidi (CEO & Founder, Quill & CoHost), Ainsley Rossitto (Senior Director of Podcast Marketing, Paramount), Harry Morton (Founder & CEO, Lower Street), Sharon Taylor (SVP Podcast Strategy & Operations, Triton Digital) and Tom Webster (Partner, Sounds Profitable).
‘Why Your Campaigns Aren’t Hitting With Audiences Of Colour’ will explore how advertisers must fine tune their approach to effectively attract & hold onto Black and Brown communities. Maribel Quezada Smith (Co-Founder, BIPOC Podcast Creators), Tangia Renee Al-awaji Estrada (Co-Founder, BIPOC Podcast Creators) and Justine Benjamin (Head of Global Marketing, AdsWizz & Simplecast) will showcase successful campaigns that have built long-term ROI.
Edison Research’s Gabriel Soto (Senior Director of Research) will share ‘The UK Podcast Consumer Report’ at The Talking Podcasts – Business Stage, in association with Acast. Following last year’s first-of-its-kind study on UK podcast production, this session will shed light on the profiles of UK podcast listeners and what opportunities they open. Acast will also host ‘Navigating the Noise: Precision Targeting in Podcast Advertising’ with Milly Botes (Senior Director of Advertiser Products at Acast), Chris Wistow (VP of Strategy at Acast) and John Burgess (Senior Product Manager of Advertiser Capabilities at Acast).
The Talking Podcasts – Creator Stage hosts sessions including ‘Audio as TV/Film IP: How to Get Your Podcast Adapted for the Screen’ with a panel of seasoned executive producers, including Jenna Weiss-Berman (Co-Founder, Pineapple Street Studios & Executive Vice President, Podcasts, Audacy), Sruthi Pinnamaneni (Co-Creator, Search Engine & Head of Podcasts, Jigsaw Productions), Justin McGoldrick (Founder – Sound Picture), Jeni Mulein (Senior TV/Film Executive at Amazon|Wondery), Alissa Shipp (Head of TV/Film at This American Life).
Creators can also take advantage of The Podcast Show’s ‘Ask The Experts’ line-up, in association with Betterhelp. It will hold 15+ sessions to inspire attendees and give insights and practical advice, with experts including Ross Adams (CEO, Acast), Lizzy Pollott (Chief Brand and Communications Officer, Acast), Brittany Clevenger (Senior Director of Growth Marketing, Betterhelp) and Media Content Lawyers (Reviewed & Cleared).
In the Creator Village in association with Spreaker, you can book a slot at the Creator Advice Lab for personalised guidance on community-building, legal advice, branding, and video podcasting from 80+ industry experts giving up their time to support new independent podcast creators. Pitch your podcast idea directly to the Spreaker team and explore TYX Studios‘ pop-up podcast studio by Tileyard, featuring live recordings and expert equipment demos from Blackmagic and Rode.
The Podcast Show’s Co-Founder and Festival Director, Jason Carter, says “The Podcast Show 2024 will be our biggest event yet. It’s incredibly exciting to see the huge gathering of the UK and global podcast community descending on London this week. We are so delighted with all the industry support for the show and hope the event continues to help drive the business of podcasting. The buzz ahead of it all is palpable!”
Networking
Dive into the most extensive networking opportunities ever offered at this year’s event. Platinum Pass Networking opportunities include:
The Official Party – hosted by Spreaker & Triton Digital in Kings Cross on Wed 22nd May, from 7-11 pm with global DJ icon Pete Tong and guests
After the show – unwind at The Acast Arms for the Acast After Party on Wed May 22 & Thurs 23rd May, from 5-11 pm.
Brand Works Stage – engage in Brands & Industry Networking on Wed 22nd May & Thurs 23rd May.
Leaders in Podcasts Breakfasts – on Wed 22nd May & Thurs 23rd May, from 8-9 am at Skinny Kitchen.
There will also be Creator Meetups on both days, offering a chance for the podcast industry to interact with the brightest creator talent through the programme of open Q&A sessions hosted by the likes of BBC Sounds, Captivate, Radio Academy, UKAN and VAMP.
The Podcast Show LIVE
The Podcast Show LIVE, a week-long live podcast festival promoted by TEG Live Europe, is taking place from 20 – 26 May. The shows will bring some of the UK’s voices to the stage, including Happy Mum, Happy Baby with Giovanna Fletcher, Uncanny with Danny Robins, Oh My Dog! with Jack Dee and Sean Walsh, Adventures From the Bedrooms of African Women and more. Find further details here.
Passes are on sale atthepodcastshowlondon.com and you can download the official app here.