To kick off The Podcast Show 2024, we welcome back James Cridland, Editor of Podnews, to highlight the trends and news of the last year in podcasting, and help set the next two days in context. Learn where podcasting is going - and what questions to ask as we kick off another Podcast Show in London.

The podcast industry has seen tremendous growth over the past five years and is predicted to see the most growth of any media channel in 2024 by 2X. As the newest mass-reach medium continues to evolve, there are plenty of narratives around the state of podcasting. Overall audience is growing, individual engagement is growing, ad spend is up, and data is more important than ever now that this emerging medium has become a permanent, new part of our media consumption.

Who’s listening? How is listenership changing? What are advertisers learning and what trends should we expect in the year ahead? Will Pearson, President of iHeart Podcasts, will give his take on the industry, while also sharing a few listening recommendations.

A varied panel looking at the true-crime genre and whether it's inherently unethical. The panel will debate and discuss the issue based on their own experiences in making content within this popular genre. From crafting stories to providing due diligence for victims, the audience will be able to listen, engage and learn more about what to consider when telling true crime stories.

Why are the top UK chart positions still dominated by middle-aged white men in an era when other industries have made considerable strides towards greater inclusion? Elizabeth Day, the creator and host of How To Fail and founder of Daylight Productions, asks what opportunities we might be missing and considers how to elevate expert voices from different backgrounds.

Session Details Coming Soon

Producers of the biggest UK Gen Z podcasts, reaching over 1.7 billion views across their slate in 2023, The Fellas studios have stormed the market over the past 3 years with shows like Saving Grace, The Fellas, Growing Paynes and Pitchside. Join this Keynote to get a look behind the curtain of the company and to learn more about what is to come from the studio.

Whether you have an entire network of shows or you’re a new advertiser of the medium, there are many ways to approach the business of podcasting. In this session Dan Fierman, Head of Audio at Higher Ground, President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s media company, and Acast CEO Ross Adams will discuss the future of podcasting within the broader $250 billion creator economy. The duo will share tactics they employed around the successful launch of recent podcasts, including Ways to Win and Your Mama’s Kitchen, along with their approach to custom content campaigns with podcast hosts like Michele Norris and Michelle Obama.

They’ll offer invaluable insights into building a media company in a rapidly changing environment, solving the problems of the next three years (not the last three years), and how to develop a creative slate that breaks through with impact. Additionally, they will share some of the strategic content approaches they have taken in their partnership to increase engagement with brands like Maker’s Mark, Airbnb, and Invesco. With tangible takeaways, audiences of podcasters, advertisers, media buyers, and industry professionals will all learn more about the business behind the medium as well as the incredible power of podcast advertising. During the session, Higher Ground and Acast will unveil news tied to their expansive, upcoming slate.

Dolby & Audible will delve into its popular new original: George Orwell’s dystopian thriller “1984”. Hear how Audible continues to redefine the audio storytelling landscape with Dolby Atmos, the leading spatial audio technology. Gain perspective from industry experts as they share insights into the creative process, the importance of Dolby Atmos in sound design, and how to draw audiences in closer. From creative direction to sound engineering to distribution, learn the tools and tips from the team behind this production.

Join Matt Willis as he delves into the art of conducting meaningful and sensitive discussions on his podcast while ensuring the well-being of his guests. In this session, Matt shares insights and strategies on how to approach heavy topics with empathy and consideration for the mental health of those involved. From setting the right tone to providing support during vulnerable moments, learn valuable techniques for fostering a safe and respectful environment for impactful conversations. Tune in to discover how to navigate sensitive topics with care and compassion on your podcast.

This session will go behind the scenes on 2024's most exciting companion podcast release, The Traitors: Uncloaked (on BBC Sounds x BBC2 Linear TV and the BBC iPlayer). We'll use this landmark new show as a case study to understand the future of companion podcasts and how a brief went from short-form video clips to full length episodes being broadcasted on TV.

To mark an outstanding run of 10 years at the top of their game, No Such Thing As A Fish Hosts, Andrew Hunter Murray and Dan Schreiber join Audioboom's Mike Newman and Shaun Wilson to discuss what it takes to create a global hit show, what they've learnt along the way and how the industry has changed in their decade of success.