Midroll Media has announced its fall podcast roll-outs including partnerships with the NFL and Vox Media.
Midroll will take over ad sales for the NFL’s existing podcasts and assist with the development of new shows including today’s launch of “Game Theory and Money” hosted by Cynthia Frelund and Matt ‘Money’ Smith. The company will also provide creative consultation and serve as advertising partner for Vox Media’s daily news show launching in early 2018.
The company is also taking over distribution of true-crime/comedy behemouth “My Favorite Murder” from Feral Audio. Midroll will develop spin-off shows and a full network down the road based around the flagship program.
Leading podcast company Midroll Media announced new partnerships with the NFL and Vox Media, along with its fall lineup of new podcasts, at its IAB Podcast Upfront presentation in New York City.
Expanding its footprint in sports podcasting, Midroll is partnering with the NFL to represent advertising sales for its existing League podcasts, including popular shows like “Around the NFL,” “Move The Sticks,” “The Dave Dameshek Football Program” and “Fantasy Live.” The deal also includes the development of new shows, beginning with the “Game Theory and Money” podcast, featuring Cynthia Frelund and Matt “Money” Smith, which launches today. NFL teams also have the opportunity to partner with Midroll on their club podcasts. The NFL joins Midroll’s growing roster of sports content, which also includes shows from Bill Simmons’ The Ringer network.
Vox Media has tapped Midroll and its Stitcher content development team to help launch its first daily news podcast. Midroll is providing creative consultation and is the exclusive advertising partner for the show, which is set to launch in early 2018.
Midroll has signed hit true-crime podcast “My Favorite Murder.” In each episode, hosts Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark share their favorite tales of murder, consistently attracting an impressive 1 million listeners per episode. Kilgariff and Hardstark plan to grow the show’s brand through spin-off series and, eventually, a fully fledged network inspired by the show. “My Favorite Murder” joins from Feral Audio, which helped grow the podcast into a successful brand and collaborated on its transition to Midroll. The show is represented by United Talent Agency.
“With our ability to serve every part of the podcast community — from creators to advertisers to listeners — Midroll is positioned to help bring the world’s best shows to light across a wide spectrum of genres,” said Erik Diehn, CEO of Midroll Media. “We believe all listeners deserve excellent programming, and we’re committed to increasing the diversity of shows and audiences, another important way we help advertisers reach engaged podcast fans.”
Other shows launching this fall include:
“Heaven’s Gate,” hosted by Glynn Washington of “Snap Judgment,” is a Stitcher 10-part series that will take a new, unconventional look at our nation’s largest mass suicide. It will explore the original underpinnings of the cult as well as the lives of its founders and members, taking a deep dive into how its promise turned to such tragedy. Executive producers for the series include the production team behind Stitcher’s popular true-crime series “Stranglers” and Pineapple Media, the executive producers of “Missing Richard Simmons.”
Two stars of improv comedy — Emmy-nominated actress and comedian Lauren Lapkus and actor and writer Jon Gabrus — are launching the new podcast “Raised by Television” on Earwolf. Well known in the industry for their own podcasts (“With Special Guest Lauren Lapkus,” “High and Mighty”) and appearances on top comedy podcast “Comedy Bang! Bang!”, the hilarious duo will revel in the TV shows of the ’80s and ’90s with a side of nostalgia and humor.
Cristen Conger and Caroline Ervin, formerly of “Stuff Mom Never Told You,” are back together for “Unladylike,” a weekly show that investigates and crowdsources women-centric topics. Cristen and Caroline are journalistically trained, research-addicted feminists who are best known for launching iTunes’ first educational women’s podcast, which ultimately earned 1 million monthly podcast streams.
In “Dr. Gameshow,” hosts Jo Firestone and Manolo Moreno play original game shows with their comedian friends and via listener call-ins. Listeners will be entertained as Firestone and Moreno struggle through outrageous games submitted by people all over the world, from New Jersey to Pakistan. This cult-favorite radio show is now on Earwolf.
About Midroll Media
Midroll Media is a leading podcast content company, advertising network and distribution platform that is changing the face of digital audio. It is the parent company of the Earwolf network and its top-ranked comedy podcasts; popular podcast listening platform and content network Stitcher and its premium subscription service; and the Midroll advertising network, representing over 300 of the world’s largest podcasts. With offices in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco, Midroll was founded in 2010 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP).
