EW Scripps is restructuring its podcast operations to make Stitcher its primary brand.
Stitcher will serve as the parent brand to podcast advertising service Midroll Media, comedy podcast network Earwolf, and additional networks in the process of being launched. Scripps purchased Midroll Media, which in turn had been founded in 2010 as Earwolf, in 2015. They they added the Stitcher app platform in 2016 for $4.5 million and rebuilt it adding a subscription tier.
Stitcher, a leader in podcast content creation, distribution and advertising, today unveiled a new logo and brand identity, reinforcing its place as a leading player across the podcast ecosystem as it becomes the primary brand for The E.W. Scripps Company’s podcast operations.
Stitcher’s new branding comes as the podcast industry undergoes massive growth. Podcasts’ share of total audio consumption has doubled over the past four years, according to Edison Research, while podcast ad spending has increased 86 percent year over year, according to a recent IAB and PwC report.
Founded in 2007, Stitcher was an early leader in podcasting. By 2016, the popular podcast listening platform was operating in concert with two other veteran podcast brands: the leader in podcast advertising Midroll Media and top comedy network Earwolf. The three brands have since solidified their combined strength in all parts of the ecosystem: content production, distribution and monetization.
To set up the company for continued growth and underscore consumers’ adoption of the Stitcher brand and its journey to becoming ubiquitous with podcast listening, Stitcher is now the parent company to Midroll and Earwolf. Other networks of original content also fall under the Stitcher umbrella.
Stitcher CEO Erik Diehn said the changes reflect the transformation that has been underway for some time at the company to attract new advertisers, listeners and top creative talent.
“Our combined brands and companies – Midroll, Earwolf and Stitcher – were all individually early pioneers and leaders in podcasting,” Diehn said. “Earwolf was one of the first podcast networks; Midroll helped create and grow the podcast ad sales marketplace; and Stitcher was one of the first true podcast apps. Each of these has evolved and thrived individually, and today we mark the beginning of those pieces coming together to form the world’s strongest end-to-end podcast company.
“Under the combined Stitcher brand, we will connect talent, listeners and advertisers in new and exciting ways and help millions of new listeners discover this incredible medium.”
One of the world’s most popular podcast listening services, the Stitcher app delivers more than 100,000 podcasts. Stitcher also creates original content and runs a growing Stitcher Premium service that now offers 20,000 hours of content to engaged podcast fans.
Stitcher’s new logo – which exudes a more modern, bold look – also complements the many improvements to the Stitcher app over the past year that make it the best place to listen to and discover podcasts. The Stitcher app is available for free download for Android and iOS devices.
The company’s operational structure and business units’ operations have not changed. Midroll will continue as the leader in podcast advertising, and Earwolf will continue as home to the world’s top comedy podcasts.
To support its growth, Stitcher continues to expand its content, ad and production staff and has opened new state-of-the-art studios in New York City and Los Angeles.
Stitcher is a wholly owned subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company.
