Compiled by Trent Thomas
Hamish & Andy’s Remembering Project has returned on LiSTNR
Late last year Hamish Blake and Andy Lee delved into their 20 years of archives to create a new podcast, Hamish & Andy’s Remembering Project, which took the boys on a journey down memory lane.
Remembering Project shot to number eight on the Australian Podcast Ranker after only nine episodes and season two launched this week on LiSTNR.
The pair are armed with archives and notes from over 2,500 shows across two decades and episode one of season two takes them back to the time Andy revealed Kylie and Dannii Minogue were his neighbours growing up, and the time Dannii came into the studio with audio of Andy performing in his primary school musical.
Season two of Hamish & Andy’s Remembering Project will also recall the classified information around their trip to Afghanistan, the secret to one of the most successful creations of all time, the Gravy Chip, a bizarre rumour about Rod Stewart, a foretelling interview with the US host of Lego Masters, the savage business negotiations behind the scenes to take on VB, Beckham and Bublé in the fragrance world with Andy by Hamish and Andy’s sneaky pash with Lily Allen in a laneway.
Andy Lee and Hamish Blake said: “We definitely remembered some moments as being far better than they were, so this podcast has often ended up quite embarrassing opposed to a triumphant look back.”
A new episode will drop every Monday through to Monday 23rd August. The Hamish & Andy Show will continue to publish every Thursday as usual.
Earlier this year when speaking to Mediaweek, Lee said that he was excited to return to podcasting in 2021.
“The interesting thing about doing podcasts is international listeners. We are still growing around Australia but when we started it was 90% Australia but now it’s just under 80% local audience.”
When asked how long he sees himself continuing to do podcasts Lee compared it to a marriage.
“Our marriage is an opt-in, not an opt-out and most marriages would probably work better that way.”
“We tend to get together at the end of every year or two and if one of us says that they don’t want to do this anymore then the other one has got to nod his head and say that it has been a good ride.”
[Listen to Hamish & Andy’s Remembering Project here]
March Podcast Ranker: Casefile True Crime still #1
Triton Digital has released March’s Australian Podcast Ranker revealing the top 100 Podcasts and Top 10 Publishers in Australia from 1 March through 31 March 2021.
A number of new entities appear in this month’s Top 100 including The Sure Thing (Nine) and Cautionary Tales (ARN/iHeartMedia). Additionally, Casefile True Crime (Audioboom) remained in the #1 spot as the most downloaded podcast in the country this reporting period.
As for the All-Australian Top 100, new entries included Outspoken the Podcast (Diamantina), Something To Talk About with Samantha Armytage (News Corp Australia), and Unlock The Greatness Within (SCA – LiSTNR). Casefile True Crime (Audioboom) remained in the #1 spot as the most downloaded Australian podcast in the country.
Hamish and Andy have moved up to #3 in March after releasing five episodes, these were the first episodes of the year.
The Betoota Advocate has also seen positive movement with Betoota Daily News Bulletin and The Betoota Advocate Podcast both up significantly this month.
Business Bible already has a devout following
The Business Bible, the new podcast from the Victoria Devine empire she told Podcast Week about just last month, has made a spectacular debut. With the first episode launching on April 1, the podcast has already topped the Apple podcast business rankings. To get there it has to muscle Devine’s other podcast, She’s on the Money, from top spot.
Devine has been seeding the new brand with her followers since January 1 this year when she started asking for feedback on topic suggestions. Once the title launched Devine and her co-host Ryan Jon have been pumping out the episodes. So far seven in just two weeks.
Ryan Jon and Victoria Devine
About the successful launch, Jon said: “Most of the reviews talk about it being really actionable and easy to understand and (take note people on LinkedIn) no ludicrous hype, no salesy BS and use of the words guru, expert or ninja.”
Jon paid credit to Devine for the success plus some of the support team including content producer Jessica Ricci, their first guest Tim Duggan from Junkee plus ARN head of digital audio Corey Layton and ARN podcast content and partnership director Stephanie Coombes from iHeartRadio.
See also: She’s on the Money team launching two new series
[Listen to The Business Bible here]
Heath Ledger first subject of Death of a Film Star
The follow-up series to Crowd Network’s Death of a Rock Star and Death of a Sports Star is Death of a Film Star. The first episode focuses on Australian actor Heath Ledger who died in 2008. Other episodes will delve into the stories of Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther icon and recent Golden Globe winner, plus later Carrie Fisher, James Dean, Judy Garland and Robin Williams.
This is the seventh podcast launched in 2021 from Manchester-based Crowd Network, which has recently moved into working with established shows, including Football Book Club and Le French Rugby Podcast, alongside its original offerings, such as the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club.
The narrators of the show are noted UK voice-over artists Elroy ‘Spoonface’ Powell and Emma Clarke, with episodes penned by author and broadcaster Tom Fordyce, and Mike Henson.
Death of a Film Star launched on Tuesday 13th April, with episodes released every Tuesday through Acast, and available to download on all major podcast platforms.
[Listen to Death of a Film Star here]
Queens of the Drone Age sign with iHeartPodcast Network
ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network Australia announced a new partnership with the Australian creators of Queens of the Drone Age.
The weekly tech podcast shares fun, accessible and conversational behind-the-scenes tech insights from four industry experts and prominent Australian tech journalists Angharad Yeo (ABC), Rae Johnston (SBS), Amanda Yeo (Mashable) and Tegan Jones (Gizmodo).
Every episode gives audiences a peek into the conversations happening in the tech space as the show shares the latest news as well as musings about where tech has been, where it’s going, and how it impacts everyday life.
Amanda Yeo said: “We’re absolutely stoked to be joining the iHeartPodcast Network. We were thrilled when iHeart approached us after our second episode dropped in January, and joining forces just seemed like a no-brainer!
“Our vision for Queens of the Drone Age has always been to make tech-friendly, accessible, and fun. Tech is for everyone, and it’s been heart-warming to see so many people tuning in to geek out with us every week. Working with the iHeartPodcast Network will help us reach new audiences, and provide fresh opportunities to grow our podcast even further. All of us are very excited to continue expanding Queens of the Drone Age with iHeart’s support.”
iHeartPodcast Network and Audioboom extend partnership
ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network Australia has announced it has extended its commercial partnership with podcast creator Audioboom for a further two years.
Audioboom’s CEO, Stuart Last said, “ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network has delivered exceptional commercial opportunities for our podcasts and we are pleased to extend our partnership. We are looking forward to continuing to work together to create opportunities for brands in Australia to reach our diverse audiences.”
ARN’s head of audio Corey Layton said, “This is a great day for the iHeartPodcast Network as we continue to strengthen our offering as Australia’s #1 podcast publisher. Our partnership with Audioboom gives brands access to some of the world’s most compelling and popular content, from the true crime thrills of Casefile to the entertaining No Such Thing As A Fish as part of our diverse podcast slate.”
The partnership the release of the Australian Podcast Ranker for Marched which showed Audioboom’s Casefile, which is part of the iHeartPodcast Network, remains in the #1 position.
Audiocraft to launch workshops for aspiring podcasters
Audiocraft is launching the Idea to Audio Workshop Series on April 28. Three new workshops designed to help turn an idea into a successful podcast. With the support of the City of Sydney, Audiocraft is running the workshops online and in-person at the Darling Square Library Idea Space.
Aspiring podcasters can choose to brush up on one element of the podcast-making process or go deep with six hours of professional podcast training.
Each Idea to Audio Workshop runs for 2 hours:
• Intro to Podcasting: leaves attendees with a solid understanding of their idea, why they’re making it, and who they’re making it for.
• Make Your Podcast: gives attendees an overview of the messy middle of podcast production, going deep on making a plan and writing a killer script.
• Distribution and Promotion: walks attendees through the nitty gritty of setting up a podcast feed and getting their podcast out to audiences.
Online | 6pm – 8pm
Wed April 28 – Intro to Podcasting
Wed May 5 – Make Your Podcast
Wed May 12 – Distribution and Promotion
Darling Square Library Idea Space, Sydney | 11am – 1pm
Fri April 30 – Intro to Podcasting
Fri May 7 – Make Your Podcast
Fri May 14 – Distribution and Promotion
The series will run throughout April and May 2021. Details are below and ticketing information can be found here.
Audiocraft will also offer all three workshops for free at a by-application-only event Idea to Audio: New Voices for people under 25 from CALD backgrounds living, working or studying in the City of Sydney. These workshops will be in-person at Harold Park Community Hall. Spots are limited and applications are open now, apply here.
Andrew Denton’s Better Off Dead returns for season two
Andrew Denton is doing a second season of Better Off Dead over five years since season one wrapped.
The podcast will feature a new investigation into the truth of Victoria’s voluntary assisted dying (VAD) law: Who seeks to use it, and why? Who are the doctors stepping forward to help them? And how do many church groups continue to resist a law it describes as ‘evil’?
Co-produced by the Wheeler Centre and Go Gentle Australia, Better Off Dead season 2 looks at what happened in Victoria after the legislation came into effect in June 2019. The new series drops on Tuesday April 13.
When Better Off Dead was released in November 2015 by the Wheeler Centre, it shed light on the reasons why more than 70% of Australians support making VAD legal – and on the powerful forces working to see that doesn’t happen. Sparked by Denton watching his own father, Kit, die painfully at the age of 67. The 17-part series delved into the arguments for and against assisted dying; described by opponents as ‘state-sanctioned killing’ yet seen by others as a merciful choice not to suffer.
Now, more than a year into the law’s operation, Andrew Denton asks ‘how is it working?’ In the first year, 124 people received assistance to die, including nurse Margaret Radmore. The simple words she used to explain her decision said it all: “I choose not to suffer”.
Still, many church leaders and doctors with a shared world view, continue to oppose the law by speaking of its dark repercussions. Denton looks at their insinuations, and at the fears about assisted dying raised in the parliamentary debate, to see if they’ve turned out to be true. He speaks to those with direct experience of how the law works: the families; the doctors; the keepers of the safeguards; the deliverers of the medication, as well as people who’ve actually made the decision and are going through the process.
Better Off Dead season 2 podcast will be released via wheelercentre.com
Spotify launches Casefiles Presents: Pseudocide
Spotify has launched a new true crime podcast series that explores cases of faked deaths from Australia and around the globe.
Casefiles Presents: Pseudocide is the second of three true crime series launched exclusively on Spotify in partnership with Australian true crime podcast Casefile.
Hosts and true crime authors Poppy Damon and Alice Fiennes who will take listeners around the world to tell the stories of incredible pseudocide cases, with the first exploring Australian 90s advertorial star Roberto de Heredia, who faked his own death after being accused of bombing Simone Cheung and Brett Boyd in 1998.
Pseudocide comes off the back of the first true crime series under Casefiles Presents, The Vanishing of Vivienne Cameron, which launched in November 2020 and explored the Phillip Island murder of Beth Barnard and disappearance of Vivienne Cameron in 1986.
[Listen to Casefiles Presents: Pseudocide here]
