Compiled by Tess Connery
Behind The Briefing with Bension Siebert
LiSTNR’s daily news podcast The Briefing continues to grow, publishing episodes seven days a week covering a broad range of what’s making headlines.
Having been part of the LiSTNR news team for over a year, but recently joining The Briefing as a host, Bension Siebert sits behind the mic on weekday afternoons.
It’s Siebert’s first time behind the mic of a national daily news podcast, with a background in investigative reporting and cross-platform journalism at the ABC and InDaily.
“Moving into podcasting has been really exciting,” Siebert told Podcast Week’s Tess Connery. “I feel like we’re bringing a really interesting, new version of the product into this new year.”
Bension Siebert
With episodes that span deep dives into the war in Gaza, through to research on how Salad Fingers was the video that sparked “the weird part of the internet,” Siebert said the team chooses their content based on the many and varied interests of their audience.
“Our audience is well-informed Millennials and Gen Z. The people that we’re talking to are interested in Gaza, they’re also interested in Salad Fingers, the real estate industry and the housing crisis, and all the way to Taylor Swift and Kate Middleton. It’s a really broad offering, which I think is a real strength for us.”
Whilst The Briefing is well known for its short, sharp recaps of the news, Siebert said the podcast is working on moving more into original stories, original interviews, and longer form investigative projects.
“Most recently, we had a three-part series on whether we should have a Royal Commission into the real estate industry, which my co-host, Sacha Barbour Gatt did an amazing job on. Right now, I’m working on an investigation that started in July last year, that we’re hoping to be able to break in the next month or two,” Siebert said.
“We’ve managed to be in the top five news podcasts in the country, and we’ve consistently appeared among the top 30 podcasts in the country. We’re hoping to continue our growth and appeal to an increasingly broad and diverse market.”
For those tuning into The Briefing, Siebert said he hopes people find “something new that they’re not hearing elsewhere.”
“We’re aiming for a tone that’s like your smart friend talking to you on a relatively casual basis. We’re not trying to be a really formal news product, but I think that’s something that people really connect with.”
The Briefing can be found every day of the week. Sacha Barbour Gatt hosts every weekday morning and the headlines on Monday and Tuesday, Antoinette Lattouf hosts Wednesday headlines, and Katrina Blowers holds down Thursday and Friday headlines. On the weekend, Lattouf hosts Saturday and Tom Tilley covers Sunday.
BBC strikes deal with Amazon Music to bring BBC podcasts to Amazon Music listeners
BBC has announced a new deal with Amazon Music that will make BBC podcasts available on the streaming service for the first time outside the UK.
Beginning this week, subscribers to Prime and Amazon Music Unlimited services can access a suite of over 50 of the BBC’s most popular podcasts ad-free, including notable titles such as Americast, BBC Global News Podcast, Dua Lipa: At Your Service, The Global Story, Infinite Monkey Cage, Planet Premier League, and World of Secrets.
Additionally, the deal will also unlock ad-supported listening for the BBC’s complete catalogue from across BBC Studios, BBC Public Service, and the BBC World Service for Amazon Music users on the streaming services’ ad-supported free tier.
Black T-Shirts podcast returns for season three
Adam Ferrier and Brent Smart have returned for series three of their podcast Black T-Shirts.
The latest guest for season three is the founder of Special, Tony Bradbourne. Established in 2007, Special has become one of the biggest independent agencies in the world.
Tony talks Adam and Brent through his ambition, competitiveness and drive, and how he maintains creativity within the agency. Tony, also talks about his desire to prove the proposition of the brands he works with, not just talk about what they do in ads.
[Listen to Black T-Shirts here]
Game Changers: Melbourne Radio Wars set to launch 6 April
It’s the question that every radio pundit wants to know the answer to – can the world’s best radio show be number 1 in Australia’s biggest radio market?
The Melbourne Radio Wars hosted by Craig Bruce and Irene Hulme is a podcast dedicated to the most watched battle in radio history.
Kyle and Jackie O have conquered the Sydney airwaves for close to 20 years, now they’re taking on their biggest challenge yet.
Too Much: The podcasts for women who have been labelled ‘too something’ at work
In FW’s latest podcast, Too Much, eight high achieving women share the stereotypes they’ve faced at work. Whether they were labelled “too outspoken”, “too emotional”, “too gentle” or “too young”, these female leaders were subject to discrimination or prejudice that shaped their careers and their sense of self.
Too Much host, and FW founder, Helen McCabe, said “at a time when Australian businesses are grappling with gender pay gaps being made public and a lack of representation in senior roles, hearing stories that explain why women choose to leave male-dominated industries is crucial.
“Every woman has been labelled ‘too something’ at work. The Too Much podcast is a chance for them to share their stories – often for the first time – as well as provide practical advice to other women about how to overcome stereotypes and find success in spite of them”.
[Listen to the trailer for Too Much here]
Australian Seniors launches season five of Life’s Booming podcast
Australian Seniors has unveiled the fifth series of its award-winning podcast, Life’s Booming – Is This Normal?
Hosted by James Valentine, Is This Normal? delves into the intricacies of ageing with candid conversations about the challenges and changes that come with it. From navigating menopause to addressing mental health concerns, the series tackles topics that are often brushed aside or considered taboo.
Series Five promises a lineup of episodes featuring guests including comedian Jean Kittson, acting veteran John Wood, and medical experts like Dr. Ginni Mansberg, Dr. Brad McKay and Dr. Sam Day, amongst others.
[Listen to Life’s Booming – Is This Normal? here]
