Compiled by Trent Thomas and Tess Connnery
Turia Pitt back for more Hard Work
Turia Pitt will continue to share her wisdom and explore the stories of others in the second season of her LiSTNR podcast series, Turia Pitt is Hard Work.
After suffering burns to 65% of her body from being trapped in a grass fire while completing an ultra-marathon, Pitt has gone on to become a best-selling author, well-respected humanitarian, extreme athlete and motivational speaker.
Pitt will return for another season to unpack and explore the stories behind others’ tales of rising from adversity. Mediaweek’s Trent Thomas caught up with Pitt to discuss the new season of the show.
“I really enjoyed talking to people and having these really deep and honest chats with people on something really hard,” explained Pitt. “Whether that person was Kurt Fearnley talking about his experience being a wheelchair racer and being an advocate for people with disabilities, or Linda Burney who’s the MP for Barton down in Canberra who is an indigenous woman and had so many ideas and awesome things that she’s trying to make happen. I just enjoy talking to those types of people, I find them really interesting and fascinating and trying to see the parallels between the stories.”
The new season will include guests such as Osher Günsberg, Jelena Dokic, Kurt Fearnley, Jazz Thornton, Benji Marshall, and Linda Burney. Pitt said that the main criteria for her guests were people that she was interested in.
“Someone who’s done something hard, whether it was something hard they chose, or something hard that they didn’t choose. And making sure we’ve got a diverse range of guests as well.”
When asked what the main appeal was of returning for another season, Pitt said that she had several reasons why she wanted to go around again.
“If you enjoy something and you’re getting good feedback and commentary then it makes sense to continue doing it. I am really proud that I have had really amazing feedback and I enjoy having D and M’s with really interesting people.”
Discussing how she has improved as a podcast host, Pitt said that she has gotten better at the process of making a show.
“I was probably a little bit stilted or trying to draw bias where there might not have been any, it might have just been a really great story and a really fascinating piece of content to listen to.”
Asked about the future of the show, Pitt said that she wants to make sure she continues to cater to her audience.
“Just keep on making sure that we’re giving the audience what they want, and what’s going to help them in their day to day lives. If people listen to an interview, and if they’re going through a hard time at home and it makes their day better and gives them a new perspective on things then that’s awesome for me.”
[Listen to Turia Pitt is Hard Work here]
Triton Digital releases Podcast Ranker April 2022
Triton Digital has released its Podcast Ranker of Australia’s most popular podcasts for April 2022.
For this reporting period, the top three publishers yet again were ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network Australia, LiSTNR (SCA), and Audioboom.
There were several debuts for the Top 100 Ranker from Liar, Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions (Nine Publishing), News with (Nine Publishing), SACKED: AFL (News Corp Australia), and more.
The return of Chat 10 Looks 3 after a brief break has seen the podcast in which Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb discuss what they’re reading, watching, cooking, listening to or excited by rise 83 positions to come in at #23. This jump makes Chat 10 Looks 3 the highest riser this month.
The April Podcast Ranker can be found here
Spotify launches More than Talk, hosted by Melissa Leong
Spotify has launched Australia’s first ‘pod club’ with More than Talk, a content series hosted by podcast guru Melissa Leong, and featuring some of Australia’s most iconic and beloved personalities as her guests.
More than Talk will immerse Aussies into podcast culture, inviting them to uncover fresh podcasts and perspectives, expand their listening horizons, and reveal our guests’ hidden gems and guilty pleasures that will show them in a new never-before-seen light.
The first episode with Grace Tame is available now on YouTube.
“We’re thrilled to work with some of Australia’s favorite personalities to show that podcasts really are more than talk. With 3.6 million podcasts on the Spotify platform covering everything from crime to comedy, global issues, relationships and fiction, they have become a big part of our culture as listeners lean into audio,” said Ben Watts, Spotify AUNZ Head of Studios.
“As podcasts continue to go from strength to strength, we hope this series helps showcase the diversity and quality of podcasts on Spotify, while also inspiring Australians to find their next favorite podcast.”
Andy Lee’s Do Not Open This Book series now available on LiSTNR
LiSTNR has announced that Andy Lee’s Do Not Open This Book series for children has been specially created as read along interactive audio books available on LiSTNR. The series aims to be the perfect listening companion for children and their parents, encouraging kids to “not” turn the page along with the main character, Wizz.
Andy Lee, best known as half of the Hamish and Andy juggernaut, is a musician, TV presenter, and comedian, and became an award-winning children’s books author by accident. The first book in the series was only ever meant to have one copy. Lee wrote it as a surprise for his sister and her husband to celebrate their son George’s first birthday. When he asked his mate to print him one copy, his mate said: “This book is good, can we print more?”
As a part of the continued growth of its parenting and kids’ entertainment content slate in 2021, LiSTNR acquired the children’s and parenting flagship brand Kinderling which houses music, stories, and original programs that have become the cornerstone for LiSTNR’s kids and parenting pillar.
[Listen to Do Not Open This Book here]
SMH’s Liar, Liar podcast passes one million downloads
Less than a month after its launch, The Sydney Morning Herald’s investigative podcast Liar, Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions has passed the one million download mark.
The podcast, hosted by Kate McClymont and Tom Steinfort, digs into the story behind Sydney conwoman Melissa Caddick, who disappeared in 2020 after ASIC and Federal police raided her home in Dover Heights.
“The Caddick investigation has fascinated different people for different reasons – fraud, deception, and jaw-dropping chutzpah. We’re delighted with the audience response to Liar, Liar and the feedback we are receiving every week tells us just how engaged and interested listeners are,” Herald investigations editor Michael Evans said.
“We are at the halfway mark of the series and Kate and Tom have plenty of revelations still to come about how Caddick deceived those closest to her.”
[Listen to Liar, Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions here]
Nine to launch Stories of Origin podcast from Friday, May 13
Nine’s Wide World of Sports will take the first step on the road to State of Origin 2022 when 9Podcasts launches the Stories of Origin documentary series from Friday, May 13.
Taking a deep dive into the biggest sports rivalry in Australia, the audio docu-series will access a lineup of Origin greats from Nine’s commentary team and all the greatest moments from the WWOS archives.
Featuring exclusive access to the current Origin coaches, Queensland’s Billy Slater and New South Wales’ Brad “Freddy” Fittler, a who’s who of rugby league legends will be heard in the eight-part series that leads into Origin I on Wednesday, June 8.
Stories of Origin will be available on 9Podcasts, Spotify, Apple, and Google
Podsights and iHeartPodcast Network reveal growth in Australian ad spend
The Q2 Podsights Benchmark Australian Report revealed ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network Australia recorded 5.8 million listeners in March 2022. The report examined data gathered from April 2021 to March 2022 and showed iHeartPodcast Network Australia received 25.8 million downloads equating to an average of 4.5 downloads per listener.
The Podsights Global Q2-22 report showed January to March 2022 had double (+110%) the number of impressions served compared to the same period last year with an 81% increase in expenditure. Additionally, the report revealed advertisers continue to use premium real estate in podcasts, with 93% of podcast advertising campaigns utilising either the pre or mid roll.
Polly “PJ” Harding launches new podcast on Acast Creator Network
Former host of Australia and New Zealand’s Jase & PJ radio show, Polly “PJ” Harding, has launched a new weekly podcast, The PJ Podcast. The show is distributed, hosted, and monetised by Acast.
The PJ Podcast promises laughs, connection, and foot in mouth moments and will feature new guests on the show each week, from comedians to sexologists and astrologers. In the first episode, Polly clears the air with her former work husband from across the ditch, Jason Hawkins, and announces some special news.
Harding said: “After a weird few years globally and some tough times in my life, last year I decided to pack it in and move home to be with my farmer fiancé. It turns out sheep and cows don’t provide the banter I’m used to! So, I’m back! And ready to overshare in my new podcast. Joining the Acast Creator Network allows me to have unfiltered conversations with guests of my choice, which is guaranteed to have some laugh out loud and some awkward moments.”
[Listen to The PJ Podcast here]
Are We There Yet? Family Quizshow Extravaganza podcast launches
Sarah Higman and her co host and fiance Keith Primrose are celebrating the launch of a brand new podcast. With over 1000 subscribers tuning in within the first few weeks the Are We There Yet? Family Quizshow Extravaganza podcast is resonating with families all over Australia.
Like millions of Australian parents Sarah Higman always dreaded the cry of “Are we there yet?” coming from the back seat. So she harnessed her years of education experience, along with decades of experience in being slightly weird and created the first interactive, Australian based game show designed to entertain the whole family.
The Are We There Yet? Family Quizshow Extravangza is a fun radio-style interactive game show suitable for the whole family. Perfect for summer holidays, rainy days or listening to while on the way to school, this will get families talking, build connections and just have fun together.
[Listen to Are We There Yet? Family Quizshow Extravaganza here]
