Parcast
Type | Podcast network |
---|---|
Country | United States |
First air date | 2016 |
Availability | International |
Owner | Spotify |
Established | 2016 |
Official website | parcast |
Parcast is a digital media firm and podcast network, that specialized in producing both scripted
In 2019, it was acquired by Sweden-based media firm and streaming service provider Spotify.[2] Spotify spent over $56 million to acquire Parcast; however, the total compensation has been reported to be over $100 million.[3][4] This makes the Parcast acquisition one of the largest podcasting platform mergers in US history and largest single acquisition deal of Spotify's $400 million acquisition program.[5] On June 5, 2023, Spotify sent a memo to staff announcing that Parcast would be merged with Gimlet Media into a single Spotify Studios division, as part of a restructuring that also included the elimination of 200 jobs.[6]
History
Cutler, a 27-year old graduate of the University of Arizona, launched Parcast in 2016. He was inspired by the hit podcast Serial, itself a spinoff of This American Life. He believed that his network could produce podcasts of comparable quality while saving money on the production of individual episodes.[7]
Parcast's original focus was on producing scripted true crime series, but their scope expanded into the mystery, science fiction, and history genres as well as fictional audiodramas.[8][9]
Parcast produced over 40 daily and weekly shows, supported by a team of more than 75 voice actors, producers, and scriptwriters.[8] Following a decline in demand for the shows and the anticipated merger of Gimlet Media and Parcast into a single Spotify Studios subsidiary, the firm is expected to be disbanded sometime in 2023.[10][11]
Audience
According to due diligence performed by Spotify, over 75% of Parcast's audience is female.[12]
Series produced
Title | Hosts / cast members | Genre | Update schedule |
---|---|---|---|
Adulting with Teala & Nia | Teala Dunn, Nia Sioux | Society/culture | Wednesdays |
Assassinations | Kate Leonard, Bill Thomas | True crime | Mondays |
Blind Dating | Tara Michelle Massicotte | Romance | Wednesdays |
Cold Cases | Carter Roy | True crime | Mondays |
Con Artists | Alastair Murden | True crime | Wednesdays |
Conspiracy Theories | Molly Brandenburg, Carter Roy | Pop history | Wednesdays |
Conspiracy Theories: CIA Edition | Miscellaneous | True crime | Thursday |
Conspiracy Theories: Music Edition | Molly Brandenburg, Carter Roy | True crime | Wednesdays |
Crime Bites | Miscellaneous | True crime | Miscellaneous |
Crime Countdown | Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley | True crime | Mondays |
Crimes of Passion | Lanie Hobbs | True crime | Wednesdays |
Criminal Couples | Miscellaneous | True crime | Mondays |
Cults | Greg Polcyn, Vanessa Richardson | Pop history/true crime | Tuesdays |
Daily Quote | Kate Leonard | Self-help | Daily |
Dare to Lead with Brené Brown | Brené Brown | Society/culture | Mondays |
The Dark Side of... | Kate Leonard, Richard Rossner | Pop history | Mondays |
Deathbed Confessions | Estefania Hageman | Society/culture | Wednesday |
Dictators | Kate Leonard, Richard Rossner | Pop history | Tuesdays |
Dog Tales | Alastair Murden | Pop history | Mondays |
Espionage | Carter Roy | Pop history | Mondays |
Extraterrestrial | Bill Thomas, Tim Johnson | Pop history | Tuesdays |
Faerie | N/A | Audiodrama
|
Mondays |
Famous Fates | Vanessa Richardson, Carter Roy | Society/history/culture | Wednesdays |
Female Criminals | Vanessa Richardson, Sami Nye | True crime | Wednesdays |
Gone | Molly Brandenburg, Richard Rossner | True crime | Alternate Mondays |
Great Women of Business | Vanessa Richardson, Molly Brandenburg | Business documentary | N/A (limited series) |
Haunted Places | Greg Polcyn | Parapsychology | Thursdays |
Haunted Places: Ghost Stories | Alastair Murden | Parapsychology | Thursdays |
Historical Figures | Carter Roy, Vanessa Richardson | Pop history | Alternate Wednesdays |
Hostage | Irma Blanco, Carter Roy | True crime | Thursdays |
Impostors: The Commander | Abby Ellin | True crime | Mondays |
Impostors: The Spy | Alex French | Investigative journalism | Mondays |
Incredible Feats with Dan Cummins | Dan Cummins | Documentary | Weekdays |
International Infamy with Ashley Flowers | Ashley Flowers | True crime | Tuesdays |
Internet Urban Legends | Loey Lane,[13] Snitchery[14] | Paranormal | Tuesdays |
The Kennedys | Miscellaneous | Society/history/culture | N/A |
Kingpins | Kate Leonard, Howell Hargest | True crime | Fridays |
Medical Murders | Alastair Murden, Dr. David Kipper | True crime | Wednesdays |
Medical Mysteries | Molly Brandenburg, Richard Rossner | Medical documentary | Tuesdays |
Mind's Eye | N/A | Audiodrama | N/A (limited series) |
Mythical Monsters | Vanessa Richardson | Mythology retelling
|
Mondays |
Mythology | Vanessa Richardson | Mythology retelling | Tuesdays |
Natural Disasters | Kate Leonard, Tim Johnson | Science/history/culture | Thursdays |
Not Guilty | Vanessa Richardson | True crime | Mondays |
Obituaries | Vanessa Richardson, Carter Roy | History | Wednesdays |
Obsessed | Benito Skinner, Mary Beth Barone | Comedy | Mondays |
Our Love Story | N/A | Stories | Tuesdays |
Political Scandals | Kate Leonard, Richard Rossner | Political documentary
|
Tuesdays |
Rituals | Christine Schiefer, Em Schulz | True crime | Mondays |
Scotland Yard Confidential | John Hopkins | True crime | Thursdays |
Secret Societies | Kate Leonard, Richard Rossner | Pop history | Mondays |
Serial Killers | Greg Polcyn, Vanessa Richardson | True crime | Mondays and Thursdays |
Solved Murders | Carter Roy, Wenndy Mackenzie | True crime | Wednesday |
Sports Criminals | Tim Johnson, Carter Roy | True crime/history/sports | Thurdays |
Supernatural with Ashley Flowers | Ashley Flowers | History/true crime | Wednesdays |
Superstitions | Alastair Murden | Stories | Wednesday |
Survival | Irma Blanco, Tim Johnson | Documentary | Mondays |
Tales | Vanessa Richardson | Mythological retelling | Wednesdays |
Today in Music History | Tim Johnson | Music/history | Daily |
Today in True Crime | Vanessa Richardson | True crime | Daily |
Unexplained Mysteries | Molly Brandenburg, Richard Rossner | Investigative journalism | Thursdays |
Unlocking Us with Brené Brown | Brené Brown | Relationships | Wednesdays |
Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories | Carter Roy, Wenndy Mackenzie | True crime | Tuesdays |
Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers | Ashley Flowers | Documentary | Tuesdays |
Villains | Alastair Murden | Literary criticism | Fridays |
Whistleblowers | Pat Rodrigurz | True crime | Tuesdays |
Your Magic | Michelle Tea | Society/culture | Mondays |
See also
Citations used
- ^ "Spotify acquires true crime studio Parcast to expand its original podcast content". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ Leach, Kamaron (April 26, 2019). "Spotify's Podcast Bet With Parcast Sets the Stage for Earnings". Bloomberg. online. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ^ "Spotify Paid $100 Million For Parcast: Report". Insideradio.com. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ Massoudi, Arash; Nicolaou, Anna (2019-03-26). "Spotify to buy podcasting business Parcast for more than $100m". Financial Times. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ Sawers, Paul (April 29, 2019). "Spotify confirms it paid $56 million for Parcast, taking its total podcast acquisition value to $400 million". VentureBeat. Internet. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
- ^ Weprin, Alex (2023-06-05). "Spotify to Slash Podcast Workforce, Combine Parcast and Gimlet Studios in New Round of Cuts". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ Bromwich, Jonengel (April 4, 2018). "Pulp Nonfiction: Podcasts Go Mass-Market". The New York Times. online. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ^ a b Coyne, Marley (June 4, 2018). "Parcast Founder Max Cutler On Creating Original Content". Forbes. online. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
- ^ "About Parcast". Parcast. Parcast. November 19, 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
- ^ Robb, David. "WGA East-Represented Gimlet & Parcast Employees Blast Parent Company Spotify In Wake Of Layoffs". Deadline. Deadline.com. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
- ^ Pietsch, Bryan. "Spotify cuts 200 jobs, gutting Gimlet Media as podcast boom sputters". The Washington Post. The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
- ^ "5 Fast Facts about Spotify's Acquisition of Parcast". March 26, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
- ^ Loey Lane
- ^ Snitchery
- ^ "All". Parcast. Retrieved 2023-02-14.