Midroll Media announces new programming, sponsorship opportunities at Podcast Upfront

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Sep 07, 2016, 01:15 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Midroll Media, the leader in podcast creation, advertising and distribution, today unveiled a new slate of podcasts to agency and brand executives at the IAB Podcast Upfront event.

Midroll is now the advertising rep firm for more than 300 top-rated podcasts, presenting the largest reach for advertisers that want to tap into the podcast industry's valuable demographics. Midroll represents 20 percent of the iTunes Top 100, more than its next three competitors combined, said Lex Friedman, chief revenue officer.

"Our ability to offer advertisers custom, host-read spots on some of the largest podcasts in the world is unrivaled," said Friedman. "Advertisers are consistently surprised and delighted with the measureable impact of the spots we sell across Midroll's impressive network of shows. And we continue to announce incredible new shows with tremendous advertiser -- and listener -- appeal."

New opportunities in podcast advertising
The valuable new content joining Midroll's roster includes the recently launched "Katie Couric" podcast and new upcoming series with Rosie O'Donnell and Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

Marc Maron, host of the popular "WTF with Marc Maron" podcast and a longtime client of Midroll's podcast advertising business, joined Friedman on stage to discuss the benefits of podcast advertising through the medium's popular and effective host-read ads.

"Midroll has been a great partner for 'WTF,' so I'm thrilled to join them onstage at the IAB Podcast Upfront," said Maron. "We always knew it was a good idea to partner with Midroll as 'WTF' and podcasting in general grew like crazy, but we didn't really anticipate the huge roster of top advertisers we've been able to work with. We trust Midroll with the business side of things, and they've already told me that 2017 will sell out faster on 'WTF' than any year prior."

Editor Chris Ryan from Bill Simmons' The Ringer Podcast Network talked about the benefits of working with Midroll to grow their podcast business through advertising. Midroll exclusively represents all of the network's shows, including "The Bill Simmons Podcast," which averages well over a half-million downloads per episode.

Friedman also was joined onstage by Couric, who recently launched her popular news and talk podcast, "Katie Couric" on Midroll's Earwolf network. And he announced that actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell is bringing her new talk-show podcast to the network this fall.

In November, Earwolf will launch "Stranglers," a compelling crime-genre podcast delving into the infamous Boston Strangler killings. Twelve of the 13 murders remain open cases, and the show will delve into the murders' many uncertainties — including the number of killers involved.

Other new shows previewed for the ad-buying community included:

Entertainment Weekly's "What to Watch," which launches on Friday and covers what's new and worthwhile on TV and streaming, including interviews with stars and showrunners

American Public Media's "Brains On," the established science podcast for curious kids and adults, and "Make Me Smart," a podcast premiering in early 2017 with hosts Kai Ryssdal and Molly Wood of "Marketplace" featuring intelligent, relaxed conversation on topics that influence business, culture and our everyday lives
"Playing with Science," a show from popular astrophysicist and cosmologist Neil deGrasse Tyson that debuts in early 2017. Tyson's popular "StarTalk Radio" podcast is downloaded an average of 500,000 times per episode.

For more information about advertising opportunities with Midroll, email [email protected].

About Midroll Media
Midroll Media is a leading podcast content company, advertising network and distribution platform that is changing the face of digital audio. It is the parent company of the Earwolf network and its top-ranked comedy podcasts; popular podcast listening platform Stitcher; the Howl premium subscription service, available at howl.fm and via apps for iOS and Android; and the Midroll advertising network, representing over 200 of the world's largest podcasts. With offices in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco, Midroll was founded in 2010 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP).

SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company