ABC Extends “American Idol” Brand With Official Podcast.

ABC-TV is bringing its long-running reality series “American Idol” to audio, with the launch of the show’s first official companion podcast in its 24-year history. The “American Idol Official Podcast” will be released in both audio and video, with episodes streamed on Disney+ and Hulu, coinciding with the start of the “American Idol” live shows.

“Each week, the podcast will dive deeper into America’s most iconic music competition series, exploring the performances everyone’s talking about, and offering exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes insights, and expert analysis of the judges’ critiques,” the network says in the announcement. It didn’t reveal who will host the podcast. 

The expansion to podcasting comes as, beginning March 30, “American Idol” will stream live on Disney+, alongside its traditional broadcast on ABC, expanding the reach of the franchise and connecting with new audiences. It will also continue to stream next day on Hulu.

The show continues to deliver solid audience numbers, but it is showing how digital consumption is changing how it reaches fans. ABC says “American Idol” returned for a new season jumping to 8.27 million total viewers across all its broadcast and digital platforms. That includes a 20% jump in non-broadcast viewing compared to the prior’s season premiere.