Podcast Radio, the U.K.-based company that is putting podcast on digital radio stations around Britain, will wash up on American shores this fall. It will hold an international podcast conference in October as part of the NAB Show New York. The theme of the Podcast Futures event will be similar to a conference Podcast Radio held in London earlier his year: Getting Podcasts Heard.
“The idea is to explore the biggest challenge facing the industry right now, whether you’re a corporate player or an indie, and that is quite simply getting your podcast heard,” says Podcast Radio CEO Gerry Edwards in the announcement. “Podcast Radio uses the trust and familiarity people have in radio to help supersize podcast discoverability.”
Details of the event are still being finalized, but Podcast Radio says the one-day seminar will feature fresh insights into podcast consumption, monetization, trends and technology, including a special exploration of podcast integration into new platforms and vehicles.
Podcast Futures-New York will be held on Wednesday, October 19 on the first day of the conference planned by the National Association of Broadcasters.
NAB Executive VP Chris Brown calls it an “exciting addition” to the line-up of the conferences and exhibits planned for the trade group’s return to an in-person NAB Show New York. “With its focus on providing a unique perspective of the podcasting ecosystem, Podcast Radio offers an insight into the latest trends reshaping audio entertainment and the cutting-edge programming that captures audiences’ attention. We look forward to exploring this evolving form of storytelling with Podcast Radio at NAB Show New York,” said Brown in a statement.
Podcast Radio launched two years ago with a model that includes both distribution online and on-air – it currently broadcasts on digital radio stations in four U.K. markets including London, Surrey, Manchester and Birmingham. Director Paul Chantler announced in January that it has “big plans to expand to the U.S. and Australia” this year. The company says more than half of its online listeners are in the U.S.