Parcast was a digital media firm and podcast network, that specialized in producing scripted podcasts and audio dramas. It was founded in 2016 by podcaster Max Cutler and his father Ron Cutler in Los Angeles California.[1]
 | |
| Type | Podcast network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
First air date | 2016 |
| Availability | International |
| Owner | Spotify |
| Established | 2016 |
Official website | parcast |
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] In September 2020, employees went public with their union drive at Parcast.[6] A month later, Spotify voluntarily recognized the union. 15 months later, 56 workers of the bargaining unit ratified their first collective agreement, which included a minimum salary of $70,000, annual increases and affirmative action when hiring.[7] 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.[8]
History
editCutler, 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.[9]
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.[10][11]
Parcast produced over 40 daily and weekly shows, supported by a team of more than 75 voice actors, producers, and scriptwriters.[10] 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.[12][13]
Audience
editAccording to due diligence performed by Spotify, over 75% of Parcast's audience is female.[14]
Series produced
edit| 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,[15] Snitchery[16] | 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
editCitations used
edit- ^ "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.
- ^ Carman, Ashley (2020-09-02). "A third Spotify-owned podcast company is starting a union". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
- ^ Kilkenny, Katie (2022-04-18). "Spotify's Parcast Union Members Vote Unanimously to Ratify First Contract". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
- ^ 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 Hollywood. 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.