Haymarket acquires Podcast Awards

Haymarket Media Group has bought Podcast Awards Ltd, the owner of the British Podcast Awards, the Australian Podcast Awards and the Irish Podcast Awards.

Haymarket will also become a partner in Podcast Day 24, a 24-hour non-stop global podcasting conference, with live events that start in Sydney and move to London and then New York.

Podcast Awards Ltd will initially sit within Haymarket Business Media’s marketing communications portfolio, alongside Campaign and PRWeek, with plans to launch more podcast events internationally in 2023.

Matt Deegan and Matt Hill, the co-founders of Podcast Awards Ltd, launched the British Podcast Awards in 2017, later taking on the Australian Podcast Awards in 2019 and setting up the Irish Podcast Awards in 2022.

Last year, they partnered Radiodays Europe to create Podcast Day 24, a worldwide event, which brings together creators, advertisers and platforms to share ideas, knowledge and best practice.

Deegan said: “Having run the Awards since 2017, it was important to find the right partner that empowered us to continue to cater to podcast creators big and small and promote all the great work they do.

“We have definitely found that with Haymarket. Its global presence allows us to accelerate growth, be more ambitious and get creative with opportunities that until now have been out of reach."

Hill said: “Working with the Haymarket team offers a wealth of access and opportunities for the sector – whether you’re making your shows at weekends or as your day job, this new partnership is going to have a positive impact on what you make.

“We can now be more adventurous with our plans to suit all podcasters, better reflect the needs of the sector and have security for the future.”

Kevin Costello, the chief executive of Haymarket, said: “This investment reinforces our position in the rapidly growing audio space. We have seen the success of our own audio brands, including the Campaign Podcast, PRWeek Podcast, Third Sector Podcast, Rheum Advisor on Air and GP Online Podcast, and with our experience in the awards space, the addition of the Podcast Awards makes for a perfect fit.

“The two founders have produced a brilliant product and we look forward to working together to further develop the brand globally. We already have plans to launch a Podcast360 event as part of our Media360 annual suite of conferences, strengthening our commitment to serving remarkable content to our roster of international clients and audiences.”

The winners of the British Podcast Awards, which are powered by Audible, will be announced on 23 July, followed by the inaugural Irish Podcast Awards ceremony in September and the Australian Podcast Awards announced at the end of the year. Podcast Day 24 takes place on 4 October.

Haymarket owns more than 70 market-leading brands, including What Car?, MyCME and Asian Investor, with offices in the UK, US, Hong Kong, Singapore, India and Germany.