NPR has announced the acquisition of the popular podcasting app Pocket Casts by a consortium consisting of NPR, two public radio stations — WNYC Studios and WBEZ Chicago — and This American Life.
The companies represent four of the top podcast producers in the U.S., and the announcement describes the acquisition as a move that “furthers public radio’s leading role as an innovator in audio discovery and distribution, while ensuring the continued support and growth of one of the most popular listening platforms on the market.” Former Executive Vice Present and General Manager at iHeartRadio, Owen Grover, has been tagged to become the new CEO of Pocket Casts, which will operate as a joint venture with the apps founders Philip Simpson and Russell Ivanovic remaining in unspecified leadership roles and the existing staff and developer team remaining in place.
A new board will also be formed for Pocket Casts made up of “representatives of public media leaders” in order to “ensure development aligns with the mission-driven ethos of public radio.” [via The Verge]
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