Obama’s Higher Ground has signed a first exclusive multi-year deal with Audible, a significant win for the Amazon-owned audio company as it continues a string of production deals with high-profile Hollywood talent.
The move to Audible will be followed by Higher Ground’s departure from Spotify, where the production company, founded by Barack and Michelle Obama, previously had a multi-year deal to create podcasts exclusively for the Stockholm-based audio giant. While Audible’s original content, known as Audible Originals, is generally only available to subscribers, the Amazon-owned company offers its original content on all major audio platforms, allowing Obama to reach a wider audience than shows that previously streamed exclusively on Spotify.
In a statement Tuesday, former first lady Michelle Obama also noted how the Audible deal would allow Higher Ground to “continue trying to tell compelling, provocative and inspiring stories, while doing everything we can to convince people who need to hear them.” A Higher Ground spokesperson also said the hollywood reporter That the two companies “plan to make Audible Originals available to the widest possible audience”, although it’s not yet clear what the specific plans will be for distributing future shows.
While the deal with Audible, which is expected to cost millions of dollars, has already gone into effect, Higher Ground has yet to release some remaining episodes and shows from the Spotify deal. These projects include the last two chapters by Alex Papademas. Successful show! which will fall later this year; July issue The Sum of Us PodcastAccording to Heather McGee’s book; And an unannounced podcast to be released later. Back catalog of shows created for Spotify by Higher Ground, including Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen Forsaken: Born in the USA s michelle obama podcast – It will remain available on all major podcast platforms, although some of the shows originally debuted exclusively on Spotify.
“We are incredibly proud of our partnership with Higher Ground, and while we declined to extend our contract, we are excited about the series we’ve done together and what’s to come in the coming months,” said a Spotify spokesperson. . THR.
in an interview THR Earlier this year, Rachel Giaza, Audible Executive Vice President and US Chief Content Officer, and Zola Mashariki, Head of Audible Studios, announced that the company was seeking a long-term partnership with talent, offering a wide range of freedom. creative as well as Support, support. . Audible’s internal audio equipment. “We’re not trying to make sure the situation is the same,” Giaza said of the company’s April deal. “We are committed to being partners for a long time.”
Under the first deal with Audible, Higher Ground will now be joined by Carrie Washington, Isa Rai, George Clooney, Lena White, Laura Dern, Quinn Latifah, LeBron James, Kevin Hart and Charlemagne, my God, everything. Of which it has also signed multi-year agreements with Audible through its various manufacturing arms.
The termination of Higher Ground’s contract with Spotify is also a turning point in Spotify’s $1 billion podcast expansion, where some of that money was used in exclusive deals with high-profile talent like Obama and Prince Harry and Megan Markle. , plus great podcasts. Creators like Joe Rogan and I called my father Host Alex Cooper. But in the years ahead, anticipating a reorganization of the company’s podcast team leaders, the acquisition of major audio technology companies, and the profitability of the podcast business, Spotify can focus more on increasing podcast stability and advancing storytelling. . . Fiction, especially considering recent successes. Batman unburied! Spotify original series created with Warner Bros. and DC.
“At Hier Ground, we always try to raise a voice that deserves to be heard, and Audible is investing in bringing that vision to life with us,” said President Obama. “I look forward to partnering with them to tell stories that are not only fun, but inspiring.”
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
