Sony Music Entertainment’s newest podcast push will have a British flavor.
The music company entered into a joint venture with U.K.-based podcast producer Renay Richardson for Broccoli Content, a company focused on developing and distributing original programming. Richardson is a producer who has previously worked for leading podcast platforms including Acast, Audible and Panoply. As an independent podcast creator, her credits include “About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge” and “The Receipts on 1xtra” from BBC Radio 1Xtra.
In the summer of 2018, Richardson founded production shingle Broccoli Content (tagline: “Content that’s good for you”), in response to lack of opportunities for minority podcast talent both in front of and behind the mic. The new JV is adopting the name.
It’s the second podcast joint venture for Sony Music, after teaming up earlier this year with Adam Davidson and Laura Mayer to form Brooklyn-based Three Uncanny Four Productions.
Richardson, in a statement on the deal, said Sony Music shares her vision for building Broccoli Content “as a place where passionate people with dynamite ideas can find a way into the industry and succeed. Together we will collaborate to create exciting podcasts from many types of voices and perspectives, and help them find audiences all over the world.”
With Sony Music, London-based Broccoli Content plans to develop a broad range of original scripted and unscripted podcasts under Richardson’s leadership.
The Broccoli team also will work with 4th Floor Creative, Sony Music UK’s creative division, to explore a range of “podcasting opportunities” originating in the U.K. market, supporting Sony Music artists and podcasting talent.
“Renay Richardson is an accomplished producer of thought-provoking, smart and engaging podcast content,” Sony Music COO said Kevin Kelleher said. “Our work together will expand Broccoli’s presence around the world and help its podcasters further grow their commercial and creative reach.” Jason Iley, chairman and CEO of Sony Music UK & Ireland, added, “Podcasting has become a major force in our culture, so investing in award-winning innovators like Renay, is a natural move and a priority for us.”
Richardson started her podcast career at Acast in 2014, where she was the first content manager in the company’s London office and helped acquire shows including Scroobius Pip’s “Distraction Pieces Podcast,” comedian Adam Buxton’s podcast, and Arseblog’s Arsecast (a podcast about the Arsenal football club). Moving into production, Richardson developed the first podcasts for fashion retailer ASOS before joining Audible’s original content team and then Brooklyn-based Panoply.
Sony Music has joined the podcast gold rush as the format continues to climb in popularity and has attracted talent from across the entertainment spectrum.
Last month, Three Uncanny Four Productions launched “Broken: Jeffrey Epstein,” an investigative podcast hosted by journalist Ariel Levy exploring the case of the disgraced financier who killed himself while he was detained in a New York jail. The series is executive produced by writer-director-producer Adam McKay, Adam Davidson and Laura Mayer.