Luminary Media wants to be the Netflix of podcasts, will include shows from Trevor Noah and Lena Dunham
The reason why it may seem like everyone has a podcast is because it’s one of the most accessible forms of media out there. While producing a show is objectively hard work, the startup requires little more than a halfway decent microphone, a computer, and a mild opinion about deli etiquette and bam! You’ve fashioned a potential internet hit. Podcasting provides a bottomless well of possibilities for wide-ranging audiences full of money-spewing consumers, which is why companies like Spotify are urgently looking for ways to occupy the space, starting with their purchase of Gimlet Media.
A new contender, Luminary Media, has decided to step into the ring by announcing an initial slate of 40-plus creators, and the list includes a few familiar Hollywood names. Trevor Noah and Lena Dunham are among the inaugural class of hosts, for those who are somehow eager to hear them talk more. Luminary will also launch Anthem: Homunculus, John Cameron Mitchell’s followup to Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which will feature 31 original songs performed by 40 actors, including Broadway giant Patti LuPone. A handful of existing shows will be making the move to the burgeoning platform, such as Russell Brand’s Under the Skin and Hannibal Buress’ Handsome Rambler.
Podcast enthusiasts will have the option of continuing the free method of listening – which tends to be the main draw when committing hours of listen to strangers talk – or shelling out $8 per month for an ad-free experience.
[Via Deadline]