When Podcast Week first encountered Sarah Grynberg and her PodcastOne series A Life of Greatness we mentioned the former radio producer Grynberg has been a great listener.
“I have been fortunate in meeting some wonderful people and I have been fascinated about how some people achieve greatness and some don’t,” she told Mediaweek last year. “I have been lucky enough to see a side of Hamish Blake for example that no one else sees. Behind the humour and the glitter is an empathetic soul who is so grateful and one of the most beautiful people I have worked with.”
While Grynberg had Blake as a guest last season, she completes the set this season with an Andy Lee episode.
Sarah Grynberg with Andy Lee
The latest Podcast Ranker chart sees A Life of Greatness lift 21 places. Grynberg also has a bit to do with another PodcastOne series that does well on that chart – she is executive producer of the Hamish & Andy podcast.
This week Grynberg told Mediaweek when her series launched she had no doubt she would find an audience: “Since the very beginning there has never been any doubt in my mind that A Life of Greatness would do really well. The messages, strategies and inspiration my guests share have had ripple effects with our listeners who in such a short time have experienced immense personal growth from the stories we’ve shared.”
The mix of guests seems to resonate with the audience too.
“My audience loves the diversity of guests I choose for each series, all of them adding their own take on how they have achieved greatness in their lives and giving tips and advice on how my audience can too. Marisa Peer who is known as Britain’s best psychologist has been a personal favourite of many, she speaks about how to master your thoughts so you can master your world and create the best environment for our children so they thrive.
“Kate Langbroek’s vulnerability and wisdom was an interview that touched the heartstrings of many. Gabby Bernstein’s raw and honest conversation about mental health, the stigma around taking anti-depressants and how to attract your dream life was a definite favourite.”
The host has been on a learning journey too along with her audience: “There is not one interview I have done where I haven’t taken away a piece of useful information that has changed the way I conduct my life. The wisdom my guests have shared has had such a positive impact on me, I feel truly grateful to be able to have evolved so much.”
Sarah Grynberg and Turia Pitt
It was hard to pin down Grynberg for a particular favourite: “All of the interviews are interesting. Vishen is a fascinating man who shares a lot of wisdom in the interview about his life’s journey and how he went from humble beginnings to owning Mindvalley, the biggest online university in the world, that is changing millions of people’s lives. My interview with Andy Lee is honest and vulnerable, Andy shares stories of his childhood, what it’s like being in the public eye and the importance of family. Turia Pitt is also fascinating she talks about the power of gratitude, strategies on shifting negative thought patterns and how after everything she has gone though she couldn’t be happier.”
Listen to A Life Of Greatness here.
Introducing A Cuppa and a Yarn
The bi-weekly podcast A Cuppa and A Yarn, hosted by Michelle Aleksandrovics-Lovegrove, is presented by the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council. Aleksandrovics-Lovegrove is a broadcaster and journalist now running media and communications for NSWALC.
Each episode sees NSWALC sit down for a cuppa and a yarn with members of the Land Rights network, its supporters and contributors to Australia’s rich cultural history. The producers promise “you’ll laugh, cry and be inspired by each individual tale as we delve into the big issues, history and the personal journeys of our incredible guests”.
The most recent guest is a woman who’s dedicated her life to reconciliation and social inclusion. Shelley Reys has more than 25 years’ experience in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and reconciliation landscape, was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2012 for her distinguished service to Indigenous communities and was named in The Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence.
Shelley talks with Aleksandrovics-Lovegrove about her company Arrilla, her partnership with KPMG and her poignant memories of her father Frank Reys, who became world famous when he won the 1973 Melbourne Cup.
Listen to A Cuppa and a Yarn here.
Deloitte on the rise of podcasting: Markey to be worth US$1b+
For its latest Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Predictions report, Deloitte predicts the global audiobook market will grow by 25 percent to US$3.5 billion. And audiobooks aren’t the only audio format gaining in popularity. Deloitte also predicts the global podcasting market will increase by 30 percent to reach US$1.1 billion in 2020, surpassing the US$1 billion mark for the first time.
The report continues:
These numbers may not look like much next to radio’s US$42 billion and music’s (recorded and live) US$51 billion global annual revenues. But in a world where overall media and entertainment growth stands at just 4 percent,25 to 30 percent annual growth is impressive, even considering the low absolute base.
The signal is clear: Audiobooks and podcasts are outgrowing their “niche” status to emerge as substantive markets in their own right. With anticipated revenues of just over US$1 billion in 2020, podcasts barely make enough money today to rate a slot on the media formats list. But if future growth remains as high as in the past few years, podcasts could be a US$3.3 billion–plus business by 2025.
For this to happen, however, the podcast industry should further expand globally, add new listeners, and – most crucially – get better at monetising (at least to some extent) its large listener base. Podcasts, on the other hand, have multiple revenue streams: advertising and sponsorships, subscriptions, events, merchandise, content marketing, contracts for branded podcasts, and individual listener donations. Of these, advertising and sponsorships are by far the largest, although exact splits by revenue stream do not seem to be publicly available. Because the barriers to podcasting are low, anyone can (and a great many do) make them: As of 2019, more than 700,000 podcast series encompassing 29 million episodes were active, and most were basically free for the listening.
Access the complete Deloitte report here.
