TYT taps Acast to expand its podcast business with programming for new audiences
The largest online progressive news network will increase its podcast production and its slate of programming, with a focus on cultural shows beyond political news
TYT, America’s largest online progressive news network and the creator of the flagship political show The Young Turks, has partnered with podcast powerhouse Acast to expand its podcast offering.
Through the partnership, TYT and Acast will bolster the former’s podcast production capabilities, and deliver new podcast programming to audiences by both creating original series and acquiring established series onto the TYT Network.
While some of its upcoming programming will focus on offering progressive analysis of news for diverse audiences, others will extend beyond political news and feature unique and compelling voices that offer expertise on a variety of cultural topics.
TYT’s new audio strategy aims to attract and be inclusive of audiences with interests beyond the realm of news and politics. Its current roster of programming includes The Young Turks, The Damage Report with John Iadarola, The Conversation, and Old School.
“TYT is known for its authentic voice, and podcasting is a great fit for our content because the platform provides an intimate and real audio experience,” said Praveen Singh, Chief Marketing Officer at TYT.
“This year, we’re investing in marketing and production resources that will offer an intimate, audio-first experience for audiences across all of our shows. By signing with Acast, I see a true partnership that will help TYT in our renewed focus on our podcasting business and in reaching new and existing global audiences.”
“Acast has a strong understanding of our mission and vision, and they’re invested in our success. Together, we are in a strong position to build our presence.”
The move is part of TYT’s ongoing investment in making progressive news highly accessible for traditional and emerging audiences across immersive digital channels.
Acast — which works with publishers such as PBS NewsHour, A+E Networks, Discovery, Daily Beast, BBC, and The Intercept — will host and distribute all of TYT’s podcast programming widely, making it available to audiences across all podcast apps and players, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts. Acast will also manage monetization of the shows through ads and sponsorships.
“The appetite for accessible digital news that’s trustworthy, equitable, and inclusive has never been stronger,” said Rebecca Steinberg, Director of Development at Acast.
“TYT’s investment into podcasting perfectly complements its unparalleled success in the digital video space, attracting progressive audiences of varied backgrounds and demographics. We look forward to helping TYT widen its reach, make its audio content more accessible than ever, and meet people where they are — on one of the fastest growing mediums in the world.”
About ‘The Young Turks’ and TYT
TYT is America’s largest online progressive news network and the #1 most engaged news and politics network. The award-winning network is one of the top multi-platform online content creators, generating over 500 million views a month.
Most recently TYT received the Audience Honor in the Shorty Awards for Best in Live Event Coverage for their coverage of the 2020 Election. The Damage Report with John Iadarola was a 2021 Webby Honoree for Social Media Presence. Cenk Uygur was recognized by Mediaite on their list of Most Influential in News Media 2019. Host Ana Kasparian was named to the 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30 Media List and The Daily Dot’s 20 Women of YouTube list. The Young Turks won the Audience Honor for Overall YouTube Presence in the 2018 Shorty Awards and the Webby People’s Voice Award for News and Politics — Series. In 2017, The Young Turks received best in News and Culture at the 7th Annual Streamy Awards, won the 21st Annual People’s Voice Webby Award for Online Film & Video — News & Politics series, and was also recognized with the Audience Honor at the 10th Annual Shorty Awards under Overall YouTube Presence. The Young Turks was awarded the Imagen Vision Award and the Vote It Loud Fifth Estate: Champion in Media Award for Best in New Media in 2016. In 2015, The Young Turks was named to Variety’s FameChangers List (№7) and The Hollywood Reporter’s Next Gen List (№1 in the News category).
TYT includes owned and operated and partner shows such as The Young Turks, The Damage Report, TYT Investigates, Happy Half Hour, TYT Sports, Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Richey and more.
TYT’s 24/7 programming is available on YouTube TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Xumo, Twitch, Comcast Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex, Samsung TV Plus, and more.
