Disney+ and Hulu are expanding their video podcast offering through a deal with iHeartMedia that will bring six new titles to the streaming platforms, providing another indication of the growing crossover between podcasting and mainstream streaming.
The deal will see Hey Jonas! launch simultaneously on Disney+ and Hulu on August 14, followed by Pod Meets World on Disney+ from August 24. Desperately Devoted, Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach and Donald, StraightioLab and Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim will later launch on Hulu, with new episodes streaming weekly.
The move adds to an increasingly broad push by streaming services to accommodate video podcasts and podcast-derived programming alongside more traditional television and film. Disney has already established a podcast collection on Disney+ and a dedicated Podcasts hub on Hulu, including licensed shows, rewatch podcasts and companion podcasts linked to its own programming. The new iHeart deal expands that proposition with established podcast brands and personalities whose existing audiences can potentially be brought into the streaming environment.
“Fans can’t get enough of the stories and talent they love, and podcasts have become one of the fastest growing ways for audiences to connect with them,” said Lauren Tempest, head of content planning & partnerships, DTC at The Walt Disney Company. “These new video podcasts from iHeartMedia bring fans closer to their favourite worlds and the creators behind them, and we’re thrilled to make them available on Disney+ and Hulu as part of an even richer streaming experience.”
Pod Meets World, hosted by Boy Meets World stars Danielle Fishel, Will Friedle and Rider Strong, is a rewatch podcast built around an established television property. The show has generated more than 55 million audio downloads, according to iHeart.
Similarly, Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach and Donald sees Scrubs stars Zach Braff and Donald Faison revisit the sitcom, while Desperately Devoted brings together Desperate Housewives cast member Teri Hatcher, Andrea Bowen and Hatcher’s daughter Emerson Tenney to revisit the series.
Other additions broaden the proposition beyond TV rewatch formats. StraightioLab, hosted by comedians George Civeris and Sam Taggart, and Thanks Dad with Ego Nwodim, hosted by Saturday Night Live performer Ego Nwodim (pictured), are conversational podcasts without the same direct connection to an existing Disney television property.
“Podcasting continues to evolve as audiences increasingly want to engage with the shows and personalities they love in more ways and across more platforms,” said Bob Pittman, chairman and CEO for iHeartMedia. “Disney+ and Hulu have built powerful streaming destinations with incredibly passionate fan communities, making them ideal partners to expand the reach of these beloved iHeartPodcasts. From iconic rewatch series and fan-favourite conversations to original storytelling, this deal gives both existing listeners and new viewers an easy way to discover and connect with some of podcasting’s most engaging voices through video.”
