The Obamas’ post-White House second act is gearing up to be huge one.
According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, leading podcast firm Acast will lead ad sales and distribution for Higher Ground’s portfolio of podcasts, the production company the Obamas’ founded in May 2018.
Acast will help amplify Higher Ground shows including The Big Hit Show with Alex Pappademas, Renegades: Born in the USA with President Obama and Bruce Springsteen and The Sum of Us with Heather McGhee.
The Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions launched by Higher Ground with a multi-year deal with Netflix to produce scripted and unscripted film and television projects, with the goal of the company to lift up diverse voices in the entertainment industry.
“Together, we will keep striving to tell compelling, provocative, and soulful stories — while doing everything we can to make sure they reach the folks who need to hear them,” Mrs. Obama said in a statement around the time of the launch.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Acast partnership is a part from Higher Ground’s multiyear first-look deal with Audible.
“We’ve been deeply impressed by the creativity and innovation of the Acast team,” Dan Fierman, the head of audio at Higher Ground, said in a statement per the outlet. “We are excited to work with their team to bring our growing slate of audio content to existing fans and new audiences.”
“Higher Ground continues to deliver among the most engaging and high-caliber audio content in the industry, and we look forward to teaming up with them to make vital storytelling available to communities all over the globe,” Acast CEO Ross Adams said per The Hollywood Reporter. “This relationship marks an exciting new chapter not only for Acast, but for the audio industry at large, as we work hand-in-hand to make the world a more connected place.”