Spotify Technology SA is partnering with Netflix Inc. to bring some of its top video podcasts to the streaming service’s massive audience.
Certain series from the Ringer and Spotify Studios, including The Bill Simmons Podcast, will publish simultaneously on both platforms, starting in the US next year and eventually expanding to more markets, the companies said Tuesday.
Simmons currently posts his full video episodes to Spotify and YouTube. But once the Netflix partnership begins, only select clips – not entire episodes – will be accessible on YouTube. Other programs that will begin appearing on Netflix include The Zach Lowe Show, The Rewatchables, Conspiracy Theories and The Big Picture. The audio versions of the shows will be available across various podcast platforms.
"From pop culture and lifestyle to true crime and sports, this curated selection of video podcasts adds fresh voices and new perspectives to Netflix,” Lauren Smith, vice president of content licensing and programming strategy at Netflix, said in a statement.
Once an audio-only medium, podcasting has been increasingly turning to video to reach more people and take advantage of the powerful algorithms fueling TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. These days, more than 1 billion people watch podcasts on YouTube every month. According to Edison Research, some 77% of new podcast listeners say they actively watch video podcasts.
Netflix co-Chief Executive Officer Ted Sarandos, who also sits on Spotify’s board, has said previously that video podcasts would likely find a home on the service eventually. The company has already distributed two special episodes of Kill Tony, a podcast in which comedian Tony Hinchcliffe hosts a weekly open-mic night.
Spotify, which helped pioneer music streaming and was an early supporter of the podcasting industry, has been attempting to make its platform a destination for video programming as well. The Swedish company has converted most of its in-house shows to a video format and has launched a creator program to encourage YouTubers and others to upload their programming. During the company’s second-quarter earnings call, co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek said that more than 430,000 video podcasts are hosted on the platform and more than 350 million people have streamed a video podcast.
The video versions on Spotify will include advertisements, as they already do. Netflix will serve the programs without ads for subscribers to its ad-free tier. – Bloomberg
