Variety presents the first-ever Variety Creative Impact in Podcasting Award to “Armchair Expert” co-hosts Dax Shepard and Monica Padman.
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00:00Good evening. Welcome. We're so happy to have you all here. We're gonna have a lot of fun tonight. As day I mentioned, she's actually a former colleague of mine because I was, I worked at variety back in the day many, many years ago.
00:17I'm Jen Sargent. I'm the CEO of Wondery. Thank you so much for joining us for this inaugural shaping culture with podcasts. And thank you to our friends at variety for helping to set up this beautiful event.
00:32I have to admit, candidly, that my husband and I have been trying to get in here for a reservation for weeks. And so I was just so happy to have an excuse. So thank you. Thank you all for giving me an excuse. My husband's going to be tremendously jealous, but you know, so what?
00:49So in case you're not familiar, Wondery is a premium podcast studio, and we're now part of the Amazon family. I've been with Wondery for over six years now and have been a longtime podcast lover. And, you know, back then, the medium was very different. And so was Wondery.
01:12Got some hair blown in my face here. And when the opportunity came up to join Wondery, I really tried to look at things holistically. And what I loved about podcasts, they're, they're just so intimate, and listeners are leaned in.
01:32And even back then, in 2017, I found myself after a long commute home on the 405, lingering in my driveway to finish an episode of Dirty John, because that's how engaged I was in the story. And, you know, I think even then, it was easy to spot the growth trajectory of podcasts as a consumer.
01:56And then there's the revenue side. Just like your favorite streaming service, podcasts can be ad supported or ad free. And they're this just incredible IP incubator where these stories are transcending from audio into other mediums like live events and TV shows, and consumer products and just so much more.
02:21In fact, this week, we launched our sixth TV show, which was based on our podcast Gladiator. It's the first season of American sports story, the story of Aaron Hernandez on FX. But it's just an example of how these podcasts can turn into so much more.
02:40So this growth potential of podcasts is what really drew me in. And in my six years at Wondery, it's just been incredible to see this medium grow and the medium evolve. In this room, we have some of the most powerful minds in media. And for those of you on the network side, you'll understand just how impactful it is to develop stories that reflect culture, but also shape it.
03:09You know, stories that win awards, but they're also the stories or the hosts or the podcasts that all your friends and family are talking about.
03:19To our friends on the brand side, you know how powerful it is when your campaign aligns with these kind of lightning in a bottle stories, when the content or the actors or the hosts just have kind of a perfect synergy with your message. And more and more in this day and age, podcasts are at the center of all of that.
03:42Think about shows like armchair expert with Dax Shepard and Monica Padman.
03:48Shout out guys.
03:50These two have sat down with political powerhouses like President Obama, Anderson Cooper, just iconic actors like Vince Vaughn, and Jenna Ortega.
04:08Thought leaders like Bill Gates, Brene Brown, like it's just incredible.
04:13These conversations are rooted in the cultural zeitgeist.
04:18It's really what people are talking about, and they are constantly exploring and just celebrating everything that makes us human.
04:26I also think about shows like new heights with Jason and Travis Kelsey, which fill up our timelines with every viral moment happening, especially during the football season.
04:39It's so fun to work with these incredible creators who are pushing our industry forward.
04:46And podcasts are no longer a niche medium.
04:49They're mainstream.
04:50They have the scale, the quality, the fandom, the measurement capabilities to deliver results for advertisers, regardless of your industry.
05:02And with Wondery being part of the Amazon family, the possibilities are truly endless.
05:09I'm joined tonight by Dax and Monica, and we'll hear from them in a moment.
05:13We're not just here to recognize their landmark achievements for the podcast business overall, but also to just celebrate them as amazing humans who have really just taken this medium to the next level.
05:27So thank you both.
05:29And with that, let's have a great time, enjoy some delicious food, make some new friends, and enjoy the evening.
05:38So cheers, everyone.
05:42Cheers.