First major operation for PodX Group.
This Swedish group, which aims to invest in the best European podcast players, has just acquired a majority share in the French Nouvelles Listens.
Founded in 2016 by Julien Neuville and Lauren Bastide - who left the company in 2020 -, this production house is one of the first representatives of the professionalization of the native French podcast, alongside Binge Audio and Louie Media.
He notably produces the programs
Quoi de meuf, Splash
and
Bouffons
.
Nouvelles Ecoutes does not communicate on its revenues, “
but we have become profitable again after a difficult year 2020 due to the fall in advertising revenues linked to the Covid.
And we needed a partner to go further.
explains Julien Neuville, president of Nouvelles Listening.
PodX was launched in April by three media figures in Sweden: Staffan Rosell (ex-Bauer Media Group, SBS Radio), Patrick Svensk (ex-Zodiak) and Fredrick Said (ex-Acast).
"
They are more than investors, they are media professionals: they know the sector perfectly and we understand each other when we talk to each other
", continues Julien Neuville.
The producer was going to go looking for investors when a French representative of PodX went to meet him.
“
We have the same strategic vision as them, and they have big ambitions.
»
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PodX wishes to help the companies in which it invests to become essential in their national markets, in particular by giving them the benefit of a European network.
“
We can discuss marketing and sales practices, or adaptations in other languages of certain podcasts.
It's a network, but where everyone can stay true to themselves
,” explains Julien Neuville.
This model is similar to that of Mediawan or Banijay in the audiovisual sphere.
PodX told Bloomberg that it should announce six other majority investments by the end of the year, for a total envelope of 10 to 15 million euros.
Acquisition of Studio Minuit
PodX's investment has an immediate effect: Nouvelles Listening announces the acquisition of Studio Minuit.
With 1.1 million plays in August, it is the leading native podcast brand in France according to the ACPM ranking.
Studio Minuit specializes in "
true stories
" (murders in France, unusual deaths, spies, paranormal...) and publishes some of its programs in English, Italian and Swedish.
This takeover will give a new dimension to Native, the management of Nouvelles Listening.
The latter specializes in sponsorship messages read by the podcast host before the start of the show.
“
We are the only ones in this niche, which generates revenue four to five times greater than programmatic audio advertising
,” continues Julien Neuville.
Native works in particular with the American studio Wondery, owned by Amazon, or Le Nouvel Esprit Public by Philippe Meyer.
Thanks to the support of PodX, Nouvelles Listening also wants to invest "
massively
" in original production in France.
“
We already have twelve projects that will be released by Christmas 2023. These will be event audio series, on subjects that listeners will want to listen to immediately
,” explains the president.
The company, which has 12 employees, will recruit in support functions.
