Acast threw a housewarming party yesterday to launch its new Australian head office and podcast studio in William Street Sydney.
Recalling the journey from the initial 2017 Australian partnership with Nova Entertainment, through the previous move in 2020 to offices in Surry Hills above a pizza restaurant, Acast Australia Country Manager Henrik Isaksson told guests at the launch:
“I’m super proud to be in this office… those of you who went to 17 Randall Street in Surry Hills would know that the whole place smelt like pizza… here we are today in new offices… no pizza smells!
“This new office signifies what’s going on in the podcasting industry, it is growing and professionalising… expenditure on podcast advertising is growing. More than half of Australians (52%) listen to podcasts monthly.
I want to thank all the media buyers in the room, thank you for advocating for podcasting. Without you and the creators, we would not be here.”
Mentioning Jack Lawrence as an example, Isaksson recalled how Jack lost his job, but has now reshaped his career on his own terms by becoming a podcaster. Jack later told radioinfo he makes a decent living, earning a 6 figure salary that was better than he earnt in radio, with the flexibility to shape his working week around his family and choose topics that interst he and his audience. Other creators in the Acast Australia stable include Toni and Ryan, Mitch Churi, Myf Warhurst, Antoinette Lattouf and Jan Fran.
“This is why we do what we do, we enable our independent creators to take a chance on building successful businesses…no risk no reward, they say… our creators are absolutely amazing.”
Content Director Guy Scott-Wilson said: “I can’t tell you how rewarding it is to see podcasting really living the success of independent media…
“Our creators build trust with their audiences… who are switching to podcasts in record numbers… podcasting has become absolutely impossible to ignore… audiences are looking for trust and community, that’s exactly what independent media players can give them… We’re so proud to represent you in the market… It is the era of creator independence.”
The new Acast podcast studio was built to be flexible by Acast’s Simon McDermott. It has two differntly coloured acoustic curtain backgrounds on a sliding ceiling track. Behind the curtains is also a physical set with bookshelves and backgrounds that can be reset to suit individual podcasts. The studio is equipped with three cameras, lights and a Rode control and recording desk.
With video becoming more of a priority for podcasters, the studio is also equipped with a tv monitor facing the guests, who are seated on soft furnishings next to adjustable podcast microphones.
Some podcasters also do radio, while others have moved completely to the new audio platform. At the launch, Steve Ahern asked Toni and Ryan why they took the risk to leave on air radio careers to risk podcasting.
“At the time when we were thinking of leaving, the safe choice was to stay in our full-time jobs, where we were getting paid X amount of dollars per month… it was very consistent. Since starting the podcast, both of the jobs that we were in have been made redundant. So we made the right choice. It turned out safer to take the risk, as odd that sounds.”
Mitch Churi, who, along with Bianca Dye, has just been announced as host of the Australian Audio Awards, was also at the new studio celebration. On the studio book shelves was Mitch’s ACRA and his branded coffee mug from The Mitch Churi Chat Show. Mitch is looking forward to the fun of hosting the new awards event.
In a quirky twist of fate, the new location for the Acast studios at 134 William Stret Sydney has a previous audio history.
Before ABC Radio moved to Ultimo, its studios were in Upper Frobes Street, opposite 134 William St. In front of the Upper Forbes St building was the first home of the original Double J. When space became scarse on that side of the street the ABC Current Affairs studios moved over the road to 134 William Street, where the national programs AM, PM and The World Today were presented for many years. When the ABC moved to its Ultimo headquarters it was the first time that all departments of ABC Radio were in the one building, with the aim of bringing the networks together in one location.
Some pictures from the opening:
