Journalist, commentator and former Rolling Stone editor-in-chief for Australia and New Zealand, Poppy Reid, has teamed with entrepreneur and investor Steve Grace to launch a new media company with new and some returning podcasts to share meaningful conversations hosted by some of Australia’s well known radio, TV and music names.
Curious Media podcasts will include Prison Chronicles (with Sid Punts), No Business Being a Castano, and Weirder Together with musician Ben Lee and his wife, actor Ione Skye – all of which lean into uncomfortable and curious conversations across film, music, food, media and more.
Poppy (pictured above) will also take to the mic in an upcoming podcast series’ exploring music called On the Record, and film/TV with Untypical and Michael Theo, from Love on the Spectrum.
Radio and TV personality Merrick Watts (above) will join the lineup in the next few months with as he conducts a personal Kokoda Track mission alongside Steve Grace. Fuzz Ali (My Kitchen Rules), a gay Indo-Fijian chef, will use food as a medium for storytelling, focusing on immigrant and non-white experiences on Food Stories with Fuzz Ali.
Curious Media has several other podcasts in the works too.
Poppy has extensive experience across journalism, audio, and television. She was Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Brag Media (now Vinyl Media) and has also overseen publications such as Rolling Stone AU/NZ, Variety Australia, Tone Deaf, The Music Network and The Brag. She expanded Rolling Stone’s audio and video offerings, creating and hosting podcasts like Behind The Rolling Stone Cover, Fear At The Top and Variety Australia. She is also Channel Seven’s resident Music & Culture Commentator.
She said:
“It’s been equally fascinating and eye-opening to build this company, and select and commission podcasts which are doing something different. Our conversations will go deeper, push harder and sit in that uncomfortable silence to see what emerges on the other side.
“I can’t wait for people to discover the unique stories we’re going to share via Curious Media. Our creators have important things to say. It won’t always be easy listening, but it will always be creative, compelling and curious.”
Grace is CEO and Founder of The Nudge Group and Nudge Productions, which creates and manages podcasts in both video and audio. He added:
“There are a lot of podcasts and podcast companies out there, but amongst all the noise, there’s not enough curiosity and discomfort. Curious Media will change this. We will go beyond the easy questions, the obvious stories and the stuff that everyone agrees on.
“Curious Media is about creating meaningful value for both creators and brands. We’re enabling content creators to monetise their passion in ways that support long-term growth, helping them evolve from podcasters to influential broadcasters. For brands, we offer more than just ad placements – we create tailored partnerships that connect authentically with audiences through trusted voices. It’s about fostering real impact, both creatively and commercially, while building a network that grows with our creators and partners.”
Podcasts available now:
Prison Chronicles Season 2 – host Sid Punts brings listeners stories from prison officers, blending gritty realism with heartfelt compassion.
There will also be a special edition series following season 2 – Prison Chronicles: Officer A – an exclusive deep dive into the case of a prison officer charged with the murder of an inmate. Sid Punts was the only person Officer A has spoken to on the record, granting him unprecedented access to this headline making case including to the chilling 000 call that started it all.
No Business Being a Castano is a new podcast coming to Curious Media featuring business and media identities Amy and Jono Castano. The duo share their lives on social media with this podcast showing their true vulnerable selves, including infidelity and their marriage breakdown. Amy held onto the Castano name despite their shifting dynamic, and they continue to work together. The podcast offers perspective on relationships in the influencer age.
Weirder Together, with Ben Lee and Ione Skye (both pictured above) is also moving over to Curious Media, to continue its exploration of creativity, art, life and relationships. The podcast has been called “comforting”, “cosy” and “disarmingly funny”.
Images by Jess Macc