Nova and Acast to support Sky News’s venture into podcasting

Nova Entertainment and Acast have announced a new commercial and technology partnership to represent Sky News’s digital offerings.

Nova Entertainment and podcast partner Acast will represent Sky News’s audio content in the Australian market place from October, following Sky News’s recent investment in its network audio strategy.

Jay Walkerden, Nova Entertainment’s head of podcasting, said, “We continue to grow our podcast offering in Australia and overseas, which allows us to work with some of the world’s leading publishers. The Sky News opportunity allows us to collaborate with our commercial partners to target their vast digital audience in the Australian market.”

This new partnership will provide Nova Entertainment’s commercial partners with access to Sky News’ 20 podcast episodes per week, across seven different shows. This will include Paul Murray Live, Richo with Graham Richardson, Andrew Bolt’s The Bolt Report, and Credlin featuring political commentator Peta Credlin, allowing partners to utilise Sky News’s extensive audience and Acast’s dynamic commercial insertion technology.

Sky News Australia head of digital Tim Love said, “Sky News Australia is thrilled to announce the appointment of Nova Entertainment and Acast to deliver new ways for consumers to engage with Sky News’s premium news and opinion content, and importantly to develop innovative audio opportunities for advertiser partners.

“Audio is a critical component of Sky News’s digital strategy and we are excited about working with Nova Entertainment and Acast to improve our audio content offering across existing programming with Australia’s biggest names in news and politics, and through exciting new formats that are in the pipeline.

“The powerful combination of Nova and Acast gives us the opportunity to work with best-in-market sales and technology teams, delivering leading audio content initiatives to the marketplace, which will reach and engage with Australia’s most influential consumers.”

Acast’s Australian country manager Henrik Isaksson said, “Adding Sky News to our diverse library of Australian premium content is a testament to a bright future for this partnership. The deal took place due to the demand we have seen from agencies and brands for this type of content and the environment it offers. Our technology stack and Nova Entertainment’s extensive footprint in this market has been a true recipe for success together with rapid uptake of listenership in the Australian market.”