Parcast
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Digital media, Podcasting |
| Founded | January 1, 2016 in Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Founder | Max Cutler, Ron Cutler |
| Fate | Merged into Spotify Studios (planned dissolution in 2023) |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
Key people | Max Cutler (founder) |
| Products | Scripted podcasts, audio dramas |
Number of employees | 75+ |
| Parent | Spotify |
Parcast operated as a digital media company and podcast network, focusing primarily on scripted podcasts and audio dramas. Established in 2016 in Los Angeles, California, by podcaster Max Cutler alongside his father Ron Cutler, Parcast rapidly built a reputation for its true crime and mystery-themed productions.
In 2019, the Swedish streaming giant Spotify acquired Parcast for an amount exceeding $56 million, with total reported compensation surpassing $100 million. This deal ranked among the most significant podcast platform acquisitions in United States history and represented the largest individual transaction within Spotify’s broader $400 million podcast acquisition initiative.
By September 2020, employees at Parcast began organizing a unionization effort, which Spotify officially acknowledged the following month. In April 2022, 56 union members approved their inaugural collective bargaining agreement, which introduced a minimum wage of $70,000, annual salary increments, and proactive hiring policies promoting diversity.
On June 5, 2023, Spotify declared its intention to consolidate Parcast with Gimlet Media under a single Spotify Studios division as part of a corporate restructuring plan that included eliminating 200 positions.
History
Parcast was founded in 2016 by Max Cutler, then 27 years old and a University of Arizona alumnus. Motivated by the success of the podcast Serial, his goal was to create premium scripted podcasts while minimizing production expenses.
Initially concentrating on scripted true crime series, Parcast broadened its portfolio to encompass genres such as mystery, science fiction, history, and fictional audio dramas. The company developed more than 40 shows released daily or weekly, supported by a team exceeding 75 voice actors, producers, and writers. Due to reduced audience demand and the forthcoming merger of Gimlet Media with Parcast into Spotify Studios, the company is expected to be dissolved in 2023.
Audience
Spotify's evaluation revealed that over three-quarters of Parcast’s listeners are women.
Series produced
... [Table continues with similar entries trimmed for brevity] ...| Title | Hosts / cast members | Genre | Update schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adulting with Teala & Nia | Teala Dunn, Nia Sioux | Society/culture | Wednesdays |
| Assassinations | Kate Leonard, Bill Thomas | True crime | Mondays |
| Blind Dating | Tara Michelle Massicotte | Romance | Wednesdays |
| Cold Cases | Carter Roy | True crime | Mondays |
| Con Artists | Alastair Murden | True crime | Wednesdays |
| Conspiracy Theories | Molly Brandenburg, Carter Roy | Pop history | Wednesdays |
| Conspiracy Theories: CIA Edition | Miscellaneous | True crime | Thursday |
| Conspiracy Theories: Music Edition | Molly Brandenburg, Carter Roy | True crime | Wednesdays |
| Crime Bites | Miscellaneous | True crime | Miscellaneous |
| Crime Countdown | Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley | True crime | Mondays |
| Crimes of Passion | Lanie Hobbs | True crime | Wednesdays |
| Criminal Couples | Miscellaneous | True crime | Mondays |
| Cults | Greg Polcyn, Vanessa Richardson | Pop history/true crime | Tuesdays |
| Daily Quote | Kate Leonard | Self-help | Daily |
| Dare to Lead with Brené Brown | Brené Brown | Society/culture | Mondays |
See also
External links
- Articles with short description
- 2019 mergers and acquisitions
- Podcasting companies
- American companies established in 2016
- Mass media companies established in 2016
- 2016 podcast debuts
- 2016 establishments in California
- Spotify acquisitions
- Companies based in Los Angeles
- American subsidiaries of foreign companies