Parcast was a digital media firm and podcast network, that specialized in producing scripted podcasts and audio dramas. It was founded in 2016 by podcaster Max Cutler and his father Ron Cutler in Los Angeles California.
In 2019, it was acquired by Sweden-based media firm and streaming service provider Spotify. Spotify spent over $56 million to acquire Parcast; however, the total compensation has been reported to be over $100 million. This makes the Parcast acquisition one of the largest podcasting platform mergers in US history and largest single acquisition deal of Spotify's $400 million acquisition program. In September 2020, employees went public with their union drive at Parcast. A month later, Spotify voluntarily recognized the union. 15 months later, 56 workers of the bargaining unit ratified their first collective agreement, which included a minimum salary of $70,000, annual increases and affirmative action when hiring. On June 5, 2023, Spotify sent a memo to staff announcing that Parcast would be merged with Gimlet Media into a single Spotify Studios division, as part of a restructuring that also included the elimination of 200 jobs.
History Cutler, a 27-year old graduate of the University of Arizona, launched Parcast in 2016. He was inspired by the hit podcast Serial, itself a spinoff of This American Life. He believed that his network could produce podcasts of comparable quality while saving money on the production of individual episodes.
Parcast's original focus was on producing scripted true crime series, but their scope expanded into the mystery, science fiction, and history genres as well as fictional audio dramas.
Parcast produced over 40 daily and weekly shows, supported by a team of more than 75 voice actors, producers, and scriptwriters. Following a decline in demand for the shows and the anticipated merger of Gimlet Media and Parcast into a single Spotify Studios subsidiary, the firm is expected to be disbanded sometime in 2023.
Audience
According to due diligence performed by Spotify, over 75% of Parcast's audience is female.
Series produced
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 The Dark Side of... Kate Leonard, Richard Rossner Pop history Mondays Deathbed Confessions Estefania Hageman Society/culture Wednesday Dictators Kate Leonard, Richard Rossner Pop history Tuesdays Dog Tales Alastair Murden Pop history Mondays Espionage Carter Roy Pop history Mondays Extraterrestrial Bill Thomas, Tim Johnson Pop history Tuesdays Faerie N/A Audiodrama Mondays Famous Fates Vanessa Richardson, Carter Roy Society/history/culture Wednesdays Female Criminals Vanessa Richardson, Sami Nye True crime Wednesdays Gone Molly Brandenburg, Richard Rossner True crime Alternate Mondays Great Women of Business Vanessa Richardson, Molly Brandenburg Business documentary N/A (limited series) Haunted Places Greg Polcyn Parapsychology Thursdays Haunted Places: Ghost Stories Alastair Murden Parapsychology Thursdays Historical Figures Carter Roy, Vanessa Richardson Pop history Alternate Wednesdays Hostage Irma Blanco, Carter Roy True crime Thursdays Impostors: The Commander Abby Ellin True crime Mondays Impostors: The Spy Alex French Investigative journalism Mondays Incredible Feats with Dan Cummins Dan Cummins Documentary Weekdays International Infamy with Ashley Flowers Ashley Flowers True crime Tuesdays Internet Urban Legends Loey Lane,Loey Lane SnitcherySnitchery Paranormal Tuesdays The Kennedys Miscellaneous Society/history/culture N/A Kingpins Kate Leonard, Howell Hargest True crime Fridays Medical Murders Alastair Murden, Dr. David Kipper True crime Wednesdays Medical Mysteries Molly Brandenburg, Richard Rossner Medical documentary Tuesdays Mind's Eye N/A Audiodrama N/A (limited series) Mythical Monsters Vanessa Richardson Mythology retelling Mondays Mythology Vanessa Richardson Mythology retelling Tuesdays Natural Disasters Kate Leonard, Tim Johnson Science/history/culture Thursdays Not Guilty Vanessa Richardson True crime Mondays Obituaries Vanessa Richardson, Carter Roy History Wednesdays Obsessed Benito Skinner, Mary Beth Barone Comedy Mondays Our Love Story N/A Stories Tuesdays Political Scandals Kate Leonard, Richard Rossner Political documentary Tuesdays Rituals Christine Schiefer, Em Schulz True crime Mondays Scotland Yard Confidential John Hopkins True crime Thursdays Secret Societies Kate Leonard, Richard Rossner Pop history Mondays Serial Killers Greg Polcyn, Vanessa Richardson True crime Mondays and Thursdays Solved Murders Carter Roy, Wenndy Mackenzie True crime Wednesday Sports Criminals Tim Johnson, Carter Roy True crime/history/sports Thurdays Supernatural with Ashley Flowers Ashley Flowers History/true crime Wednesdays Superstitions Alastair Murden Stories Wednesday Survival Irma Blanco, Tim Johnson Documentary Mondays Tales Vanessa Richardson Mythological retelling Wednesdays Today in Music History Tim Johnson Music/history Daily Today in True Crime Vanessa Richardson True crime Daily Unexplained Mysteries Molly Brandenburg, Richard Rossner Investigative journalism Thursdays Unlocking Us with Brené Brown Brené Brown Relationships Wednesdays Unsolved Murders: True Crime Stories Carter Roy, Wenndy Mackenzie True crime Tuesdays Very Presidential with Ashley Flowers Ashley Flowers Documentary Tuesdays Villains Alastair Murden Literary criticism Fridays Whistleblowers Pat Rodrigurz True crime Tuesdays Your Magic Michelle Tea Society/culture Mondays
See also List of podcasting companies
Citations used
External links Parcast