The political website Grid and the Travel Channel are among the brands diving into audio this week. Also new this week is a podcast hosted by a 90s television talk show host. There’s also one from a pair of current daytime TV shows. Plus, Guy Raz has a new celebrity chat show. And there is a new series about the long-term impact of the Grateful Dead. Here’s some of what’s new this week in podcasting –
More Than a Movie: American Me is a new 12-episode audio-documentary from Candle Media’s Exile Content Studio, in collaboration with Trojan Horse Media and iHeartMedia’s My Cultura, Hosted by producer and writer Alex Fumero and produced by journalist Nigel Duara, the series delves into the true story of Edward James Olmos’ 1992 cult film classic, “American Me,” and the legacy the controversial film left behind.
When Edward James Olmos set out on his directorial debut of “American Me,” he wanted to accomplish two things: to represent Chicano culture on the big screen and to save part of his community from gang violence. But when people were allegedly murdered because of their participation in the film, and Olmos himself was reportedly extorted by the real Mexican Mafia, it brought to light the unintended risks of trying to expose corruption.
Wolves Among Us is a new true crime series from C13 Originals. Season One tells the story of Dr. Larry Lavin, an Ivy League-educated dentist and bastion of his Philadelphia suburb, who moonlighted as one of the largest cocaine kingpins on the Eastern Seaboard. Through the voices and perspectives of law enforcement, drug runners, friends, business associates and Lavin himself, Wolves Among Us tells the story of Lavin’s dual life, his impact on Philadelphia culture in the late 70s and early 80s, and the stunning events that led to an intense manhunt for one of the FBI’s 10 most wanted fugitives.
“Larry Lavin is one of the most fascinating characters we’ve ever covered. C13Originals is proud to be taking listeners on another journey of great storytelling with this wild story set against an interesting time in American history in one of our most famous cities,” said Chris Corcoran, Chief Content Officer at Cadence13.
Wolves Among Us, Season 1: The Larry Lavin Story is a creation and production of C13Originals, in association with Matt Davis and Steve Seidel. It is Executive Produced by Chris Corcoran, and co-written by Lloyd Lochridge of C13Originals, along with Matt Davis and Steve Seidel.
Best Friend Energy is a new podcast from Sony Music Entertainment, The Home Edit, and Hello Sunshine. The series is hosted by The Home Edit co-founders and authors Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin. It is a weekly chat series that will serve as a place for friends to come together, deep dive into trending topics, vent about frustrations, and laugh at life’s absurdities.
“We are so excited to launch our first podcast and give listeners insight into conversations we always have as best friends and business partners,” said Shearer and Teplin in a joint statement. “Our spaces may be perfect, but our lives certainly are not, so together we will laugh about things that go wrong and cherish any win, big or small.”
The first episode will premiere on October 11. Best Friend Energy is produced by Ben Oddo and executive produced by Serita Wesley at Somethin’ Else, part of Sony Music Entertainment.
Bad Takes is a new political podcast from Grid. Hosted by political commentator and Grid Editor-at-Large Matthew Yglesias and Grid Executive Editor Laura McGann, who each week examine some of the worst arguments out there on important and complex topics. They use the Grid approach of setting aside expected lenses, like partisanship, and hold up others to unpack these issues.
In January, Yglesias joined Grid in tandem with its launch, where he has been leading the development of this podcast with McGann. Previously, Yglesias former hosted The Weeds political podcasts.
“It’s no secret that the world today is filled with endless bad takes,” said Yglesias. “In the case of our new podcast, bad takes are ideas that become fashionable among certain circles without anybody wanting to check if it’s true because it supports the narrative they want to peddle. I’m honored to host this podcast alongside Laura, one of the smartest people I know, to tackle these bad takes in a clear, thorough and moderately entertaining way.”
Bad Takes is produced by Olivia Reingold, who oversees the publication’s audio strategy after a previous podcast-producing role with Politico.
Pop Paranormal is a new podcast from the Travel Channel and Neon Hum. Hosted by Karama Horne and Chuck Collins, who each week they dissect their favorite horror and paranormal classics, deep cuts and current faves that have left a lasting impact on pop culture. In each of the first season’s ten episodes, Horne and Collins will unpack pop culture’s most classic horror moments and invite listeners to join along as they dissect behind-scenes of the TV shows and movies that keep you up at night and are truly the stuff of nightmares. Along the way, they are joined by some of Hollywood’s most iconic writers and directors that have breathed life into these creatures, myths and legends.
Raised by Ricki is a new series from Lemonada Media. The show is hosted by Lake, host of the beloved 90s talk show “The Ricki Lake Show,” and Kalen Allen–best known as the charming correspondent on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” The show will start with a deep dive into Ricki's life and biography — how did she end up hosting the Ricki Lake Show at age 24? What were some memorable moments of that groundbreaking 10-year run, why did she stop doing it, and what has she been doing since? Then the main body of the show will be a cross between a rewatch podcast and a cultural re-examination, with Lake using her trademark blend of bluntness, vulnerability and warmth to look back on specific topics and episodes to see how they covered it in the 90s, what kind of impact it had on the culture then, and how it's aged looking back with the lens of today. Upcoming guests include Rosie O'Donnell, Andy Cohen, John Waters, Cher Margolis and others.
The Great Creators is a new podcast from Amazon. Hosted by Guy Raz, the show is an interview series that features conversations with celebrities. Each week, Raz sits down with notable performers – from legendary actors and comedians to chart-topping musicians – to trace their life’s journey, dive deep into their work, and illuminate the source of their creativity. Confirmed guests include Stephen Colbert, Zooey Deschenal, Graham Nash, Audra McDonald, Justin Long, Ryan Tedder, The Chainsmokers, Nick Kroll, Jim Parsons, Danny Elfman, Andy Garcia, Nathan Lane, Blair Underwood and Björk. The Great Creators launches Sept. 20 with one-week exclusive windows on Amazon Music and Wondery+.
America’s Dead is a new limited-run series from Sonos Radio exploring how the Grateful Dead changed music. Hosted by filmmaker Emmett Malloy, the series is an impressionistic and improvisational journey to understand the Grateful Dead’s enduring effect on the country, and why now -- over five decades after sparking the counterculture movement -- the band is more alive than ever. Through conversations with multiple generations and genres of musicians, a religious scholar and mushroom scientist, artists and streetwear designers, original band and business members, the founder of a sobriety group and others whose lives have been altered by the Grateful Dead, the series explores how the band of misfits have continued to change American music, culture and consciousness forever.
The podcast will feature musicians including Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, Mac DeMarco, Animal Collective, Lila Downs and Branford Marsalis, plus mycologist Paul Stamets, and tour manager Sam Cutler among others.
“This is a podcast about the Grateful Dead – but even more than that, it’s about the community that made the Dead who they are. A truly American experiment,” says Malloy, who has been a diehard Deadhead for nearly 40 years.
Magic & Mountains: The T. A. Barron Podcast is a new podcast from the author. Launching October 3, Magic & Mountains delves into Barron’s writing process, the inspiration behind his beloved characters, and his belief in the transformative power of nature and everyday heroism. Throughout the first 12 episodes, Barron and his guests discuss everything from Celtic mythology and the origins of Merlin to the necessity of combatting climate change and ensuring racial equity in outdoor spaces.
“Storytelling is so much more than pen on paper,” said Barron. “It’s the common thread that unites us all, inviting us to share our experiences for a richer understanding of the world around us. My hope is that Magic & Mountains becomes a haven for those stories, a place where we can listen and learn from one another.”
The first season of Magic & Mountains features a guest line-up that ranges from the president of the World Wildlife Fund to Rue Mapp, founder and CEO of Outdoor Afro, an organization that aims to inspire Black connections and leadership in nature.
Giant - Murder Underground is a new podcast from CBC North. The seven-episode series revisiting the labor dispute that shook Canada’s North. On September 18, 1992, nine workers crossed the picket line at the Giant Gold Mine in Yellowknife. Minutes later all were killed in a horrific explosion. The fallout was a city divided, and one of the most labor-intensive murder investigations Canadian police has ever seen.
Thirty years later, ‘Giant’ tells this complex story through the voices of those who lived it, from top police investigators and critical union members to anguished victims, and murder suspects -- many of whom have never spoken publicly before. Through rich archival tape and gripping new interviews, the podcast explores how a labor dispute spiraled into murder and lays bare the lingering impact and hard lessons of this tragedy.
The series is hosted by CBC producer Rachel Zelniker. And the podcast is produced by CBC producer Peter Sheldon.
Roundabout is a new podcast from Acast Creative and DCP Entertainment. The series highlights stories of life, friendship, ancient relics like MapQuest, right turns, wrong turns, and so much more. Each Thursday, the podcast will feature new guests from across the Acast Creator Network as well as everyday people to tell their stories from the open road. Guests include: Ashley Frangie and Lety Sahagun (Se Reglan Dudas), Naomi Ekperigin (Couples Therapy), Mack Wilds (Guys Next Door), Kate Moening and Leisha Hailey (PANTS) and others.
Working alongside Acast Creative to bring Roundabout to life was Executive Producer of DCP Entertainment, Ryan Woodhall.
"From a production standpoint, we worked in tandem with Acast to edit, score, and soundscape Roundabout, crafting a unique sound for each episode while simultaneously making sure the series sounds cohesive as a whole,” he says. “Through a collaborative process we ensured that the diversity of the voices shines through, by carving out all of the hilarious, absurd, and sentimental nuances of experiencing friendship on the road. It was important for me to create a sense of time and space so it sometimes feels like you are in the car with the guests, experiencing their stories in real time."
The podcast is presented by State Farm.
Drew’s News is a new podcast from CBS. The podcast is an off-shoot of the successful signature “Drew’s News” segment on Barrymore’s daytime television show. Every week, a guest joins Barrymore to help break down the latest quirky, inspiring and informative items in the news Actor and podcaster Rob Lowe – host of the Literally! with Rob Lowe podcast – will be the first guest. Others lined up included Jay Shetty, Casey Wilson and Benito Skinner. The Drew’s News podcast launches today (Sept. 16). A new episode will drop every Friday. Drew’s News is produced and distributed by CBS Media Ventures. Barrymore, Kurtz and Marianne Schaberg are Executive Producers.
The Rewatcher: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a new podcast from Wondery. Hosted by Alaina Urquhart and Ash Kelley, the series features them rediscovering the television series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” During its run from 1997 to 2003, the show helped define pop culture in the late 1990s and it combined vampires, teen angst and an unabashed declaration of girl power. It also launched the careers of several actors, including Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz. Wondery says it will roll back the clock to launch the studio’s first re-watch series with two of its true crime hosts.
The Rewatcher: Buffy the Vampire Slayer debuts September 26 on the Amazon Music and Wondery+ apps. It will then be on all podcast services starting on October 3. Kelley and Urquhart are both executive producers alongside Wondery’s Dave Easton, Stephanie Jenz, and Marshall Lewy.
No Way Home is a new podcast from The Intercept and New America. The four-part series is developed, reported, and narrated by Afghans forced into exile when the Taliban took over in late 2021. No Way Home tells the stories of four Afghans who tried to leave when the U.S. military pulled out of Afghanistan last summer: a businessman with an activist daughter, a valued employee of a French environmental NGO, a cellphone programmer determined to build a better life for his kids, and a finance officer for Jesuit Refugee Services who has become a refugee himself. Through these accounts, Afghan storytellers use their own experiences of departure, loss, and resilience to illuminate the dark end of America’s longest war.
The series is the first product of a unique collaboration between The Intercept and the Future Frontlines and Fellows program at New America. Together, through the Afghanistan Observatory initiative, it offered training and editorial support for seven Afghan journalists, analysts, and human right defenders to undertake independent research and writing projects.
In addition to the stories in this podcast, The Intercept will also publish feature articles by Afghanistan Observatory scholars about the collapse of the Afghan security forces and the evacuation and resettlement of elite Afghan fighters trained by the CIA. No Way Home, the feature stories produced in collaboration with the Afghanistan Observatory Initiative, will be published by The Intercept under a single collection titled “Losing Afghanistan.”
Terrestrials is a new show from WNYC Studios. The six-episode series is a spin-off of Radiolab geared toward kids aged 8 and up, and explores why the inhabitants and phenomena of the natural world are stranger than we think.
Created by Radiolab co-host Lulu Miller, Terrestrials immerses listeners in lush sound-rich stories about our fellow creatures here on Earth — from the shape-shifting, shark-eating capabilities of octopuses to the surprising “softer side” of bald eagles, and other fascinating animal and nature stories. Each episode engages the listener’s imagination through creative storytelling, original songs and music, and astonishing scientific revelations. Miller interviews entomologists, physicists, surfers, hip hop artists, and other experts who are in search of new ways to understand the world and discover more about our planet. Each episode closes with “The Badgers” — a segment with kids badgering experts with their burning questions, such as “would an octopus eat an egg?” and “does time move differently inside the barrel of an ocean wave?”
While the series radiates joy and playfulness, Terrestrials also touches upon poignant human experiences like grief, fear, family, and disability. Through it all, Miller engages with established notions of what constitutes “expertise” in science and rethinks science journalism — who reports it and who it’s for.
The series was produced in consultation with an advisory committee of educators, authors, and a very candid group of kids aged 8-12. The show debuts September 22.
GMA3: What You Need to Know is anew podcast from ABC News. The show is a companion to the “GMA3” midday show produced by the ABC News morning show “Good Morning America.” The network says it will give fans the option to listen to the news, health and lifestyle program cohosted by Amy Robach and TJ Holmes wherever they go. The show is published in the main Good Morning America podcast feed.
Gametime With Boomer Esiason is a new podcast from Audacy’s 2400Sports. The podcast serves as a companion to the TV show of the same name. Esiason, the former NFL quarterback also now hosts mornings at Audacy sports “The Fan” WFAN-AM/FM New York (660/101.9). Audacy says the new standalone podcast will include exclusive content and will feature Esiason providing deeper introductory insight into show guests, a post-interview analysis, and extended interview content that is not included in the broadcast show, which airs on a handful of broadcast and digital TV stations and is also available on YouTube TV, Roku, and other OTT channels.
Upcoming guests for the show and standalone podcast include Luke Fickell, Kurt Warner, George Kittle, Jonathan Allen, Mikaela Schiffrin, Tyreek Hill, Darius Leonard, Austin Cindric, and Brandon Nimmo.
Passion & Profits Without Burnout is a new podcast from author Jacob Moore, who is also the founder of NoStigmas, a safe space and mental health nonprofit foundation that was created by and for those whose lives have been affected by mental illness and suicide. Moore, a mental health advocate who is devoted to shifting the mental health culture, said his podcast will help guide people through the challenges they are facing in their lives in ways that will not only improve their lives, but also the lives of those around them.
“Every week, I will help listeners to overcome their internal team burnout, while making the most of the resources they have available, increase their community engagement and start to not only meet, but exceed personal and professional goals,” Mooree says. “Together, we eliminate the days of silence, solitude and stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide, and build a world where mental health is everywhere, everyday health.”
The Know for Sure Pod is a new series from actress, musician, and comedian B. Simone along with her best friend and business partner Megan Brooks. On the series they are joined by experts to explore candid conversations on the topic of self-discovery and evolution. The series is only available with a Patreon subscription. The Know For Sure patrons will receive bonus episodes and prizes, early access to content, live hangouts with the hosts, exclusive vlogs, and more.
Radio Ambulante is returning for a new 12th season. This season, NPR's Spanish-language podcast will release 30 new episodes covering topics that bring listeners stories from Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Puerto Rico, among others. There will be transcripts of each episode in Spanish and English on Radio Ambulante's website.
"Twelve seasons is an achievement in and of itself, and we're really proud of that. But of course what keeps us motivated is pushing ourselves to tell more ambitious stories from across the region, working with new producers to capture the sound of Latin America. We're so excited about this new season," said Daniel Alarcón, Executive Producer of Radio Ambulante.
And after two and a half years of pandemic, this year the Radio Ambulante team will celebrate the new season with in person and virtual meetups of their Listening Clubs all over the world.
Small Town Dicks is launching season 11. Created by Paperclip Ltd, the multimedia production company co-founded by Yeardley Smith and Ben Cornwell, the new season will including a dozen new episodes dropping weekly beginning September 30. The series is co-hosted by Yeardley Smith and identical twin Detectives Dan and Dave, and starting with season No. 4 there will be a fourth cohost – author, television host, and retired cold case investigator Paul Holes.
Small Town Dicks follows big-time crime in Small Town, USA, with all cases told by the detectives who investigated them. The team files FOIAs to get suspect interviews, 9-1-1 calls, and other audio assets that allow them to explore the case from all angles.
Opening season 11 is a timely and powerful two-part premiere episode spotlighting Officer George, one of the first officers on the scene at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland.
Object of Sound is releasing its fourth season. The Sonos Radio show is hosted by poet, essayist and critic Hanif Abdurraqib. Each episode blends the eclectic curation of freeform radio with artist interviews and textural storytelling, guiding you to a new way of listening. This latest 14-episode season will feature guests such as Björk, Carly Rae Jepsen, Madison Cunningham and Danielle Ponder, among others.
"Object Of Sound was something that began as a dream in 2020, something that we learned to do well as we were doing it, as we were building an audience of eager listeners, and as I got to become a more eager listener myself,” says Abdurraqib. “Now, as we embark on season four, I feel like we're in the best position we've ever been in terms of audience, in terms of bringing in people who are excited to talk about the nuances of their work. We're in a good groove, and I'm glad to be locked in once again."
The Lower Bottoms returns for a second season of the Will Packer Media and iHeartMedia joint production. Narrated by actor Kelsey Grammer (Cheers, Frasier), season two kicks off six months after the Freedom House fire and data leak scandal. Beulah (voiced by Annie Ilonzeh) struggles with her mental health as her loyalty is tested from every direction. Meanwhile, Lenny (voiced by Theo Rossi) flounders as Oakland’s new mayor and Shante’s (voiced by Teresa Celeste) new life with the Russians is haunted by a very real pair of ghosts from the past. An assembly of well-known Hollywood performers will join the cast of “The Lower Bottoms” this season. New cast members and guests include actress Debbie Allen (Grey’s Anatomy, Fame), who will lead as a female narrator; actress and singer Amber Riley (Glee), who will voice Rebecca; and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Alice Walker who will guest star.
The show was created and written by Dominique Mouton, and produced by Will Packer for Will Packer Media, Joelle Monique for iHeartRadio and Jack Levy, who also produced and directed the series.
Inherited is launching a new season. The youth climate movement storytelling podcast, is back for an all-new season, featuring a fresh lineup of powerful and personal stories from young people, particularly from historically marginalized communities, grappling with the effects and injustices of climate change. The new season expands on the climate activism conversations in season one to cover topics such as race, mental health, colonialism, and family.
Produced by YR Media and Critical Frequency, Inherited creators and producers Georgia Wright and Jules Bradley highlight nine unique stories of young people exploring the nuances of climate change in season two.
“We are over the moon to be working with this cohort of talented storytellers, who have brought their individual perspectives and creativity to the complex subject of climate change,” said Wright. “Season two grows Inherited into the collaborative climate storytelling hub it was meant to be, led by young folks, particularly those from communities typically left out of the discussion, who are coming of age in an unprecedented time for humanity.”
New episodes drop every Wednesday, starting September 21 through October 19.
Blindsided is returning for a new season. The Players Tribune’s sports mental health podcast pairs former NHL goalie Corey Hirsch and psychiatrist Dr. Diane McIntosh as hosts. The podcast lets listeners hear moments when mental health became the athlete’s most important focus. Blindsided then dives in deeper. It gets clinical. And it allows listeners to leave with a deeper understanding of mental health conditions that all people face. It then shows how athletes, in particular, face them down. The first episode dives into the mental health journey of hockey player Sheldon Kennedy.
Batman: The Audio Adventures is returning for a second season on October 7. The HBO Max series will release all 10 episodes simultaneously for fans to binge. Season two continues the audio adventures of the Caped Crusader alongside fan-favorite villains such as The Penguin, Two-Face, and Scarecrow. This season will feature criminal kingpins and former rivals uniting as the schism between Batman and Catwoman grows ever larger as both escalate their separate wars on crime. Batman: The Audio Adventures is written and directed by Dennis McNicholas (“Saturday Night Live”) and features a star-studded cast including Jeffrey Wright, Seth Meyers, Chris Parnell, Rosario Dawson, Bobby Moynihan, and John Leguizamo, among others.
Audiobook Break has announced its fourth and fifth seasons set to debut this fall. Produced by AudioFile Magazine, season 4 will feature its Japanese American Civil Liberties Collection. It debuted Sept. 13. AudioFile partners with L.A. Theatre Works to present four audio plays, performed by full casts, about the Japanese American experience during and after World War II. Audiobook Break releases the four plays over four weeks twice weekly -- on Tuesdays and Thursdays (Act 1, Act 2) and bonus episodes drop on Fridays throughout the season.
“We are thrilled to have AudioFile elevate the visibility of this important set of audio dramas,” says enthused Susan Loewenberg, Producing Director, L.A. Theatre Works. “With our history of bringing beautifully performed and crafted plays to the listening audience we welcome the opportunity to introduce more people to our large and diverse collection.”
Then on Oct. 17 season 5 will debut with the story of Dracula. Audiobook Break presents Bram Stoker’s classic Victorian Gothic vampire novel chapter-by-chapter, read by award-winning audiobook narrator Gildart Jackson. Gildart is a stage, screen, and voice actor beloved for his audiobook narrations and often recognized for his role as Gideon on the TV show “Charmed.” In addition, AudioFile’s team is also working closely with Dreamscape Media to present Dracula with new episodes releasing three times each week -- on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
“Audiobook Break continues to lead the way reinventing the idea of serialization for the modern podcast audience,” says AudioFile Magazine Founder and Editor Robin Whitten. “With every new season, AudioFile Magazine’s Audiobook Break podcast presents an extraordinary listening experience – to listen to episode by episode or binge.”
Hot White Heist returns for a second season. The fictional series from Broadway Video and Audible follows Jude “Judy” Fink (Bowen Yang) and a crew of misfits from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum as they attempt the stickiest heist in history. Why? To help a lesbian cult finance a top-secret project, of course. Featuring an all-star, all-queer cast, Hot White Heist is the first and only podcast about a sperm bank heist.
The series was created and written by Adam Goldman, directed by Alan Cumming, and produced by Broadway Video, Club Cumming Productions, and Adam Goldman, Hot White Heist stars Saturday Night Live’s Bowen Yang, along with Cynthia Nixon, Abbi Jacobson, Jane Lynch, Margaret Cho, Bianca Del Rio, MJ Rodriguez, Shannon Woodward, Stephanie Beatriz, John Cameron Mitchell, Tony Kushner, Cheyenne Jackson, Jonathan Bailey, Peppermint, and Brian McCook.
What Could Go Right? launches a third season with a revamped news-of-the-day format according to publisher The Podglomerate. Each week, Progress Network Founder Zachary Karabell and Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas convene a diverse panel of experts to discuss the central issues of our era, including sustainability, polarization, work, and the economy, and make the case for a brighter future. They emerge from their conversations with a counterintuitive but informed take: progress is on its way.
The Afternoon Special is releasing its third season with a deep dive in the last year of the 20th century. Within pop culture, there are rarely whole years where you can pinpoint a shift in the cultural landscape, but 1999 is undoubtedly one of those years. The new millennium was knocking and that meant a year chock full of groundbreaking new filmmakers, the introduction of prestige TV, an incredibly colorful musical scene, and a pitch of political scandal for good measure. The Afternoon Special is hosted by Bobbi Miller.
C-Suite Intelligence is returning for a new three-episode season. Produced by The Miles Group and hosted by its CEO Stephen Mills, the series focuses on leadership issues. The series examines how to develop an effective executive presence by showing up well and in the right way, identifying where you are on the continuum of introverts vs. extroverts, thinkers versus blinkers, and being the best, high-performing follower by getting off of autopilot, and "going to manual."
There is "a set of variables that are incredibly important to the way people perceive you," says Miles. "Your performance is your perception in your current role; your potential is the perception of you in future roles. What we want to talk about is how do we get the potential score through the roof."