Marc Maron has struck a three-year deal with Acast to host, monetize and distribute the comedian’s hit podcast, WTF With Marc Maron.
As part of the deal, which begins on July 1, WTF will also offer bonus content, merchandise and live event offerings via Acast+, the podcast company’s subscription service. The back catalogue of WTF, currently available without ads on SiriusXM’s Stitcher Premium, will also be taken down and moved over to the open feed when the deal goes into effect, though a “small portion” will be paywalled on Acast+, according to Acast spokesperson Ryan Hatoum.
New episodes of the show will continue to be released twice a week and will be available for free across all major podcast platforms, while advertisers will be able to place dynamic ads or use Acast’s in-house team for premium spots that will appear on Maron’s show, in addition to other podcasts in Acast’s network.
“We’ve amassed an amazing catalog over the years and Acast offers us an opportunity to make it available in a way it hasn’t been before, especially in international markets,” Maron said in a statement. “Acast won’t stand in the way of us doing the show the way we want to do it, the way we like doing it, the way we’ve always done it. They’re excited and focused and I think the partnership will be very productive.”
WTF With Marc Maron brings in 55 million listens per year, according to Acast. The show was the 25th most-listened podcast in the U.S. during the first quarter of the year, per Edison Research, right above Conan O’Brien’s Conan Needs a Friend (the former late-night host sold his podcast company to SiriusXM for a reported $150 million this week).
Maron’s show also follows similar deals struck by talent like Anna Faris, who moved her podcast Unqualified over to Acast in February.
“Entering into a partnership with the podcast giant Marc Maron is a big win for Acast and for the open podcasting landscape, as this deal guarantees that the podcast can continue to be listened to by everyone, everywhere and on their preferred listening platform,” Ross Adams, the CEO of Acast, said. “This collaboration presents a real step forward for us in the North American market, adding millions of listens and strengthening our brand even further in the region. At the same time we will also be working with the show to increase the number of Marc Maron fans across the globe.”
This article originally appeared in THR.com.
