NEW YORK – July 14, 2020 – Following a nationwide search, the Pocket Casts Board of Directors is today announcing the appointment of John W. Gibbons as the new CEO for the critically acclaimed, global podcasting platform, effective immediately.
Gibbons brings with him more than 20 years of experience in digital media and entertainment with globally recognized brands. Most recently, he served as a Principal at Atom Tickets as well as a strategic advisor to Podchaser and Props Project. He also spent 14 years with Amazon in various leadership roles, serving as the head of its movie/TV vertical and overseeing product and global revenue for IMDb.com. Gibbons is based in Los Angeles, where he regularly tunes into podcasts including The Truth and On the Media, and resides with his wife and three sons.
“Becoming the CEO of Pocket Casts is truly a dream opportunity for me,” said Gibbons. “Not just because it’s always been a favorite app of mine, but also because of the moment that the industry is in with broader, mainstream audiences falling in love with podcasting and building deep, new relationships with their favorite shows. And while the medium is rapidly growing, we still have so much to figure out in terms of monetization and supporting publishers. It’s an honor to join such a talented team, leading the vision of providing listeners with the best experience and publishers with greater insight, control, and access to their audience.”
Gibbons joins Pocket Casts as the company continues its global growth in listenership and focuses on tools to support publishers and independent storytellers. In fall of 2019, Pocket Casts dropped its one-time fee and became free to download, alongside a premium subscription tier for desktop access. The podcast platform continually rolls out new updates to benefit listeners and publishers and is known for its robust features, beautiful design, and intuitive interface.
“With John’s extensive background in podcasting, digital media, and entertainment, he is the perfect fit for this role,” said Matt Moog, who serves as Executive Chairman of Pocket Casts. “We’re excited to bring John aboard to usher in a new era of growth for Pocket Casts and continue in our collective push for an open podcasting ecosystem that gives producers more tools and insights to engage their audience and generate revenue.”
Public media organizations NPR, WNYC Studios, and WBEZ Chicago acquired Pocket Casts in May 2018 to reflect their shared goal of growing audio storytelling. Global content company BBC Studios recently invested and also now has an ownership stake in the platform.
Hailed as the best podcast app for iOS and Android by The Verge, Wired, Engadget and Lifehacker, amongst others, Pocket Casts features more than 1.5 million podcasts and is available in 195 countries.
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About Pocket Casts
Built by podcast listeners, for podcast listeners, Pocket Casts is a critically acclaimed, beautifully designed app that’s on a mission to create the world’s greatest podcasting experience through its free and Pocket Casts Plus tiers. We offer podcast fans more control of their listening experience through features that make it easier to discover and organize podcasts, alongside powerful tools to customize the listening experience. Owned by a consortium of public radio stations in NPR, WNYC Studios, WBEZ Chicago, and global content company BBC Studios, we believe in great stories and are focused on helping publishers grow their audiences. Headquartered in New York with offices in Los Angeles and Adelaide, Australia, Pocket Casts is available for Android, iOS and online at www.pocketcasts.com, as well as Amazon Echo, CarPlay, Android Auto, Sonos, Apple Watch, Google Home, Chromecast, and HomePod (via Google Cast and Airplay 2).
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