The Media Club · 5 September 2025 · 45 min
Who’s Buying? Commissioners And Superindies In The Spotlight
- Superindie Spending Slowdown
- Wondery Layoffs
- Video Podcasting Trend
- Talent Empowerment
- ITV Entertainment Label
- Destination X Reception
- Audio Creative Industry Campaign
- Apple TV Selling Shows
In this episode of The Media Club, host Matt Deegan is joined by Steven D Wright, a journalist and TV producer, and Chloe Straw, CEO of Audio UK, to discuss the current state of the TV and audio sectors. The conversation covers the reluctance of superindies to spend on new ideas due to a lack of commissions, the impact of Wondery's layoffs on the podcast industry, and the broader trends of video podcasting and talent empowerment. They also touch on ITV's new entertainment label, the performance of Destination X, and the campaign to get audio and podcasting recognised as a creative industry by the UK government. The episode includes a media quiz segment and discussions on various media stories of the week.
Key takeaways
- Superindies are reluctant to buy production companies due to a lack of commissions and work.
- Wondery's layoffs have caused concern in the podcast sector, but Chloe Straw argues the industry is resilient and diversifying.
- ITV Studios is launching a new entertainment label, seen by Steven as a way to keep work in-house.
- Destination X received mixed reviews but achieved strong linear ratings, comparable to The Traitors.
- Audio UK is campaigning for audio and podcasting to be recognised as a creative industry by the UK government.
In this episode
- Intro and Nominations
- Main News Discussion
- Audio Sector and Wondery
- Destination X and Other TV Stories
- Creative Industries Campaign
- Media Quiz
- Outro
Notable quotes
“There's no work. And so if there's no work, why buy companies to try and find work?”
“It's the money, the money behind the wages, the infrastructure. That's what's stopping all this.”
“I think often because this is a relatively new industry, people think that when sort of something happens or something goes wrong, it's the end of everything.”
“To break our industry down to something as simplistic as audio and video makes me want to scream”
“Celebrity is everything. I hate using the word talent because that implies they're clever and good and talented.”
“They're the servants. They should stay down below stairs.”
Discussed
All3Media · Wondery · ITV Studios · Audio UK
Mentioned or recommended
- Destination X
- The Traitors
- Trying
- Slow Horses
- Ted Lasso
- Educating Yorkshire
- The Hack
- In Our Time
- The Rest Is Politics
- The Weakest Link
- Love Island
- Gladiators
- The Word
- X on the Beach
- Unforgotten
- Friends
- Honeymoon Island
- The Inheritance
- Shipwrecked
- Race Around the World
- Coach Trip
- The Media Quiz
