UK podcast production company Storyglass – which launched in June 2020 and united Bertelsmann’s UK content businesses Fremantle, Penguin Random House UK, BMG and DK – has appointed Audible’s Steve Carsey as its managing director.
An official press release stated that, as MD, Carsey will lead this new business “in its development, production and distribution of creatively dynamic, editorially ambitious and commercially valuable podcasts for a global audience.” He will report to Storyglass chairman Bob McCourt.
Carsey has worked in a number of senior roles across the industry, including chief creative officer at ITN Productions, director of programmes at Banijay owned Initial and deputy CEO of Steadfast Television. He joins Storyglass after six years at Audible, where he held the role of senior director for international English (Originals) and greenlit more than 200 podcasts and original audio series, including high profile talent driven projects such as Stephen Fry’s Victorian Secrets, Heist with Michael Caine, Dermot O’Leary’s People Just People and From The Oasthouse: The Alan Partridge Podcast.
The opportunity to work with such an ambitious, world class team of creative leaders across television, publishing and music was far too compelling to ignore
Steve Carsey
The press release added that, under Carsey’s leadership, Storyglass will “develop and produce projects across all scripted and unscripted genres (comedy, drama, factual, entertainment, education, children’s etc), self-publishing content and partnering with all of the major podcast distribution platforms. Storyglass will also proactively work with other Bertelsmann divisions and external partners to identify new content initiatives and business opportunities in audio.”
Speaking about his appointment, Steve Carsey said: “The exponential growth of podcasting around the world is hugely exciting. Working with creators, talent and brands, Bertelsmann’s Audio Alliance is uniquely positioned to contribute significantly to the renaissance in audio. Storyglass will continue to pioneer, raise standards at all times and seek to positively disrupt the industry. Our vertically integrated approach to content will ensure we can identify audio driven business synergies, partnerships and initiatives with genuine impact and commercial value. We want to mainstream the medium. The opportunity to work with such an ambitious, world class team of creative leaders across television, publishing and music – positioned at the heart of Bertelsmann’s content strategy – was far too compelling to ignore. I couldn’t be more excited by the potential for creative innovation, commercial success and transformational growth in the years ahead.
Baroness Gail Rebuck, chair of the Bertelsmann Content Alliance UK, added: “We are delighted that Steve is taking the reins at Storyglass as it begins to gather strong momentum in this exciting and fast-growing market. Steve is a recognised leader in the audio industry and has been one of the architects of Audible’s content strategy in recent years, and instrumental in driving innovation and evolving new methods of audio storytelling. All the Bertelsmann content companies in the UK are looking forward to working with Steve as he develops his strategic and creative vision for Storyglass”.
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