Spotify’s push into podcasting gathers momentum with key new hire

Former Assistant Editor

Spotify’s push to become a podcasting giant took another step today, with the streaming platform hiring a new head of creative development for original podcast content.

Former Lifetime TV exec Liz Gateley has been tapped for the role.

She’ll oversee Spotify’s original podcast development teams in New York and LA, as the company expands into comedy, sports, fiction, news and further music podcast formats.

The hire follows a pledge by Spotify to invest $500 million USD in podcasting this year.

It also spent $340 million to purchase producer Gimlet Media and services platform Anchor.

When Spotify’s CEO Daniel Ek announced the acquisition of Gimlet, he highlighted the potential of exclusives in podcasts compared to the business of music streaming.

“I think these are two very, very different businesses,” he said.

“We’ve spoken in the past about the music industry not being a space where exclusivity makes sense for a number of different reasons, but including … that radio can put any piece of music up.

“So exclusives won’t have the same effect, as you won’t be able to keep it exclusive.”

Spotify’s recent push into the podcasting space are a clear move to threaten the power Apple has over the podcasting landscape, where its power has remained unthreatened for some time.

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