Global Traffic Network launches content division
Advertising solutions platform Global Traffic Network has launched a content division.
The announcement:
Global Traffic Network (ASX GTN), the trailblazer for delivering premium advertising solutions across multiple media platforms has a new premium content division with today’s launch of the Global Story Network (GSN), the new destination for the world’s best stories.
Batoul Peters
GSN is a premium full service content network that focuses on great storytelling across a range of entertainment genres.
GSN General Manager, Batoul Peters said they were bringing the world’s best stories to Australian listeners in a format that can be consumed at a time of their choosing.
“We’ve created a new one-stop shop for premium content. The research tells us that the podcast demand is there and we’ve created a platform where people all around the world can access compelling stories, information, and entertainment,” said Ms Peters.
“People want content that is rich and rewarding and something that connects and resonates with them personally. Global Story Network is the world’s new home for this type of content, reaching listeners on a global scale, but connecting with them on a local level. Harnessing these local audience connections, GSN is a powerful platform for advertisers and content creators alike.
“Some of Hollywood’s elite are working behind the scenes to make GSN a reality. We’re working with the A-listers, celebrities, and influencers to bring the content to life,” she added.
The launch of GSN comes at a time when podcast listenership across Australia is growing with audiences more engaged than ever before. Latest figures from the ABC show 33 per cent of Australians are listening to podcasts every month, and 20 per cent of Australians are listening every week (to an average of five podcasts).
Outside of producing engaging content, GSN’s growth strategy is to capitalise on reaching the other 67 percent of non-podcast listeners. As GSN is part of the Global Traffic Network (ASX GTN) and has operations across Australia, North America, Europe and South America, it has a global audience of 63 million people worldwide.
“We plan to use this unprecedented access to millions of global listeners to impact the non-listening podcast audience and introduce them to the fascinating world of content waiting for them in podcast land,” Ms Peters said.
Global Story Network is also an exclusive partner of reVolver podcast network, which has a growing multicultural audience across the US, Australia, UK, Canada, and Brazil.
GSN has been busy behind the scenes rallying Hollywood’s elite content creators to develop compelling and engaging podcast programs.
“Content creators typically involved in visual formats of content are keen to tap into the fertile audio grounds of podcasting and audio entertainment,” Ms Peters said.
The network features podcasts on topics from comedy, to relationships, to politics to true heroic stories, including shows produced by Hollywood premium creators such as Lior Geller, Anthony Samadani, John Ziegler, and Jeff Schimmel.
One of the network’s highlights include the cinematic quality podcast series, Surviving the Impossible, that tells the incredible true stories of people who have faced and survived impossible odds. The first series will focus on the life of Nick Yarris, the man who spent 23 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. Nick Yarris was the first man to be exonerated using DNA evidence.
One of the highlights of GSN’s local content is Daditude – a parenting series for dads by dads on tips, tactics and troubleshooting all matters of Fatherhood, hosted by media personality, traffic reporter, auctioneer, philanthropist and all round nice guy father of Four, Vic Lorusso and his hilarious co-host, stand up comedian Al Del Bene.
The network also shares content from reVOLVER, the leading supplier of on-demand audio geared towards the US hispanic market. Available for download will be their already hugely popular podcast series, the Sasquatch Chronicles, as well as other well-known series Crown On, The Doomsday Podcast, and Scandal. The shows are available to stream on all major podcast streaming platforms.
“We are excited to work with GSN in their growing podcast endeavour and to export our programs to a new audience for discovery. The cross pollination of reVOLVER programs and GSN distribution is a winning combination,” said Jack Hobbs, CEO reVOLVER.
Through its ability to build powerful connections with listeners, Global Story Network is also a powerful revenue model for content creators looking to get their story heard globally.
The network hopes to become the leading discovery platform and production service for podcasts in Australia, with goals to sign on 100 shows in 2019.
In addition to Australia, Global Story Network is also launching in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Brazil, with plans to expand to more countries in the future.
Source: Global Story Network media release
