Companion has launched its first slate of audio and video podcasts featuring a mix of entertainment, culture, science and wellbeing shows.
These will come from a range of creators and public figures who are expanding the cultural conversation around creativity, identity, relationships, and personal growth.
The new network will finance, produce and distribute programming through its in-house studio Companion Arts.
It will also work with creators to support marketing, brand management, ad sales and distribution across platforms including YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and RSS.
The initial slate includes Soul Boom with Rainn Wilson, Pop Syllabus with Christiana Mbakwe Medina, This Might Get Weird with Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart, and The Movie of Your Life with Richard Roeper.
Other shows in the line-up include Science and the City with Kalpana Pot and Ashley Christine, Getting Under The Skin (GUTS) with Topaz Adizes, Voice Hugs with Vivian Van and Rowena Tsai, and Connection is Magic hosted by therapist and former music executive Samson Shulman.
Upcoming titles include Showing Up with Andy Grammer, launching this spring, and Everybody Knows But Me, a series from comedian Holly Anabel Brown about uncovering a long-hidden family secret.
Ford Bowers, President of Companion said: “Companion was born from a simple idea: what if media didn’t just entertain us, but helped us feel like we belong? We see storytelling as an act of service.
“This slate reflects that intention: creators helping people live better, feel more connected, and make sense of their lives. We’re not here to tell anyone who to be; we’re here to walk alongside them as they figure it out.”
To mark the launch, Companion will host a live event called Companion Presents: In Good Company at the Podcast Movement Evolutions stage during SXSW on 14 March.
The event will include an acoustic performance from singer-songwriter Andy Grammer alongside conversations and appearances from several shows in the network’s slate.
Companion says its model combines full-service production with support for creator-owned programmes, giving hosts access to production, marketing and distribution while retaining ownership of their shows.
The company says the slate reflects a growing trend among creators producing longer-form conversations and storytelling designed to explore ideas in more depth across both audio and video podcast formats.
