RTÉ has secured its first North American podcast distribution deal, expanding Stolen Sister to new audiences.
The seven-part series has been acquired by US-based Pushkin Industries, marking the first time an RTÉ podcast has been licensed outside Ireland.
The deal includes a bonus episode and will see the show distributed through Pushkin’s Bad Women feed.
Stolen Sister tells the story of Elizabeth Plunkett, the first documented Irish victim of a serial killer. The series was originally produced as part of RTÉ’s Documentary On One strand and is written by Nicoline Greer, with a soundtrack by Stephen Warbeck.
The podcast revisits events from 1976, when Plunkett disappeared after a weekend away with friends. During production, new information emerged, leading to a renewed investigation and the possibility of a cold case review.
Pushkin Industries, co-founded by Malcolm Gladwell and Jacob Weisberg, has built a catalogue of narrative podcasts. Stolen Sister will now reach listeners through Bad Women, which focuses on victims’ lives rather than perpetrators.
Hugh Ormond, Head of Podcasts at RTÉ, said: “This deal marks a new chapter for podcasting in RTÉ. It’s a rare privilege for a European podcast to find a home in North America.”
Gretta Cohn, CEO of Pushkin Industries, added: “The Bad Women audience shows up for stories about women whose lives and deaths were overlooked. We know the audience will connect with Elizabeth Plunkett’s story.”
RTÉ Programme Sales says the agreement reflects growing international interest in its audio catalogue. While previous Documentary On One titles have attracted television and film development deals, this marks a shift towards direct podcast distribution in the US market.
The company says it plans to explore further opportunities following the agreement.
