Who says podcasts are dead? SiriusXM on Monday said it had signed a deal with the podcast company run by WIll Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes in a deal that Bloomberg reported was worth $100 million for three years.
The agreement brings Arnett, Bateman, and Hayes’ company, SmartlLess Media, and its namesake flagship podcast, to the satellite radio company. In addition, several other SmartLess Media podcasts such as Just Jack & Will, Bad Dates, Owned, and other special tapings and exclusive content will come to the service as well. The company also gets the exclusive rights to sell ads against the shows.
SmartLess launched in July 2020 and is regularly one of the most popular podcast, boasting high-profile guests including President Joe Biden. Bateman (Arrested Development, Ozark), Arnett (Arrested Development, The Lego Batman Movie), and Hayes (Will & Grace) are all well-known comedians whose profiles have risen over the years.
“At SiriusXM, we are proud to be home to the stars, and with Jason, Sean, and Will joining us, that statement has never been more true. Over the past several years, we have doubled down on our commitment to podcasting, and with the addition of SmartLess, we are strengthening our leadership position in podcasting,” said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM. “This groundbreaking new collaboration showcases our power to drive growth for an established podcast while bringing unique value back to our subscribers through exclusive content and events.”
A spokesperson declined to comment on the terms of the deal, which Bloomberg reported on.
SmartLess Media joins SiriusXM’s stable of podcasts that include Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, Pod Save America and How Did This Get Made?
SiriusXM said podcasts play an increasingly important role in the new SiriusXM app, allowing users to read transcriptions, adjust the playback speed, mark key moments and downloads episodes for offline playback. It relaunched the app in December for a cheaper $9.99 rate in an attempt to win audiences beyond the drivetime crowd.