One of the questions still asked most frequently in the podcast industry is how do any of us begin to make money? One answer to that is getting your show commissioned by a major network or broadcaster. Here to help you figure out how to do that professionally and effectively are a group of leading content commissioners from both the public and private sector.

Louise Kattenhorn has over 20 years experience making and commissioning content for young audiences. She started out producing specialist music shows and documentaries for Radio 1 and 1Xtra; before becoming a Programme Editor responsible for specialist music and speech output for the networks. Louise now commissions podcasts for the BBC Sounds App, overseeing a range of comedy and entertainment titles for Radio 1, and BBC TV show companion podcasts.

Ruth Fitzsimons is the Managing Director at Podfront UK, a joint venture between two of the world’s biggest podcast companies, Stitcher and Wondery. Podfront UK is home to some of the biggest global podcasts such as WTF with Marc Maron, Freakonomics, My Favourite Murder, Dr Death, Dirty John and many more. Prior to this, she was SVP of International Operations at the podcast platform Audioboom where she oversaw content strategy and commissioning, distribution and advertising partnerships. Ruth’s background is as an award-winning radio producer and journalist with production credits in UK and Ireland including BBC, Global’s LBC, RTÉ and Newstalk.

Jason Phipps is the BBC’s Commissioning Editor for Podcasts. He was Head of Audio at the Guardian from 2014 to 2018 and has worked in podcast production and commissioning for over a decade.

At the BBC, he commissions podcasts for BBC Sounds, which brings together live and on-demand radio, music and podcasts into a single personalised app. Part of Jason’s role is to innovate and grow new voices by commissioning content specifically for younger audiences. Recent commissions include: NB, a podcast about coming out as non-binary; ‘After’, a guide to surviving rape and sexual violence, James Acaster’s Perfect Sounds 2016 and No Country for Young Women. Other commissions in the pipeline include an ethical spin on true crime, a ten-part investigative series from Irish indie Second Captains and a new look at fashion with a conscience.