Former First Lady Michelle Obama is set to release next month Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast on Audible, an audio product based on her book The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times.
The eight-episode podcast is the first to emerge from a first-look production deal signed by Obama’s Higher Ground venture and Audible. The move to Audible followed Higher Ground’s exit from Spotify, where the production company — founded by Barack and Michelle Obama — previously had a multiyear deal to create podcasts exclusively for the Stockholm-based audio giant.
Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast will debut exclusively on Audible on March 7 for two weeks before it becomes available elsewhere to all podcast listeners. Obama’s The Light We Carry book, which included a six-city marketing tour at its launch, features conversations with celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Tyler Perry, Conan O’Brien, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Hoda Kotb, David Letterman and others,...
The eight-episode podcast is the first to emerge from a first-look production deal signed by Obama’s Higher Ground venture and Audible. The move to Audible followed Higher Ground’s exit from Spotify, where the production company — founded by Barack and Michelle Obama — previously had a multiyear deal to create podcasts exclusively for the Stockholm-based audio giant.
Michelle Obama: The Light Podcast will debut exclusively on Audible on March 7 for two weeks before it becomes available elsewhere to all podcast listeners. Obama’s The Light We Carry book, which included a six-city marketing tour at its launch, features conversations with celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Tyler Perry, Conan O’Brien, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Hoda Kotb, David Letterman and others,...
- 2/1/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
President Barack Obama & Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground has found a new podcast home.
The company, which is behind audio series such as Renegades: Born in the USA with Bruce Springsteen, has struck a first-look deal with Amazon’s Audible.
The deal comes after the former President and his wife parted ways with Spotify, where they previously struck a deal in 2019. There had long been rumors that the former Commander-in-Chief was unhappy with his company’s deal with Spotify.
It’s not clear whether the deal will give the Obama’s more flexibility in terms of distribution – given that Audible is also a walled-garden platform – but the fact that it is a first-look deal rather than an overall pact, means that it might be able to sell shows to other platforms outside of the arrangement.
Audible noted that the Higher Ground slate of shows would “the companies’ shared mission to...
The company, which is behind audio series such as Renegades: Born in the USA with Bruce Springsteen, has struck a first-look deal with Amazon’s Audible.
The deal comes after the former President and his wife parted ways with Spotify, where they previously struck a deal in 2019. There had long been rumors that the former Commander-in-Chief was unhappy with his company’s deal with Spotify.
It’s not clear whether the deal will give the Obama’s more flexibility in terms of distribution – given that Audible is also a walled-garden platform – but the fact that it is a first-look deal rather than an overall pact, means that it might be able to sell shows to other platforms outside of the arrangement.
Audible noted that the Higher Ground slate of shows would “the companies’ shared mission to...
- 6/21/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground Productions has expanded its executive team. Priya Swaminathan, the co-head of film and TV at the company, will step down from her role later this summer as part of the change.
Swaminathan was Higher Ground’s first hire, and she oversaw the company’s Oscar-winning “American Factory” and the Oscar-nominated “Crip Camp.” Tonia Davis will now serve as the sole head of film and TV.
Among the company’s new hires are Joe Paulson as head of business and strategy. He was formerly special assistant to the President at the White House and was deputy chief of staff to the former president, having worked with the Obamas since the earliest days of the campaign in 2007 and overseen the creation of Higher Ground.
The company also hired Dan Fierman as head of audio, creative director Anna Holmes and Mark R. Wright...
Swaminathan was Higher Ground’s first hire, and she oversaw the company’s Oscar-winning “American Factory” and the Oscar-nominated “Crip Camp.” Tonia Davis will now serve as the sole head of film and TV.
Among the company’s new hires are Joe Paulson as head of business and strategy. He was formerly special assistant to the President at the White House and was deputy chief of staff to the former president, having worked with the Obamas since the earliest days of the campaign in 2007 and overseen the creation of Higher Ground.
The company also hired Dan Fierman as head of audio, creative director Anna Holmes and Mark R. Wright...
- 7/29/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Higher Ground, President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s media company, has made several new additions to its executive team.
Joe Paulsen has been named Head of Business and Strategy. Dan Fierman will lead the company’s podcast projects as Head of Audio and will be joined by Creative Director, Anna Holmes. The two oversaw the launch of The Michelle Obama Podcast, which became the most listened to Spotify Original to date, as well as Renegades: Born in the USA, and the recently released Tell Them, I Am. Mark R. Wright joins the team as Vice President of Film and Television. He will concentrate on scripted feature films and will report to Head of Film and Television, Tonia Davis.
Priya Swaminathan is stepping down from her role as Co-Head of Film and Television later this summer.
“We are so grateful to Priya for her tremendous impact at Higher Ground these past few years,...
Joe Paulsen has been named Head of Business and Strategy. Dan Fierman will lead the company’s podcast projects as Head of Audio and will be joined by Creative Director, Anna Holmes. The two oversaw the launch of The Michelle Obama Podcast, which became the most listened to Spotify Original to date, as well as Renegades: Born in the USA, and the recently released Tell Them, I Am. Mark R. Wright joins the team as Vice President of Film and Television. He will concentrate on scripted feature films and will report to Head of Film and Television, Tonia Davis.
Priya Swaminathan is stepping down from her role as Co-Head of Film and Television later this summer.
“We are so grateful to Priya for her tremendous impact at Higher Ground these past few years,...
- 7/29/2021
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Priya Swaminathan is stepping down from her role as co-head of film and television at Higher Ground, the media company founded by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
At the same time, the former president and First Lady announced several new additions to the company’s executive team, most notably hiring Joe Paulsen, an old Obama hand, as head of business and strategy.
Swaminathan, a former executive at Annapurna, was the first hire the Obamas made when they launched Higher Ground. She has helped grow the company since joining it in 2019, overseeing the rollout of the Oscar-winning documentary “American Factory” and the Oscar-nominated “Crip Camp.” The decision to leave the company was Swaminathan’s own and she remains a favorite of the Obamas, as evidenced by a glowing statement they released.
“We are so grateful to Priya for her tremendous impact at Higher Ground these past few years,” the Obamas said in a statement.
At the same time, the former president and First Lady announced several new additions to the company’s executive team, most notably hiring Joe Paulsen, an old Obama hand, as head of business and strategy.
Swaminathan, a former executive at Annapurna, was the first hire the Obamas made when they launched Higher Ground. She has helped grow the company since joining it in 2019, overseeing the rollout of the Oscar-winning documentary “American Factory” and the Oscar-nominated “Crip Camp.” The decision to leave the company was Swaminathan’s own and she remains a favorite of the Obamas, as evidenced by a glowing statement they released.
“We are so grateful to Priya for her tremendous impact at Higher Ground these past few years,” the Obamas said in a statement.
- 7/29/2021
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Heather McGhee’s New York Times bestseller The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together is getting the audio series treatment.
Higher Ground, the production company set up by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, has struck an option deal to turn the non-fiction book into a Spotify podcast series.
The deal is unusual as while it’s commonplace for books to be optioned for scripted series and movies as well as documentaries, it’s rare from book-to-podcast.
The book, which was published by One World / Penguin Random House, in February, offers an exploration of inequality and the lesson that generations of Americans have failed to learn: racism has a cost for everyone—not just for people of color.
McGhee, an expert in economic and social policy and the former president of the inequality-focused think tank Demos, embarks on a deeply personal journey...
Higher Ground, the production company set up by President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, has struck an option deal to turn the non-fiction book into a Spotify podcast series.
The deal is unusual as while it’s commonplace for books to be optioned for scripted series and movies as well as documentaries, it’s rare from book-to-podcast.
The book, which was published by One World / Penguin Random House, in February, offers an exploration of inequality and the lesson that generations of Americans have failed to learn: racism has a cost for everyone—not just for people of color.
McGhee, an expert in economic and social policy and the former president of the inequality-focused think tank Demos, embarks on a deeply personal journey...
- 5/4/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground is launching its first Spotify podcast after striking a deal with the music streaming service last year.
The Michelle Obama Podcast will launch on July 29 and will feature candid and personal conversations from the former First Lady. You can listen to a teaser for the pod here.
The pair said that the podcast will “show us what’s possible when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to open up, and to focus on what matters most”.
Guests will include Marian and Craig Robinson, Conan O’Brien, Valerie Jarrett, Michele Norris and Dr. Sharon Malone MD. Salesforce and Procter & Gamble brands Dawn and Tide will serve as the first season’s presenting sponsors.
Higher Ground Audio is led by Dan Fierman, a veteran of Epic Magazine, MTV, Grantland and GQ. First Look Media alum and Jezebel founder Anna Holmes is the group’s Executive Vice President.
The Michelle Obama Podcast will launch on July 29 and will feature candid and personal conversations from the former First Lady. You can listen to a teaser for the pod here.
The pair said that the podcast will “show us what’s possible when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to open up, and to focus on what matters most”.
Guests will include Marian and Craig Robinson, Conan O’Brien, Valerie Jarrett, Michele Norris and Dr. Sharon Malone MD. Salesforce and Procter & Gamble brands Dawn and Tide will serve as the first season’s presenting sponsors.
Higher Ground Audio is led by Dan Fierman, a veteran of Epic Magazine, MTV, Grantland and GQ. First Look Media alum and Jezebel founder Anna Holmes is the group’s Executive Vice President.
- 7/16/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
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