Night, a talent management and media company, announced the relaunch of The Roost as Podium on July 23, 2026, a video-first, cross-platform podcast company, with creator Trisha Paytas bringing her hit podcast “Just Trish” as the first major partnership under the new brand.
The rebranding marks the next chapter following Night’s acquisition of The Roost in 2024. Podium’s broader roster reaches more than 50 million monthly video and audio impressions and 66 million followers across platforms, including shows such as “This Past Weekend” with Theo Von, “Sam & Colby Reacts”, “The Yard”, and “Weekly Teacap” with Kristi Cook. “Just Trish” has generated more than 160 million views since launching in 2019.
“When Night acquired The Roost in 2024, we saw a company that understood podcasting was becoming video-first, personality-driven, and powered by fandom,” said Reed Duchscher, CEO and Founder of Night. “Podium reflects who this team and these creators are today, and there’s no better way to begin this next chapter than with Trisha.”
“Just Trish started as me talking about pop culture with my fans, and it turned into the thing I love most,” said Paytas. “My fans show up for everything, and Podium understands how meaningful that is.” Catherine Browne, VP of Revenue & Partnerships at Podium, added: “Podium was built for creator-first podcasts that thrive across multiple platforms. We’re thrilled to launch this new chapter with Trisha and continue expanding our slate of female-led and pop culture podcasts.”
The relaunch reflects a broader shift in podcast consumption patterns, where audiences follow creators across YouTube, audio platforms, social media, and live events rather than engaging with content on a single platform. Podium’s expansion strategy prioritizes distribution, audience growth, and brand partnerships across these multiple channels, positioning the network to compete with larger podcast platforms that have similarly shifted toward video and cross-platform strategies.
Podium’s rebranding and Paytas partnership come as the podcast industry continues consolidating around creator-led networks rather than traditional audio-only models. Platforms including YouTube, Spotify, and independent networks have increasingly invested in video podcast capabilities, recognizing that popular shows often perform as video content first and audio content second. The company’s focus on personality-driven shows aligns with industry trends showing higher engagement and audience retention for creator-centric programming.
The deal with Paytas carries particular weight given “Just Trish” audience size and engagement metrics. With 160 million cumulative views, the show demonstrates the commercial viability of pop culture and personal conversation podcasts when distributed across multiple platforms. Podium’s commitment to supporting female-led and pop culture programming also reflects broader industry recognition that these categories drive consistent audience growth and advertising interest.
Podium’s relaunch as a video-first, cross-platform company signals the network’s strategic pivot away from traditional podcast distribution models toward a more integrated media approach. The company’s existing roster of 50 million monthly impressions provides foundation for scaling the Paytas partnership and attracting additional high-profile creators seeking multiplatform distribution capabilities. As the podcast industry matures, networks that can effectively manage creator visibility across YouTube, audio platforms, and social media are positioning themselves as essential partners for talent development and audience monetization.
Source: Prnewswire — Read the original article →
