Night has broken into podcasting by picking up a network that works with several top creators. The talent management firm known for repping big names like MrBeast has acquired The Roost, the podcasting network that was formerly part of Warner Bros. Discovery‘s Rooster Teeth brand.
The Roost is home to 47 original shows, including Ethan and Hila Klein‘s H3 Podcast and This Past Weekend with Theo Von. Many of the podcast hosts within The Roost’s network, including Philip DeFranco, Ludwig, and Smosh founders Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla, established themselves on platforms like YouTube before launching audio-forward shows. According to a press release from Night, the 47 Roost shows have combined to pull in 350 million views and 20 million monthly audio downloads.
The terms of Night’s acquisition have not been publicly disclosed, but we do know that the transaction will lead to the establishment of a podcast vertical within the Night ecosystem. Though the Los Angeles-based firm is best known for its talent management services, it has also ventured into fields like content production and merch. Now, it is grabbing a piece of the multi-billion-dollar podcasting industry.
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“The Roost’s distinctive brand identity, loyal talent and partner network, and mission to be ‘the podcast network for creators; align seamlessly with Night’s overarching strategy,” Night CEO Reed Duchscher said in a statement. “Night is committed to maintaining The Roost’s autonomy and integrity, ensuring it thrives independently within the Night family.”
The Roost was first launched in 2017 as an extension of Rooster Teeth, the long-running Austin-based studio that produced hit web shows like Red Vs. Blue. Even as numerous controversies harmed Rooster Teeth’s image and reduced the size of its audience, its podcasting wing remained a valuable outlet for many of its in-house creators. After restricting some content to its website last year, Rooster Teeth announced in March that it would shut down after 21 years in the digital media biz.
About 150 Rooster Teeth staffers were affected by the studio’s closure, but Night will retain the majority of the Roost team. The retained employees include A.J. Feliciano, who will continue to serve as the Head of the podcast network.
