From the inescapable presence of podcast platforms to new voices utilizing everything that social media apps have to offer, the business of audio content remains as relevant as ever.

At Variety’s 2023 Entertainment Marketing Summit, an onslaught of marketing pros congregated to share their thoughts on the challenges, best practices and triumphs of their respective businesses.

Variety Intelligence Platform media analyst and correspondent Heidi Chung hosted a panel to talk all things audio with Wondery head of franchise management Nicole Blake, Rooster Teeth’s Roost Podcast Network head A.J. Feliciano, Audacy enterprise digital sales VP Jack Hager, Paramount Global podcasting and audio EVP Steve Raizes, and SXM Media B2B marketing and ad innovation SVP Lizzie Widhelm.

“For Paramount, the big idea is that it’s content and fandoms more than anything else,” opened Raizes, remarking on the market at large. “So how audio fits within that is the idea that our job is to really connect fans and people to the brands,” he continued, bringing up “Star Trek” as a big brand within the Paramount ecosystem that is malleable toward multiple formats, such as audio.

“There are so many different ways you can take this, ’cause audio is having a moment,” added Blake, who spoke on podcasting from the opposite standpoint by reinforcing its flexibility as a platform to build new IP from.

“I think one of the beauties of podcasting, and this comes from someone who grew up in TV and film mediums, is that when you look at podcasting as an IP incubator, it is the fastest, cheapest, most flexible IP incubator,” said Blake. “You can literally go to proof-of-concept on something so quickly, you can get it out there, test it and then decide do we then double down on it.”

For the full panel conversation, watch the video up top!