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12 editor-approved podcasts to tune into this weekend
12 editor-approved podcasts to tune into this weekend

Emirates Woman

time3 days ago

  • Entertainment
  • Emirates Woman

12 editor-approved podcasts to tune into this weekend

For some much-needed escapism, podcasts are an ideal way to unwind. With an ocean of stories, interviews, in-depth discussions and trusted voices, they've become an interesting source of information that caters to a wide variety of audiences. From honest fashion reviews to female empowerment discussions, the topics are endless in each of these podcasts and can get you addicted in no time. To listen, you simply access the podcast through any of the streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple, Amazon and other smaller platforms, making it a click away. The History of Podcasts The concept of downloadable audio content began as early as the 1980s with audio blogging and internet radio. In the 1990s, the MP3 format revolutionized digital audio, enabling easier storage and sharing of sound files. At this time, some early experiments in digital audio distribution appeared, but they lacked the infrastructure we associate with podcasts today. The Evolution Podcasts have become a truly global phenomenon, with creators and audiences emerging from all over the world. More podcasts are available in multiple languages and cater to various regional cultures and interests. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 accelerated the popularity of podcasts, as people spent more time at home and sought new forms of entertainment and learning. So whether a morning commute or a long-haul flight, you're sure to be entertained with vital information through any of these information-fuelled podcasts. Overall, podcasts are a fantastic way to learn, be entertained, or just dive into topics you're passionate about. Whether you're into true crime, comedy, history, science, or even niche interests like knitting or board games, there's probably a podcast out there for you. Fashion, being a visual medium with a relatively niche audience, may not appear to be the most conducive subject matter for a podcast. But in an era of intuitive podcasts, where there seems to be a show for everything, style has no shortage of audio content. From Dior Talks to The goop Podcast hosted by Gwyneth Paltrow, there's no dearth of information around us with a click of a button to listen, learn and educate ourselves during any long-haul flight or even our daily commute. With the proliferation of podcasts, finding one to effortlessly incorporate into your daily routine can be quite the task and hence, Emirates Woman is here to help. The Diary of a CEO – Listen here The Diary Of A CEO' podcast was launched with the simple mission of providing an unfiltered journey into the remarkable stories and untold dimensions of the world's most influential people, experts and thinkers. The Pop Fashion Podcast – Listen here On the Pop Fashion Podcast, former vintage store owner Lisa Rowan and fashion stylist Kaarin Vember discuss everything from fashion news to pop culture, and the duo answer questions about business and creativity along the way. Recent shows covered New York Fashion Week, H&M's sweatshirt snafu, and Pantone's 2018 Color of the Year. The BoF Podcast – Listen here The Business of Fashion gained a global following as an indispensable daily digital resource for fashion creatives, executives, and entrepreneurs around the world. Their BoF Podcast covers all aspects of the industry, from going inside the Hearst Media empire to life lessons from serial entrepreneurs like Marcia Kilgore. The Game Changers by Net-A-Porter – Listen here NET-A-PORTER MIDDLE EAST's CEO, Nisreen Shocair, hosts intimate conversations with barrier braking individuals spanning across the media, creative and entertainment industry to speak topics such juggling motherhood, inclusivity in the region and various life lessons in a podcast powered by Anghami. The goop Podcast – Listen here To shift from an old paradigm of thinking, CEO and founder Gwyneth Paltrow has an open conversation with changemakers who are shifting from the conventional norm. Dior Talks – Listen here With a focus of women, who've inspired the house's Creative director, Maria Grazia Chiuri, listeners understand how these empowered figures have overcome challenges in their lives and what their hopes for the future are. Fashion No Filter – Listen here Fashion journalists Camille Charriere and Monica Ainley give you a unique, behind the scenes look at how the fashion industry operates, to delve into this sartorial space, where several questions remained unanswered. Ten Percent Happier – Listen here A skeptical journalist, Dan Harris talks with notable personalities such as scientists, meditation teachers and celebrities on their journey to happiness and how this feeling is a skill you can train over time. Wardrobe Crisis – Listen here A sustainability editor, Clare Press interview various international guests about the unending ethical issues in the fashion industry. Their personal stories and useful tips, bring light to where the clothes we wear are manufactured from. Breaking Beauty – Listen here The longtime beauty editors give listeners a unique insight into all things skincare and makeup. From a fuss-free skincare routine to new launches, in discussions with experts help to understand the insider's favourites. Deliciously Ella – Listen here One of the most well-known entrepreneurs in the wellness space, Ella Mills, shares her tips on dealing with issues pertaining to gut health, mental health and anxiety. For an honest conversation on how to make small changes, tune in. Design Matters – Listen here Design Matters is one of the most popular design podcasts around. Host Debbie Millman's describes it as 'an inquiry into the broader world of creative culture through wide-ranging conversations with designers, writers, artists, curators, musicians, and other luminaries of contemporary thought.' – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram Images: Supplied & Feature Image: Instagram @tialineker

‘AI will be better than humans at everything,' warns former Google executive; says ‘In 15 years, lots of jobs will be lost, including…'
‘AI will be better than humans at everything,' warns former Google executive; says ‘In 15 years, lots of jobs will be lost, including…'

Indian Express

time08-08-2025

  • Business
  • Indian Express

‘AI will be better than humans at everything,' warns former Google executive; says ‘In 15 years, lots of jobs will be lost, including…'

Mo Gawdat, the former Chief Business Officer at Google X, has given a blunt prediction about the future of artificial intelligence. In a conversation on The Diary of a CEO podcast, he said the rise of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) could wipe out most human jobs within 15 years, with the middle class being hit the hardest. 'Unless you're in the top 0.1%, you're a peasant,' he said. 'AGI will be better at everything than humans, even being a CEO.' How do you contain something that's a billion times smarter than you? Mo Gawdat is back, his fifth appearance on The Diary Of A CEO and possibly his most important one yet. Mo was Chief Business Officer at Google X, so when he talks about the future of humanity and AI, I… — Steven Bartlett (@StevenBartlett) August 4, 2025 Drawing on his own experience, Gawdat pointed to his startup, — an AI-powered emotional and relationship platform run by just three people. In the past, he noted, a similar business would have needed hundreds of developers. 'As a matter of fact, podcaster is going to be replaced,' he added, highlighting how even creative and personal industries won't be spared. Unlike previous technological revolutions that mainly displaced manual labour, Gawdat believes this shift will cut through white-collar jobs and erode the economic foundation of modern societies. However, he also offered a glimpse of what could follow: a post-2040 world free from repetitive work and material obsession, where people focus on community, creativity, spirituality, and love. Achieving that vision, he stressed, will require governments and companies to act now, through measures like universal basic income and the ethical development of AI. 'We are headed into a short-term dystopia, but we can still decide what comes after that,' he told host Steven Bartlett, insisting that regulation and equal access to AI will be critical in shaping the outcome. Gawdat's cautionary stance echoes other AI leaders' concerns. Geoffrey Hinton, often called the 'Godfather of AI,' recently warned that advanced AI systems might evolve their own internal language, one humans can't interpret. 'If they start thinking in their own language,' Hinton said, 'we might not even know what they're thinking.'

Steven Bartlett has built a digital empire—but for the entrepreneur and ‘The Diary of a CEO' host, his next big bet is offline
Steven Bartlett has built a digital empire—but for the entrepreneur and ‘The Diary of a CEO' host, his next big bet is offline

Tatler Asia

time02-08-2025

  • Business
  • Tatler Asia

Steven Bartlett has built a digital empire—but for the entrepreneur and ‘The Diary of a CEO' host, his next big bet is offline

There are other daily habits and rituals too. Bartlett walks in the sunshine every morning, goes to the gym daily, takes electrolytes, Omega-3s and creatine, and is trying to meditate but 'struggling with it'. Mental and physical well-being are part of his 'first foundation'—the core elements that support everything else in life—as he wrote in his 2023 bestselling book, The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business & Life . Bartlett is full of anecdotal learnings that have influenced his life too, from the likes of Virgin founder Richard Branson, who taught him to always think through the lens of delegation; Google X's former chief business officer Mo Gawdat, who reframed happiness as meeting your expectations; and Canadian entrepreneur Kevin O'Leary, who observed that the people who are most successful in a particular pursuit are eclectic people, or as Bartlett has observed, those with a broad 'skill stack', citing Steve Jobs's range of interests from typography and design to meditation. Branson, Gawdat and O'Leary are just a few of the many influential people Bartlett has interviewed for The Diary of a CEO , which he expected to achieve around 50 million downloads and gain half a million followers in the month of July alone—when we speak—making it the fastest growing podcast in the world. An entrepreneur is born Above As host of 'The Diary of a CEO', the world's fastest growing podcast, Bartlett is a leader in the creator economy Bartlett is a leader in the creator economy, where individuals produce and distribute content, products or services directly to audiences via digital and social media platforms, generating revenue, primarily through advertising, sponsorships or product sales. He was recently named on Time magazine's inaugural 100 Creators list featuring the most influential digital voices in the world. Bartlett began as an entrepreneur. Born in 1992 in Botswana to a Nigerian mother and English father, he moved to the UK soon after and settled in the coastal city of Plymouth. 'One of the hallmarks of my childhood was just being different. Plymouth in 1994 was pretty much all white and we moved into a middle-class area, but then we had financial challenges. The background hum of my life was a little bit of shame, a little bit of insecurity and constantly feeling like our family was different,' he says. The background hum of my life was a little bit of shame, a little bit of insecurity and constantly feeling like our family was different. - Steven Bartlett - Instead of hindering him, that shame and embarrassment became a motivational force. He began his earliest ventures while at school, driven by an abundance of independence that was the result of having two busy, working parents, and a need to make money. 'If you give a kid a lot of independence, they're gonna do something with it. And what I started doing with it was trying to solve this other problem I had, which was money,' recalls Bartlett. Just do it His mother proved to be an important influence. 'I'd vicariously learnt from my mother that you could have an idea and then it could turn into a business. I'd watch her say to my dad, I'm gonna sell furniture out of that garage. And then I'd watch her go and do it. For a lot of people, there's debate and consideration; there's strategy and planning. In my mother's head, it was just: idea, then do it. That idea of just doing things was super formative for me, because that's exactly what I did with all my independence: I just started doing things.' Above Steven Bartlett Bartlett wanted to keep doing things—and it felt like school and university weren't conducive. Expelled from the former for poor attendance, when he did get to university he dropped out after just one lecture—a decision that would prove pivotal. 'I thought [university] would be profoundly different [to school]. But on that first day, as I sat in that room, I realised that it was more of school, and I realised that I was going to struggle all the same,' says Bartlett. 'And I looked around and I remember thinking, if I want to become an entrepreneur, who am I going to show this piece of paper that I get at the end of this process to?' So, instead of university, Bartlett opted to continue executing on his ideas. In 2013, he launched Wallpark, an online student noticeboard. While trying to drive traffic to it, he realised the potential of social media, which became the more attractive business and led to Social Chain, a social media marketing company he founded in 2014 at the age of 21. When it went public as part of a merged company in 2019, it was valued at more than US$200 million. Counterintuitive decisions In 2020, Bartlett stepped down from Social Chain. It gave him pause to ask himself what he should do now money wasn't a concern—and what he enjoyed most. He had launched his podcast The Diary of a CEO in 2017, but had been inconsistent with recording. It was something he enjoyed—but in which he also saw opportunity. Thinking about impact and enjoyment [should be] an essential part of your decision framework. Because to do anything well, consistency is the holy grail, and consistency is a byproduct of enjoying the thing. - Steven Bartlett - 'I started thinking about what was going on in the world of social media and I could see everything getting shorter and more ephemeral and more forgettable. It's always proven to be the case to me that when you go the other way, you can create huge value.' He started focusing on the podcast, and found that even though he was achieving just 1,000 downloads per episode at the start, he was receiving more positive feedback in real life about these episodes than he ever had for the viral videos he had been producing at Social Chain, which achieved millions of views. 'So, I went for depth and I went for enjoyment and the thing that I liked the most,' says Bartlett. 'And I really believe that's a wonderful framework for anybody—thinking about impact and enjoyment as an essential part of your decision framework. Because to do anything well, consistency is the holy grail, and consistency is a byproduct of enjoying the thing.' Betting on the bizarre Bartlett's entrepreneurial and business endeavours continued alongside The Diary of a CEO , which now sits under his media and investment company FlightStory. In 2020, he joined psychedelics company Atai Life Sciences and helped take it public on the Nasdaq the following year with a US$3 billion market cap, while at the same time he became the youngest ever Dragon on reality television show Dragons' Den . Above An entrepreneurial leap into blockchain and Web3 for Bartlett was inspired by leaning into bizarre behaviour—something that has become a key business philosophy for the founder Bartlett then leapt on the blockchain and Web3 wave with the launch of Thirdweb, a blockchain infrastructure business. This move was an example of another of the business laws from his book: lean into bizarre behaviour. 'I saw people buying these monkey pictures on the internet for a quarter of a million dollars and I bought one myself, and that really led me to start the company,' says Bartlett, referring to the craze for Bored Ape NFTs. Leaning into AI The next wave he's betting on is AI. 'Never in our lives have we seen the disruption of intelligence. The industrial revolution disrupted our muscles—we had robots and machines that could do things, but we still had our intelligence. And now AI disrupts our intelligence, which is really the thing that we had left,' says Bartlett. 'What are you going to do about it? Are you going to pretend it's not happening? Or are you going to lean in? All the opportunity and value is captured from leaning in.' From adoption of AI in his own companies, including experimenting with AI-generated podcast content, to investing in AI businesses such as AI inference platform Groq, Bartlett is also learning from the experts, with AI a frequent topic of discussion on The Diary of a CEO . From online to offline 'One of the remarkable things that I found from interviewing some of these AI billionaires is that their other investments were often in things that were community-centric and in real life. They realise that poles rise together and that in a world of automation, we're going to have a lot of free time to spend on other things. They call it the age of abundance. And I didn't believe that at the start, but I do believe that humans are going to find a way to be happier and better.' I think the next great opportunity as a creator is to bring people together in the real world. - Steven Bartlett - Like those AI billionaires, Bartlett is investing in community-centric and in-person gatherings too. 'I think the next great opportunity as a creator is to bring people together in the real world around your IP [intellectual property], whether that's a human IP or brand IP, and create environments where people get value from each other and from being part of that group.' Bartlett has plans to put on 'thousands' of events for small groups of people all over the world. 'I'm going to be spending lots of money—probably millions—on these small community [Diary of a] CEO events in every corner of the world to bring the community together, to meet each other, to network, to do whatever happens when you bring like-minded people together in a room for a couple of hours.' Above Poles rise together, and while Steven Bartlett is leaning into AI, he's also betting on the offline world by investing in community-centric, in-person events and gatherings As well as these small-scale events, larger The Diary of a CEO communities will soon be gathering, as Bartlett brings his live speaking tour to Asia for the first time. He's excited for the expansion of horizons that accompanies travel. 'I get to learn about the people that live in these regions, the opportunity in these regions, how culture impacts those opportunities and how culture is interacting with technology and change. I can imagine myself starting businesses in Asia one day, so I'm hoping to meet lots of entrepreneurs, and maybe invest in some as well.' The pursuit of excellence Our allotted hour is almost up, and with time for one final question, in the style of The Diary of a CEO , I ask if Bartlett would leave a question for our next Tatler cover star. He thinks for a moment before saying that the interviewer should ask what they could have done differently that would have made the experience better for the subject. It's something that Bartlett asks all his The Diary of a CEO guests once recording stops. 'It feeds into a wider philosophy that a good piece of criticism is worth its weight in gold and if we're truly in pursuit of being better and doing things better, we should seek that out. Most people won't [give it to you], but you have to press them.' A good piece of criticism is worth its weight in gold and if we're truly in pursuit of being better and doing things better, we should seek that out. - Steven Bartlett - So, what feedback would he give about today's interview? He quips, 'If it had been at 11am, it would have been better for me!' And before I can press him further, our time is up, leaving him free to return to the high-stakes, million-dollar decisions that he is proving every day to be so adept at making. Steven Bartlett presents The Business & Life Speaking Tour takes place across Asia in September 2025; for more details and tickets visit: Credits Styling: Madeleine Mak, Jay Hines Creative Direction: Zoe Yau Photography: Jason Hetherington Photographer's Assistant: Aiden Gibson Grooming: Lesley Vye Stylist's Assistant: Varvara Barto Producer: Alex Aalto, Jack So, Melissa Scott Production: Pete Jung, Oscar Maher

'The Diary of a CEO' star Steven Bartlett is using AI to make new podcasts hosted by a virtual version of himself
'The Diary of a CEO' star Steven Bartlett is using AI to make new podcasts hosted by a virtual version of himself

Business Insider

time28-07-2025

  • Business
  • Business Insider

'The Diary of a CEO' star Steven Bartlett is using AI to make new podcasts hosted by a virtual version of himself

Steven Bartlett is using AI to produce his "100 CEOs" podcast, cloning his voice to make a host. His FlightStory Studio is trying to replicate its success with Bartlett to build out other pods. The AI-made podcast had gotten mixed reviews, with some preferring Bartlett's traditional format. "The Diary of a CEO" star Steven Bartlett isn't just talking about AI on his show — he's using the tech to make new podcasts hosted by a virtual version of himself. His podcast production company, FlightStory Studio, has been experimenting with AI tools like Runway to make podcasts and recently used them to launch "100 CEOs with Steven Bartlett." The animated show gives prominent CEOs like Richard Branson and Elon Musk the narrative, documentary-style treatment. Bartlett wrote the script, and then FlightStory Studio used AI for the rest. That included cloning his voice to make an AI host, creating the storyboard, and turning it into an animated video. In addition to Runway, FlightStory Studio used tech from AI firms ElevenLabs and Wondercraft. The show, which is available on platforms like YouTube and Apple Podcasts, is identified in the notes as AI-made. "Once we saw the capability of Runway and others, we thought there was no reason we shouldn't disrupt ourselves," said Georgie Holt, who cofounded FlightStory Studio with Bartlett and fellow Acast alum Christiana Brenton. "Steven is still very involved in the scripting and the writing." Holt and Brenton discussed FlightStory Studio's strategy and growth plans with Business Insider. "He still passionately believes, as we do, in the human ability to tell stories," Holt said. "Everything else was done by AI. The next challenge is, how do you grow distribution? How do you market that podcast?" The AI podcast has mixed reviews "100 CEOs" has a long way to go to match the heights of "DOAC," where Bartlett gets millions of views for his long-running interviews with big names like Michelle Obama and Jimmy Fallon. For example, the "100 CEOs" video about Apple founder Steve Jobs has about 25,000 views on YouTube. The "100 CEOs" show is up front that it's made with AI, and many commenters on YouTube praised the show's storytelling and animation. Not everyone is ready for AI-cloned voices, however. Some criticized the voice for not sounding human enough and said they preferred Bartlett's interview format. "I'm a huge fan, but this just feels like an AI podcast with zero soul," one commenter said. To FlightStory Studio, the results are encouraging enough to keep testing other AI-made formats, starting with ones that are suited to animation. It took a long time to get the show off the ground, but at the rate AI keeps improving, FlightStory Studio executives expect the show to get better and more human-sounding over time. They said they plan to test AI host-read ads later this year and compare their performance to human-read ads. "All advertisers want is performance," Brenton said. "What typically takes two to four weeks production, if you can shrink that into a day, it actually enables significantly more opportunity for creators, publishers, and advertisers." Bartlett has more permission to make an AI podcast than other hosts, given his association with technology, said Megan Lazovick, VP of Edison Research. "It would be a controversial move for a lot of hosts and presenters, and hosts would have to be careful in the way they use AI, but I feel like it goes right along with his brand," she said. FlightStory Studio has built a diversified revenue business AI is just one way FlightStory Studio is trying to crack the code to turn creators into multifaceted businesses. Bartlett launched "DOAC" in 2017 and, in 2023, teamed up with Holt and Brenton to launch FlightStory Studio to invest in creators' podcasts they think have potential to become big brands in their own right, with the intent of acquiring them outright. "DOAC" still makes up most of the company's revenue, but it's branched out with other creators like Davina McCall, who speaks to the midlife experience, and relationships podcaster Paul Brunson. Today, FlightStory Studio owns and produces five podcasts and is building franchises around the hosts that include book deals, speaking engagements, investment opportunities, and products. The studio derives half its revenue from direct advertising through things like podcast sponsorships and branded content. The next biggest revenue source is platforms where it gets a split of advertising, like YouTube. Other revenue comes from a Penguin Random House book deal; subscriptions to DOAC, which offers perks like access to early and exclusive content; a speakers bureau representing its hosts and guests; and sales of products tied to FlightStory's shows, like DOAC-branded conversation-starter cards. The execs didn't break out revenue for FlightStory Studio, but said it expects its revenue to grow 57% this year. FlightStory Studio's parent company, called FlightStory, includes an investment arm. The revenue for the whole company, which is profitable, was $20 million in 2024. For its next shows, FlightStory Studio sees potential in exploring the future of sports and fandom. It also sees a big opportunity in subscriptions and consumer products, taking inspiration from the success of MrBeast with his Feastable chocolate bars. The studio said next year it plans to launch its first joint venture. The execs wouldn't share details, but compared the effort to products other podcast hosts have launched, like Alex Cooper with her Unwell-branded energy drink. So far, FlightStory Studio has gone it alone, but Holt and Brenton said they're wide open to deals with the streamers. "We're thinking Netflix, Apple TV, Channel 4, any of the major US streamers or traditional broadcasters," Brenton said. "Our objective is to enhance our distribution. If it makes sense to engage with one of those third parties to distribute our content, that's something we would pursue."

How live podcasts are redefining community and content in MENA
How live podcasts are redefining community and content in MENA

Campaign ME

time23-07-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Campaign ME

How live podcasts are redefining community and content in MENA

Live podcasts are now taking the event industry by a storm. They are extending from smartphone apps to stages around the world and becoming a driving force in live entertainment and community-building. What started as fairly niche audio storytelling and conversations has evolved into a new kind of live event experience that is rooted in familiarity, intimacy, and a shared interest. At Platinumlist, we've seen this transformation unfold and we can say for certain – it's only gaining momentum. From listening to experiencing The emergence of live podcasts changed how people interact with the content they love. Fans are no longer entirely happy with being passive listeners. They seek presence, interaction, and the excitement of seeing their favourite hosts in real time. This desire for connection is fuelling a new genre of live entertainment – refreshingly different from stand-ups, concerts, or seminars. Popular UK shows like Parenting Hell Live and NearlyParents Live have found eager audiences not just in London or Manchester, but across the Middle East. In July 2023, comedians Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe brought their signature chaos to Dubai Opera, transforming parental meltdowns into sold-out comedy gold. In October 2025, Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo returned to the same venue with NearlyParents Live, chronicling their journey into parenthood with an audience full of expats who saw themselves in every anecdote. Live podcasts are more than just traditional stage recordings. They are manifestations of a shared digital closeness that has been transformed into actual group interactions. These programmes, which only require a few microphones, unvarnished honesty, and well-timed humour, encourage a level of involvement that is rarely possible with traditional formats. Why fans show up Three key factors that appeal to younger audiences have contributed to the surge in live podcast events: familiarity, community, and emotional depth. Unlike a new play, concert or seminar, podcast audiences already have a relationship with the performers. They've spent hours or even years with their voices, heard their stories and have a certain attachment to their persona. It's like meeting old friends; except this time, they're holding a mic on stage. This sense of familiarity helps the viewers connect with their favourite performers and shorten the distance between the artist and the community. Second, these events create an instant community. People who attend live podcast shows often share specific interests or life experiences. Whether it's new parenthood, personal development, or chaotic comedy, the crowd is already pre-selected to vibe together. That shared reference point amplifies laughter, vulnerability, and connection. Lastly, there's a unique depth-with-lightness to these shows. Unlike tightly scripted theatre or high-energy stand-up, live podcasts have a flexible, conversational tone. Shows like The Diary of a CEO – An Evening with Steven Bartlett blend real-time audience Q&A with free-form reflection. This brings content that's just intellectually and emotionally stimulating but not overly polished and rehearsed. More than entertainment: A platform for brand and creator growth Creators and brands also benefit from the move to live events. Podcasts are increasingly becoming a part of personal and commercial brand-building strategies. Going live adds a powerful layer: it humanises the voice, strengthens fan loyalty, and creates new monetisation opportunities through tickets, merch, and sponsorships. What's perhaps most striking is how well these events have translated to the Middle East. In a region known for rapid digital adoption and growing demand for culturally relevant content, live podcasts are the perfect platform for local and international audiences and creators. At Platinumlist, we've seen significant interest in these events. Popular UK shows like Parenting Hell Live and NearlyParents Podcast have successfully toured the UAE, demonstrating significant regional appeal. For another live show, My Therapist Ghosted Me's, at Dubai Opera in 2023, tickets were completely sold out. All in all, live podcasts are gaining popularity among the UAE-based fans of international podcast stars. What's next for the region Looking ahead, we see the Middle East as more than just a rising market for international podcasts, but a source of its own live content. There will be no shortage of Arabic, English and bilingual shows from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE, building tight-knit communities. There are several key emerging trends in the region. First, we anticipate more local creators launching regional tours. Second, we also expect a rise of podcast mini-festivals and themed series, as well as hybrid event formats that mix live storytelling with Q&A, improvisation, and audience engagement. Finally, we are likely to see more brands partnering with podcast hosts for targeted, trust-based engagement. Podcast live events offer a fresh alternative in a day when content is abundant but real connection is few. And we think this is just the beginning as that community keeps expanding, both online and offline. By Cosmin Ivan, CEO at Platinumlist

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