ART19 Expands Hold on Korean Podcast Market

ART19 Korea has struck exclusive podcast technology and ad sales deals with Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Traffic Broadcasting System (TBS), The Korea Herald daily English newspaper (KH), and major digital content studio and influencer network CollabAsia. Added to its existing full service partnerships with SBS, KBS, CBS, and Chosun Ilbo, all announced at the end of 2019, ART19 Korea now handles podcast technology and exclusive ad sales for every major broadcaster in South Korea, the world’s 6th largest advertising market.

MBC is a leading Korean television and radio broadcaster. Made up of 18 broadcast, cable, and digital channels, their programs cover drama, entertainment, news, sports, and education, and they have been the official broadcasters of several Olympics and World Cup events. MBC K-dramas are available in more than 50 countries, with the show “Dae Jang Geum” recording the highest ratings ever in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. The network has the nickname “Drama Kingdom MBC” for its sensationally popular drama productions.

“With so many companies competing in the media realm, we are happy to have found a strong collaborator in ART19,” said Heegu Kang, Audio Strategy Producer of MBC. “ART19’s digital ad tech and data solutions will enable us to engage with new audiences on various podcast platforms outside of traditional live radio frequencies, and we will use profits from the partnership to produce even better quality content. I truly believe that our strategic partnership will enrich the audio market’s future.”

A long standing force in journalism, the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s TBS stations have been delivering local and international news updates, sports coverage, and investigative documentaries in radio and television since 1989 and 2005 respectively. TBS has 21.9% market share of South Korean radio, is the most popular radio station for drivers in the country, and is also home to Seoul’s number one radio show. The company has a growing network of podcasts that have been attracting new listeners to the medium.

The Korea Herald has been the top English-language daily newspaper in Korea for more than 65 years, distributing high quality international journalism from reporters based domestically and abroad. Following the trend of other major newspapers like The New York Times and Korea’s Chosun Ilbo, both hosted by ART19, The Korea Herald is investing in audio journalism with the construction of new podcast recording studios.

“We are very excited to leverage ART19’s podcast offerings and monetization to provide better services to our global audiences,” said Mr. Shin Yong-bae, Managing Editor of The Korea Herald. “We’ve been providing a unique mix of English news and education content through our podcasts. Our partnership with ART19 will not only upgrade the quality and availability of our current shows, but also pave the way for us to produce more audience-specific podcasts in the near future.”

CollabAsia is a leading multi-channel network with over 2,000 creators, 200 million subscribers, and 3 billion monthly views. Their team of creators, which is well known across Asia, has ambitiously planned to launch 50 new podcast series on ART19 in 2020.

“Our strategic business collaboration with ART19 will support our YouTube creators as they enter the podcast market,” said Eugene Choi, CollabAsia’s CEO. “All of our offices are now working with talent to produce exciting new podcast series. We are looking forward to reaching new audiences through the rapidly growing medium.”

Since launching in October 2019, ART19 Korea has been providing the top broadcasters and newspapers in South Korea with enterprise hosting, exclusive global ad sales, and content production services. With the addition of MBC, TBS, KH and CollabAsia, ART19 Korea has assumed a leading role in the market.

“Our position means that we have a great deal of responsibility,” said Hansoo Kim, CEO of ART19 Korea. “We have an opportunity to define a standard of excellence that makes podcasting an essential medium not only for listeners in South Korea, but also for advertisers. We intend to work closely with all of our partners to achieve this.”

About ART19, Inc.

ART19’s leading audio platform provides cutting-edge tools for on-demand hosting, distribution, ad serving, and audience measurement. At the intersection of publishers and advertisers, the company powers hundreds of millions of podcast downloads every month for the industry’s largest shows. ART19 enables publishers to manage all content and ad operations in one place, offering best-in-class targeting capabilities, seamless integration with listening platforms and a flexible infrastructure to continuously enhance revenue opportunities for its clients. ART19 equips advertisers with services to reach audiences through smart targeting and custom ad creative capabilities.

About ART19 Korea

ART19 Korea offers a full-service podcasting solution for content publishers and advertisers in South Korea. The company provides industry-leading technology, including hosting, measurement, ad trafficking, digital advertising solutions for publishers and advertisers, and podcast co-production services to many of the biggest Korean broadcasters. With expert trade knowledge and experience, localized technology, and on-the-ground support, ART19 Korea is helping to shape the South Korean podcasting landscape. ART19 Korea is a subsidiary of ART19, Inc.

About MBC

MBC is a public broadcasting corporation and its largest shareholder is a public organization, Foundation for Broadcast Culture. Established in 1961, MBC has grown into a media group with 16 local stations and 8 subsidiaries. MBC operates a total number of 18 channels including 1 terrestrial TV channel, 3 radio channels, 5 cable channels, 5 satellite channels and 4 DMB channels. MBC has exported its high quality content to more than 50 countries and been well received by overseas viewers. In addition, MBC has strengthened international cooperation by maintaining partnership with other broadcasting companies from around the world. MBC produces programs that inform, entertain and impress viewers. MBC makes great efforts to communicate and respond to its audiences.

About TBS

Traffic Broadcasting System is the public broadcaster for citizens of Seoul and surrounding areas. Founded in 1989, TBS provides balanced reporting on current affairs, useful living tips, fun entertainment and culture for television and radio.

About KH

The Korea Herald is the nation’s largest English-language daily with a market share of more than 50 percent. As the country’s sole member of the Asia News Network, The Korea Herald is the face of Korean media. Building on a content distribution network that spans more than 80 countries, The Korea Herald is now looking to become the leading voice on the Korean economy across the globe. The Korea Herald is continuing its efforts to grow as a mobile content producer through new services such as The Investor and Kpop Herald.

About CollabAsia

Collab Asia is a venture-backed digital content studio and influencer network with offices across Asia: Hong Kong, Jakarta, Manila, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo, as well as Los Angeles. Collab Asia works with top creators to produce shareable, relevant and engaging content, and helps ambitious brands connect with their target audience through all major global social media platforms. Collab Asia also specializes in digital rights management by maximizing the revenue that content and IP rights owners earn online. The company continues to maintain strategic ties with Los Angeles-based Collab, Inc., from which it separately incorporated in 2017, to provide a truly global network for content creators and global brands.