Sony Music Entertainment announces strategic investment in leading podcast production company Neon Hum

New York NY, Los Angeles CA, USA—Sony Music Entertainment today announced it has made a strategic investment in esteemed podcast production house Neon Hum, forming a new creative partnership between the two companies to expand their development of original podcast content. Founded by award-winning podcast producer Jonathan Hirsch, Neon Hum has helped create multiple podcast hits including the duPont Award-Winning “Bag Man” with Rachel Maddow, “The Thing About Pam,” “Room 20,” Crooked Media’s “This Land” and L.A. Times Studios’ “Larger Than Life.” Neon Hum also served as a production partner on the chart-topping podcast “Dr. Death,” which has been downloaded more than 50 million times, made available in seven different languages, and is being adapted for television.

An acclaimed producer, editor, reporter and sound designer, Hirsch’s work has received numerous awards, including the Edward R. Murrow Award and duPont Columbia Award. His documentary podcast series “Dear Franklin Jones” launched at #1 on Apple Podcasts and received wide critical acclaim. He founded Neon Hum in April 2018; the Los Angeles-based company has since produced shows for dozens of clients, including Crooked Media, Stitcher, NBC, The Ringer, Spotify, Wondery, Endeavor Audio, and the L.A. Times.

Under the agreement, Neon Hum will expand the overall number of shows it produces and develop a range of new original podcast concepts in collaboration with Sony Music, beginning with a slate of new shows across multiple genres coming in 2020.

Commenting on the new partnership, Hirsch said, “Neon Hum is a passionate company of serious audio-first creators. We are excited to be working closely with the team at Sony Music to develop unique, sound-rich podcasts, and tell unforgettable stories. We have a shared vision of creating premium shows for a diverse audience, including people who already love podcasts, and the millions who are still to come. We couldn’t ask for better partners as we continue to grow.”

Tom Mackay, President, Premium Content A&R, Sony Music Entertainment said, “Jonathan Hirsch and the team at Neon Hum have a track record of creating podcasts that have consistently topped the charts. We are excited to work with them to create captivating new storytelling for listening audiences everywhere.”

Hirsch will lead the joint venture and Neon Hum will manage all creative aspects of the relationship, including podcast writing, production and recording. As a partner in podcasting, Sony Music will provide its expertise in content creation, marketing and monetization to help enhance the scale and scope of Neon Hum’s work.

About Neon Hum

Founded by producer, reporter and sound designer Jonathan Hirsch, Los Angeles-based Neon Hum is a podcast production company specializing in narrative-driven, high production value, “audio first” documentaries, talk shows and partner content.

About Sony Music Entertainment

Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a current roster that includes a broad array of both local artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from every genre, including Arista Records, Arista Nashville, Beach Street Records, Black Butter Records, BPG Music, Bystorm Entertainment, Century Media, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Day 1, Descendant Records, Disruptor Records, District 18 Entertainment, Epic Records, Essential Records, Essential Worship, Fo Yo Soul Recordings, House of Iona Records, Insanity Records, Keep Cool, Legacy Recordings, Masterworks, Masterworks Broadway, Ministry of Sound Recordings, Monument Records, OKeh, Palm Tree Records, Polo Grounds Music, Portrait, RCA Inspiration, RCA Nashville, RCA Records Relentless Records, Reunion Records, Same Plate Entertainment, Six Course Music Group, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International, Syco Music, Verity Records and Visionary Records. Sony Music Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America.