Audible has entered into a first-look deal with President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s media company, Higher Ground, to develop podcast and other audio content. The arrangement comes two months after Higher Ground announced it would not continue its three-year partnership with rival Spotify.
“At Higher Ground, we have always sought to lift up voices that deserve to be heard — and Audible is invested in realizing that vision alongside us. I’m looking forward to partnering with them to tell stories that not only entertain but also inspire,” the former President said in a statement Tuesday.
“We are so proud of the stories we have been able to tell at Higher Ground, and there’s no one we’d rather write our next chapter with than Audible. Together, we will keep striving to tell compelling, provocative, and soulful stories—while doing everything we can to make sure they reach the folks who need to hear them,” Michelle Obama said in a statement.
The slate of shows will aim to tell meaningful and entertaining stories that elevate diverse voices and experiences.
“We have long recognized President and Mrs. Obama’s historic capacity to captivate,” Don Katz, Audible’s founder and executive chairman, said in a statement. “We are thrilled to welcome two of the most profound voices of moral and intellectual leadership of our times into the Audible fold, and to be able to elevate President and Mrs. Obama’s singular ability to provide hope and uplifting guidance—needed now more than ever—through their voices.”
The deal will see the two companies working together to create audio-first original content. The partnership is described as an exclusive, worldwide, multi-project, multiyear first-look production deal.