Pushkin Industries

About Pushkin Industries

Pushkin Industries is an audio production company established in 2018 by co-founders Malcolm Gladwell, a Canadian journalist and author, and Jacob Weisberg, an American political journalist. The idea originated after their collaboration on Gladwell's podcast, "Revisionist History," at Panoply Media; when Panoply pivoted away from content creation, the duo founded Pushkin to continue their work together. Weisberg, with an extensive background as the former editor-in-chief of the Slate Group and experience launching ventures like the podcast technology company Megaphone, brought significant media and business acumen to the new company. Gladwell is a long-time staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of multiple bestselling books.

The company produces a diverse portfolio of high-quality podcasts and audiobooks, catering to a intellectually curious audience. Its business model centers on creating ad-supported content, forming strategic partnerships for co-productions, and generating revenue from audiobook sales. A key partnership is with iHeartMedia, which serves as Pushkin's exclusive sales and distribution partner, and also collaborates on co-producing new original podcasts. The company's revenue is derived from multiple streams, including advertising, branded content, and direct sales of audiobooks. The company's estimated annual revenue is approximately $13.8 million.

Pushkin's product slate features a wide range of podcasts hosted by prominent figures, such as "Revisionist History" with Gladwell, "Against the Rules" with Michael Lewis, "The Happiness Lab" with Dr. Laurie Santos, and "Cautionary Tales" with Tim Harford. In 2019, the company expanded into audiobooks, producing works like Gladwell's "Talking to Strangers" and "The Bomber Mafia," which was conceived specifically for an audio format with integrated music and sound effects. This division continues to grow, representing an important and expanding revenue line for the business. In a move to bolster its production capabilities, Pushkin acquired the podcast studio Transmitter Media in July 2022, its first corporate acquisition. Following this, in September 2023, a reorganization saw Transmitter's founder, Gretta Cohn, appointed as CEO, with Weisberg transitioning to the role of Executive Chair.