Serial added to Pandora streaming service for 2nd season
Pandora 'looking to delight listeners with engaging, cutting-edge programming'
The top-rated and popular podcast Serial, which became a white-hot success on iTunes last year, is expanding its reach to streaming service Pandora this year.
Pandora announced Monday that it would begin hosting the award-winning podcast as well as This American Life, of which Serial is a spin-off. The series will still be available on iTunes and other podcast apps.
A premiere date for season two of Serial has not been announced, but season one will be available on Pandora on Nov. 24.
The first season, which included 12 episodes, told the story of Adnan Syed, a Baltimore high school student who was found guilty in 2000 of murdering his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee. Serial, hosted by veteran radio producer and former Baltimore Sun reporter Sarah Koenig, won a Peabody Award this year.
'The biggest podcast in the world'
"For people already listening to Serial and This American Life, nothing will change. But we believe lots of people who'd like our shows simply haven't heard of them, or haven't started listening to podcasts," Ira Glass, the editorial adviser of Serial and host of This American Life, said in a statement.
"Serial is the biggest podcast in the world, but only 17 per cent of Americans listen to podcasts at all," he said.
"That's why it's so exciting for us to work with Pandora. Pandora reaches millions of people who never listen to public radio or download podcasts. This'll get our shows to them."
Once Serial premieres, episodes will be available Thursdays at 6 a.m. EST, Pandora said.
Syed, the subject of season one, is serving life in prison. The podcast raised questions about evidence, witnesses and the effectiveness of Syed's attorney, who was later disbarred. The series grew more popular as each episode aired, and inspired listeners to debate Syed's guilt or innocence.
Pandora said more than 8 million people have downloaded each episode of the first season of Serial. Pandora will air episodes in five-minute chunks, though listeners who wish to listen to the entire podcast can do so without interruption.
Pandora's CEO called Serial and the streaming service "a perfect fit."
"We are always looking to delight our listeners with engaging and cutting-edge programming, while Serial is looking to reach the largest audience possible. This gives Pandora listeners yet another reason to tune in," Brian McAndrews said in a statement.
In September, Maryland attorneys said Syed shouldn't be granted a new trial after his lawyer argued that cell tower data placing Syed near the murder scene were unreliable.