In its seventh year taking over Brooklyn's Wythe Hotel, On Air Fest remains the only annual event that continues to bring podcasting and audio storytelling far beyond the limits of personal listening devices. The producers and festival curators at work x work always find fresh ways to meet the collective moment in culture, taking something as intangible as an "audio community" and gathering it together in a room – or several different rooms and stages, as proven this month. Media powerhouses filled the schedule alongside emerging voices, industry leaders, intrepid artists and inspired listeners. From Serial to Seth Meyers, Malcolm Gladwell to Norah Jones, Stephen Dubner to Switched on Pop, Laurie Anderson to a first listen of Tonya Mosley's She Has A Name, Decoder Ring to Design Matters with Debbie Millman, Avery Trufelman to The Kitchen Sisters, Weight For It to Hot White Heist, a politics panel to a preview of WBUR's newest show and more, everyone involved is shaping both the present and future of sound, storytelling and podcasting. Not to mention exclusive experiences from AdsWizz, Audible, ESPN 30 for 30, Hark, iHeartPodcasts, Netflix Podcasts, SiriusXM, Simplecast and more across three days, five spaces, 30+ sessions, 80+ names on the lineup and hundreds of attendees.

Check out a photo recap HERE, as well as key highlights and timely takeaways below, providing a bigger, better idea of what On Air Fest has accomplished, created and forecasted for the rest of 2024:

A Launchpad For The Future

In conversation with PJ Vogt, Serial took the stage to announce that their next season will be focused on the story of Guantanamo Bay. Tonya Mosley gave an exclusive first listen to her newest show (She Has A Name), WBUR's Amory Sivertson delivered an early look at her true crime series (Beyond All Repair), Audible and Broadway Video previewed the making of Hot White Heist's second season, and Audio Flux debuted six original "Fluxworks." All of which showed how On Air Fest is providing a platform for major players to launch what's next. 

Breaking The Barrier of Sound

During a discussion with The Kitchen Sisters, Laurie Anderson led the audience in three movements from Lou Reed's The Art of the Straight Line: My Tai Chi, with Lou's original score. Dan Pashman served a tasting of The Sporkful’s flagship pasta shape, and Hang Up involved the audience in speed dating, further making podcasting a multi-sensory and communal experience. 

An Influx Of Content Coming Soon

Live recordings of Broken Record with DJ Premier, Design Matters with Debbie Millman & David Remnick, Sheroes with Norah Jones, Sing For Science with Sid Sriram and Bevil Conway, Switched on Pop, Talkhouse with Randall Poster & Hamilton Leithauser, The Allusionist, The Ion Pod, The Puzzler, Weight For It and more all took place at this year’s On Air Fest. Fans were able to connect and become part of their favorite shows, before the episode hits their feed. 

New Opportunities For Championing Creators

In an On Air Fest first, ESPN's Kati Fernandez (Head of Development) and Marsha Cooke (VP and Executive Producer, ESPN Films & 30 for 30) took attendees' pitches for audio documentaries, and explained the types of stories they gravitate towards. Audience members gained insight into the entire creative process, to understand exactly what an audience partnership with ESPN looks like, and some may even end up having their projects made and sold based on these meetings. 

Industry Optimism & Inspiration

Hot Pod Summit once again returned to On Air Fest, kicking things off before the public programming began. "People from across the industry showed up ready to talk business," writes Hot Pod's Ariel Shapiro. "And we had a lot of lively and challenging discussions about advertising and business models. Did we solve all of the podcasting’s troubles? Hardly, but I know I am feeling more optimistic about the future of the industry." Read about her conversation with Ira Glass and more here. Then, when accepting the 2024's Audio Vanguard Award in one of On Air Fest's final conversations, Malcolm Gladwell reminded attendees that the best creative processes are probably unplanned. 

In addition to creating On Air Fest, and growing it into a bi-coastal festival, a touring vertical and the first-ever immersive podcast experience, work x work has been quietly powering the podcast revolution for years. The creative agency has brought Sonos, Spotify, Squarespace, Sony Music and many more into the modern audio movement, while launching podcast networks for Warner Music Group and KCRW, and helping clients such as Meta, Target and Regeneron use audio as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility and community building. Follow their work here, to stay updated on what else the company has planned for this year.

ABOUT ON AIR FEST

On Air Fest is advancing the culture of audio. We bring together an expansive range of emerging and established voices to explore the creative possibilities of sound. Created and produced by work x work, On Air Fest has evolved into the premier cultural event for audio storytellers and inspired listeners. Throughout the year, we produce a range of cultural programming, from annex events, to our residency program, creative collaborations to cultural campaigns and podcasts. On Air Fest carves a place for artists and storytellers who are defining this moment in audio.

ABOUT WORK X WORK

work x work is a full-service creative agency amplifying the world's leading brands through storytelling, design and experiences. Our innovative work has made us the go-to agency for organizations looking to participate in audio culture. In addition to design, strategy and events, we create multi-channel campaigns, original content and produce podcasting's premier cultural event, On Air Fest.