Midroll

Former leading podcast advertising network absorbed into SiriusXM

Midroll was a leading podcast advertising network and technology company that specialized in connecting advertisers with podcast audiences. Founded in 2014, the company operated a dual business model that included both a podcast advertising marketplace representing premium podcast publishers and a technology platform for dynamic ad insertion. Midroll represented popular podcasts and facilitated host-read advertisements, which became a hallmark of podcast advertising effectiveness. The company also developed Midroll Media's advertising technology that enabled programmatic insertion of ads into podcast episodes. In 2015, Midroll was acquired by E.W. Scripps Company for $50 million. Under Scripps ownership, Midroll continued to expand its podcast network and technology capabilities, becoming one of the dominant players in the emerging podcast advertising ecosystem. The company played a significant role in professionalizing podcast advertising and establishing best practices for the industry during the medium's rapid growth period in the mid-2010s. In 2020, SiriusXM acquired Midroll's parent company Stitcher (which included Midroll) from E.W. Scripps for $325 million. Following the acquisition, SiriusXM integrated Midroll's advertising capabilities into its broader podcast advertising operations under the SiriusXM Media umbrella, effectively absorbing the Midroll brand and technology into its larger podcast advertising business. The Midroll brand ceased to operate as a distinct entity as its functions were consolidated into SiriusXM's podcast advertising infrastructure.