The biggest international podcasting event, with TPS' Ferga O'Neill 🇬🇧

Eurowaves #37 Interview

Ferga O’Neill began her career in audio in 2012 at BBC Radio Popular Music Events, having previously worked in BBC Procurement and at a London map vending company! Since 2022 she has been working for The Podcast Show, initially as a Content Coordinator and now as Deputy & Content Director of the show. In this capacity, she has oversight of the full show as well as leading on all of the session programming for the event.

You can connect with Ferga on LinkedIn here.

What’s your personal podcasting origin story?

I began working in broadcast events for the BBC for national networks like BBC Radio 1 & 2 in 2012. It so happened that Jason Carter (The Podcast Show’s Festival Director) ran the team there. 10 years (and a few different live events jobs) later, Jason called me up and asked me to come and work on the very first Podcast Show and so it began! I started out as a Content Coordinator managing the influx of podcasting speakers and sessions on that very first show and was hooked by the brilliant community and incredible people that form the industry. Five shows on and it is remarkable to see how swiftly things move.

What gaps did The Podcast Show set out to fill in its first year and how has that evolved over the years, especially given the industry’s developments?

The Podcast Show set out to create a vibrant and inclusive space for the world of podcasting to meet in person and hear first hand what the industry was doing and saying and to deliver some real value from attending. We were very conscious that most of the existing podcasting events didn’t have that festival feel or truly reflect the creative energy of our industry. Our ambition was to deliver more than just a conference and as diverse and open to all as possible.

The show has very much evolved in line with industry developments and we are constantly talking to the wider industry and the podcast community to ask what they would like to see at the event. Hopefully visitors can see this reflected over the years in the programme and on the show floor. The conversations around video and AI, for example, have moved on significantly from a few years ago. Then, sessions focused on what video and AI would mean for the industry. In 2026, we are programming sessions around best use and what the future looks like. We are also seeing more tech companies coming in and exhibiting at the show demonstrating video and AI products.

Over the years we have developed new features at the show to support the ecosystem. Our creator focused spaces (Creator Village as you enter the show) host masterclasses, 121 expert advice and a podcast studio – and this year our brand new Creator First stage, in association with Arcade (who manage The Sidemen), which will focus on cross-platform content and creator led media businesses.

We now also have our Indie Business Zone for the second year, supporting the growth of independent podcast businesses. For the first time this year we will have sessions on M&A, walking delegates through the process of how to make their company sellable and what actually happens in the acquisition process as we are hearing a lot of noise about this particular topic.

One of the biggest evolutions we have seen at the show itself is the year on year increase in international delegates coming to the show. Last year visitors came from over 53 countries and we are expecting even more this year. We have introduced a brand new International Stage, in association with Podimo, which will bring together leading international voices to discuss topics that span the global industry.

How do you balance the event’s podcasting business focus with the creation focus?

We have 10 stages at the show delivering over 200 sessions that cover every angle of the industry. Our business-focused talks include advertising, IP development, platform strategy, research and distribution as well as keynotes from senior leaders. Creators are supported from grassroots up, with workshops, advice and practical sessions along with marketing and monetisation strategy talks.

Some of the topics sit right between business and creator, especially in the current creator economy, such as building a brand as a creator and how to grow a podcast and leverage existing communities. We don’t programme the show giving equal time to either business or creation, we integrate them, as creative decisions and business outcomes are increasingly moving together in podcasting.

We also host a number of focused networking events at the show, from leadership breakfasts to creator meet ups.

How can independent podcasters make the most of TPS?

The first thing independent podcasters can do to make the most out of TPS is download the app, which will be available very soon. From here, they can navigate sessions and networking events and book 1 to 1 meetings with other delegates. It is a good idea to check out the programme and bookmark favourite sessions ahead of the event, as with 200+ it’s a lot of information to digest and decide on whilst at a very busy show. We have plenty of talks aimed directly at this sector peppered throughout the programme.

Independent podcasters should attend networking events, for which the schedule will be published soon. These are a great way to connect with peers informally over a drink. A huge amount of partnerships are formed and deals done at TPS, especially at the networking events and 1 to 1 meeting set up via the app.

What are some of the international conversations attendees can expect to hear this year?

Attendees can expect to hear about The Ad Market, Monetisation, Distribution, IP, Research, Commissioning, True Crime, Growth and long form storytelling – all from an international perspective, giving a birds eye view of the whole industry, across the globe. There will also be an opportunity to pitch your podcast to an International line up of commissioners, including Podimo, ABC Australia, CBC and ESPN.

What's one main advice you'd share with attendees?

Again, I would have to say download the app as soon as it’s available and start connecting with fellow delegates! It can also be daunting attending an event of this scale solo, so it’s best to take time to get orientated with the show floor and the many different spaces when first arriving. Take a walk around the upper gallery level and drop in on some of our partners, whose suites are very much open for business. You can also see the full show floor from this level.

What’s one fun fact from behind the scenes?

With the enormous number of sessions (numbering 200+) and over 450 speakers and 10 stages, we have the entire 4 walls of our main office covered in huge whiteboards (quite literally floor to ceiling!) showing every single session in grids. It has been likened to NASA’s mission control at Cape Canaveral and we’re gearing towards blast off in just 3 weeks!

Thank you, Ferga!