The Espresso ☕🇮🇹 on Italy's Podcast Scene
Eurowaves #7
Hi friends,
I want to start by saying a big THANK YOU to Pocket Casts for 1) being my go-to listening app, and 2) being so open to supporting international podcasting.
Last week, I shared a list of some of my favorite recommendations—all European-based. One of my favorite in-app features is the ability to trim silences, which helps me get through my queue significantly faster. (Not to be used on narrative podcasts, where silences are essential) Thank you, Pocket Casts!
This issue is all about Italy’s thriving podcast landscape. We have an exciting lineup of featured guests, local podcast recommendations and events. While we’re at it, I highly recommend checking out some of Italy’s top podcast networks: Chora Media, the first Italian podcasting company, and Wil Media (part of Chora).
Chora is also involved in the upcoming WePod Podcasting Academy (March 17-21) in Milan. I’ll be there for the week, learning all about WePod’s cross-border podcasts, which I’ve previously praised, featuring guests like Rough Transition’s Gregory Warner and many European creators, journalists, and audio lovers. I’ll share my impressions in the next issue. If you’re going to be there, reply to this email or send me a DM. I’d love to say hi.
And now, a quick round-up of industry news:
Podimo has reached 1 million paying subscribers globally—congratulations, Podimo! We’ll explore this further in future issues, but from my conversations with other Europeans in the industry, subscription-based monetization is the most popular and successful strategy on the continent.
Bumper launched a new podcast measurement tool called the Bumper Dashboard. It provides insights into a show's true performance—not based on downloads, but on real consumption across platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. You can sign up for a free trial.
Before we get into it, a reminder that I created the first European podcasting Google Group. There are over 250 members already, including members of organizations like Audio UK, MUBI, and Vox Media, just to name a few.
This is your official invite to join us and share the news within your network.
(By the way, did you see what I did there with this issue’s title?)
Eurowaves Update ☘️
In every issue, I’ve started updating you all on the number of subscribers.
So, since the last issue, we have…
…+46 new subscribers!
Open Rate: 65%
If you find this newsletter helpful, please share it with your podcasting friends, fellow journalists, or colleagues.
If you are interested in advertising in Eurowaves, reply to this or email me at andreea.coscai@gmail.com.
🇮🇹🎙️Catrin Skaperdas on Europe-US Podcasting Relations🎙️🇮🇹
Catrin Skaperdas is a Podcast Development Director specializing in podcast audience growth, with experience managing partnerships with major platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Her extensive network spans continents, having worked with one of the largest podcast networks in the U.S. (Cumulus Media), as well as podcast companies of all sizes across North America and Europe. She has collaborated with the first multilingual podcast production company and supported both emerging and established independent podcasts in multiple languages.
Skaperdas is also the host of ITALIAN, FOR SURE, a podcast about Italian culture, where she interviews Italians—born and raised in Italy—on topics such as the etymology of the word ciao, the role of athleisure in Italian fashion, maternity leave and work-life balance, mental health care in Italy, and, of course, Italian food from various regions. Listeners can binge Season 1 of ITALIAN, FOR SURE by watching on Spotify or YouTube or listening wherever they get their podcasts. For bonus clips and behind-the-scenes content, follow @italianforsure on Instagram or TikTok. Don’t miss Season 2, coming soon!
You can find Catrin on Linkedin.
You have extensive experience in the U.S. podcasting market but are currently based in Italy and working within the European market as well. How would you say European podcasting stands out from trends in the U.S.?
There are many distinct podcast markets across Europe, so multilingualism among European podcasters is a key differentiator. Many creators have the desire—and the ability—to expand beyond their national borders and tap into multiple markets. Additionally, each European country has its own cultural nuances and perspectives, leading to a more diverse podcasting landscape with greater variety in formats, content, and monetization strategies compared to the more unified U.S. market.
International collaboration in podcasting can be challenging due to differences in language, audience preferences, and funding models. What do you think actually works when podcasters and networks try to cross borders?
As you mentioned, funding models play a big role. In-podcast collaborations (such as promo or feed drop swaps) tend to be most effective when podcasts have dynamic ad insertion (DAI) enabled. However, DAI is not yet standard across all European markets. Additionally, successful cross-promotion requires a strong audience match, which typically means aligning in language. That said, this may change over time as AI-driven translation improves and becomes more seamlessly integrated into podcast platforms.
Would you say the term ‘European podcasting’ is useful, or do you think the industry is better understood by looking at individual language-based markets?
In many cases, it makes more sense to examine podcasting through the lens of specific language-based markets rather than viewing Europe as a single entity. While the U.S. is often seen as one unified market, Europe consists of many distinct podcasting ecosystems, each with its own infrastructure, audience behavior, and monetization options. For example, the UK podcast market operates very differently from the Italian market, largely due to the availability of monetization and growth tools that are not yet accessible in smaller markets. Spotify’s 2025 video monetization and growth features, for instance, have launched in certain countries but are not yet available in Italy.
What’s one aspect of European podcasting that you think deserves more recognition?
Podcasters across Europe who produce outstanding content in a language that isn’t their native tongue deserve more recognition. It takes courage to get behind a microphone or camera, and doing so in a second or third language is even more impressive. I have deep respect for the guests on ITALIAN, FOR SURE who share their expertise in English to help spread accurate information about Italian culture worldwide.
What are three podcasts you’re loving right now? They can be in English, Italian, or any other language.
Comedy (English): We’re Here to Help
Business (Italian): Made IT
History (English): Pack One Bag
🎙️🌍What I’ve been listening to🌍🎙️
Before we get into this issue’s recommendations, I want to draw your attention to an amazing transatlantic production that showcases what can be achieved through international collaborations. Last year, the BBC announced a partnership with Lemonada to produce Pop Culture Debate Club (highly recommend!). Thought exercise: What similar partnerships can we kick-start in Europe, either at a network or independent level?
The beautiful thing about audio is how raw and intimate storytelling can be. Sometimes, intricate sound design blows my mind, but other times, pure and unedited conversations, carrying the genuine emotions behind a person’s voice, tell me more than any sound effect or background music ever could. This podcast is a perfect example of that. It explores stories from Armenia’s history, capturing the resilience of Armenians and how they keep going “despite all odds.” The special episode My land feels so sweet, but it’s thirsty for blood especially stands out to me. It tells the story of a mother protecting her children, a woman making the most difficult decision of her life, and finding ways for herself and her family to cope with the turmoil and trauma. It’s a difficult but important listen.
This is an immersive travel and documentary podcast. The episode Man Without a Country highlights the importance of journalism and the freedom of the press now more than ever. Europe is committed to protecting its people, and right now, it’s facing a truly difficult time due to the Russian war on Ukraine. In this episode, we discover the story of a young Russian journalist who had to flee his home to pursue his values and passion. It’s a raw interview and investigation into his journey, and I highly recommend you give it a listen.
Recommended by Naomi Mellor in a previous issue, this podcast is a blast and also incredibly informative. It’s about food “and the role it plays in our sense of self, our sense of place, and our sense of taste.” Share a podcast with me that has a cultural aspect, and it will be bumped to the top of my queue. I particularly loved the Sasha's Slavic Serving episode. Sasha’s family is from the former Yugoslavia, and although Romania has many differences, there are also so many similarities that bring us together. Listening to Sasha’s stories of her family, traditional dishes shared together, and cherished memories felt like a warm hug—or a warm slice of pie.
What podcasts have you been listening to? Drop your recommendations below!
🇮🇹Podcasts from Italy🇮🇹
Who better to share Italian recommendations than the wonderful Chiara Sagramola? I recently connected with her and from the first minutes of the call, we started obsessing over the latest episodes we’ve been listening to. The best part of this industry is finding fellow podcasters as in love with the medium!
Chiara Sagramola is the creator of Orecchiabile, a biweekly newsletter that handpicks the best podcasts. Though written in Italian, it crosses borders, spotlighting shows in English too and Spanish occasionally.
With a passion for storytelling and audio, Chiara has been deeply involved in the podcast world since 2016. She began as a content curator at Spreaker and later moved into the podcast advertising sector. Currently, she applies her strategic skills at Spotify, where she serves as an Associate Creative Operations and Project Manager for the Italian market.
You can connect with Chiara on LinkedIn here.
Gianni: Caroline ritrova tre audiocassette incise negli anni ottanta da suo zio Gianni, figura alta e un po’ inquietante nei suoi ricordi d’infanzia. Il podcast si sviluppa intrecciando i ricordi di Caroline, la voce sporcata dal fumo di Gianni e da quelle di chi lo ha conosciuto, a partire da sua madre Rose e dal suo dolce accento italo-francese. Ne emerge un racconto intimo e delicato, che esplora la complessità dei legami familiari e il filo sottile che unisce anche nei momenti più complicati.
GIANNI è il primo podcast della neonata Baby Hurricane, una casa di produzione indipendente italiana che si distingue per sensibilità e autenticità. È un podcast che dal padiglione oculare arriva dritto fino ai dotti lacrimali di chiunque abbia vissuto nella propria vita familiare, e non solo, il macigno della salute mentale e il precario equilibrio con la quale si riesce a tenerla in piedi. Si piange. Quindi ascoltatelo a casa.
Indagini: Assuefazione è la parola che, dopo anni di fruizione, associo al mio interesse per la cronaca nera. Divorando contenuti che ne parlano, mi sono avvicinata ai podcast quando documentari, serie tv e libri non erano più abbastanza. Ho iniziato con Serial, poi con In The Dark e non ho più smesso con il true crime in formato audio. Negli ultimi anni però mi sono ritrovata assuefatta non tanto alle "emozioni forti" del genere, quanto al modo in cui certe vicende vengono raccontate, calcando forse troppo la mano
sulla ipernarrativizzazione dei personaggi e sulla suspence. Per questo motivo, è ormai raro che un nuovo contenuto appartenente a questo genere mi entusiasmi. Poi è uscito Indagini e mi sono trovata ad aspettare l'uscita mensile delle nuove puntate.
Indagini è il podcast de Il Post che racconta casi di cronaca nera italiana caratterizzato principalmente dallo stile sobrio ma coinvolgente dell'host Stefano Nazzi, esperto di cronaca giudiziaria. In due episodi ogni mese ripercorre vicende più o meno note — dalla strage di Erba al caso Unabomber — restituendole al loro contesto originario, al di là della spettacolarizzazione mediatica, anzi spesso analizzandola e portandone in luce contraddizioni e complicazioni.
Il Cuore Scoperto: Dopo poco aver premuto play ho pensato: “ma questo podcast parla di me!” mi sono ritrovata immediatamente catapultata in un bar parigino a bere vino con delle amiche, ascoltando discorsi che mi risuonano. Tutte riassumibili in una gigantesca domanda: come posso conciliare la consapevolezza politica del mio ruolo in questa società, con il bisogno di leggerezza, la necessità di amare ed essere amata?
Versione italiana del successo francese Le Coeur sur la Table, affronta temi come relazioni, genere, orientamento, violenza e rimessa in discussione, decostruendo miti romantici e schemi mentali. Sono le domande e le tensioni che ci accomunano. Ritratti audio di una colonna sonora perfetta, accompagnano l’ascoltatore in un viaggio di riflessione per vivere relazioni sentimentali più rispettose ed egualitarie.
Curata dall’associazione Vanvera, questa edizione italiana non è una semplice traduzione ma un adattamento che aggiunge riferimenti al contesto italiano. Un progetto ambizioso e necessario, reso possibile anche grazie a un crowdfunding e al sostegno di Le hub e Institut Français Italia.
Thank you so much for sharing, Chiara!
🚀Events and Opportunities🚀
Radiodays Europe (Athens, Greece)
Radiodays Europe is the event in the Radio, Podcast and Audio World bringing together over 1,500 visitors from 65 countries over 3 days. Radiodays Europe brings you more ideas, the best innovations, latest trends, comprehensive data which you can use in your station, your podcast and in your audio company.
When? March 9-11.
The Power of Storytelling (Bucharest, Romania)
Proud to share a local event!
The Power of Storytelling (PoS) is an award-winning conference built on the idea that well-crafted stories can bridge divides, heal wounds, inspire action and create change.
Speakers this year include podcaster Raluca Anton, Kate Murphy, author of You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters, and Alison MacAdam, whose work includes The 13th Step, a 2024 Pulitzer Prize finalist for Audio Reporting; NPR’s Embedded (“Tested” and “Capital Gazette” series); 544 Days; and Peabody Award winner Believed.
(Believed is one of the first podcasts that made me fall in love with podcasting.)
When? March 22-23.
Dire, Fare, Ascoltare - Incontri di radio e di podcast (Ascoli Piceno, Italy)
Organized by Radio Incredibile, the event includes thematic workshops, moments of inclusion and innovation, and a large final panel at the Teatro Ventidio Basso. Book your free spot on the website.
When? April 5-6.