In October 2025, The PIA (Syndicat des Producteurs Professionnels et Indépendants de l’Audio, France) and AudioUK (the industry body for the podcast and audio industry) announced the launch of the International Podcast Alliance (IPA), a collaborative transnational platform uniting professional organisations representing podcast and audio producers, businesses and publishers globally.
The International Podcast Alliance (IPA) aims to strengthen dialogue, share market data, promote best practices, support market development, and carry joint advocacy actions at both international and European levels. The initiative responds to common challenges faced by independent producers and publishers, including legal recognition, fair platform practices, access to public funding, and a fragmented ecosystem.
Guttorm Andreasen has worked as a host, presenter, producer and editor in norwegian media since 1985, with 20 years on the air in the NRK, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. He runs a studio and production company, STUDIO 99, and has been the chair of Norsk Podkastforening, the Norwegian broadcasting union, since 2024.
You can connect with Guttorm on LinkedIn here.
What’s your podcasting origin story?
I have worked for more than 40 years in radio, TV and podcasting, as a host, producer and editor. After close to 20 years in the NRK, the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, I started STUDIO 99, my own studio and production company, in 2008. In 2010 I started one of the first podcasts in Norway, a show on Norwegian music, in English, for the Foreign Office. I’ve been at it ever since.
It’s the first anniversary of the International Podcast Alliance! For those not familiar with it, share a bit about why it was created and what the group has achieved so far.
The IPA is am international network for national podcast unions like the Norwegian Podcast Union, where I am the current chair. We meet and talk about shared challenges and industry matters, and it is fascinating to see how close and similar we are, although the industry systems and nuts and bolts are very different from country to country. I learn a lot from and think it is a great way to share knowledge.
What motivated you personally to join the IPA?
After so many years in the business I firmly believe that the most important thing we all can do on a personal and corporate level is to meet and share and talk. If we want to have a sustainable industry going forward, we need to share, share, share, regardless of where we work.
How has the group expanded throughout this year, in terms of geographical reach, and what is the vision for the future?
We have gotten way beyond the first countries, that were mainly in central Europe and Scandinavia, and we keep seeing and meeting new potential members from other parts. The aim must be to become a truly international network for every professional in the industry.
What are some of the main priorities going into the second year of the IPA?
Getting more members and perhaps become an official entity of sorts.
How can readers get involved with the IPA? Whether they’re from a country that already has a representative in the IPA or from a country that doesn’t.
Do get in touch! We are very happy to hear from you, regardless of country or affiliation.
Share a bit about the local market in Norway - where is it currently and where do you think it’s headed? How is it connecting with the wider European podcasting scene?
The podcast market and industry is strong and growing in Norway. We are (still) the only media still in growth, as we have been for 5-6 years now. The number of podcasts is exploding and the NPF see our membership growing as well. Money is a bit slower, so we still see small and medium size production companies giving up, but Big Media is expanding its podcast efforts. We have a long history of public support for media in Scandinavia so we need to allocate more of those funds for podcast production. In practice, all podcasts will be in (one of the many varieties of) Norwegian, that is a strong reason why we are still growing, so there is not much cooperation with the rest of Europe, although it seems cooperations in Scandinavia is on the rise.
Share some underrated European podcast recommendations with us, preferably from countries represented in the IPA.
I listen to so much stuff, I am especially trying to keep up with both norwegian and Scandinavian ones, some Spanish and German podcasts, but find myself often returning to The Rest is Science and other British podcasts. And, of course, the brilliant French music series, Afropop Worldwide in English!
Thank you, Guttorm!