Southern California Public Radio Launches Podcast Studio

TV veteran Angela Bromstad will oversee the development of LAist Studios' initial slate of podcasts.

Southern California Public Radio is committing to podcasting with the launch of LAist Studios.

The KPCC owner has established the podcast development and production arm to create audio-first stories inspired by Los Angeles. Angela Bromstad, a television veteran who at one time served as president of primetime entertainment at NBC, has joined the venture as a senior adviser and will oversee the development of the first slate of podcasts.

"With LAist Studios, we are making a commitment to telling stories that go beyond the surface to reflect the rich cultural landscape of Los Angeles, embrace the city’s unmatched eye toward diversity and inclusion, and showcase the resolve and hustle emblematic of Angelenos," said SCPR president and CEO Herb Scannell, who joined the nonprofit in January. "Los Angeles is the American city of the next 20 years, and we want to use this as an opportunity to champion its forward-thinking mentality."

In addition to L.A.-inspired projects, LAist Studios will also look to create narrative podcasts based on factual and fictional Southern California stories and projects based on SCPR's journalism. The expansion comes on the heels of podcast projects including The Big One and Tell Them, I Am. A $1.5 million donation from investor Gordon Crawford and his wife, Dona, is helping fund the launch of LAist Studios.

"This year, we have found success with podcasts like The Big One and Tell Them, I Am — both of which were uniquely L.A. in tone but spoke to a large national and international audience, showing that the issues that matter to Angelenos matter everywhere, and that the fascination with L.A.-centric stories is universal," said SCPR chief content officer Kristen Muller. "Future projects will do the same, embracing individuals and stories that are reshaping and redefining what it means to be American. We want to hear from and partner with them to provide the resources that will help bring their ideas to life."

KPCC bought local news site LAist in February after its previous owner shut it down. The radio station launched a Kickstarter campaign that drew more than 1,000 backers, who helped make the revival of the site possible. In a post announcing the news, the companies said that LAist would be "devoted to life in and around Los Angeles."