In partnership with PRX, Google will launch the Google Podcasts creator program to increase diversity in podcasting. Aside from this, Google came up with this program to remove access barriers to podcasting.

Its partner, PRX, is a public radio distribution marketplace working with The Moth Radio Hour, Reveal and This American Life.

How Google Podcasts Creator Program came to be

Even before this, Google has already given a hint of working with an organization to create an accelerator for podcasting. This was the program. And it came after the podcasts app for android was made available.

“We want to dramatically change the podcasting ecosystem and support more access. Training is a primary way to close the skills gap that keep many from being successful in podcasting. This is particularly true for those who are underrepresented in other forms of media. We hope to elevate more diverse voices and empower others with tools to create and share,” PRX CEO Kerri Hoffman said in a press release.

The program’s concept is to give empowerment and training to underrepresented people. Hence, they’ll be offering free educational tools and later on showcase their work.

The program will kick off in January. As part of this, they will give seed funding, mentorship and training to 12 teams. So those who are interested can start applying until November 18 through this link.

Google Podcasts Product Manager Zack Reneau-Wedeen affirmed the efforts being done in a press release saying, “We are committed to lowering barriers to podcasting through education and information sharing. As we work to bring hundreds of millions more listeners into the fold, we want to play a role in ensuring content is available for all types of global audiences. PRX has a proven track record of mentorship and education, and we couldn’t be more excited to work with them as our lead partner.”