Stitcher launches 'More Sauce,' a network dedicated to championing Black voices

Podcast industry leader expands portfolio with network dedicated to Black perspectives, launching with new shows from media personality and TV host Porsha Williams and actress and social media influencer Lala Milan

News provided by

The E.W. Scripps Company

Sep 09, 2020, 13:50 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As a part of its commitment to amplify diverse voices, podcast industry leader Stitcher has announced the launch of More Sauce, a podcast network created to empower Black voices to be completely authentic and unapologetic in their storytelling.

The network, which has been curating and developing popular shows like "Imani State of Mind" over the last year, officially launches today with a slate of new shows including "The Salon" and "Porsha4Real."

T. Square, Stitcher's executive producer of original programming, said the mission of More Sauce is to create and nurture a space for Black voices in podcasting to discuss everyday lifestyle topics. She said Black creatives can be overlooked and pigeonholed into conversations that are tied to race, but their experiences are all-encompassing and can speak to love, arts and culture, family, current events and more.

"More Sauce aims to create memorable content through the lens of Black experiences to help listeners have a community they can go to, to take a break from daily routines and the harsh realities society is facing today," said Square.

More Sauce also will partner with Issa Rae's audio platform Raedio [theraedio.com] to incorporate its curated music library featuring new and established artists, sound design and scores into future shows, beginning with "The Salon" and "Porsha4Real."

As the More Sauce network continues to expand, it will maintain a focus on working with other companies lifting Black voices as well as creators of color.

The slate of shows under More Sauce aims to provide advice and inspiration through each host's life experiences. New shows debuting under the More Sauce network this fall include:

"The Salon" – Actress and social media influencer Lala Milan welcomes listeners into her "beauty salon" as she and a revolving door of guests share their perspectives on everything including sex, "situationships" and getting to the bag – nothing is off-limits at the salon. The Salon premieres on Oct. 5, 2020.
"Porsha4Real" – Media personality and TV host Porsha Williams gives listeners a taste of the "World of the Williams," where she, her sister Lauren and mom Diane explore all facets of love, life and motherhood. Coming this fall.

"Stitcher is a great fit for me because they understood my vision. I wanted to bring a nostalgic feeling of the hair salon with a fearless new touch of radio to podcasts," said Lala Milan, host of "The Salon." "I didn't want to be limited in my conversations nor guests. Stitcher understood my new approach and was open to it along with allowing me to keep my creative rights."

Lala and Porsha join psychiatrist Dr. Imani Walker, whose show "Imani State of Mind" is currently under the More Sauce network. "Imani State of Mind" breaks down mental illness and mental health through pop culture and news and, in the process, normalizes what getting your mind right really looks like.

"Being a host of a podcast focusing on mental health has allowed me to reach more people than I normally would by treating patients," said Dr. Imani. "During these trying times, I'm happy to know that I've helped my listeners to know that they're not alone and that mental health is just as important as any other health-related issue. Being able to share my experience and expertise by breaking down pop culture shows has been fun and informative, and I'm glad that More Sauce has enabled me to have this platform."

More Sauce joins a growing slate of Stitcher networks, including Earwolf, the largest comedy podcast network, Stitcher Premium Originals, and Witness Docs, an investigative podcast network with hit shows like "Verified," which was produced in conjunction with the Scripps Washington Bureau.

About Stitcher
Stitcher is the best place to listen to, produce and monetize podcasts. The Stitcher app, available for iOS and Android devices, is one of the world's most popular podcast listening platforms, with a growing network of original content and a premium subscription service. Stitcher is the parent company of Midroll Media, the leading podcast advertising network representing over 200 of the world's largest podcasts, and top-ranked comedy podcast network Earwolf. With offices in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco, Stitcher was founded in 2007 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company.

SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company