Luminary Welcomes Richard Plepler to Board of Directors

Plepler Previously Served as Chairman and CEO of HBO

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Luminary Media, a premium content podcast subscription service, announced today that Richard Plepler, founder of Eden Productions and former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HBO, has joined Luminary’s Board of Directors. The company plans to make additional board announcements soon.

“Under Richard's leadership, HBO set the gold standard for quality, bringing viewers premium content across genres. I’ve seen firsthand Richard’s invaluable impact on a premium content business, and we welcome his strategic partnership as we endeavor to support creators, curate content for listeners, and drive Luminary’s business forward,” said Luminary CEO Simon Sutton.

“Podcasting has become such an exciting and dynamic medium for great storytelling,” said Plepler. “Luminary’s vision as a jewel box of premium podcast content where creators are enabled to do their best work and subscribers can consistently discover quality will make it easier for consumers to navigate an incredibly crowded space. I am thrilled to join the board, partner with Simon and the Luminary team, and help realize this vision.”

“Richard pioneered the concept of 'curated excellence’, and his deep content expertise aligns perfectly with Luminary’s approach to world-class talent like Trevor Noah, Lena Dunham, and Leon Neyfakh, as well as Luminary's business model. We are fortunate to have him on the team,” said Matt Sacks, Luminary Founder and Executive Chairman.

Richard Plepler most recently served as Chairman and CEO of Home Box Office, Inc. (HBO), a position he held from 2013 – 2019, culminating 28 years at the company. Prior, Plepler was the Co-President of HBO from 2007 – 2012. Earlier this month, Plepler announced the creation of Eden Productions, a film and television production company with a five-year exclusive deal with Apple TV+.

About Luminary

Luminary is a premium podcast subscription service. Luminary offers a premium subscription network of top quality podcasts available only on Luminary. Luminary Premium podcasts feature some of the most recognizable voices in podcasting, leading entertainers, and diverse and emerging voices. Luminary also offers a free podcast app with simple user interface and smart content discovery. Luminary was founded by Matt Sacks in 2018 with backing from NEA, a global venture capital fund with $20 billion in assets under management. Driven by the singular mission to improve the podcasting experience for both listeners and creators, Luminary is making it easier for podcast listeners to find great content and for podcast creators to do their best work. The free Luminary app is available on iOS, Android, and web.

Luminary offers all listeners a seven-day free trial of Luminary Premium. After the free trial, the monthly subscription price is $4.99 for U.S. subscribers, and the annual price is $34.99, or about $2.99 per month. Luminary Premium is also available for international listeners with a seven-day free trial, including in Canada (Monthly: CA$4.99/mo, Annual: CA$34.99), U.K (Monthly: £3.99/mo, Annual: £28.99), and Australia (Monthly: AU$5.99/mo, Annual: AU$34.99).

For more information, visit luminarypodcasts.com or follow @hearluminary.