CAA Adds Podcast Strategist for Creator Deals
Media companies and creators negotiating podcast and digital deals should expect agency-side podcast specialists in those talks.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Media
Creative Artists Agency hired Emily Rasekh as an executive in its creators division, where she will work on podcast and digital media strategies for clients across film, television, news and more. Rasekh previously served as senior vice president of global podcast strategy and operations at Sony Music Entertainment. For operators in media, the move signals agencies building out dedicated podcast and creator expertise.
Why it matters
Talent agencies are adding specialized podcast and digital leadership as audio and creator content becomes a larger share of client portfolios. Rasekh's background spans a major label's podcast arm, a television network's radio and mobile business, and a cable network's emerging-platform strategy, which is the kind of cross-platform experience agencies look for when packaging deals across formats.
Rasekh spent seven years building Sony Music Entertainment's podcast business before joining CAA. The source does not provide comparator figures for the podcast business or the creators division's size, and her role's scope and reporting line were not disclosed.
The players
Creative Artists Agency (CAA)
A major Hollywood talent and entertainment agency that represents actors, directors, athletes and creators across film, television and digital media.
Emily Rasekh
An entertainment executive with prior leadership roles at Sony Music Entertainment, CBS and MTV, who built podcast businesses and launched subscription audio franchises.
Sony Music Entertainment
The music division of Sony, a major recorded-music company whose podcast operation Rasekh led as senior vice president of global podcast strategy and operations.
The details
Rasekh negotiated talent agreements, content licensing deals, multi-show partnerships and strategic investments during her time at Sony Music Entertainment. At Sony she led the launch of The Binge, a true-crime podcast network and subscription franchise. Earlier she led mobile and video strategy at CBS across television and radio stations, and she led the launch of CBS Radio's podcast business. Those deal-making and launch experiences are the skills she will bring to podcast and digital strategy work for CAA clients.
Timeline
Monday: CAA announced the hiring of Emily Rasekh as a creators division executive.
Market Landscape
Major studios, labels and networks have spent the past decade building podcast businesses, with Sony's The Binge true-crime network one example of a subscription audio franchise. Agencies now hiring people who launched those businesses signals that podcast and creator strategy is becoming a standard service line alongside traditional talent representation.
Media operators who work with talent agencies should expect agencies to pitch podcast and digital packages as core offerings, not add-ons. Companies evaluating podcast partnerships or creator deals should treat agency-side podcast expertise as a factor when choosing representation.
The takeaway
Media companies should track whether agencies build out more dedicated podcast and creator units, since that shifts where licensing and talent deals get negotiated. Operators considering podcast ventures should compare how agency-side and label-side podcast teams structure their deals before committing to a partner.
Further reading
For broader context on how talent and production firms are restructuring around audio and creator work, see Media coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
