RTÉ Programme Sales has announced its first deal with a US distribution partner for its 7-part podcast series, Stolen Sister. This is the first ever RTÉ podcast to be licenced for distribution outside of Ireland/into the North American market.

Pushkin Industries is a US based publisher of podcasts and audiobooks and more recently has become one of the most respected ‘prestige’ podcast houses in the industry. The company has acquired the series (plus bonus ep) from RTÉ’s Documentary On One strand. Stolen Sister tells the story of the murder of Elizabeth Plunkett, the first documented Irish victim of a serial killer.

Co-founded in 2018 by Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point) and prominent political journalist Jacob Weisberg, Pushkin Industries is home to chart topping shows such as Revisionist History, The Happiness Lab, Cautionary Tales, Against the Rules and Heavyweight with Jonathan Goldstein which was chosen as a top podcast of 2025 by the New York Times. Stolen Sister is being offered to Pushkin listeners through their Bad Women series, a high-production true crime and history podcast that reframes famous criminal cases by focusing on the lives of the victims rather than the mythology of the killers.

Written by Nicoline Greer, the multi-award-winning radio documentary maker, and accompanied by a soundtrack from Oscar winning composer Stephen Warbeck, Stolen Sister takes us back to 1976. It was the last weekend of that famously hot summer when a young woman went away for a night with friends to a coastal retreat and never returned home. Since production began on the podcast , new information has emerged leading to a renewed investigation and the possibility of a cold case review, providing a platform for the family to seek justice.

Hugh Ormond, Head of Podcasts in RTÉ said “This deal marks a new chapter for podcasting in RTÉ. Pushkin has chosen Stolen Sister for their growing audiences which shows the strength and appeal of both Elizabeth Plunkett’s story and of the production itself. It’s a rare privilege for a European podcast to find a home in North America so we’re eager to see how U.S. audiences respond to the series and look forward to exploring future opportunities with Pushkin.”

Commenting on the deal, Gretta Cohn, CEO of Pushkin Industries said “The Bad Women audience shows up for stories about women whose lives and deaths were overlooked, and Stolen Sister is an extraordinarily powerful example of that. We're proud to bring RTÉ's work to Pushkin listeners, and we know the Bad Women audience will connect with Elizabeth Plunkett's story, and her family’s search for justice.”

Edel Edwards from RTÉ Programme Sales said “all Documentary on One podcast series have to date attracted TV and film interest, mostly from outside of Ireland. Some have already delivered on TV and we’ve signed option and shopping agreements across several other series, some of which are currently in development for the big and small screen. But this audio distribution deal marks something new and different for us. We know North America is the largest podcast market in the world and we’re very excited to see how our content will now land with US audiences, especially given Pushkin are an industry leader in the field”.

About RTÉ Documentary On One:

For many  as the gold standard of Irish audio, RTÉ Documentary on One (DocOnOne) is a powerhouse of narrative non-fiction. Produced by Ireland’s national public service broadcaster, RTÉ, it’s one of the most decorated audio series in Europe, boasting over 400 national and international awards including multiple wins at the prestigious Prix Europa, Prix Italia, and Premios Ondas competitions. For decades, DocOnOne was known for one-off documentaries, telling overlooked or forgotten Irish stories, giving voice to the voiceless and often times sparking far-reaching consequences. In recent years, the strand has pivoted towards deep dive investigative multi-episodic series and enjoyed great success with a number of chart topping podcast hits including The Nobody Zone, The Real Carrie Jade, Where is Jón? Runaway Joe, Finding Samantha and First Conviction. With strong production values, all DocOnOne series are highly produced, cinematic audio experiences, recorded in the field with rich soundscapes and commissioned music soundtracks.

About Pushkin Industries:

Pushkin Industries is dedicated to producing audio in any format that challenges listeners, encourages their curiosity, and inspires joy. Or, in other words: Good, Smart, Fun. Founded in 2018, Pushkin has produced numerous podcasts that have broken into the top 10 on the podcast chart, including Malcolm Gladwell’s hugely successful Revisionist History, as well as Against the Rules from Michael Lewis, Paul McCartney’s A Life in Lyrics, The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos, Broken Record, Tim Harford’s Cautionary Tales, The Last Archive, Deep Cover, Lost Hills and Apple’s Best Show of 2021, A Slight Change of Plans. Pushkin’s audiobook catalog includes Steve Martin’s So Many Steves, Inside Voice by Lake Bell, the Pulitzer Prize-winning the Netanyahus by Joshua Cohen, Liar’s Poker by Michael Lewis, Fauci and Higher Animals by Michael Specter, Heartbreak by Florence Williams, and Malcolm Gladwell’s Miracle and Wonder: Conversations with Paul Simon, The Bomber Mafia, and Talking to Strangers. Follow us @pushkinpods.

About RTÉ Programme Sales

RTÉ Programme Sales exploits Irish content across all genres, including drama, documentary and formats, offering distinctive, high-quality content for broadcast on content platforms of all types worldwide. RTÉ Programme Sales represents a network of top Irish producers, both in-house and independent, whose quality content attracts global audiences.

For further information please contact:

Cheryl Clarke at Mushroom Media on:
Tel: +44 (0)7939554109
E: cheryl@mushroom-media.co.uk

The Lippin Group for Pushkin Industries

pushkin@lippingroup.com