NEW YORK — Castbox (https://castbox.fm) is a Hong Kong-based podcast company. The company both hosts and produces its own podcasts. Castbox was founded in 2016 by company CEO Renee Wang in Beijing, China. It also has offices in San Francisco and Hong Kong. In 2017, the company raised $16 million, and an additional $13.5 million in 2018.
At Castbox (https://castbox.fm/channel/id3127652), media personality Shefik launches audio content — packaged as a podcast — from his self-produced multimedia series, "Shefik presents Invocation" (https://invocation.co). He uses this media platform to amplify the voices and acknowledge the thought patterns of people across a variety of ages, ethnicities, occupations, creeds, and belief systems.
"I am excited about expanding my audience with Castbox," says Shefik.
Castbox is the leading global spoken audio platform pioneering in-audio search to deliver contextual recommendations for listeners of podcasts, on-demand radio, and audiobooks. Since its launch in 2016, Castbox has gained over 15 million users worldwide. In June 2019, Castbox integrated with Waze (a GPS navigation software app and a subsidiary of Google), allowing playback controls to pause, skip, or restart episodes. Castbox is the best free podcast app with over 95 million volumes of content on Android, Apple iPhone, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Carplay, and Android Auto.
For the launch of "Shefik presents Invocation" at Castbox, audio content features Tony Award winner and 4-time Grammy Award nominee Melba Moore; recording artist and brilliance coach Charisse Arrington; recording artist LaChandra; legendary recording artist Sonny Turner (Former Lead Singer, The Platters); recording artist M.C. El Bee; newscaster Dan Bazile; physician and board-certified surgeon Dr. Hassan Tetteh; actor Adam B. Shapiro (HBO's "The Normal Heart"); and recording artist Brendon Hamilton; as well as a multitude of other high-profile celebrities. Additional content will be added frequently.
"Shefik presents Invocation" is a mesmerizing and thought-provoking journey through musical discovery and appreciation that spans the decades. Content includes video footage, and its audio is severed and packaged as a conceptual radio show — currently broadcast on 23 terrestrial radio stations and frequencies throughout the United States — as well as a podcast, under the title "Shefik presents Invocation: The Journey Continues". Each episode, produced by Shefik, highlights one relatable focal point, encompassing a unique thematic concept that invigorates the audience with creative impact. The content is oftentimes aligned with Shefik's various philanthropic endeavors and alliances with non-profit organizations.
Top recording artists, actors, business executives, politicians, community leaders, and other special guests are invited to offer their own commentary on a given topic, as a supplement to Shefik's engaging mindset. The content's main online hub at https://invocation.co serves as a conduit for discussion of the content, while featuring related videos and auxiliary content. As of this writing, "Shefik presents Invocation" has won over 40 industry awards (for audio, video, and website), many of which were awarded at the highest level.
The journey continues right here and everywhere.
About Shefik
Celebrating over 20 years in the entertainment and technology industries, Shefik (https://shefik.info) is an accomplished industry insider, who has appeared on MTV, SiriusXM, PBS, BET, network television, and in print media, as well as internationally on TRT World (Turkey). He has held senior-level positions at many Fortune 500 companies and celebrated brands, including IBM, NBCUniversal, MTV World, Merck, Merriam-Webster, and Wolters Kluwer. A seasoned pro in social media with a career background as a Lead Architect and Senior Web Developer, Shefik is on the cutting edge of new media. As a videographer and producer, his work has been featured in television broadcasts and video productions for NBC's "3rd Hour of TODAY", TIME magazine, The Washington Center, TV One's "Unsung", and Broadway World. Additionally, his photography has been featured in print and online publications, such as The Independent (United Kingdom), Daily Mail (United Kingdom), Harvard Kennedy School Magazine, Playbill, and China Press, as well as around 100 television and radio outlets owned by Cox Media Group. He is currently the Executive Producer and Host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Shefik presents Invocation" (https://invocation.co), which is broadcast on 23 terrestrial radio stations and frequencies throughout the United States, as well as the internationally syndicated video series of the same name, via Amazon and other notable outlets.
Media Contacts
Shefik
All Knight Access
+1 (914) 548-5033
shefik@allknightaccess.com
Toni Knight
All Knight Access
+1 (914) 645-4830
toni.knight@allknightaccess.com
Last Updated: June 16, 2021
