Home / Arts and Entertainment / Mariana van Zeller Launches New Venture
Mariana van Zeller Launches New Venture
15 May
Summary
- Mariana van Zeller established The Hidden Third production company.
- The new company is linked to her podcast on true crime and money.
- The Hidden Third aims to tell complex stories independently.
Emmy, Peabody, and DuPont Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller has launched The Hidden Third, an independent production company. This new entity shares its name with van Zeller's October 2025 podcast focused on true crime and underground money markets. The company's formation arose from a commitment to retain the talented production team behind "Trafficked With Mariana van Zeller."
"Trafficked" concluded its five-season run on Nat Geo, having received 25 nominations for its final season at the News & Documentary Emmys. The show has amassed a total of 88 Emmy nominations and nine wins. Van Zeller expressed enthusiasm for the freedom the new company provides to expand storytelling efforts.
The Hidden Third will explore the multi-trillion dollar black and gray markets, which constitute up to a third of the global economy. The podcast's second season is already available, with a new Patreon subscription launching next week. This name references the shadow economy, estimated at 35 percent of global economic activity.
Operating in tandem with Muck Media, The Hidden Third aims to directly engage audiences through its Patreon. Muck Media will continue producing premium documentaries and scripted content across various genres. The two companies are designed to be mutually beneficial, with journalism from The Hidden Third feeding Muck Media's production slate.
