Podcasting

Comprehensive coverage of the podcasting industry and its business ecosystem.

Acast achieves first positive adjusted EBITDA in Q4.

Posted on by Brad Hill

Acast has released  simultaneous reports for Q4 2023 and full year 2023. The headline news promoted by the company’s press release is that Q4 earned a positive adjusted EBITDA (Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization). It is a self-congratulatory moment for one of the largest podcast and advertising networks in the world — “the global independent power source of podcasting” as the company frames it. Continue Reading →

Steve Goldstein: What People Are Doing When They Aren’t Listening To Your Podcast

Posted on by Steve Goldstein

by Steve Goldstein

“In my days as an executive in the radio business, our competitive focus was always on other radio stations and grabbing audience from them with researched music, smarter commercial placement, stronger talent, and visible marketing.” That’s how Steve leads us into this overview of the many media attractions which are taking audience and time-spent from podcasting. Choice abounds, and in the search for greater audience the advice here is to think broadly about where that time will come from. “The competition isn’t just another podcast; it is everything.” Continue Reading →

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Rephonic / PodMatch advice to most podpreneurs: “Stop. Start a business instead.”

Posted on by Brad Hill

Putting aside the “Ouch” factor, a new study offers realistic advice to would-be podcasters, and many existing podcasters. In a report posted on the PodPros website, podcast database Rephonic and podcast guest provider service Podmatch put up some statistics that should give pause to any prospective podcast entrepreneur. Click for results and graphs. Continue Reading →

Hit podcast SmartLess leaving Amazon for SiriusXM. And taking its 4 other shows.

Posted on by Brad Hill

It is a time of shaking loose from original network partnerships. Just as Joe Rogan and Alex Cooper are changing their exclusive relationships with Spotify, the hit podcast SmartLess is leaving its parent network Amazon Music and will be exclusively tied to SiriusXM for distribution and ad sales. Click for more. Continue Reading →

98% of global DTC brand marketers say podcasts are effective (Acast)

Posted on by Brad Hill

Global podcasting giant Acast sent us results of two surveys conducted in December, focused on the DTC (direct to consumers) segment. One survey queried 450 marketing pros who specifically work in DTC, and the other questioned 900 consumers who typically shop online directly from a company’s website. Survey results include interesting angles of favorability for DTC podcast marketing. Continue Reading →

Apple announces auto-generated podcast transcripts; praise and objections abound

Posted on by Brad Hill

Apple has declared that its next version of iOS, the iPhone operating system, will be equipped with automatically generated podcast transcripts. That feature will be helpful for users who sometimes prefer reading, or reading along with the audio. But does Apple have the right to do so? Who owns the transcript of an audio production which has been distributed by the audio owner? Continue Reading →

Steve Goldstein: The Truth About Podcasting’s Measurement Makeover

Posted on by Steve Goldstein

by Steve Goldstein

Apple changed podcast measurement when it changed how downloads are counted. Numbers dropped, but integrity rose. “The podcast industry supported the move to uphold the integrity of the metrics advertisers see {…} cognizant that downloads would take a hit but chose long-term credibility over the vanity.” In his latest guest column, Steve Goldstein tours through media categories including radio, digital advertising, email marketing, television, and print media. In all cases, measurement is a challenge. This is an illuminating read. Continue Reading →