APM / Streamguys join to launch new marketplace for podcasting and livestreaming

In what seems like a progressive and productive initiative, radio distribution giant American Public Media has partnered with enterprise streaming and podcast delivery platform Streamguys, to launch the Inform Media Network. The intent is to support noncommercial public media stations with a private, central marketplace for digital underwriting and sponsorship across podcasting and livestreaming. 

At least 30 media organizations have joined the network. A small footprint perhaps, but it represents at least 55 million impressions reaching six million unique listeners across livestreams and podcasts. 

APM describes the effort this way: “The network is designed to simplify participation for stations while presenting advertisers with a single trusted point of entry into public media digital audio.”

And this from Justin Hach, Director of Digital Sales Operations and Products at MPR/APM: “We’re a national organization that operates local stations so we know that for a station like Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), the impressions represented by the listeners who live outside the broadcast market aren’t particularly applicable to local sponsors. But those out-of-state or out-of-market listeners are a fantastic potential audience for national advertisers—they become quite valuable if we can connect those audiences across the entire public radio system.”