The cost of podcast advertising dropped in February compared to an unusual January spike. This according to AdvertiseCast, the Libsyn-owned ad marketplace. The average CPM of a 60-second spot was $23.41 in February, down from a two-year high of $25.40… Continue Reading
From SVP Dominick Milano we receive news that Targetspot-owned Winamp, the iconic desktop audio player which arguably started the MP3 revolution, will auction an original NFT of its first “skin” — the app’s appearance in 1997. Proceeds from this effort, and future auctions, will go into a new Winamp Foundation which will collect money to help musicians around the world. Continue Reading
Audio and podcast producer and publisher PRX released its first-ever annual report. Unlike a typical for-profit annual report, the non-profit PRX document avoids exact financials. It is a multimedia presentation of the company’s initiatives and the importance of its underwriting. Continue Reading
Publicly traded podcast hosting, advertising, and technology company Libsyn has raised $4.75-million dollars in equity financing led by Camac Partners. Camac describes its investments as “long-term in nature” lasting “decades rather than months or years.” Continue Reading
A leadership change in iHeartMedia-owned ad tech company Triton Digital has co-founder Neal Schore stepping aside, and John Rosso stepping up as President and CEO. Rosso was previously President of Market Development. Continue Reading
Public media organization PRX today announced a podcast streaming partnership with Sensical, a relatively new free streaming service from Common Sense Networks. Sensical debuted in June of last year, and launched its podcast slate in December. Continue Reading
Heather Osgood, Founder and CEO of podcast ad-rep company True Native Media, joins Brad Hill for the RAIN Podcast Business Lunch. The conversation roams across the needs and expectations of podcast advertisers, both new and experienced, and how podcasters deliver to those needs. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— Smart v2.0 (APM)
— ‘Tis the Season (Edison Research)
— Following the Followers (Rephonic)
Podcast hosting/tech company Libsyn today released plans for illuminating and amplifying the voices of women in podcasting, as part of Women’s History Month. The company calls its initiative a social movement. It’s a three-part grassroots effort to shine spotlights on women in the field. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— Programmatic Need (Heather Osgood)
— Q&A (Francis Currie)
— New Drops (CNN)
In a fulfillment of a RAIN News projection, and in what RIAA CEO Mitch Glazier calls “one of the most incredible comeback stories in modern commercial history,” the U.S. record industry in 2021 surpassed its previous record of annual revenue. The headline number is $15-billion. More than half of that is subscription streaming, and this milestone is a profound validation of that commercial model. Continue Reading
Macmillan, the only Big 5 book publisher with its own podcast networks, will partner with kids podcast company Pinna to publish books based on the Pinna original podcast Quentin & Alfie’s ABC Adventures. This interesting partnership leverages Macmillan’s crossover expertise between books and podcasts. Also interesting inasmuch as the deal represents a rare directional crossover of podcast to book. Continue Reading