Author: Brad Hill

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iHeartRadio and NPR demonstrate key network strategies (Podtrac Top Publishers)

Posted on by Brad Hill

In the December 2020 Top Podcast Publishers report from Podtrac, iHeartRadio held the #1 slot and NPR maintained its #2 ranking — those two networks remaining invulnerable to competitive infringement in the entire history of Podtrac’s ranking. As we have noted before, iHR and NPR pursue opposite audience concentration strategies. A glance backward shows that each of these two juggernauts has doubled down on its strategy. Click through for numbers and an illustrative chart. Continue Reading →

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Podcast Taxonomy Consortium seeks to standardize creative roles in broad industry effort

Posted on by Brad Hill

A venture called the Podcast Taxonomy Consortium, which consolidated and formulated its key product through the second half of 2020, has  come into public this week. The output is a whitepaper called Podcast Taxonomy which establishes and defines creative roles in podcasting. The effort certainly is broadly collaborative, with a working group that spans across 39 organizations and 53 individuals. Click through for the basic taxonomy the group has developed, and links to more info. Continue Reading →

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Tom Hanks vaults TuneIn app to top10, with 28% increase in U.S. downloads

Posted on by Brad Hill

Has A-list actor Tom Hanks joined TuneIn’s corporate communications team? No, but he did shine love on the TuneIn app when Stephen Colbert asked Hanks to name his favorite app. “Camera,” Hanks said. Answer disqualified by Colbert because the camera is built in. It took Hanks one second to assert: “I’ll go to TuneIn Radio because I can listen to any radio station in the world.” TuneIn’s Apple app shot up instantly. Click through for the clip, and for TuneIn’s audience metrics. Continue Reading →

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Podcast listeners are young, avid, and growing their listening (Westwood One)

Posted on by Brad Hill

Westwood One has released the latest in its Audioscape series, posted by Brittany Faison to the Westwood One blog. The data are taken from Edison Research, and the focus of this release is squarely on podcasting. For years, Westwood One has been the most forthcoming distributor of metrics from Edison’s proprietary subscription product, Share of Ear, and that’s where this info comes from. Click through for key points and graphics. Continue Reading →

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The Podcast Academy resets Board of Governors

Posted on by Brad Hill

In what Rob Greenlee termed a “changing of the guard,” both he (as Chair) and Kerri Hoffman (as Secretary) are shifting out of their roles in the Board of Governors at The Podcast Academy. Greenlee told RAIN, “The leadership change in the Board of Governors was planned and is happening per our organization’s Bylaws.” Click through for more info about new Board officers and members. Continue Reading →

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Podspec: Which show has the most episodes in Apple’s top 200 Episodes in Comedy? (Hint: Is it smart?)

Posted on by Brad Hill

There are many ways to measure a hit podcast. Audience reach. Downloads. Number of reviews. Star rating. Another is to observe how persistent the back catalog is in charts. We looked at Apple’s top-200 Episodes chart in the U.S., in the Comedy category — with a goal of discovering which shows hold the most chart placements. Click through for the results. Continue Reading →

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Amazon buys Wondery to join Amazon Music

Posted on by Brad Hill

The deal is not yet closed, but the agreement is. As rumored, Amazon will acquire Wondery, the last of the major creative networks in podcasting’s resurgent era to lose indie status. Amazon positions the company as joining Amazon Music, where Amazon’s podcast directory lives, but we see a future in Audible Originals for wondery’s creative production. Founder/CEO Hernan Lopez will step down to manage his new foundation; COO Jen Sargent will take over. Click through for quotes and context. Continue Reading →

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Rumor Fact(ory): Jack Dorsey’s Square mulls Tidal acquisition

Posted on by Brad Hill

Talk about diversifying. In the most startling rumor of a streaming music acquisition, merchant payment enabler Square is reportedly considering an acquisition of HiRez, musician-owned Tidal. This Rumor Fact(ory) is based on the usual “unnamed sources” who spoke with Bloomberg. Click through for more context on Dorsey and Tidal. Continue Reading →

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Bank of America, McDonald’s lead increased podcast spend in November (Magellan AI)

Posted on by Brad Hill

Podcast advertising intelligence company Magellan AI released its “Spenders, Movers & Shakers” list for November. Bank of America and McDonald’s take the #1 and #2 spots for increased podcast ad spending. Bank of America jumped from $128,000 in October to 1.9-million in November. Mcdonald’s jumped from $174,000 to $1.7-million. Click through for context and the full list. Continue Reading →