RAIN Notes: Tuesday, December 5
— Warning (Colin Rushing)
— Realignment (iHeartMedia)
— Change At The Top (Cumulus Media)
Author: Brad Hill
Podtrac releases top new podcasts for 2023; no matches with top October podcasts
Podtrac has released its annual Top 25 New Podcasts. We compare the 2023 edition with Podtrac’s Top 20 Podcasts for October. One of the values in the New Podcasts list is discovery. These are shows that have succeeded in building and retaining audience, but are largely unknown in the broad market. Continue Reading
Spotify latest layoff sweep: 1,500 employees, 17% of staff, public memo
In an internal memo also posted publicly, Spotify CEO Daniel Ek announced the company’s third layoff sweep of 2023. Seventeen percent of the company — about 1,500 employees — will receive severance packages. Click through for detailed coverage, quotes, severence package details, and SPOT stock activity. Continue Reading
Collin Campbell leaves Gimlet for high-exec podcast role at NPR
NPR has a new head of podcast strategy; it is Collin Campbell, who takes the title Senior Vice President of Podcast Strategy and Franchise Development starting sometime this month. He carries a long history of executive positions in news content and audio. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Friday, December 1
— Transition (RAB)
— Turned Off (Spotify)
— Enough Is Enough (The Podcasting Playbook)
Spotify Wrapped 2023 launches, aspiring to an “unforgettable experience”
We have noted over several years that Spotify Wrapped has become a cultural touchpoint. Wrapped is both an individualized personal account of listening patterns for millions of users, and a global summary of trends and “top of” lists. It launched today. Click for details and two of its many lists.
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RAIN Notes: Thursday, November 30
— Backing Away (Spotify)
— It’s A Wrap (Edison Research)
— Discoveries (The New Yorker)
Apple reveals 2023 top podcasts, new podcasts, podcast episodes, most followed, most shared … and more mosts.
Apple showed off its podcasting influence with the 2023 edition of its podcast tabulations. Called “Apple shares the most popular podcasts of 2023,” the release explores many variations of popularity. Starting off, we learn that Crime Junkie was the top podcast… Continue Reading
Three brands dominate podcast ad spend; $48M in top-15 (Magellan AI, October)
In Magellan AI’s reckoning of the top podcast advertisers (by spend) in October, we see a lot of repetition from the previous months. Nine of the top 15 in the previous month of September landed on the October list again. BetterHelp was the top advertiser, continuing a long streak of supremacy. Click for more analysis and graphs. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia will get $100-million in BMI sale. So will creators. Not everyone is thrilled.
The acquisition of performance rights organization BMI by New Mountain Capital, which transpired late last week, will put approximately $100-million of cash into iHeart’s balance sheet. Along with that, BMI announced that $100-million of post-sale proceeds will be distributed to music creators. There is some controversy. Continue Reading
The how, when, and where of UK audio listening (MIDAS report from RAJAR)
RAJAR (Radio Joint Audience Research Limited) has released the fall 2023 edition of its MIDAS (Measurement of Internet Delivered Audio) Services metrics report. The 17-page document sweeps across the entire audio landscape in the UK. Click for metrics, graphs, and a download link. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Monday, November 27
— Pure Synth (Anna Indiana)
— Creating and Owning (Pacific Content)
— Unlocking Secrets (podpod)