RAIN Notes: December 23
Predictions (human) – CoHost
Predictions (AI) – ManticAI
Renewal – DAX Continue Reading
News
iHeartMedia plans video podcast rollout
iHeartMedia announced its intent to add video podcasting to its creative platform. The rollout date is obscure, defined by iHeart as “early 2026.” No added cost to creators, and the feature will be implemented with standard RSS. Three important features keep the podcaster in control. Continue Reading
Acast acquires key German podcast studio
Global podcast giant Acast has acquired Wake Word Studios, an audio and video production house based in Munich and Berlin. Wake Word gives up its indie identity in the deal, rebranding as Acast Creative Studios and bolstering its presence in the German market. Continue Reading
Video, narrative, and ?? Three (kind of) podcast trends
Audio research company Signal Hill Insights has released a findings note with three key trends articulated by company President and Partner Paul Riismandel. Much of this report is concerned with narrative podcasting metrics. Continue Reading
U.S. government threatens Europe with action against firms including Spotify
The Office of the United States Trade Representative has issued a warning to the European Union and certain Member States, and cited Spotify as a threatened EU service provider. Continue Reading
Edison Research adds demographic info to Golden Globes podcast nominees
In the wake of the Golden Globes podcast nominations (RAIN (RAIN HERE), Edison Research is layering its own demographic information atop the honorees. This exercise adds an interesting dimension to each of the of the nominated podcasts. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: December 16
Humans outnumbered – David Cohen (IAB)
Having it all – Howard Stern Continue Reading
Music discovery: No clear leader (Bain & Co.)
Global management consulting firm Bain & Company has released a new piece of research: Music Discovery: “More Channels, More Problems.” Consumers discover new music via more sources than ever before, and these are detailed. “Industry leaders will have to invest in new capabilities and tools,” the company asserts. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Podcasting 2026: Welcome to the Era of Liquid Content
Forget about asking “What’s a podcast?” That historical epoch is over, says Steve Goldstein. In this guest column, Steve defines four eras in the history of podcasting. (He brings spaghetti to this analysis.) Continue Reading
NYC Podcast Awards launched; 24 categories, deadlines & costs announced
Silver Sounds, a Manhattan production company, has launched the inaugural NYC Podcast Awards. The founding rationale is to bring light to under-recognized creators and creator communities. Click to see how it’s structured, and for the submission link. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: December 15
Global streaming service Deezer partnered with Ipsos to conduct a consumer survey to discover popular perceptions and attitudes toward AI-generated music. Nine thousand people in eight countries were questioned. Also, a concert violinist makes his own test. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: December 12
New year forecasting – MIDiA Research
Massive aggregation – AcastBest – NPR
Hot Smart Rich(er) – Steven Bartlett
For early-stagers – Podcast Creator Summit Continue Reading