We’ve noted FieldCast as a company which evangelizes and enables corporate podcasting — enterprise audio produced by executive leaders to communicate with company staff. Now comes a note that FieldCast has partnered with Blue, the venerable microphone maker whose cost-effective Yeti USB desktop mic is much used by podcasters bootstrapping new shows. Continue Reading
InternetFM, the venerable streaming radio app, has issued an update to its Android and iOS versions, providing smart new customization options that add an on-demand feeling to the app experience. Click for details. Continue Reading
In a trans-continental venture, iHeartMedia is partnering with French media company NRJ Group to create new French podcasts, translate existing iHeart podcasts, and use iHeart subsidiary Triton Digital to monetize everything via French audiences. Click for details. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— Jab History (iHeartMedia)
— Death x3 (Wondery)
— Expansion (Bauer Media)
Spotify is testing a new service tier called “Plus,” which, for $0.99 per month, offers a little more interactivity than Spotify Free. If implemented, it would provide a middle-ground service between total lean-back (Spotify Free) and total lean-in (Spotify Premium). Continue Reading
Podtrac released its Top Podcasts monthly ranker for July. There is always a good deal month-over-month repetition in this ranker, as top shows continue their success reaching listeners. This month, we compared the July 2021 list with the July 2020 list to get a year-over-year view of repeat appearances. Continue Reading
Fireside Chat, a social audio platform launched by co-founders Mark Cuban and Falon Fatemi, which launched in the wake of Clubhouse’s success, announced at Podcast Movement this week a partnership with venerable podcast host Libsyn. The tie-up promises to give Fireside creators a one-touch podcasting solution for distribution in the open podcast ecosystem. The announcement was delivered at a Cuban/Fatemi keynote presentation at Podcast Movement this morning. Continue Reading
by Matt Deegan
Guest columnist Matt Deegan (Folder Media) reports on radio and podcast acquisition activity. In this edition, Matt muses on iHeartRadio’s tie-up with TuneIn, which put iHeart’s radio station streams in TuneIn’s streaming audio app. He notes that BBC pulled its streams out of TuneIn, and speculates on how Global fits into iHeart’s larger picture … or vice versa. Continue Reading
BBC Sounds, the digital player app produced by and representing the BBC, released a brief Q2 metrics report. The deck is free. Click through for some details and the download link. Continue Reading
Featuring listener voices in a podcast adds personality and engagement, but isn’t very common. That might be because setting up a phone number, harvesting messages, recording them, and placing them in a show is an awkward and difficult production task. The problem seems to be entering a solution phase as at least two companies are launching products this week to simplify and digitize the interactivity. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— Charting a Career Move (Karo Chakhlasyan)
— More Than Opinionated (NY Times)
— Not Called Artists for Nothing (TuneCore)
In a hefty, wide-ranging partnership, iHeartMedia and its Triton Digital subsidiary are going into business with TuneIn. In the agreement iHM’s 850 radio stations will be piled into TuneIn. iHeart will also become TuneIn’s premier local ad sales representation partner. Further, Triton will monetize TuneIn’s local inventory, which promises to help advertisers reach new audiences at scale, according to the press notice.
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