RAIN Notes: Wednesday April 21
Jottings of note:
— Threading the Apple (Nathan Gathright)
— Selling the Score (Variety)
— Tracking (Edison Research / WNYC)
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News
Matt Deegan: Apple’s New Subscription Podcast Features
by Matt Deegan
Guest columnist Matt Deegan (Folder Media) reports on Apple’s new announcements and product lineup for podcast creators, set to launch next month. Who does it work for, and who does it not work for? And what about Android users — the global smartphone majority? A clarifying and essential read. Continue Reading
SuChin Pak will host IAB Podcast Upfront; full presenter schedule
A whopping 31 presentations will be featured at the upcoming IAB Podcast Upfront (titled “Listen Up!”) scheduled for May 11-13. SuChin Pak will anchor the show with a rotating cast of co-hosts. Details and final schedule. Continue Reading
Apple’s “next chapter” of podcasting: Paid listening. And channels.
In an announcement targeted mainly to podcast creators, Apple announced two upcoming features that will enable podcasters to earn subscription revenue, and organize channels of content to increase listening. While both those features widely exist elsewhere, SVP Eddie Cue calls it “the next chapter of podcasting.” New analytics are also in the offing. It all comes out in May. Continue Reading
Facebook fills in audio roadmap: Podcasts, audio rooms, “Soundbites” and studio effects — all soon
Yesterday was hints. Today is a formal announcement with considerably more detail. Facebook suddenly adores audio, and is working with speedy timelines to introduce a suite of integrated audio products. Podcasts, yes, both as creator and distributor, folded into a matrix of ways to make and hear audio.
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Facebook finally plans (vaguely) to treat audio as a thing
Facebook has non-announced that audio might be a thing, sometime soon. In other words, Mark Zuckerberg confided to a journalist that Facebook will soon imitate Clubhouse, and somehow get into podcasting, plus put a limited native audio function in the platform. Click through for details and a good deal of acidic reaction from us. Continue Reading
AdsWizz reaches one billion monthly podcast downloads
Digital audio advertising company AdsWizz is announcing having reached the milestone of one billion monthly downloads. The company is paired with podcast host Simplecast, via separate acquisitions by parent entity Sirius XM. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Monday April 19
Jottings of note:
— Social Finance to Social Audio (Audible)
— QR Resurgence (Podnews)
— Icy Warning (eMarketer)
— Diversity Hire (PRX)
Brian Sherman: The Case for Dynamic Advertising in an Uncertain World
In his inaugural RAIN News column, A Million Ads VP Brian Sherman explains “dynamic creative” in digital audio advertising, and how it can help marketers during the Covid era. A Johnson & Johnson campaign serves as a case study. Continue Reading
Spotify launches new podcast charts website; initiates an episode list
Spotify is putting its podcasting initiative more in the public eye with the launch of top-100 charts on a public website. Interestingly, Spotify has developed a Top Episodes chart for the USA. We poked around the new product, and reached out to Chartable CEO Dave Zohrob for his view. Continue Reading
RAIN Notes: Thursday April 15
Jottings of note:
— Seriously (Podcasting Seriously Award Fund)
— A Squad (She Podcasts)
— A Startup Guide (NPR)
Spotify launches Car Thing: voice controlled, knob-assisted, dashboard-placed, outright challenge to radio and the commute
The rumored in-car listening device from Spotify, playfully called Car Thing, has arrived. The voice-controlled, knob-adjusting device is flagrantly designed to push aside both the car radio, the in-car smartphone, and in-dash systems … for Premium subscribers, at least, who get the device free during an introductory period. Click for pics and more.
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