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Steve Goldstein: How to improve podcast listening on 60 million smart speakers. A talk with Tom Webster.

by Steve Goldstein
In this guest column, Steve Goldstein chats with Edison Research SVP and ubiquitous keynote speaker Tom Webster about the podcast experience through smart speakers. the conversation is informed by stats and charts from the Edison/NPR Smart Audio Report. Continue Reading

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Steve Goldstein: Music Finally Meets Podcasts

by Steve Goldstein
In this guest column, Steve Goldstein discusses spotify’s new feature which allows music into podcasts, via the Anchor service. He recognizes the important (while noting some clunkiness in the end product), and also notes that broadcast radio has spent years decreasing the role of “the passionate musicologist DJ’s of FM radios early days.” Continue Reading

Sam Harris: Has the Pandemic Offered a Pathway to Kids’ Podcasts?

RAIN is delighted to introduce the first piece from guest columnist Sam Harris of Hook Research in the UK. In this inaugural column, Harris explores the state of the kids spoken word content market in the UK and contemplates the benefits for brands operating within it. Plenty of research and quotes here, plus an overview of the child-oriented podcast and audiobook markets. Continue Reading

Bryan Barletta: Programmatic Advertising is the Hero Podcast Publishers Are Looking For

The latest Sounds Profitable column by Bryan Barletta explores, demystifies, and evangelizes programmatic audio advertising. Along the way he offers a much-needed review of the VASt standard, and explains why audio publishers love programmatic. Continue Reading

Steve Goldstein: The host-read ad dominates podcasting, but ad tech is rapidly changing that

by Steve Goldstein
In this guest column, Steve Goldstein interviews Bryan Barletta, author of the Sounds Profitable newsletter, which examines advertising technology. Click through for a discussion of data, privacy, geo-targeting, a forecast of podcast programmatic advertising … and much more. Continue Reading

Bill Rosenblatt: Amazon Takes On Spotify In Podcasting

by Bill Rosenblatt
Guest columnist Bill Rosenblatt analyzes Amazon’s most significant entry to podcasting — a podcast listening service integrated with Amazon Music. Comparing Amazon to Spotify is instructive, and this piece also takes into account how Amazon’s lead in the smart speaker market plays into strategic decision around podcasting. One question for the near future, according to rosenblatt: How will audiobooks play in these global audio platforms? Continue Reading