Comprehensive coverage of the podcasting industry and its business ecosystem.
In the beautifully produced (virtual only) iHeartRadio Podcast Awards, You’re Wrong About won the Podcast of the Year prize. It is produced by journalist Sarah Marshall, who partners with guests to reconsider a person or event that’s been miscast in the public imagination. Click for competing nominees with their publishers and number of episodes. Also a link to catch-up watch. Continue Reading
Spotify released quarterly earnings last night. In the investor call, the Q&A session began as many observers probably guessed it would: “Our first question today is going to come from Rich Greenfield on Joe Rogan.” CEO Daniel Ek treated it as a non-emergency, with careful answers. Meanwhile, podcasting contributed to higher gross margins. Continue Reading
Spotigate? Roganomics? Today we learn that Spotify and its headline podcaster Joe Rogan are maneuvering to get in front of apparent accelerating damage resulting from a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience which created public outcry over statements about Covid vaccines. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek clarified and disclosed; Rogan apologized and promised. Click for more. Continue Reading
The latest turn in the Neil Young vs. Joe Rogan drama on Spotify shifted from a musician to a star podcaster on Saturday afternoon when Dr. Brene Brown announced on Twitter that she would cease production on her two Spotify-exclusive podcasts, Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead. Continue Reading
Podcast.co, a UK-based hosting and production house, has expanded its work for brands, and separated the business with a distinct name and website destination: Cue. The new division specializes in interview shows, and factual narrative podcasts.
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Podcast database company Podchaser is announcing a new integration with Audacy, the 2nd largest U.S. commercial radio group and owner of podcast production brands Cadence13 and Pineapple Street Studios. The partnership is geared to providing additional value to Audacy clients and ad agencies. Continue Reading
RAIN News will be inaugurating the RAIN Podcast Business Lunch next Wednesday, February 2. The weekly lunchtime series of appointment viewing will be inaugurated by Tom Webster, SVP at Edison Research, and one of the world’s most honored and respected voices in podcasting and online audio. Click for details and FREE registration. Continue Reading
Acast is leaping into the podcast incubator realm with Acast Amplifier, a contest for UK would-be podcasters who haven’t yet started up. Money, free gear, creative support go to winners. An all-star panel of judges will make the decisions. Continue Reading
In Magellan AI’s latest monthly report of top podcast advertisers, tracking December spending amounts, we see many of the same brands that have populated the Top 15 Spenders list for nine months. Only one new entrant among repeaters. Click for details and the RAIN graphic
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ABC News is celebrating the 1,000th episode of its daily news podcast, Start Here, hosted by veteran audio journalist, Edward R. Murrow award-winner, and RAIN Summit keynoter Brad Mielke. We asked Brad about recording in the field; he told us all about soft tech. Click for details and a photo. Continue Reading
Podcast hosting and advertising company Acast has added a specialized division to increase audience growth in its Acast Creator Network. Acast is calling it a “growth division,” and has staffed it with employees in the UK, US, and home country Sweden. Continue Reading
by Steve Goldstein
Guest columnist Steve Goldstein follows up yesterday’s exploration of why so many branded podcasts fail. Today, a checklist to determine whether your company, or any company, should have a branded podcast. One of them: “Can you think of 10 episode topics?” Continue Reading