Comprehensive coverage of the podcasting industry and its business ecosystem.
Podcast listeners are doubling down: Over half of them spent more time listening over the past six months than previously — that metric courtesy of research conducted by Nielsen in partnership with global podcast company Acast for this week’s Adweek in NYC. That 52% is favorable compared to the results for other audio categories. Click through for key findings. Continue Reading
by Steve Goldstein IN his latest column, Steve Goldstein provides a metrics-rich glance back over 2021. Thirteen milestones of 2021 lead us into the unknown of 2022. It’s a fascinating glance back, and forward. Continue Reading
In what could be a warning to all podcast networks, and a boost for audio transcription services, the National Association of the Deaf has sued SiriusXM for failing to provide transcripts of podcasts. The suit covers Stitcher and Pandora as well. This action harks back to a previous lawsuit against Netflix. Continue Reading
In Podtrac’s recently released Top Podcasts ranker for November, we see the continuation of a sameness trend RAIN has been tracking for several months. The list measures Podtrac clients and is ranked by U.S. audience size. Click through for RAIN’s visual comparison, and Podtrac’s original November list. Continue Reading
NPR is reviving its College Podcast Challenge, founded last year as an offshoot of the PR Student Podcast Challenge for grades five through eight. “All it takes is a smartphone, a laptop computer, and a good idea,” NPR states. “We… Continue Reading
The Canadian Podcast Listener 2021, an annual consumer survey project produced by Signal Hill Insights, with support from TPX, has been released. In a broad sweep, the 2021 report portrays the Canadian podcast market as growing in listenership with advertiser-friendly consumers. Click through for metrics, graphics, and a download link. Continue Reading
Imagine Entertainment, founded by Brian Glazer and Ron Howard, has struck an exclusive co-production, distribution, and presumably monetization deal with iHeartMedia, bringing the TV/film company into podcasting. The partnership will collaborate to launch six new series over the next two years distributed through the iHeartPodcast Network. Continue Reading
Apple released its review of “best and most popular podcasts” today. Although many of the 22 honorees arepretty high in the charts, we think this is a good discovery list, worth exploring. Click for details. Continue Reading
For the second time this week, Audible’s executive staff has been raided. This time it’s an in-house raid. Jessica Radburn, formerly Senior Director of Global Content Programming at Audible, was hired by Amazon Music podcast subsidiary Wondery. Details within. Continue Reading
Facebook launched podcast listening in its mobile apps during the summer. We tested it this week to learn its features and functions. We were interested in how the experience might contribute to raising awareness of podcasting in Facebook’s billions of users around the world — or even just the 221-million Americans on the platform — and how the experience compares to stand-alone podcatchers. Continue Reading
Vox Media has bought Criminal Productions, whose best-known show is Criminal, which has appeared on several “Best Of” lists. Vox plans to double the unit’s staff, expand Criminal to a weekly show, and develop new ones. All this takes place within Vox’s podcast division, Vox Media Podcast Network. Vox also takes over ad sales. Continue Reading
Bad Robot, the film/TV firm founded and run by J.J. Abrams, whose franchises include Star Trek and Cloverfield movies, has jumped into audio with the creation of a podcast unit. Abrams pulled Christina Choi away from Audible to head the venture. The whole thing is tied up with Spotify. Continue Reading