Podcasting 51 - RAIN News

Joe Rogan tops Edison list (again); survey method broadens ranker reach

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Brad Hill

Edison releases the U.S. Top 50 Podcasts for the full year span of Q3-2020 through Q2-2021. It is characterized by the same level of stability shown in all rankers — eight of the top 10 shows are identical to the full-year 2020 list from Edison. But as a consumer research project, Edison’s ranker has much more reach than server-side client measurement such as Podtrac’s monthly rankers. “The Joe Rogan Experience” lands in the #1 spot … again. Continue Reading →

HBO Max plans expansion of podcast effort with original programming

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Brad Hill

HBO Max, which promotes 25 podcasts on its website, is planning a deeper push into original audio programming. One effort will be Batman: The Audio Adventures, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and DC Comics. The announcement was made at last week’s Podcast Movement conference in Nashville. Continue Reading →

Ben & Jerry’s steps into branded podcasting, produced by PRX

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Brad Hill

Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s is partnering with PRX to launch a branded podcast. Called Blackberry Jams, the show drops August 31. The trailer is out now. Click for more info and link. Continue Reading →

Podcast Movement 2021: Nearly 400 speakers converged in Nashville as annual gathering proceeded in person and online

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Brad Hill

Podcast Movement, the largest gathering of podcasting creatives and industry execs, returned to the physical realm in 2021 after an all-virtual installation of the series in 2020. This year’s gathering was at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville. The organizers hedged their bet with a co-produced virtual event. We went to Nashville. Continue Reading →

Audioboom plays for Samsung Galaxy users with new distribution deal

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Brad Hill

Audioboom has struck a deal with Samsung in which the podcast company’s top 100 podcasts appear in the Samsung Free app. Samsung Free comes pre-installed on newer Samsung Galaxy devices, features all kinds of curated media content at no cost, and is used by millions of people globally. Continue Reading →

Spotify podcasting in Q2: Higher gross, higher margins, mix of exclusive and open strategies

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Brad Hill

Yesterday we covered the financials of Spotify’s Q2 earnings report. The broad strokes in the financials are: positive numbers, slightly missed expectations, and a stock drubbing. (SPOT stock has recovered about half of yesterday’s loss as of this post.) Today we look at podcast news. Huge year-over-year revenue jump. Continue Reading →

Acast Creative expands from Europe to U.S.; Shantae Howell will lead

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Brad Hill

Acast Creative, a unit of the global podcast company which produces podcast content (shows and/or episodes) for brands, is expanding with a U.S. launch this week. Acast has tapped Shantae Howell as Creative Director of the Americas to lead the team and expand the success of Acast Creative in the U.S. market. Continue Reading →

Echoverse podcast studio announces ambitious & celeb-studded new podcast slate

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Brad Hill

L.A.-based Echoverse, a podcast creation studio specialized in science fiction, supernatural and fantasy audio dramas, is releasing its new portfolio of projects. “It’s been a very busy year,” said Mark Stern, head of the network who owns a long executive resume in SciFi production. Click for show summaries. Continue Reading →

AIR bestows “New Voices” awards to 16 honorees in podcasting and radio

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Brad Hill

Audio industry advocacy group AIR (Association of Independents in Radio) is announcing today its 2021 group of “New Voices” — an annual award and career support program. Each of the 16 honorees will receive personal mentoring and networking opportunities over a five-month period, and a $1,000 stipend. Click for honoree profiles. Continue Reading →

Sports Illustrated goes with iHeartMedia for multi-year content deal and boutique production studio

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Brad Hill

iHeartMedia has announced a multi-year deal with Sports Illustrated. It includes original podcast production and the formation of Sports Illustrated Studios. iHeartPodcast Network will distribute the new shows, naturally, as well as SI’s existing portfolio. Most of the new shows will be launched in 2022; one new title scheduled for later this year. One of the new audio sports network podcasts will dip its toe into the true crime genre. Continue Reading →

iHeartRadio, NYTimes jump in Media Monitors Q2 podcast listening survey

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Brad Hill

In its quarterly survey of podcast listening, Media Monitors determined that iHeartRadio and NPR were the top two podcast publishers in Q2, as in Q1, based on the number of network-owned podcasts cited by survey respondents. Our comparison of the Q1-Q2 results shows much sameness in top networks. Continue Reading →

Corus Entertainment’s “Curiouscast Podcast Hour” extends shows to radio distribution

Posted on July 22, 2021 by Brad Hill

Canadian media company Corus has started distributing its podcast content to radio, via “The Curiouscast Podcast Hour.” The shows are heard weekly on seven Corus radio stations, hosted by Chris “Dunner” Duncombe, director of Streaming and Podcasting. Click for stations and broadcast times. Continue Reading →