Comprehensive coverage of the podcasting industry and its business ecosystem.
We knew that the New York Times was interested in buying Serial Productions, the podcast house which makes Serial, the most successful true crime podcast franchise of the last six years. We reported such in January. Now we learn from the Times itself that it is exclusively discussing the acquisition with Serial, according to Ben Smith, the new Media Columnist. There might be a discount. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia already has a new partnership for turning its podcasts into books, and the latest development will offer the conglomerate more options for podcasts to become television shows. The company entered a multi-year first-look deal with UCP, a division of NBCUniversal Content Studios. Continue Reading
Acast announced a launch in Mexico and a hire to guide its local efforts. The podcast compay is centering its operations at an office in Mexico City. It hired Sergio Domínguez as its managing director for the country. Continue Reading
iHeartRadio Australia is getting its own podcast launch. ARN, the domestic radio group that operates iHeartRadio Australia, today introduced the iHeartPodcast Network Australia. Continue Reading
Oprah Winfrey is already a media mogul of the highest degree, and her latest project combines podcasts with her television roots. Her OWN television network is releasing The Oprah Winfrey Show The Podcast. The program will make all episodes from the talk show’s 25 years on air available in podcast form. Continue Reading
Deezer has entered a deal with podcast technology platform Whooshkaa. Under their arrangement, podcasters on Whooshkaa’s platform will be able to distribute their shows to Deezer with a one-click integration. Deezer currently has 14 million active users in 180 countries. Continue Reading
Podcast company Acast has continued its rapid expansion pace with the launch of its own platform for buying advertisements. Acast Marketplace offers advertisers direct, automated access to purchasing ads, sponsorships, and branded content. Continue Reading
Podcast monetization company Supercast announced a new influx of money and new leadership. The business has received $2 million in seed funding and appointed Jason Sew Hoy as its new CEO. Continue Reading
UK-based Podcast Radio has hired Gene Baxter, a 30-year veteran of Los Angeles’ KROQ station, as a presenter. Baxter will be the second “podjock” for the company, providing both DJ and announcer skills to the station’s all-podcast programming. Continue Reading
Edison Research has broken out a Top Ten Podcast ranker, which measures podcast popularity among weekly podcast listeners. The ranker will be released quarterly, and will represent a rolling four-quarter average. This method smooths out irregularities such as quick-rise, quick-fall podcast flashes in the pan. Continue Reading
Global music rights expert Deborah Mannis-Gardner shared her insights about the key facts of podcast licensing with RAIN. This post breaks down the basics of licensing music for your show. Continue Reading
Podtrac released its chart of the top 20 podcasts for January. The month displayed a shift toward news and politics programming. It also included shows that publish multiple times a day. Continue Reading