The BBC has introduced a new approach to providing news on voice-activated hardware. The broadcaster launched an interactive voice news service designed to let listeners have more control over what stories they hear. It is rolling out to Alexa-enabled devices initially, and the BBC expects to add other platforms in the future. Continue Reading
The IFPI and Worldwide Independent Network (WIN) announced a new deal that will see the two parties collaborate on a system for collecting recording industry data. The Repertoire Data Exchange, or RDx, is a centralized industry data exchange service that will allow record companies and music licensing companies (MLCs) to manage their recording rights. Continue Reading
The latest report shared by Edison Research is an examination into the gender divides in podcasting. The results were initially presented at the She Podcasts LIVE event earlier this month. The report found that 29% of women have listened to a podcast in the last month, compared with 36% of men. Women are also drawing closer to an even split in the makeup of the monthly podcast audience. Continue Reading
Audion, the French tech-oriented podcast monetization startup, is announcing today that it raised approximately $1.2-billion (1.1 Euros). Founders Future, Kimo Venture and other angel investors are sourcing the money. Continue Reading
iHeartMedia is launching a new podcast in partnership with Mental Floss. The show is titled History Vs, with Mental Floss Editor-in-Chief Erin McCarthy hosting. Each season of the podcast will explore the live of an important historical figure and their impact on contemporary culture and society. Continue Reading
The IAB has released its half-year report, which found that Internet advertising revenue in the U.S. reached $57.9 billion in the first six months of 2019. The total is up 16.9% from the $49.5 billion generated in the first half of 2018. The half-year results showed continued favoring of mobile platforms, with digital audio revenue on mobile rising 40.9% on-year. Continue Reading
Marvel has already expanded its universe of popular superheroes to include audio storytelling. Now it has entered a multi-year podcast deal with Sirius XM to create more audio content. This deal will see the launch of scripted and unscripted series, as well as a live event angle. Continue Reading
The annual Canadian Podcast Listener Report, produced by Audience Insights and sponsored by TPX (The Podcast Exchange), debuted the 2019 edition at RAIN Summit Canada last week. The results were presented by Jeff Vidler (President, Audience Insights) and Jeff Ulster… Continue Reading
Smart speakers have been hit with several scandals over privacy and user protections this year, and now there’s a new, even riskier one unfolding. Whitehat hackers based in Germany developed eight apps for smart speakers that were able to eavesdrop on users and phish their passwords. Continue Reading
Podcast technology company ART19 sent out a notice today describing results of a podcast audience ad targeting study, conducted by audio intelligence company Veritonic. the purpose was to test effectiveness, as defined by recall, relevancy, and intent/likelihood to purchase. The upshot is that targeting did increase recall and effectiveness, and the lift increased with more precise targeting. Continue Reading
Spotify has been putting an international spin on its original podcast productions, such as a daily news show in Spanish through a partnership with Colombian newspaper El Tiempo. The latest development is a fictional show in French called L’Employé that premieres today. Continue Reading
Crooked Media is adding a daily news podcast to its programming. The company, which most notably makes the Pod Save America show, joins a crowded landscape for tackling the current headlines in audio. Continue Reading