Jottings of note:
Two On The Board & One Award
At the IAB’s Annual Leadership Meeting 2025 this week, the trade group announces the addition of two new members to the board of directors. Shenan Reed (Global Chief Media Officer, General Motors) is the new board Chair. Alison Levin (President, Advertising, and Partnerships, NBC Universal) becomes Vice Chair. “Shenan and Alison bring the expertise, vision, and drive needed to lead this charge, making them invaluable additions to the Board,” the IAB states.
Also announced: The IAB’s Service of Excellence Award for Outstanding Contributor to Media Center / Audio is given to Lauren Russo (EVP, Managing Partner, Innovation & Performance Audio, Horizon Media).
Surfing
Podcast platform Libsyn partners with surfing celebrity Jamie O’Brien to make a multi-year advertising partnership for the highly alliterative The Jamie O & Mason Ho Show. O’Brien — in addition to his athletic cred — is known as a trailblazer in surf content creation. He’s got nearly eight million YouTube views across a global following. Mason Ho is likewise a known surfer with a storytelling flair which makes podcasting an agreeable and compatible venue for him. “Jamie and Mason have created an incredibly engaging show, and we’re honored these legends have chosen us as their exclusive partner,” said Billi Watland, Senior Manager of Partner Relations at Libsyn. “With our advertising expertise, we’ll drive the revenue swell, and let them focus on what they do best — master the waves and create incredible surf content.”
Good New Days
“I think this should be obvious: podcasting has changed a lot in the last ten years, almost entirely for the better. I say, “should,” because today I still often read and hear some industry observers lamenting these changes, expressing nostalgia for “the good old days.”
That’s PaulRiismandel, President/Partner at Signal Hill Insights, in his latest column, 142 Million Opportunities For Podcasting in 2025. While the podcast landscape is more crowded than ever, making it harder to get on the charts, the congestion has also opened opportunities for both podcasters and audiences. Riismandel harks back to 2014, the traditional start of the modern podcast era, when Serial Debuted. During the ensuing years the reach and share of podcasting have grown immensely — a 32-point jump in American share, he calculates. It’s also a broader,more diverse audience. And — here’s some calculated optimism for creators — “There is a 3.4x greater chance of finding an audience in 2025 than in 2014.” Read it HERE.
January 28, 2025