The 2021 edition of the annual People’s Choice Podcast Awards is out. This remarkable celebration of podcasting excellence is basically crowdsourced — listeners and podcasters select all the nominees and all the winners. Not only a meritocracy, but the results furnish a remarkable trove of discovery. Continue Reading
Global audio streaming service Deezer celebrated International Podcast Day with a metrics release revealing the rise in podcast listening and top shows. Click for details and an infographic. Continue Reading
Presumably (but not explicitly) in honor of International Podcast Day, Apple released two podcast charts: Top Subscriptions, and Top Free Channels. This is the first ranking released by the company since those two programs started three months ago. Click for the details. Continue Reading
As an International Podcast Day commemoration, Acast devised a promotional campaign meant to celebrate podcasting, and selected podcasters. It uses dynamic insertion to place messages from leading creators across the network. Continue Reading
For International Podcast Day, the Omny Studios blog posted a metrics roundup comparing year-over-year statistics from IPD 2020-2021. Omny is mainly an enterprise hosting platform which serves podcasts from an international array of major media brands and radio groups. Click through for several interesting results and graphics. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— Exporting to English (Spotify)
— Happy Birthday (iHeartMedia)
— Videoaudio (Kast Media)
Trading on the title of one of the most popular podcasts in the world, and on his own status as co-founder of the esteemed Earwolf comedy podcast network, Scott Aukerman is partnering with Acast to create Comedy Bang! Bang! World, a slate of premium podcast programming. Continue Reading
This week we reported on Spotify’s new brand marketing campaign and name change of its advertising division. Today the company informs us that a neurological study — a kind of “your brain on Spotify –accompanied that effort. Click through for details and graphics. Continue Reading
Global-owned digital audio exchange DAX is splashing a new partnership with podcast network Breakbeat Media. In the arrangement, DAX will exclusively represent audio ad sales for Breakbeat’s podcast portfolio. Ex-Spotify global exec Les Hollander is DAX CEO. Continue Reading
Jottings of Note
— Oops (RAIN)
— Take Two (Ximalaya)
— Doing Good for Bad (Ashley Flowers)
Cumulus Media has announced the creation of the Audio Active Group. In the company’s words, it is a “full-service advisory to offer comprehensive insights, media planning, creative, and measurement services for audio advertisers.” The well-known Westwood One blog, edited by Pierre Bouvard, has been renamed. Click for details. Continue Reading
A newly released national poll commissioned by artist advocacy group musicFIRST intends to paint a picture of an American public that wants AM/FM terrestrial radio broadcasting to pay artist royalties for recordings played on-air. We cover the survey results and both sides of an ongoing lobby battle. Continue Reading