Radio giant Audacy, rocked by bankruptcy debt restructuring, is forging ahead with a five-point business projection. Looking at the company’s business plan filed with the SEC, we see five areas of focus. Click for details, graphs, and a link. Continue Reading
by Steve Goldstein
Apple changed podcast measurement when it changed how downloads are counted. Numbers dropped, but integrity rose. “The podcast industry supported the move to uphold the integrity of the metrics advertisers see {…} cognizant that downloads would take a hit but chose long-term credibility over the vanity.” In his latest guest column, Steve Goldstein tours through media categories including radio, digital advertising, email marketing, television, and print media. In all cases, measurement is a challenge. This is an illuminating read. Continue Reading
In his latest guest column, James Cridland reviews and analyzes the Today program at BBC Radio 4. The exercise was enjoyable enough to motivate him to do the same for Australia’s ABC morning show. Also, how to effectively promote radio listening on the air. Continue Reading
Podfest Expo and Libsyn today unveiled the 2024 Podcast Hall of Fame Inductees. Launched in 2015, the Podcast Hall of Fame’s mission is to recognize and celebrate the distinguished group of individuals who have made a significant impact on the podcasting industry. Click for details. Continue Reading
YouTube has (belatedly) enabled RSS feed uploads of audio podcasts. This awaited feature is important because YouTube is commonly cited in listener surveys as a preferred platform for consuming podcasts. RSS is the foundational anatomy of podcast distribution which makes hooked-up shows appear in all podcast listening apps. The announcement is plainly good news, eagerly awaited by the creator class. There is also uncertainty about details. Continue Reading
The iHeartPodcast Awards, formerly held independently in a Los Angeles performance venue, and simulcast online, will return on March 11 at the Fairmont Hotel in Austin. The event is revived via a partnership with the SXSW Conference and Festivals. Details. Continue Reading
In his latest guest column, James Cridland reviews and analyzes HD Radio, comparing it to the UK’s DAB digital radio solution. HD Radio does not fare well in the comparison, for reasons ranging from low usage to poor user experience. “Now that HD Radio is more than 21 years old, it might be interesting to know how much listening there is to these HD2/HD3 stations. And it turns out… not much.” And James analyzes why that is. A must read for anyone interested in what went wrong with HD Radio adoption in the U.S., and a cross-continental comparison. Continue Reading
The average cost per thousand (CPM) for podcast advertising remained essentially flat in December, about one dollar lower than the average rate in November. This from the monthly reckoning at AdvertiseCast. Click for graphs and multi-year high and low points. Continue Reading
by Steve Goldstein
In his latest guest column, Steve Goldstein observes that Americans listen to four hours of audio per day … and that metric has not changed for a decade. “Time spent is unmoving,” he says, “and so it begs the question: How can podcasting (or any audio sector) continue to grow listening in a seemingly static audio environment?” Steve details five recommendations. Continue Reading
2023 saw fewer new podcast launches than in each of the previous four years. The most recent year which produced fewer was 2018. New episode volume remains high, over four years. Click for numbers and charts.
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Triton Digital released its U.S. Podcast Ranker for November, ranking the top 100 podcasts measured by Triton’s service. As always, this list connects each of the 100 listed shows with its sales network. Four podcasts debuted on the November list. Continue Reading
In a presentation deck that cites 35 data sources, SXM Media releases “Digital Audio VS…” — a collection of research which supports the idea that digital audio is a superior marketing channel compared to other media. It features a playful boxing motif, and a ton of statistics. Continue Reading