RAIN News

Joe Rogan tops Edison list (again); survey method broadens ranker reach

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Brad Hill

Edison releases the U.S. Top 50 Podcasts for the full year span of Q3-2020 through Q2-2021. It is characterized by the same level of stability shown in all rankers — eight of the top 10 shows are identical to the full-year 2020 list from Edison. But as a consumer research project, Edison’s ranker has much more reach than server-side client measurement such as Podtrac’s monthly rankers. “The Joe Rogan Experience” lands in the #1 spot … again. Continue Reading →

HBO Max plans expansion of podcast effort with original programming

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Brad Hill

HBO Max, which promotes 25 podcasts on its website, is planning a deeper push into original audio programming. One effort will be Batman: The Audio Adventures, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and DC Comics. The announcement was made at last week’s Podcast Movement conference in Nashville. Continue Reading →

Ben & Jerry’s steps into branded podcasting, produced by PRX

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Brad Hill

Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s is partnering with PRX to launch a branded podcast. Called Blackberry Jams, the show drops August 31. The trailer is out now. Click for more info and link. Continue Reading →

iHeartMedia partners with NRJ Group to develop and translate podcasts for French audiences

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Brad Hill

In a trans-continental venture, iHeartMedia is partnering with French media company NRJ Group to create new French podcasts, translate existing iHeart podcasts, and use iHeart subsidiary Triton Digital to monetize everything via French audiences. Click for details. Continue Reading →

RAIN Notes: Tuesday, August 10

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Brad Hill

Jottings of Note

— Jab History (iHeartMedia)

— Death x3 (Wondery)

— Expansion (Bauer Media)

Continue Reading →

Spotify tests “Plus,” splitting the difference between Free and Premium — potential new service tier

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Brad Hill

Spotify is testing a new service tier called “Plus,” which, for $0.99 per month, offers a little more interactivity than Spotify Free. If implemented, it would provide a middle-ground service between total lean-back (Spotify Free) and total lean-in (Spotify Premium). Continue Reading →

Podtrac Top Podcasts, July: Only four new shows from year-ago

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Brad Hill

Podtrac released its Top Podcasts monthly ranker for July. There is always a good deal month-over-month repetition in this ranker, as top shows continue their success reaching listeners. This month, we compared the July 2021 list with the July 2020 list to get a year-over-year view of repeat appearances. Continue Reading →

Mark Cuban’s Fireside Chat audio platform partners with Libsyn for added distribution

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Brad Hill

Fireside Chat, a social audio platform launched by co-founders Mark Cuban and Falon Fatemi, which launched in the wake of Clubhouse’s success, announced at Podcast Movement this week a partnership with venerable podcast host Libsyn. The tie-up promises to give Fireside creators a one-touch podcasting solution for distribution in the open podcast ecosystem. The announcement was delivered at a Cuban/Fatemi keynote presentation at Podcast Movement this morning. Continue Reading →

Podcast Movement 2021: Nearly 400 speakers converged in Nashville as annual gathering proceeded in person and online

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Brad Hill

Podcast Movement, the largest gathering of podcasting creatives and industry execs, returned to the physical realm in 2021 after an all-virtual installation of the series in 2020. This year’s gathering was at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville. The organizers hedged their bet with a co-produced virtual event. We went to Nashville. Continue Reading →

SXM Media starts AQ Academy to certify buyers in audio intelligence

Posted on August 4, 2021 by Brad Hill

SXM Media, the supply-side audio ad sales network of Sirius XM, which bundles inventory in satellite radio and its digital audio subsidiaries Pandora and Stitcher, is launching AQ Academy. Think of “AQ” as audio intelligence (IQ + audio = AQ). Continue Reading →

Audioboom plays for Samsung Galaxy users with new distribution deal

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Brad Hill

Audioboom has struck a deal with Samsung in which the podcast company’s top 100 podcasts appear in the Samsung Free app. Samsung Free comes pre-installed on newer Samsung Galaxy devices, features all kinds of curated media content at no cost, and is used by millions of people globally. Continue Reading →

Matt Deegan: Radio and Podcast Acquisitions

Posted on August 3, 2021 by Matt Deegan

by Matt Deegan
Guest columnist Matt Deegan (Folder Media) reports on radio and podcast acquisition activity. In this edition, Matt muses on iHeartRadio’s tie-up with TuneIn, which put iHeart’s radio station streams in TuneIn’s streaming audio app. He notes that BBC pulled its streams out of TuneIn, and speculates on how Global fits into iHeart’s larger picture … or vice versa. Continue Reading →