Visit https://podnews.net/update/himalaya-launch-with-100m for all the links, and to subscribe.

(There's lots about yesterday's Spotify+Gimlet+Anchor news below. But first...)

• Himalaya have invested $100m in a launch of a "creator-focused, innovative podcast platform, network and community". The platform includes monetisation for podcasters, including tipping and follower bonuses; the company has signed a bunch of new shows, and partnered with Acast and Megaphone. It has expertise from the wildly successful Ximalaya FM platform in Asia.
  • You can claim your podcast on the Himalaya platform today.
• Podcharts is out of beta. They've mailed users of the service with details of how to subscribe.

Announcing Blubrry Podcast Stats are IAB Certified — IAB Certified Stats, You do not need to host at Blubrry to get certified. Our platform integrates with nearly all major podcast hosting platforms get started today for $5.00 a month.

World's Largest Conference for Podcasters — Podcast Movement will welcome nearly 3,000 attendees this August to the world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters and the podcast industry. Sign up to ATTEND, EXHIBIT, or SPEAK today!

Last Week to Enter the Australian Podcast Awards! — Entries close on 14th February for the 2019 Australian Podcast Awards. Winners will be announced on 18 May, and will receive prizes, trophies and lots of kudos from the industry.

• Just reached beta: Podcast·co, "a no-fuss way to publish and organise your podcasts". There's an online product tour.
• WNYC has named Andrew Golis (Vox, The Atlantic, PBS) as their new Chief Content Officer. He will work across WNYC News, WNYC Radio, and WNYC Studios.
• Should you use 44.1kHz or 48kHz sample rate for your podcast? Allan Tépper has launched the 48kHz Alliance, giving reasons why he feels 48kHz is preferable, and taking Libsyn's Rob Walch to task for a statement he made in The Feed. (Our podcast technical analytics measure the samplerate of recent podcasts).
• The case against Adnan Syed has a trailer up - it's a TV show on HBO, premiering on March 10th, focusing on the original Serial case.
• Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop will now be heard on Delta planes in the US.
• Our podcast pages now link directly to Podchaser. (Here's The Economist's The Intelligence).
• Our Apple Podcast Analytics are perplexing.

Yesterday, Spotify bought Gimlet (a top-end podcast producer) and Anchor (a set of tools for making and hosting podcasts). Terms were not disclosed: pricing from those familiar with the sale appear to be about US$230m for Gimlet, and around US$50m for Anchor. Spotify's founder, Daniel Ek, blogged about the strategy, notably: "With the addition of Gimlet and Anchor, Spotify will now become the leading global podcast publisher with more shows than any other company." He also spoke on CNBC: "Our users who are listening to podcasts are listening to the platform almost twice as much." He is also quite bullish about the future, saying "I don't think it is unlikely that it is a Netflix type of story ... of us doubling that investment year over year to get more and more content."

• Relax, Reply All listeners. Here's a full transcript of the investor's call - including Daniel Ek saying: "Just to be very clear, the goal is not with Gimlet nor with Anchor to make any of their existing content exclusive, but to focus on the content that we're developing at Spotify and make more exclusive deals going forward."
• Anchor have also blogged to their users. "The way you create, distribute, and monetize on Anchor does not change."
• Tom Webster points out Edison Research numbers showing that 25% of audio listened-to is speech programming (aka "podcasts"), which explains why Spotify want to invest in podcasting if they want to be the #1 audio platform in the world. He also suggests that this paves the way for commercial music in podcasts (since Spotify holds the licences) - and perhaps means a reinvention of music radio, too.
• TechCrunch appears to have an interview with Spotify's Chief R&D Officer Gustav Söderström (though it's unclear when the interview was conducted). "We think this is the right time to invest. We could have continued on our own, but we think this is a great acceleration of the strategy we already had." The article also says that Anchor's branding and products will remain (though "it wouldn’t offer the same promise for Gimlet’s brand").
• Former Gimlet staffer Nathan Baschez posts ten predictions based on the news. He predicts Anchor's technology will be used by local advertisers within Spotify's wider product.
• Bello Collective's Amanda McLoughlin posts advice for podcasters following the buyout - particularly, that platforms are tools and not friends.
• Dallas Taylor (Twenty Thousand Hertz) is good enough to post an honest thought: "All of my thoughts about the Gimlet/Spotify deal are clouded by my raging jealousy."
• Helen Zaltzman (The Allusionist) points out that "the podcast gold rush times of the past few years have not really spread money around to lots more podcasters."
• Zack Kahn (Vox Media) compares podcasting to radio - even with this big purchase of perhaps $260m, radio is still worth US$19bn. "We've got a ways to go", he adds.
• James Cridland (Editor, Podnews) added: "The US podcast market is $314m. The Chinese podcast market is over $7bn. The Chinese use subscription as their primary model. If only Apple had every single iPhone user’s credit card details, and some kind of in-app payment system." He's being a little sarcastic.
• Mark Mulligan, a music industry technologist, isn't convinced, citing a number of different reasons why "the future of podcasts may lie elsewhere".
• Hot Pod's Nick Quah is on holiday in Malaysia, but still appears to have been interviewed by TechMeme's Ride Home podcast, and has written for NiemenLab. Get some rest, Nick.

• In a special edition of Start Here, Brad Mielke goes inside the chamber to hear the State of the Union speech for himself. From reporters, to analysts, to a surprise visit from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, this edition breaks down the biggest moments.

Our supporters (become one): Turner Podcast Network, POST by Futuri, Futuri Media, Simplecast, All In Media, Xperi, Himalaya, Podcast Success Academy, Captivate, Podigee, Podcast Design Studio, iHeartRadio, Podcast Websites, Masters of Scale, Acast, Synth, myTuner, Poductivity, NPR, Rebel Base Media, TeePublic, Castbox, Audioburst, Media Masters, Auscast Network, Sonic Influencer Marketing, Podiant, Entale, echowave.io, Cosas De Internet, Podcast Partnership, StatsRadio, Solid Gold Podcast Studios, DAX, Ad Results Media, Alternate Thursdays, nlogic, Oxford Road, EverythingWithPodcasting, StreamGuys, Trebble, Rachel Corbett\s Podschool, Alitu, Podcraft, Content10x, Chartable, SpliceCast, Creative Zombie Studios, Gimlet, Benztown, Weird Tales Radio Show, She Podcasts, Podcast Ad Report, Veritone One, Adopter Media, ART19, Stitcher, The Podcast Exchange, adswizz, Resonate Recordings, Messy, Wondery, Pippa, BG AD Group, Lower Street, My Spotify Ideas, Lantigua Williams and Company, Cleanfeed, School of Podcasting, Cabana, Podbean, Revolver Podcasts, autopo.st, Podigy, The Talent Squad, Podcast Movement, Blubrry, Podknife, Radio Stakhanov, TopPodcast.com, Voxnest, Sonix, audioBoom, Margarita Noriega, Horse Radio Network, Storiyoh, Megaphone, Cadence13, Jim Harold Media LLC, Midroll, Nobex Partners, Whooshkaa, Omny Studio, Pacific Content, Richard Dally, 89.9 Light FM Melbourne, Triton Digital, Placard Media, Edison Research, Love Sport Radio, Audience Insights Inc, Podrover, Radio Public

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/spotify-gimlet-anchor for all the links, and to subscribe.

Enterprise - IAB Certified Podcast Metrics — Need Podcast Measurement Certification? Blubrry Enterprise Podcast Statistics is your fast track for networks and media buyers. Tested, Audited, Certified. Contact support@blubrry.com

Consider Blubrry Pro — Bandwidth bill have you frustrated? Find out why commercial shows are switching to Blubrry! We will beat any competitors per GB price. Includes IAB Certified Stats! Contact todd@blubrry.com

PRICES INCREASE TONIGHT to Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register by midnight today (Wed) before prices increase!

Subscribe to All Inclusive — a podcast about understanding and inclusion for people with disabilities. Equal opportunities for people with disabilities is the social justice issue of our time. Download our episodes!

Spotify, the music company, has bought both Gimlet - and Anchor.

Gimlet Media is a polished podcast production company, based in Brooklyn. Spotify's much rumoured acquisition of the company was only half the story - since they've also purchased Anchor, a free podcast publishing platform, responsible for 40% of all new podcasts.

"These acquisitions will meaningfully accelerate our path to becoming the world’s leading audio platform, give users around the world access to the best podcast content, and improve the quality of our listening experience as well as enhance the Spotify brand,” said Daniel Ek, Spotify co-founder and CEO.

“We are proud to welcome Gimlet and Anchor to the Spotify team, and we look forward to what we will accomplish together.”

The Verge are reporting further, noting that "Spotify is now planning more acquisitions for podcasts in 2019", and the company notes it’s willing to spend around $500 million to grow its podcast business this year.

We'll, of course, have more on this story tomorrow.

Our supporters (become one): Turner Podcast Network, Futuri Media, POST by Futuri, Simplecast, Xperi, All In Media, Himalaya, iHeartRadio, Poductivity, Acast, Rebel Base Media, TeePublic, Podigee, Podcast Design Studio, Podcast Websites, Podcast Success Academy, Masters of Scale, Synth, NPR, Captivate, myTuner, Audioburst, Castbox, Media Masters, Gimlet, Chartable, StatsRadio, Content10x, Ad Results Media, EverythingWithPodcasting, Creative Zombie Studios, Podcraft, Benztown, StreamGuys, SpliceCast, Weird Tales Radio Show, nlogic, Podiant, Trebble, Podcast Partnership, Alternate Thursdays, Rachel Corbett\s Podschool, echowave.io, Sonic Influencer Marketing, Oxford Road, Alitu, Cosas De Internet, Entale, DAX, Solid Gold Podcast Studios, Auscast Network, She Podcasts, Jim Harold Media LLC, Revolver Podcasts, TopPodcast.com, Veritone One, Cabana, The Podcast Exchange, Podcast Ad Report, Resonate Recordings, Podcast Movement, Horse Radio Network, Messy, Voxnest, Storiyoh, School of Podcasting, Podigy, audioBoom, BG AD Group, Pippa, Megaphone, The Talent Squad, Stitcher, Lantigua Williams and Company, Adopter Media, My Spotify Ideas, autopo.st, Cleanfeed, Wondery, Midroll, Cadence13, Podknife, Radio Stakhanov, Lower Street, Podbean, Margarita Noriega, Sonix, ART19, adswizz, Blubrry, Nobex Partners, Whooshkaa, Omny Studio, Pacific Content, Love Sport Radio, Edison Research, Placard Media, Triton Digital, 89.9 Light FM Melbourne, Audience Insights Inc, Richard Dally, Podrover, Radio Public

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/podcast-archive for all the links, and to subscribe.

• Preserve This Podcast has released a cautious look at the results of a survey into podcast audio archiving, claiming that in 50 years, the golden age of podcasting could turn into a dark age. While only 7% of podcasters don't keep any backups at all, many don't store full backups of original material. 18% only keep backups of their final edited episodes. The full survey results are here (pdf).
• Switched on Pop has joined the Vox Media Podcast Network. It's Vox's first music-based podcast: the company now has a roster of eight shows.
• Himalaya has been formally announced as Presenting Sponsor for the Podfest Multimedia Expo in Orlando FL, USA next month. Last week we highlighted that Himalaya are paying for 50 podcasters' travel to attend the event.

Enterprise - IAB Certified Podcast Metrics — Need Podcast Measurement Certification? Blubrry Enterprise Podcast Statistics is your fast track for networks and media buyers. Tested, Audited, Certified. Contact support@blubrry.com

Consider Blubrry Pro — Bandwidth bill have you frustrated? Find out why commercial shows are switching to Blubrry! We will beat any competitors per GB price. Includes IAB Certified Stats! Contact todd@blubrry.com

PRICES INCREASE TONIGHT to Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register by midnight today (Wed) before prices increase!

Subscribe to All Inclusive — a podcast about understanding and inclusion for people with disabilities. Equal opportunities for people with disabilities is the social justice issue of our time. Download our episodes!

• A preliminary schedule for the RAIN Podcast Business Summit, in New York NY next month, is highlighted in RAIN. (James Cridland, our editor, is moderating a panel on analytics.)
• Spotify+Gimlet: Paul Colligan thinks that Gimlet will contain ads for Spotify, and that this is a valuable part of a purchase (if it comes). HotPod today contains lots more about the deal, and the promise/threat that "we’re going to [be] talking about every implication of this for a long time". Spotify has an investor's call today, so we've not heard the end of this story yet.
• Google have released Live Transcribe, an app in limited release that automatically transcribes a conversation. Looks interesting; though applications for podcasting are limited - text cannot be copied for privacy reasons. Its primary focus is for the hearing impaired.
• The Podcast Host has a full review of the RØDE Rødecaster Pro.
• Anchor now allow you up to three podcast sponsorships per episode with their Anchor Podcast Sponsorships service. "Placing three segments all together in the middle of your episodes is, for most podcasts, likely going to be the most efficient path to profit," the company advise.

• Fall of the Shah is a new, nine-part drama starring Diana Rigg and Iranian actors Moe Bar-El and Bijan Daneshmand, Fall Of The Shah tracks the downfall of the Shah of Iran in the late 1970s and the rise of a forceful new Islamic Republic. (BBC World Service)
• Alone: A Love Story, the award-winning audio memoir by Michelle Parise, has just started its much-anticipated final season. "Last we checked, her post-divorce podcast had 5.3 million downloads," say the team. (CBC)
• Playable Characters, "funny interviews with video game characters", is nearing episode 100, the creators - Brian McGuinness and Calvin Cato - say. King Bowser and Diddy Kong are two past guests.
• Stupodity is a new podcast from Dan Le Batard's co-host, "Stugotz" (Jon Weiner). The first episode went live on Jan 31, and reached #1 in the Apple Podcast Charts.

• Thank you to Kontekst & Lyd, a podcast producer in Denmark, for your kind personal support. You enabled us to install code to fix the "quotes" in this newsletter, so they're typographically correct (anything to avoid doing the accounts); and update our podcast recommendation newsletter list.
• Thanks to the former reader who unsubscribed from Podnews earlier this week but then gave us this really helpful piece of consumer insight.

Our supporters (become one): Turner Podcast Network, Futuri Media, POST by Futuri, Simplecast, Himalaya, Podigee, Rebel Base Media, Synth, TeePublic, Podcast Success Academy, Masters of Scale, myTuner, iHeartRadio, Podcast Design Studio, NPR, Captivate, Podcast Websites, Poductivity, Acast, Castbox, Audioburst, nlogic, Alitu, Podcraft, Creative Zombie Studios, Auscast Network, Content10x, echowave.io, Alternate Thursdays, Benztown, Media Masters, Gimlet, Entale, StatsRadio, Rachel Corbett\s Podschool, Trebble, Ad Results Media, Podcast Partnership, Podiant, Chartable, StreamGuys, Cosas De Internet, Oxford Road, DAX, SpliceCast, Sonic Influencer Marketing, EverythingWithPodcasting, Weird Tales Radio Show, Solid Gold Podcast Studios, She Podcasts, Midroll, Sonix, Radio Stakhanov, Storiyoh, Adopter Media, Wondery, BG AD Group, Veritone One, The Podcast Exchange, ART19, Podigy, Revolver Podcasts, School of Podcasting, Lower Street, Messy, Margarita Noriega, Podcast Movement, Podknife, autopo.st, The Talent Squad, Pippa, Cadence13, Horse Radio Network, Megaphone, Stitcher, Resonate Recordings, Cabana, Cleanfeed, Voxnest, Podcast Ad Report, adswizz, My Spotify Ideas, TopPodcast.com, Lantigua Williams and Company, Podbean, Blubrry, Jim Harold Media LLC, audioBoom, Nobex Partners, Whooshkaa, Omny Studio, Edison Research, Richard Dally, Pacific Content, Placard Media, Triton Digital, Love Sport Radio, Audience Insights Inc, 89.9 Light FM Melbourne, Podrover, Radio Public

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/bpa19-returns for all the links, and to subscribe.

• The British Podcast Awards have announced their return for 2019. Entries open today for 15 categories; writer and critic Miranda Sawyer, pictured above, has been announced as the new Chair of Judges. Here's a list of the winners from 2018; this will be the third year for the awards.
• Apple's quarterly financial figures now include total active users on iPhone: there are 900m globally (and therefore 900m installations of Apple Podcasts). Analyst Benedict Evans estimates 2.5bn Google Android phones (which all have the Google Podcasts player installed, if not the full app), and a further 600m in China.
• Patreon are having system difficulties, and podcasters (and others) have been waiting longer than usual for payouts. The site has been taken down for maintenance at times over the last few days. They're hoping to have sorted payment by the end of tomorrow (and if it helps, ours came in three hours ago).

Announcing Blubrry Podcast Stats are IAB Certified — IAB Certified Stats, You do not need to host at Blubrry to get certified. Our platform integrates with nearly all major podcast hosting platforms get started today for $5.00 a month.

Consider Blubrry Pro — Bandwidth bill have you frustrated? Find out why commercial shows are switching to Blubrry! We will beat any competitors per GB price. Includes IAB Certified Stats! Contact todd@blubrry.com

Need Videograms, Graphics, or other help? — Castworks Industries is a full-service marketing agency for new and established podcasts. Let us help you make promotional videograms, polish your audio, distribute your podcast, and more!

PRICES INCREASE WEDNESDAY to Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register by midnight Wednesday before prices increase!

Subscribe to All Inclusive — a podcast about understanding and inclusion for people with disabilities. Equal opportunities for people with disabilities is the social justice issue of our time. Download our episodes!

• The impending launch of Podfan - membership for podcasts - was announced on Feb 1. It's like Patreon, but specifically for podcasts, says developer Jamie Perkins. It has a different payment model, too. You can reserve your Podfan URL today, though.
• Looking back: Steven Goldstein blogs about what he saw at the Alexa conference; and the event management team of PodUK also blogged about their event.
• Spotify and Gimlet - Kevin Goldberg shares his thoughts, pointing out "Apple has been mostly complacent on their podcast strategy, only minimally innovating their app, slow rolling their hyped analytics, and overall squandering their massive head start." Eric and Ely from the Bello Collective have a conversation about whether it's a good thing or not. And radio executive Stephen Martin makes an interesting point... "Does this mean that Gimlet podcasts could contain commercial music, at least within Spotify's castle walls? It could mean the advent of a new class of podcast; one that benefits music owners."

• Edison Research have revealed that we're listening to less of our own music tracks (both CDs and MP3s). "Five years ago 38% of all Americans ages 13 and older listened to owned music at some point each day, today this has fallen by one-third to 25%." The company promises a further blog post to explain whether all this listening has moved to online music services like Spotify - we'd hope podcasts have a part to play too.

• Gimlet have released Conviction, an investigative podcast that features a detective, Manuel Gomez, who is "straight out of a detective novel". All episodes were released yesterday, on "Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all podcast streaming apps". (Gimlet / Megaphone)
• Trailblazers is a new podcast for "sound media professionals". Its first guest is correspondent and host of Planet Money, Robert Smith.

• Thank you to the world's biggest podcaster NPR, and to Synth, a short-form podcasting platform "in 256-second increments", for your kind support. You helped us make our podcast technical analysis service more robust.

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/spotify-gimlet-buy for all the links, and to subscribe.

Welcome to our new readers who've joined in the past week, including people from the BBC, the Sunday Times, KUOW, NPR, Turner, Himalaya, Entercom, the Washington Post, and from our new beneficent overlords, Spotify.

• Spotify is in talks to buy Gimlet Media, it's been reported. Recode quote the price as being $200m; Nick Quah adds that "a source ... tells me that the specific price is $230 million". The WSJ's Ben Mullin underlines that "talks are ongoing and it is still possible that a deal won’t happen". There's a Spotify investor's Q4 earnings call on Wednesday, so we should know more this week.
  • Our take: We've checked the data, and in an opinion piece today, we try to understand the purchase, because it's not that straightforward.
  • Elsewhere, Pete Davies argues that this might change everything... or might change nothing; Cohan Robinson suspects it's a case of embrace, extend and extinguish. There's coverage also from FastCompany,

Enterprise - IAB Certified Podcast Metrics — Need Podcast Measurement Certification? Blubrry Enterprise Podcast Statistics is your fast track for networks and media buyers. Tested, Audited, Certified. Contact support@blubrry.com

Podcast producer available for work in London — With a background in journalism and producing, presenting and editing a new podcast series on LGBTQ+ issues called 'Queer Margins'. Now looking for work within the podcast industry.

Need catchy music for your podcast? — Hooky Music produces award-winning music to tight deadlines at competitive prices. Contact Richard on hookymusicvideo@gmail.com today to talk about what you need.

PRICES INCREASE WEDNESDAY to Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register by midnight Wednesday before prices increase!

Subscribe to All Inclusive — a podcast about understanding and inclusion for people with disabilities. Equal opportunities for people with disabilities is the social justice issue of our time. Download our episodes!

• Dana Carvey and Conan O'Brien talk about podcasting on a recent podcast - and Dana Carvey has a sudden realisation. A good reminder of the power of podcasting.
• A free recording space for indie podcasters has opened in Seattle WA, USA; run by Podcific North West.
• A Russian-language podcast article focuses on Подкастерская ("Podkasterskaya"), a podcast production company in the country. Interesting to note that VK, the Facebook-equivalent, has a podcast portal.
• You can now register for the 2019 Latin Podcast Awards.
• Event: Indiepodfest, Melbourne VIC, Australia, in July. If you're interested in attending, there's a short survey for you over here.
• Google is shutting Google+, their social media network, shortly. (You might want to go there, leave a final message, and then grab anything you want to save).

• "Brazil is now the second largest podcast download market in the world– bigger than the UK and Australia… combined." - Podcast stats from Brazil

• Children's author and comic actor David Walliams has launched David Walliams' Marvellous Musical Podcast with Classic FM, a national UK classical music station. A new episode is being released every weekday for the next two weeks; it's intended to give children an introduction to classical music. (Global / DAX)
• Jessica Harper, an award-winning actress, has announced Winnetka. The podcast is a weekly ten-episode memoir. Narrated and with original music by Jessica Harper, the podcast features the voices of the Harper family, who share in the telling of their remarkable story. (The Podglomerate / DAX)
• The Family Tree returns for its final season. A piece of audio fiction presented as true, the majority of the action happens off-mic, spanning comedy, tragedy, adventure and interpersonal drama. If listening for the first time, you might want to go back to the first season, as a press release makes clear. (Libsyn)
• Masters of Scale answers the question "how do companies grow from zero to a gazillion?" Legendary Silicon Valley investor / entrepreneur Reid Hoffman tests his theories with famous founders: this week's edition focuses on Hoffman himself. (WaitWhat / ART19)

Thank you to the Masters of Scale podcast for your kind support. You helped us work on a way for buyers of our classified ads to check their upcoming ads.

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/rode-competition-podcasters for all the links, and to subscribe.

• RØDE, the Australian podcast equipment manufacturer, is giving away $150,000 worth of prizes in a competition announced today. The global competition is free to enter, and includes prizes from a variety of sources including Dave Jackson's School of Podcasting. The website has more info. Tip: RØDE is pronounced "road", and not "roadie". We asked.
• Apple Podcasts has launched downloadable podcast analytics data from their Podcast Analytics portal. The company says we should "look for the Download button under the date control in the upper-right corner"; the information downloaded is a simple tab-separated-value file for use in spreadsheets. The email also asked podcasters to market how podcasts work on Siri.
• Poddl·com is set to launch today. Inspired by Reddit, it's a social podcast aggregator that allows people to create groups ("subs") and add to other peoples', too. Here's the sub for podcasting as an example.

Audio Editing Made Easy! — Make great-sounding productions without tweaking every fade for an hour. Get your 90-day Hindenburg Journalist PRO trial and special Podnews discount today

Announcing Blubrry Podcast Stats are IAB Certified — IAB Certified Stats, You do not need to host at Blubrry to get certified. Our platform integrates with nearly all major podcast hosting platforms get started today for $5.00 a month.

PRICES INCREASE WEDNESDAY to Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register by midnight Wednesday before prices increase!

Would You Like Help With Your Podcast? — Sign up for a Coaching Pack (3 1-Hour Sessions) with Harry Duran (Host of Podcast Junkies, Founder of FullCast). Get help with all aspects of your show, including startup, promotion and accountability!

• The New York Times is now producing full transcripts for their podcast The Daily.
• Castaways is an attempt by Chris Enns to build a (closed) community for podcasters. Registration, and a payment, is required. An interesting attempt to establish a community outside Facebook or Reddit.
• Advice: Stephen Lacey wants to help get high-quality audio from your podcast interviews.

• The Ron Burgundy Podcast launches on Feb 7, but the trailer's there already. It starts with an exclusively produced theme tune (or Ron Burgundy singing "Ron Burgundy Podcast"). (iHeart / Megaphone)
• NPR's first history podcast, Throughline, has launched, promising "the story and perspectives often missing from history textbooks to help you understand our world today".
• Pew's After the Fact is two years old today, and celebrating 47 episodes and 85 guests. The podcast features nonpartisan analysis, with numbers and trends about society’s biggest challenges. (Libsyn)
• All Inclusive, from the Ruderman Family Foundation, focuses on topics of advocacy and innovation relating to disability. Recent episodes include discussion of a mental health crisis for college students, and the dangers of contact sports. (Libsyn)
• Seeking Peace: Stories of Women and War explores the role of women in war and peace. "Women are too often seen as victims of conflict; but they are leaders and often unsung heroes." (Georgetown's Institute for Women, Peace & Security / Megaphone)

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/podfest-himalaya-travel for all the links, and to subscribe.

• Want to be at Podfest Expo in Orlando in early March, but can't cover the travel costs? Himalaya, the presenting sponsor of the event, have put a fund together to cover at least 50 podcasters' flights to PodFest. Tell Himalaya with the name of your show, where you're coming from, and why you want to be there to travel@himalaya.com by next Friday, 8th February - and mention you saw this in Podnews. (We'll be there too).
• Acast are sponsoring the Diversity and Inclusion Award in the upcoming Australian Podcast Awards.
• Megaphone by Panoply has integrated with Google Campaign Manager to help advertisers and agencies manage their campaigns. The Google product allows one view to manage creative and campaigns (here's an overview); historically, podcast advertising has been managed separately, and this should help podcasting appeal to new advertisers, says Megaphone.

Enterprise - IAB Certified Podcast Metrics — Need Podcast Measurement Certification? Blubrry Enterprise Podcast Statistics is your fast track for networks and media buyers. Tested, Audited, Certified. Contact support@blubrry.com

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

Storyboard: The App for Private Podcasts — Need to make a podcast private for your organization or network? After creating your group on Storyboard, whitelisted users can listen to your private podcast feed from our new iPhone app or website.

• Event: the RAIN Podcast Business Summit is in New York NY, USA on Tuesday March 5th. Among the speakers: Zack Reneau-Wedeen, Founder and Head of Product, Google Podcasts; and James Cridland, Podnews's Editor.
• Wil Williams writes about her experience at PodCon 2 - "lovely, frustrating". Kyle Marshall also looked back at the event - learning about the importance of iteration and innovation; it's also the subject of the latest Creative Block podcast.
• Howard Schultz, former Starbucks CEO (and potential presidential candidate) appeared on The Goop Podcast over the weekend. Slate listened. Not sure they liked it.
• Advice: Podcast Websites on how to showcase your guests better; Transistor has tips for getting more Twitter followers for your podcast; Jon Moore wants to get the intro to your podcast right; and Spreaker covers how to promote your podcast with Instagram
• Event: the Outlier Podcast Festival, Austin TX, USA, May 17-18. Speakers include Lisa Orkin and Kevin Goldberg.

• The Economist, a UK newspaper, says revenue through Acast has increased 50% year-on-year for their five podcasts. Podcast ads in the UK, according to Digiday, fetch around US$12 CPM.

• The NAB Show in Las Vegas in early April is the largest collection of broadcasters and broadcast equipment anywhere. They've just launched the NAB Show Podcast to help you get the most out of the event. (Podnews will be there). (Spreaker)
• The Europeans covers the most interesting stories and most fascinating people from Europe. (And no Brexit! Yay!) Hosted by a reporter in Paris and an opera singer in Amsterdam, it's back for season three. (Anchor)
• Hi-Phi Nation returns for a new season: its first since joining the Slate Podcast Network. "We investigate stories, from the serious to the whimsical, the profound and the mundane, that raise thought-provoking, consequential questions, and we answer them with the help of philosophers." (Slate / Megaphone)
• Web of WMN is a new podcast seeking "to trace the many interconnected and diverse relationships women have, through interviews on topics relating to gender, politics, career, religion and more", and a clever premise of interviewing four women, then each of those women chooses a woman from her life to interview, and so on. (Anchor)
• Engineering Reimagined is a leadership podcast from Aurecon, a digital engineering and advisory company. Of interest: the podcast's website, integrated into the company's main site, contains comprehensive contextual information for listeners. (Nearly / Omny Studio)

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/werkit-survey for all the links, and to subscribe.

• If you're based in the US, and you currently make a podcast or support podcast production, WerkIt would like you to take this survey and help them get a view of the industry.
• Tenderfoot TV, the company behind Atlanta Monster and Up and Vanished, have announced with Cadence13 a partnership to produce six new and original podcast series this year, including some new true crime titles.
• HotPod 193 is out, including a look at how The Ringer works ("is it a model for podcasting success?") and also a look at "a pickle jar of listener malcontent" - the BBC Sounds app.

Announcing Blubrry Podcast Stats are IAB Certified — IAB Certified Stats, You do not need to host at Blubrry to get certified. Our platform integrates with nearly all major podcast hosting platforms get started today for $5.00 a month.

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

American Public Media Wants Your Podcast Pitch — We’re looking for unique show ideas that expose listeners to new ideas, spark imagination, and do some good in the world. Join award-winning APM shows like In the Dark and Terrible, Thanks for Asking.

• SoundCloud may have lost a co-founder this week (Jan 28), but Music Business Worldwide reports that its 2017 accounts (just filed in the UK) say that its revenue grew by 80% and topped US$100m. SoundCloud "also surpassed its full year 2018 growth plan".
• MakeUseOf has published its 8 best podcast apps for Android listicle. Pocket Casts is their #1; Google Podcasts is missing.
• Job: Executive Producer, WSJ Gimlet Podcast, in New York NY, USA.

• The latest episode of Chartable Radio has, as a guest, the Editor of Podnews, James Cridland. If you fancy thirty minutes of an "aloof British accent", knock yourself out. (Tech note: recorded using CleanFeed). (Libsyn)
• Launching today, Let's Get Civical is "made up of equal parts civics class and comedy show". The podcast description promises: "This stuff is confusing and we’ve made it our mission to break it down so we all understand what the FDR is going on. It’s like being in American Government class with your BFFs! But no exams. We promise!" (More Banana Productions / Libsyn)
• The Strategerist is a podcast from the George W Bush Institute (hence the Saturday Night Live joke). Hosted by Andrew Kaufmann, guests include Carly Fiorina, Fox News Harris Faulkner, conservationist James Farmer, and the first Afghan female pilot since the fall of the Taliban Niloofar Rahmani. (Libsyn)
• S#xual health podcast The S#x Wrap, which answers listener questions each week – typically questions that people are too afraid to ask at home, too embarrassed to ask at school, too hard to ask their partners, or too concerned with corporate email servers to write its name properly. The hosts are public health specialists: Spring is an associate professor at CUNY school of public health; Andrew is currently an assistant professor of public health at the University of Miami. One for your "top ten Valentine's Day podcasts" listicles? (Podglomerate / Megaphone)

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/overcast-instant-search for all the links, and to subscribe.

Welcome to the nearly 300 people who've subscribed over the past week, including folks from Acast, Bengo Media, the BBC, Edison Research, Entercom, NPR, Slate, USA Today, Condé Nast, Spotify, iHeartMedia and Himalaya. If you like Podnews, please let others know, and consider supporting us.

• Overcast, a popular iOS podcast app, has released v5.1. The author, Marco Arment, is most proud of instant search (which uses a cache on your device). Data point: over 80% of podcasts are added in Overcast by searching.
• Beginner's Guides to Getting Into Podcasts are two-a-penny online, and we don't normally link to them. Unless they're from the New York Times. It contains recommendations from many different writers. (They recommend Google Play Music as an Android app, though, which is disappointing - and shows how far Google Podcasts has to go to market itself.)
• Procast, an iOS podcast app from Germany, is now also available for Android. It's based on an inbox concept powered by a fast cloud-based backend. Privacy is highly valued - it's free, and has no advertising.

Enterprise - IAB Certified Podcast Metrics — Need Podcast Measurement Certification? Blubrry Enterprise Podcast Statistics is your fast track for networks and media buyers. Tested, Audited, Certified. Contact support@blubrry.com

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

American Public Media Wants Your Podcast Pitch — We’re looking for unique show ideas that expose listeners to new ideas, spark imagination, and do some good in the world. Join award-winning APM shows like In the Dark and Terrible, Thanks for Asking.

Retention & Growth Job at The Podcast Host & Alitu — We need someone who loves helping podcasters & loves to reach new ones. You'll work with our existing customers and market to new ones - retention & growth are the aim. Join the team!

• A new podcast studio has opened in Warren OH, USA.
• In case you missed it: we're monitoring many different things about podcasts to help the industry.
  • Our podcast availability list shows that, in general, every podcast is available in Google Podcasts as well as Apple Podcasts, though Spotify still only lists about 60%
  • Our technical podcast analysis shows that 128kbps is the relative standard for stereo podcasts, but mono podcasts are just as likely to be 64kbps or 128kbps. Most podcasts are coming in around -16 LUFS in terms of loudness (more info); but many are much, much quieter.

• Civic Science has done an (online) poll on podcast listening. The figures are markedly different to Edison Research (which doesn't use online polling) - Civic Science claims only 8% of Americans listen weekly; Edison Research claims 17%; and similar surveys in other countries reflect Edison Research's numbers. Still, there may be something to glean from this data.

• The Intelligence launches today: it's The Economist's new daily podcast. "Global illumination from The Economist’s worldwide network of correspondents as they dig past the headlines to get to the stories beneath—and to stories that aren’t making headlines, but should be."

Thank you to Echo Wave, a way to amplify your audio into engaging, sharable video, for your kind support. Be like Echo Wave, and help support this newsletter.

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/meet-your-maker-paint for all the links, and to subscribe.

• Edison Research's Tom Webster has written a guide to advertising that works in podcasting, based on dozens of ad-effectiveness surveys for advertisers and podcast networks that the company has done. Slapping in a radio spot into a podcast brings no particular benefit to an advertiser, he writes, and may even harm the podcast.
• Patreon has announced it has 3m creators. It predicts it'll pay half a billion dollars to creators in 2019 alone. (And yes, you can support us using Patreon too).
• Storyboard, an app "that allows companies, teams, and organizations to use the power of podcasting, just for their internal audiences", is now in beta.

Announcing Blubrry Podcast Stats are IAB Certified — IAB Certified Stats, You do not need to host at Blubrry to get certified. Our platform integrates with nearly all major podcast hosting platforms get started today for $5.00 a month.

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

American Public Media Wants Your Podcast Pitch — We’re looking for unique show ideas that expose listeners to new ideas, spark imagination, and do some good in the world. Join award-winning APM shows like In the Dark and Terrible, Thanks for Asking.

• Listen Notes, a podcast directory, has launched another experimental product - Listen Explorer, gives you similar podcasts to those that you enter.
• Dutch newspaper of record, NRC Handelsblad, is to start a new daily podcast in mid-March.
• Dan Misener discusses how to make amazing podcast artwork.
• Eric Wahlforss, the co-founder and Chief Product Officer of SoundCloud - a service many podcasters use as a host - is stepping down. "This was not an easy decision to make". The company lost Alex Ljung, the other co-founder, as CEO back in July 2017.
• Somethin'Else, a UK audio production company, has a new US Head of Content. Tom Koenig will be based in New York NY.
• Targetspot, a sales company that represents Google Play Music and Audioboom among others, has appointed Mark Kates as Sales Director for their Toronto ON, Canada office.
• Event: On Air Fest, Feb 28 - Mar 3, Brooklyn NY, USA. "Exploring storytelling and creativity in sound".

• Meet your Maker returns for a fourth season next week. Focusing on the stories behind the creation of all manner of culture, Liam Geraghty returns with his New York Festivals Radio Award nominated podcast; and will feature guests such as American cartoonist Chris Ware, Oscar nominated filmmaker Nora Twomey, Senior Conservator at the Chester Beatty Library Kristine Rose-Beers and video game maker David O'Reilly. (Libsyn)
• CES for Radio Broadcasters focuses on the technological trends on display at the annual trade show and how they will impact radio broadcasters. Much of the content is also relevant for podcasters, too. (Jacobs Media / Libsyn)
• Dave Hill's Podcasting Incident is celebrating its 100th episode featuring excerpts of past interviews with H. Jon Benjamin, Kevin Allison, Kristen Schaal, Martha Plimpton, Paul F. Tompkins, Dick Cavett, Bridget Everett and Malcolm Gladwell. (Libsyn)
• The Case of Charles Dexter Ward has made the good folks at The Verge really very excited. They write an in-depth article about the podcast. (BBC)

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/rodecaster-pro-multitrack for all the links, and to subscribe.

• The RØDECaster Pro, an audio mixer for podcasters, is adding a multitrack recording option in a new firmware update for all users, the company has announced. It'll record 14 tracks from the unit simultaneously, and will be available from the 'advanced' settings in the unit's touch interface. The 1.1.0 firmware update that enables it will be available to download next month.
• Set your calendars: the results of Triton Digital and Edison Research's 2019 US Infinite Dial survey will be live online on Wednesday, March 6, at 2pm ET. It contains lots of data about US audio consumption. You can join the webinar here.
• Adam Carolla has extended his contract with PodcastOne for a further five years.

Enterprise - IAB Certified Podcast Metrics — Need Podcast Measurement Certification? Blubrry Enterprise Podcast Statistics is your fast track for networks and media buyers. Tested, Audited, Certified. Contact support@blubrry.com

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

Executive Producer — Audioboom, a global leader in podcasting with teams in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, London, and Mumbai, are looking for someone to lead Audioboom's US-based production team, made up of experienced producers and supported by senior business development and ad sales leaders.

American Public Media Wants Your Podcast Pitch — We’re looking for unique show ideas that expose listeners to new ideas, spark imagination, and do some good in the world. Join award-winning APM shows like In the Dark and Terrible, Thanks for Asking.

PRX is hiring marketing managers in Boston, Mass. — Come work with the PRX training program and with public radio stations seeking audience engagement.

• Only you, the creator, gets to decide what is, or what isn't, audio fiction, says Alba Salix's Sean Howard. In an impassioned blog, he writes:

We have allowed a vocal few to shun so many nascent creators into silence or embarrassed reluctance to participate in meetups or cons. All from simply using a form of storytelling that someone didn’t find appropriate or having the gall to declare their live play a piece of audio fiction.

This is bullshit. If it’s audio and it’s fictional, then it is audio fiction. And you have just as much right to feel pride in what you have created as any other audio creator.

The final straw for me was when I saw it harming creators at PodCon2. Beautiful and talented artists were uncertain if they qualified to attend an audio drama event. Or they were afraid to pitch their show because it might not qualify as a piece of audio fiction.

... you should read the rest.

• Jordan Harbinger has been interviewed in depth by Podchaser.

• Awkward S#x and the City - the podcast is a podcast version of the touring storytelling show Awkward S#x and the City, making its special blend of earnest and often shocking honesty available to the world.
• Russia Rising launches on Monday. The seven-part original investigative series, led by Global News’ Jeff Semple, takes listeners inside Putin’s Russia to unravel its mysterious evolution from tenuous ally to potential global threat.
• Conviction is a new true crime series from Gimlet, featuring a new piece of investigative reporting each season. The first season follows the developing case of Pedro Hernandez. All seven episodes are released on Monday, February 4th.

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/david-tennant-interview-podcast-new for all the links, and to subscribe.

• Podbean, a podcast host, has unveiled audio recording and editing features in its app. It also offers background music and other enhancements - it's for both iOS and Android.
• How can you get funding to do your podcast? Juleyka Lantigua Williams spoke at the Werk It conference about how to find grants to support your work, and how to apply for them.
• Omny Studio, the enterprise podcast host, has partnered with Headliner to offer "one-click access to create best-in-class podcast audiograms", which help share podcasts in social media.

Announcing Blubrry Podcast Stats are IAB Certified — IAB Certified Stats, You do not need to host at Blubrry to get certified. Our platform integrates with nearly all major podcast hosting platforms get started today for $5.00 a month.

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

Executive Producer — Audioboom, a global leader in podcasting with teams in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, London, and Mumbai, are looking for someone to lead Audioboom's US-based production team, made up of experienced producers and supported by senior business development and ad sales leaders.

• Westwood One have appointed Cory Smith in the newly created role of VP, Digital Sales Marketing & Operations. He'll be responsible for digital sales planning, ad sales marketing, audience development, and ad operations, focusing on podcasting.
• Thinking about doing a Super Bowl podcast? Yeah, think carefully about that, says a lawyer.
• Ad Age notes the current fight for podcast dominance by Spotify and Pandora. We'd note that the article claims Castbox is the #1 podcast app; it also says Spotify has 170,000+ podcasts on its platform, while the US-only Pandora apparently has 100,000+ podcasts - Pandora's official blog claimed "hundreds of podcasts with over 100,000 episodes" a month ago.
• Course: The Audio Podcast Fellows at Stony Brook Southampton/Manhattan - a year of advanced, hands-on training to introduce students to the most current information on every aspect of audio podcast production, from storytelling and writing, to audio editing and sound, to marketing, production and distribution.
• We mentioned Radiodays Europe yesterday - lots of great speakers, including our own Editor; in Lausanne Switzerland at the end of March. Register now and use promo code PON19LA - you'll save €160 on your ticket. Shh, don't tell everyone.
• In March, Podnews will be at the RAIN Podcast Business Summit in New York; Podfest in Orlando; and Radiodays Europe in Lausanne, Switzerland. And you?

• David Tennant does a podcast with... is a new interview podcast from the British actor, with impressive access to big named guests. The press release promises current Doctor Who, Jodie Whittaker, is a future guest. (Somethin' Else / No Mystery / Acast)
• TNT has posted the trailer for Root of Evil, a a companion to TNT’s six-episode suspense drama I Am the Night. The podcast series premieres on February 13; we first reported it on 18 Dec. It focuses on the real story and real people behind the dramatized crime series. (TNT / Turner Podcast Network / Cadence13 / knit)
• Too Late To Die Young claims it's one of the first podcasts to be aimed at an over 60 audience: hosted by Nina Miskow, each episode interviews a high-profile guest who is at that time of life when they are closer to the end than the beginning. 'If you want to know about living your best life, learn from those who have lived theirs', says the description. (Audioboom)

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/economist-intelligence for all the links, and to subscribe.

• Spotify appears to be testing an import function that will allow you to "add podcasts from another app" on iOS. It appears to look inside your media library. Podcasts do need to be on Spotify, of course. (Is your podcast not on Spotify? Add it here).
• Our technical analysis of recent podcasts has been improved under the hood, and is now measuring more podcasts more often. Bitrates, LUFS levels, and other things - you'll also find this analysis appearing in selected podcast pages. Just search.
• The BBC Sounds app continues to gather bad press. The BBC, who has lost a number of radio presenters recently including Chris Evans, Simon Mayo and Charlie Sloth, has suffered another setback with the announcement that Brett Spencer, formerly Digital Editor for BBC Radio's music channels, has accepted a new role as Digital Content Director for rival Bauer Media. Formerly under his watch? Kermode and Mayo's Film Review.

Enterprise - IAB Certified Podcast Metrics — Need Podcast Measurement Certification? Blubrry Enterprise Podcast Statistics is your fast track for networks and media buyers. Tested, Audited, Certified. Contact support@blubrry.com

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

Executive Producer — Audioboom, a global leader in podcasting with teams in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, London, and Mumbai, are looking for someone to lead Audioboom's US-based production team, made up of experienced producers and supported by senior business development and ad sales leaders.

• The Listen App is a new podcast app that can be operated one-handed.
• HotPod focuses on Pinna, a kids podcaster, previously owned by Panoply, which is now being spun out as an independent company.
• Podiant, a hosting and analytics platform, has announced integrations with creator platform Podchaser, a new player, support for analytics technology Podcast Pingback, and 'applause', a way for listeners to show appreciation in their web player as they listen.
• Røde is talking up "a major firmware update" for their Prodcaster mixer. The video says: "You asked for it - we made it".
• Radiodays Europe has published its preliminary programme. This conference, in Lausanne Switzerland at the end of March, is the world's meeting point for the world of radio and audio. Tom Webster from Edison Research, and James Cridland, Podnews's Editor, are amongst the speakers.
• Event: Podcamp Toronto "the un-conference where digital media comes together", is Feb 22-24 in Toronto ON, Canada.
• Event: Podcast Festival in Hamburg, Germany, Feb 25 to Mar 1, featuring German-language podcasters.
• Job: Channel 4 News is looking for a Junior Podcast Producer, based at ITN in London.

• TuneIn, a radio stream and podcast aggregator, claims total listening hours were up 31% in 2018. They're the default for Amazon Alexa's podcast experience; and the default for both Amazon and Google speakers for live radio. Not on Tunein? Add your podcast here.

• The Economist, a newspaper disguised as a magazine, is launching a daily podcast. Jason Palmer will host it, called The Intelligence, which will be published at the same time as Podnews (6am NY, 11am London), from January 29th. Digiday report it has 8 staffers. (Acast)
• Westwood One has launched season 2 of Suze Orman's Women & Money original podcast. The press release promises a new interactive approach.
• Case Closed is the first true-crime podcast from Macmillan. The first season is based on Shanna Hogan's Secrets of a Marine's Wife, out next month; of note, their email to us stresses that "each season is based on a solved story, so that you can walk away feeling satisfied and knowing exactly how the story ends." Amen.
• Blank Check has reached its 200th episode. The podcast delves into the movies of Hollywood's most outsized directors. Specifically, the auteurs whose early successes afforded them the rare ‘blank check’ from Hollywood to produce passion projects. Sometimes those checks clear. And sometimes – they bounce. Episode 200 looks at Glass, a movie they call a 'glassterpiece'.
• If you follow Podnews Weekly in Spotify, you'll notice that it's no longer available (we've grayed the logo out and everything). Instead, please do subscribe to Podnews which you'll find in all good podcast apps (and some bad ones). Our podcast's good: our newsletter's better, though.

• Amazon have launched In Skill Purchasing for the Amazon Alexa. You could probably use that for merch, premium content, or donations, maybe.

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/audioboom-doubles for all the links, and to subscribe.

• Audioboom, a podcast host and monetisation platform, has reported that its revenue for 2018 nearly doubled, and expects another 50% increase this year.
• The BBC has launched a podcast award in memory of Rachael Bland, the host of cancer podcast You, Me and the Big C. The award is looking for the next new, passionate and distinctive voices in podcasting. Entries for The Rachael Bland New Podcast Award opened yesterday, and BBC Radio 5 Live will produce a pilot series of the winning podcast to showcase on BBC Sounds.
• Podtrac have published their Top 20 (US) podcasts for December 2018. Serial has dropped from #2 to #14; Pardon My Take is up to #7.

Announcing Blubrry Podcast Stats are IAB Certified — IAB Certified Stats, You do not need to host at Blubrry to get certified. Our platform integrates with nearly all major podcast hosting platforms get started today for $5.00 a month.

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

Executive Producer — Audioboom, a global leader in podcasting with teams in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, London, and Mumbai, are looking for someone to lead Audioboom's US-based production team, made up of experienced producers and supported by senior business development and ad sales leaders.

PRX is hiring marketing managers in Boston, Mass. — Come work with the PRX training program and with public radio stations seeking audience engagement.

• A work in progress, Podcast Talent is a UK website, aiming to help people find quality producers and editors to create your podcast. If you're a producer or editor, you might want to consider a listing.
• Pinecast, a podcast host, blogs about how their analytics works. In particular, they're dynamically produced whenever you ask for them, so they can (and do) change.
• A new podcast platform has launched in India. Aawaz is available in Hindi, and is a website and Android app.
• A somewhat downbeat review of the iHeartRadio Podcast Awards reminds us that podcast award shows are quite hard. Cole Raven also reviewed the show, and offers some advice. (We'd have reviewed it too, but the coverage wasn't available to foreigners).
• 90% of people listen to podcasts alone. Bottll, a new website, lets you talk with the fans of the podcasts you listen to.
• Jobs at NPR Science: Associate Producer and Senior Editor, in Washington DC, USA.
• The folks from Hello from the Magic Tavern have either formed a new supergroup of podcasters, or had too much beer in a London pub. We want the former; but we think it's the latter.

• Blubrry share some data about Apple Podcasts, and predict that Apple will launch an Alexa skill to protect their dominant position.

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/midas-q418 for all the links, and to subscribe.

• RAJAR, the UK radio and audio measurement company, have released their MIDAS research for Q4 2018, which contains research about multiplatform use of audio including a large amount of data about podcast use. Among the highlights:

12% of UK adults listen to podcasts weekly. Podcasts are heavily skewed to 25-34 year-olds (21% listen) rather than 55+ (5% do). Two-thirds of listeners identify as male.

Two-thirds of listening is on a mobile phone. Podcasts are mostly listened-to while driving/travelling (30% of total time listening), or working/studying (29%). 90% of listening is done alone.

Only 1% of all podcast listening is done on a smart speaker. 60% of people listen to all/most of the podcasts they download. Two-thirds listen to the whole episode. The peak time for podcasting? 8am; with another at 6pm.

For noting: "Listen again" appears regularly on these graphs as a separate thing, which is catch-up radio from the BBC and some commercial stations, quoted separately here for a few reporting reasons. Catch-up radio can be downloaded for offline use within the BBC Sounds app and other services, and many shows are available in both formats.

Opinion: There are technical differences, but we think there's no difference in consumer behaviour; and that separation of "listen again" and "podcasting" may cause consumption of UK podcast content to be under-represented.

• CBS News has published a news poll claiming a significant increase in US audiences listening to podcasts. A third of those polled listen to a podcast at least once a week.
• The iHeartRadio Podcast Awards took place on Friday night. The winners are posted on the official website, and video clips available on Twitter. Podcast of the year went to Slow Burn (Slate/Megaphone) - see the speech. We reported in November that host Leon Neyfakh, and some of his team, have now left Slate; he did not collect the award.

Sign Up for the Alitu Free Trial — Alitu automates the tech & helps you edit! It polishes your audio, adds your music, joins your clips, adds transitions & offers our Podcast-specific editing tools. Save hours & all the tech stress!

Audio Editing Made Easy! — Make great-sounding productions without tweaking every fade for an hour. Get your 90-day Hindenburg Journalist PRO trial and special Podnews discount today

Enterprise - IAB Certified Podcast Metrics — Need Podcast Measurement Certification? Blubrry Enterprise Podcast Statistics is your fast track for networks and media buyers. Tested, Audited, Certified. Contact support@blubrry.com

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

• PodCon ran over the weekend in Seattle WA, USA. We'll carry reports from the event later this week.
• SquadCast, a service that offers remote interviews for podcasters, has officially launched. It offers separate track recordings with no drift, a progressive uploader, and an interview scheduling function.
• Stitcher has announced new and returning shows, including a new Marvel Wolverine podcast and new show Josie & Jonny Are Having a Baby With You!, a comedy and parenting podcast with Josie Long and Jonny Donahoe.
• Apple have released a set of online video adverts for the new iPad, including how to make a podcast on one. The ad highlights the Anchor app.
• Charlotte Lock, Launch Director of BBC Sounds, is interviewed on the latest episode of the BBC's Fortunately podcast (4 minutes in), explaining the exclusivity strategy for the podcast. Lots of discussions about how it's an 'experiment', and noting that BBC Sounds requires audiences to sign in before listening (and that they get data about listeners as a result). If you're wondering - registered users tell the BBC their name, gender, age, and postcode, which in the UK is narrow enough to refer to "a group of buildings, a street, part of a street or a single delivery point." We'd presume it also includes data of every BBC News article that listeners have read online. From the podcast:

"What information do you have on our listeners?" "The data that we look at is really a headline level, you know, we're a public service, we've got a responsibility to serve all audiences and its important that the content that we commission, produce and put on our platform really has got something for all licence-fee payers, and that's why we look at it. So we do know what the age profile of our audience is, [and] the regions that they listen from."

• The Australian Podcast Awards is looking for public votes for their Popular Vote category. Voting is free and easy.
• How do you listen to a podcast? CBS Sunday, a US television show, show people (complete with an awkward joke at the end). Spotted by Steven Goldstein.
• You might have spotted that we don't list "listicles" any more. One of the reasons why is hit upon by Rebel Base Media's Jessica Kupferman, who says in an opinion piece today that top 10 lists are harming the podcast industry.

• Democracy Works returns for a new season. First up: the fundamental question of “What Is Democracy?”, featuring a conversation with writer and filmmaker Astra Taylor, who released a documentary of the same name last year. (Blubrry)
• Dave Hill's Podcasting Incident says "If you like podcasts and/or the Internet in general, you will really like this podcast because it is pretty much the greatest of all-time." In the latest episode, an interview with comedian and former America’s Next Top Model contestant Sarah Hartshorne. (Libsyn)
• Meaningful Conversations with Maria Shriver is the first-ever podcast hosted by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist and bestselling author Maria Shriver. Shriver will use her podcast to explore issues and ideas that she believes we’re all thinking about, but not discussing nearly enough. (Cadence13 / Megaphone)

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/marketing-facebook-podcast for all the links, and to subscribe.

• Pacific Content, the company behind the new Facebook Podcast Three and a Half Degrees: The Power of Connection, have written up nine marketing lessons for your podcast, working with Facebook's team. The post includes some savvy use of offline media (coffee cup sleeves, aimed at commuters) and some extra-clever use of Facebook itself.
• Another form of marketing: paid-for ads on the popular iOS app Overcasts. A Redditor posts their experience of booking ads, and gives some hints on how to get the most out of it.
• Podfest in Orlando FL, USA - March 7-9 - is one of the big podcasting events of the year. Podnews is in Malaysia on March 7th, but trying our hardest to be there for the other two days. Whisper: 15% discount code? You'll want to use NEWYEAR19

Announcing Blubrry Podcast Stats are IAB Certified — IAB Certified Stats, You do not need to host at Blubrry to get certified. Our platform integrates with nearly all major podcast hosting platforms get started today for $5.00 a month.

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

Executive Producer — Audioboom, a global leader in podcasting with teams in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, London, and Mumbai, are looking for someone to lead Audioboom's US-based production team, made up of experienced producers and supported by senior business development and ad sales leaders.

• Amazon Alexa has unveiled "a professional newscaster voice", which they plan to use for news briefings and other similar pieces of work. The post includes excerpts of the voice, which contains all the right cadences for news broadcasts.
• The Pod is an interesting new product - a pop-up soundbooth to give recordings better acoustics.
• Last week, we noted that Google Podcasts is beginning to appear in Android Auto, the car navigation and entertainment system from Google. As this update rolls out, it seems that Google Podcasts is visible to every Android Auto user (irrespective of whether they've installed the "app"). Google Play says that Android Auto has over 10,000,000 installations, ten times that of the Google Podcasts app.
• Paul Colligan posts his Podcast Predictions for 2019 in the latest episode of The Podcast Report. He views Pandora as having an "exponentially bigger" impact than Google; he forsees major changes at Apple Podcasts since Apple's turning into a service company; and thinks Instagram is the future for promoting podcasts. He says that Pandora is his #2 platform currently.
• Voxnest has launched Spreaker Enterprise, described as "enterprise-level podcast hosting".
• Vice, a youth publisher, plans to launch three new podcast series in Australia. The company's Viceland TV network is a joint project with broadcaster SBS.
• The Boston Globe covers the history and the present day of podcasting, calling it "a juggernaut".
• Tribune Media, a US television and media company, is launching the Tribune Audio Network. They're working with ART19, promising "podcasts produced by Tribune Media’s local and national brands, while also serving as a talent and subject matter incubator".
• NPR has made Wait Wait Don't Tell Me into an interactive quiz for smart speakers. It will be updated weekly. Unlike the podcast, the skill appears restricted to the US.
• Alitu, a product that "polishes, brands & publishes your podcast, automatically", has just released recording within the app. "You can upload your normal recording (from Skype/recorder/computer/etc) and then record a quick intro and outro right there inside Alitu to bookend it, if needed", Alitu's CEO, Colin Gray, tells us.

• Battle Stations is a seven-part podcast set in a radio station. SAG fm plays soft adult grooves and it also plays host to endless behind the scenes disasters. Can radio announcer and argument enthusiast Ray Easton get his station to number one in a workplace where the only thing more toxic than the staff’s attitude is the coffee? (Nova Entertainment / Acast)
• Video games saved Scott C Jones's life. He's launched Heavily Pixelated, where he talks to gamers about their most vulnerable moments—whether it’s divorce, illness, or heartbreak—and discovers the games that fortified them when they needed it most.

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/anchor-money-making-podcasts for all the links, and to subscribe.

• Podcast host Anchor claims that the number of podcasts carrying ads doubled last month, thanks to Anchor Sponsorships. The company is also keen to point out that they power 40% of all new podcasts (and it's estimated that they have 70,000 shows). However, according to recent data analysis seen by Podnews, over 93% of Anchor shows have already "podfaded", and haven't had a new episode in the last month. (Question: is it good to have over 60,000 abandoned shows from Anchor in podcast directories?)
• What bitrate is everyone else using? And how loud are they ? To get a view of the industry, we're now monitoring technical parameters like bitrate, filetype and LUFS values for recent podcasts. This page will update daily; we check a new podcast every hour. Thanks to our supporters for helping us do this.
• Podtrac has released their monthly US podcast publisher rankings for December 2018. December's a rogue month for stats, and most publishers saw fewer downloads; podcast downloads for the top ten publishers did show a 56% increase year-on-year (although we're not sure how reflective this is of the industry as a whole).

Enterprise - IAB Certified Podcast Metrics — Need Podcast Measurement Certification? Blubrry Enterprise Podcast Statistics is your fast track for networks and media buyers. Tested, Audited, Certified. Contact support@blubrry.com

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

Listen to the tcr! diaries — It's all true. Sometimes I'm serious. Sometimes I'm not. The episodes are short because I do what I want.

• Podtrac's current #4 podcast producer, Wondery is the focus of a Poynter article. Of interest: three Wondery podcasts are now available on American Airlines flights.
• Spotify has added podcast recommendations - "you might also like" - to their podcast pages for some users. This was discovered by James of MySpotifyIdeas, a man who Spotify should be employing.
• Podcast host Buzzsprout has added a redesigned podcast player for people who host with them.
• Parcast have announced a new slate of weekly podcasts, and an expansion of their fiction podcast Mind's Eye. The press release also claims 200% increases in downloads in 2018, and the company now boasts 18 writers and producers.
• The New Statesman wants us to stop listening to podcasts.
• The iHeart Podcast Awards are being held on Friday in Burbank CA, USA. Some nominees have apparently already been informed that they've not won. Still, saves them a trip.
• Competition: Røde are giving away podcast stuff.
• Job: Podcast and Video Editor for Glitch in New York NY, USA.

• Savvy Talk is a new podcast focusing on communication strategies and trends for businesses in the Middle East.

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/spotify-200 for all the links, and to subscribe.

• Spotify now has 200m global active users, up by 10% over the past six months. 87m of those are paying customers. Morgan Stanley says users listen for 4.4 hours a week - Apple Music is 3.7m. However, 50% of Spotify users say that all the podcasts they want aren't on the service. Notwithstanding this, it's the #2 most popular podcast app. (Search for a podcast, and we'll show you a Spotify link if it's there.)
• Meanwhile, is music streaming service Tidal cooking its numbers? The company (owned by Jay-Z, who is Beyoncé's husband) was accused of artifically increasing the amount of streams for Beyoncé's album to such an extent that every subscriber would have played the album eight times a day. A Norwegian authority, the excellently noir-sounding Økokrim, is investigating.
• FastCompany write about how podcast apps are making money, focusing on Castro and also encompassing many others. The app, owned by Candian investors Tiny, declined to share usage figures.

Announcing Blubrry Podcast Stats are IAB Certified — IAB Certified Stats, You do not need to host at Blubrry to get certified. Our platform integrates with nearly all major podcast hosting platforms get started today for $5.00 a month.

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

High-quality text content for your podcast — We offer edited Q&As, episode articles & more to help w/show discovery. You focus on producing/creating and we'll deliver great repurposed content.

• Google is discontinuing its Chromecast Audio product, a method of adding connected audio to decent hifi speakers. (The Podnews office has two in daily use.) While the Amazon Echo Dot has a 3.5mm jack that could replace it, the Google Home Mini does not. Meanwhile, over a million people (in the US) have pre-ordered an Amazon Alexa Auto: Google Assistant is already in all cars with Android Auto.
• "Hey, Pandora" - Pandora now has voice control. The initial information doesn't indicate how it works with podcasts.
• Podchaser is now integrated with TeePublic, allowing podcasters to add merch directly to their podcast page. Podcasters that link their pages can get a free t-shirt with their podcast artwork.
• APM, American Public Media, has opened a pitching round for new podcasts. Submissions are open from now 'till February 15th; there's more detail and tips for success on their pitch website.
• Job: Global is looking for a Podcast Project Manager in London, UK. "A project manager to oversee launches and ongoing marketing for our original and third-party partner podcasts."
• Whooshkaa, an Australian podcast host, is automatically applying audio normalisation for uploaded podcasts by a subset of users, with the aim of making this optionally available to everyone in a few weeks. "The feedback has been positive," the company says. Aussie competitor Omny Studio has had the feature since March. We ran analysis a year ago of podcast loudness, and have a full LUFS FAQ on the subject.
• Podnews will be at the NAB Show in Las Vegas NV, USA, in April; and at Canadian Music Week in Toronto ON, Canada, in May. We're also really trying hard to be at Podfest in Orlando FL, USA in March.

• Acclaimed criminal justice podcast Justice In America returns for a second season today. Hosted by criminal justice reform experts and social media influencers, Josie Duffy Rice and Clint Smith, it explores America’s criminal justice system and its effects on American communities, particularly communities of color and low-income communities.
• CBS News and book publisher Simon & Schuster have partnered on a book and podcast collaboration. CBS correspondent Mo Rocca launches Mobituaries, an irreverent but deeply researched appreciation of the people (and things) of the past who have long intrigued him—from an unsung Founding Father to the first Chinese-American superstar, from Neanderthals to the station wagon. The book comes out in November.
• If Mobituaries are your thing, but you'd prefer something a little more British, you may also like Last Word from the BBC, with the "aloof British accent" of Matthew Bannister.

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/podcast-launches-in-2018 for all the links, and to subscribe.

• More podcasts were launched in 2018 than ever before, says Pacific Content's Dan Misener after examining the numbers. He adds that the number of podcast episodes has doubled every year since 2016.
• iHeartMedia and Panoply's Megaphone have done a deal for distribution. After an original deal with Stuff Media, which iHeart purchased in September, Megaphone will now be used "to distribute select podcasts across its iHeartPodcast Network." iHeart has been using ART19 for many of them.
• Are YouTubers migrating to podcasting? Podchaser gives four reasons why.

Sign Up for the Alitu Free Trial — Alitu automates the tech & helps you edit! It polishes your audio, adds your music, joins your clips, adds transitions & offers our Podcast-specific editing tools. Save hours & all the tech stress!

Audio Editing Made Easy! — Make great-sounding productions without tweaking every fade for an hour. Get your 90-day Hindenburg Journalist PRO trial and special Podnews discount today

Hiring Pregnant Podcast Talent — Life, Listened, an independent podcast production company, is seeking a diverse cast of talent in the first two trimesters of pregnancy for a paid guest position on a show to launch in early 2019.

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

• "Vox Pods is a new, free, podcast app for finding and listening to new podcasts" (iOS only), which has a matchmaker function to find podcasts that match your taste. It's a free app, with no visible monetisation.
• The New York Times talks to Dan Sanchez, the editorial lead of their new smart speaker products. Worth a read for where they see speakers going in future.
• Event: this Saturday, PodFest China takes place in Shanghai, China. It promises "your favourite China podcasters; podcast industry insiders; networking and a live recording of a new storytelling podcast".

To every American who sent us a correction yesterday: Thank you, you were right, it's "closed captioning". We were close, though...

• Blubrry post 3 surprising stats about religious podcasts.

• In the early hours of June 17th 1966, two black men walked into the Lafayette Bar and Grill in Paterson , NJ and shot four white people, killing three of them. One of America’s most famous boxers – Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter – was convicted of committing these brutal murders. The Hurricane Tapes, from the BBC World Service, investigates - including hearing from Rubin Carter himself: 40 hours of cassette tapes are played for the first time.
• Behind The Numbers, the eMarketer podcast, this week discusses estimates on smart-speaker use around the world. (Soundcloud)
• Good Monday is a new podcast from "ousted and fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra", and talks about world economy, the future of the job market and human longevity. (Simplecast)
• Build A Better Business, an independent podcast hosted by Jamie Irvine, is approaching its 100th episode. It's produced in Edson AB, Canada, about two hours west of Edmonton; guests have included Michael E Gerber, Dorie Clark, and John Lee Dumas.
• ZIB2-Podcast - Austrian public service broadcaster ORF have begun publishing their TV interviews as audio podcasts.

Support us

Visit https://podnews.net/update/close-captioning-google-podcasts for all the links, and to subscribe.

• Close-captioning is coming to Google Podcasts: a forthcoming version of the app will include the option to produce an automatic live transcript on-screen, enabled with a "CC" button - good for noisy places or for those with hearing difficulties. Website 9to5google have enabled the feature on the beta version of the Google app, and report that it works well. Also, the new app will highlight major items in the show notes and offer search terms to learn more. New features prepped in beta versions can take months to arrive, though.
• "Here's what else you need to know today". The New York Times has launched a 3-min weekday flash news briefing hosted by Michael Barbaro for Amazon Alexa devices, as well as a weekly interactive news quiz from the producers of The Daily, and other services. None of these services work on Google speakers - the briefing, which is a nice change from a radio bulletin, is sadly unavailable in Google's news briefing service. It's sponsored by Audi.
• Stephen Goldstein went to CES, and reports back about Spotify's exclusivity announcements, 5C, smart speakers, and a toilet with Alexa built in. Alexa? Use the air freshener.

Give your audience the best sound quality possible — In a podcast all you have is your voice, and it has to sound good. Focusrite’s Scarlett range of audio interfaces, trusted by podcasters around the world, focuses on just three things; achieving the best sound, the fastest speed and the easiest experience.

Job: NPR’s Latino USA seeking Senior Editor — Award-winning public radio program and podcast focused on the Latino experience is seeking Senior Editor responsible for overseeing the tone/content and bringing cutting-edge storytelling to the show.

Podcast Movement 2019 — The world's largest conference and trade show for podcasters returns, welcoming nearly 3,000 podcasters from around the world this August. Register today to save over $300 on the cost of attendance!

Job (London UK): Marketing Whiz Who Loves Podcasts — Message Heard is a new London based podcast company launching soon. We focus on proactive journalism, immersive storytelling and innovative branded content.

• The Bangalore Podcasters’ and Listeners’ Meetup  on January 12th was their biggest (and longest) yet.
• Hunter Walk, a partner in a VC company, writes about podcast discovery. Podcast discovery is a problem, he writes, but attempts to fix it "are at best features, not products or companies."
• These iOS Podcast Apps Are Way Better Than Apple's Default App, claims Lifehacker. Pocket Casts, Overcast or Castro gets higher scores than the purple one. Meanwhile, 9to5mac carries "Four new features Apple Podcasts should add in iOS 13".
• Headliner, a popular social media promotion tool for audio, now has a Facebook group.
• PC Magazine gives us tips how to make your podcast sound better. This is actually an indepth article about microphone technique, and much of the advice is quite sound. <-- see what we did there
• Julia Morizawa, an award-winning voice actress, is joining the Greater Boston podcast when it returns after its mid-season break.
• UK commercial radio is highlighting the need for businesses to keep advertising through the 'Brexit uncertainty' - many of the arguments are also relevant for podcasting, too.
• Job: Social Media Manager for Apple Podcasts and Apple Books, in Culver City CA, USA. (Apple Podcasts isn't important enough to have its own?)

• Facebook has a new podcast, Three and a half degrees: the power of connection. "We’re no longer six degrees apart – technology has squeezed this distance from person to person. Today, we are separated by three and a half degrees." Of note: the podcast's landing pages lists the top five podcast apps equally. It's had some good press today, too. (Pacific Content)
• Local to Global with Nick Hewer is a new podcast from the UK Government. Released on the same week as a Parliamentary vote on Britain's future relationship with the European Union, the press release claims that it will "explore why exporting is great for UK businesses", with all those trade agreements that the UK now has with... oh. (Acast)
• The Australian Open tennis started today. The AO Show is a daily show following the biggest storylines and goes behind-the-scenes; James Parkinson is producing (Omny Studio).
• It's Tintin's 90th anniversary, and Les Aventures de Tintin is three French radio adaptations, now in podcast form, of Hergé's classic. Alas, it's French language only. "Billions of bilious blue blistering barnacles!" as Captain Haddock would say, except he'd actually say "Mille millions de mille milliards de mille sabords!" instead.

• Podnews self-hosts our podcast (so we can be editorially independent). A few people ask, so here are some of the things we've learnt.
• Possibly related to the above, we've also updated our list of podcast app user-agents. We've seen many, many new ones: the data's freely available for download, and editable.

Support us