The Download for August 7th, 2023

Here's what you need to know in the business of podcasting for August 7th. Why some publishers are reducing their podcast slate to try to grow their audio businessesMagnite And FreeWheel Link Up In The Name Of InteroperabilityAcast to focus on automation to ‘create value’ for advertisersTop 3 podcasts in U.S. remain the same over two yearsThe Media Rating Council is angling for better clarity in an era of compounding complexityAnd for the rest of the news… Digiday’s new Media Briefing presents the case for, and against, paid subscription trials. Digital subscriptions are a bright spot in otherwise down Q2 for Gannett. And, in a surprising turn after announcing their partnership with Spotify, ad group WPP cut their full-year growth forecast from 3 to 5% down to 1.5 to 3%, citing low spending from tech clients and delays in tech-related projects.