Spotify supporting Podcasting 2.0 for transcripts

Spotify is adding podcast transcripts for many shows to its app, and the feature seems to have had a significant roll-out - even the Podnews Weekly Review (here’s what the auto-transcripts look like). Spotify will automatically produce transcripts of shows, but will now let creators upload their own transcripts using the industry-standard VTT or SRT files (which adds time-synching and named speakers). (We’ve yet to get that feature working for our show, though).

If you host your podcast with Spotify for Creators, Spotify now supports publishing those transcripts using open RSS standards - using the Podcasting 2.0 podcast:transcript tag, which is compatible with Apple Podcasts, Pocketcasts, and other apps. Creators will have to opt-in to make them available. It’s the first time that Spotify has supported a new, open, RSS feature like this. So - we thought we’d publish a special show on Spotify for Creators as a test, and while the RSS feed includes the new podcast namespace, sadly transcripts haven’t yet been enabled for our show. But let’s wait and see.
But - will Spotify support ingestion of creator transcripts the other way - using the podcast:transcript standard in the RSS feed from any podcast hosting company? “No timeframe to share at this time!” is the answer from a helpful Spotify spokesperson. That is not a “no”.

Local podcasting could be the next big leap for the industry, says Mathew Passy, writing for Podnews today. “Your neighborhood pizza shop isn’t sponsoring The Daily. But they would support a show with listeners in their delivery zone.”

iHeart Australia’s Corey Layton is given a full interview by Radioinfo. He’s the company’s Head of Audio.