Podnews Weekly Review

Greg Glenday, CEO of Acast, shares insights on the company's impressive growth and creator-first strategy, revealing they've paid over $500 million to creators. He discusses the challenges posed by AI-generated content flooding the podcast market and the tension between innovation and quality. Glenday also highlights Acast's international expansion in markets like Singapore and Mexico, along with their approach to video and ad tech. The conversation touches on the importance of transparency in content, as well as Acast's future outlook for subscriptions and advertising.

We remember podcasting pioneer Todd Cochran who passed away suddenly this week, reflecting on his 19-year journey in the industry and the indelible mark he left on the medium. • Todd's journey began in 2004 with a $14.95 Walmart microphone, creating his first podcast in a hotel room in Waco, Texas• An excerpt from our 2023 interview with Todd shares his podcasting origin story and philosophy• Apple Podcasts appears to be preparing support for Podcasting 2.0 JSON chapters, potentially offering AI-generated chapters for podcasts• Daniel J Lewis has launched Pod Chapters in beta, offering AI-generated chapter creation for podcasters• Patreon is enhancing creator pages with customization options and domains, pointing to a trend of creator-owned portals• YouTube broadcast its first exclusive NFL game to 17 million global viewers as sports content grows in importance• Growing concerns about AI-generated podcast content as companies flood platforms with low-quality, automated shows• New York Times is closing its dedicated audio app to integrate audio content into its main news app• Discussion of protocol integration between ActivityPub, the AT protocol, and Nostr for better social web interconnectionIf you're in London on Tuesday, September 16th, join James and Sam at the Yorkshire Grey in Langham Street between 5-7pm for drinks and conversation.Send James & Sam a messageSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

Jakarta sets the stage for an exploration of Asia's unique podcast landscape, where innovative approaches to monetization and content distribution reflect the region's diverse markets and consumer behaviors.• Ron Baetiong from Podcast Network Asia leverages Spotify's Open Access with local payment systems like GCash for their audio drama platform• Japanese podcast consumption differs significantly from Western markets, with YouTube as the top platform for podcast listening• BBC announces "Asia Specific," a new podcast examining global stories through an Asian lensPlus...• Blubrry announces first price increase in 20 years, raising questions about sustainable podcast hosting models• Buzzsprout data shows Spotify usage dropping 3.1% year-on-year, while Apple Podcasts remains dominant at 37.1%• PodHome launches their own podcast app after a year of development, focused on discovery and modern features• Top reasons listeners abandon podcasts include content being boring and shows starting with too much meaningless chat.Send James & Sam a messageSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

Alex Sanfilippo shares how PodMatch is revolutionizing podcast guest booking through an innovative platform that functions like a dating app for interviews. He explains the platform's unique business model and why he believes community building is the future of podcasting.• PodMatch connects podcast hosts and guests while automating administrative functions• The platform charges a small fee to ensure users are serious, creating a "law of buy-in"• Through the Pod Value Initiative, PodMatch has given back nearly $900,000 to podcasters• Each profile doubles as a professional media one-sheet with SEO benefits• Audio content remains powerful because it doesn't intrude on people's busy lives• Quality content is essential as the barrier to entry remains low• The "Mom Test" helps podcasters get honest feedback from listeners• Building community with listeners provides valuable insights for improvement• Hosts should ask listeners how they found the show, what they like, how to improve, and what problems they need solvedTo sign up for PodMatch or access free podcasting resources, visit podmatch.com/free.Send James & Sam a messageSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

Alex Sanfilippo, founder of PodMatch, shares insights on connecting podcast hosts and guests while supporting independent creators. The discussion dives into Spotify's new messaging feature, increasing podcast consumption among Gen Z, and Captivate's innovative remote recording capabilities. They also celebrate the recent win at the Earworthy Podcast Awards, explore strategies for podcast growth, and touch on technological advancements impacting data delivery in podcasting. An engaging blend of trends and tools shaping the podcasting landscape!

This audio has been rescued from almost inaudible audio thanks to recording using the wrong microphone - this was just on a laptop microphone carried around a loud conference. Good job that Buzzsprout has a tool called Power Clean that fixed much of that for us.We also speak with Oskar Serrander about Wondercraft's new tool, Wonda.Send James & Sam a messageSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

James and Sam are away this week, so time for an interview in more detail than we normally would. Norma-Jean Belenky discusses her new podcast PodBiz, which explores the various ways podcasters monetize their content through transparent conversations with industry professionals.• PodBiz aims to answer the question "where's the money in podcasting?" through interviews with experts in advertising, subscriptions, and alternative revenue models• Some independent creators with just 1,200 downloads per episode are making six-figure incomes from their podcasts• Advertising remains strong, but subscription models are gaining significant traction across the industry• Organizations like AIR (Association of Independent Radio Professionals) publish rate cards to promote fair compensation for podcast production roles• Quality podcast production requires adequate labor and resources – "good work takes labor"• Value-for-value models and cryptocurrency-based micropayments remain niche but have potential for growth• Event hosting, merchandise, and packaging content across multiple platforms are effective additional revenue streams• Podcasters are building communities through newsletters and events to strengthen audience relationships• AI tools help reduce labor-intensive aspects of production but raise questions about transparency and disclosure• The podcast industry faces potential regulatory challenges as governments implement content restrictions and age verificationSend James & Sam a messageSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

Amazon's restructuring of Wondery signals deeper issues with their podcast strategy as they distribute operations across Audible, creator services, and advertising divisions while losing approximately 110 jobs in the process.• Amazon's track record with podcast acquisitions has been underwhelming, including Art19's low market share and unfulfilled promises for high-profile shows• Dan Granger from Oxford Road suggests the reorganization represents a recalibration toward more integrated audio ecosystems• Sean King from Veritone emphasizes the importance of balancing host-read ads with other advertising forms• Patreon creators have earned over $10 billion since 2013, now receiving $2 billion annually—equal to the entire US podcast ad market• UK age verification requirements for mature content are forcing platforms like Spotify to implement face scanning or ID uploads• Riverside has quietly launched a podcast hosting service that sends video to YouTube but only audio to other platforms• New podcast technology includes Todd Cochran's GuestMatchPro for connecting content creators and specialists for interviews• True Fans is testing a new advertising option called True Ads allowing creators to purchase placement on the homepageSend James & Sam a messageSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

James Cridland and Sam Sethi explore Spotify's mixed financial results showing strong overall growth but declining ad revenue, alongside their increasing focus on video podcasts at the expense of audio-only content.• Spotify's ads business struggling despite growth in users and profit• VP of Global Advertising Lee Brown leaving Spotify "by mutual agreement"• Video consumption growing 20 times faster than audio-only on Spotify• 16:9 image formats creating problems for traditional podcast artwork• JAR Audio rebranding to JAR Podcast Solutions with focus on measurable results: Roger Nairn explains how brands now see real value in podcasts beyond CEO vanity projects• RSS.com launching PAID (Programmatic Ads Inserted Dynamically) with $1 minimum payout• YouTube CEO Neil Mohan claiming "it's all over" for audio podcasting as video dominates• Acast financial results showing US becoming their largest market despite executive departures• Apple iOS enhanced dialogue feature improving podcast listening experience• Podcast image tag offering potential solution to artwork format challenges• Secure RSS and podcast monetization models being developed for premium content• Overcast apparently working on transcript features for podcasts• Rode introducing Call Me feature for remote podcast recording• True Fans positioning as a "value exchange" between creators and listenersVisit Buzzsprout.com for the tools, support and community to make sure you keep podcasting.Send James & Sam a messageSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

The old guard of media gatekeepers are trying to stay relevant as independent creators flourish across podcasting, video, and beyond.• Spanish broadcaster RTVE blocking Antennapod and other podcast apps while maintaining deals with commercial giants like Apple and Spotify• BBC Sounds closing for non-UK audiences due to music licensing issues• Diary of a CEO reaching 3 million people daily, surpassing major US late-night TV shows• Video podcasts becoming the new basic cable television, with 37% of Americans watching one in the last month• YouTube setting a new record with 12.8% of all TV usage in the US• Joe Budden earning over $1 million monthly on Patreon, demonstrating creators can stay independent while building sustainable businesses• UK media regulator Ofcom warning that traditional public service TV is endangered• Podcast hosts missing opportunities by not offering premium content options to compete with Patreon and other membership platformsSee if you can tell where Sam realises that he's got to go to another meeting.To support this show, visit weeklypodnews.net or stream sats. Subscribe to our newsletter at podnews.net for daily updates.Send James & Sam a messageSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net