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• Is There A Benefit To iOS 17's Lower Downloads? Advertisement Performance Measures Are Getting Better, Says Podscribe. The iOS 17 update has introduced significant shifts in podcast consumption and advertisement delivery. Over the past 12 months and coming out of Q4 there have been notable improvements in not only general podcast advertising performance but the performance of specifically impression-based campaigns!

• The US Podcast Ranker for January 2024 is released by Triton Digital. Yet again, SiriusXM Podcast Network remained in the #1 spot on the Top Sales Networks Report for the month of January, with 38.1M Average Weekly Downloads and 12.1M Average Weekly Users. NPR came in again at #2 with 27.0M Average Weekly Downloads and 7.3M Average Weekly Users, followed by Wondery again at #3 with 22.2M Average Weekly Downloads and 6.9M Average Weekly Users.

• With podcasts and other content in mind, Dexa is an AI-powered search engine that has raised $6 million in seed money. According to CEO Riley Tomasek, the company will use this funding to expand its engineering staff and make additional investments in product development.

• A $3.1 million pre-Series A round led by Quadri Ventures has been raised by London-based startup AudioStack, which aims to use artificial intelligence to transform large-scale audio production for businesses.

• PodcastOne's revenue increased in the most recent quarter, but its losses increased. The business reports that for the three months ending December 31, 2022, its fiscal third quarter revenue increased by 22%.

• Spotify's recent entry into the audiobook industry is profitable for publishers as well as for the streamer. According to data from Bookstat, Spotify led a 28% year-over-year increase in the US audiobook market in Q42023, accounting for 11% of the market and also hitting 236M subscribers.

• News Corp reported higher global revenue and profit for the three months ending December 31, 2023. In Australia, the News Media division's total revenues fell 6% year on year. The Foxtel Group's revenue increased by 2% due to a small increase in Kayo Sports and Binge subscriptions. However, there was also an increase in sports rights fees.
  
  

• The most recent release of the Podscribe Performance Benchmark Q4 showed a rise in visitor rate from Q3 to Q4, from.47% to.56%. Due to the removal of automated back-catalog downloads, which dropped by roughly 10–30% after the iOS17 update, advertiser performance saw a minor uptick.

• Edison Research announces the Top 50 Podcasts in the U.S. based on reach for Q4 2023 among weekly podcast listeners age 13+. The top three shows in Q4 remain unchanged in rank from Q3: The Joe Rogan Experience, Crime Junkie, and The Daily.

• The amount spent on digital audio advertisements is expected to increase further and account for 5% of all digital media time in the United States this year.

• Although the number of video podcasts is rapidly increasing, a recent Morning Consult study indicates that one particular type of podcast is best suited for the addition of second-tier content.

• The top 15 brands advertising on Australian podcasts for Q4 2023 have been revealed by ARN's iHeart and Magellan AI, with Amazon once again taking the top spot.
  

The Podcast Global Industry Ranking of Top Publishers and Networks is the newest ranking released by Podtrac, the first and most significant metrics and ranking provider in the podcast industry. For the first time, advertisers, agencies, and the industry at large can access the global reach of leading podcast publishers and networks. Additionally, Podtrac's new Global ranking takes into account podcast viewership on YouTube, another industry first, while traditional podcast metrics and rankers have concentrated on the RSS distribution of podcasts.

The podcasting industry has evolved as a result of Podtrac's innovative project. By adding YouTube viewership to traditional metrics, the industry is able to capture podcast engagement more effectively across platforms and geographical boundaries. It offers agencies, advertisers, and other industry participants.

The incorporation of YouTube viewership into this ranking recognises the increasing importance of cross-platform interaction and illustrates the flexibility of podcast networks and publishers in serving a global audience. "YouTube has been an integral platform for our podcasts' growth," a Daily Wire spokesperson said. The importance of multi-platform engagement is acknowledged by Podtrac's new ranking system, which provides advertisers with an extensive overview of our audience reach."

Furthermore, Podtrac's dedication to openness and innovation keeps the sector moving forward. This ranking provides a platform for new players to demonstrate their influence on a global level while also honouring the accomplishments of well-established podcast entities.

Media consumption is becoming more international and transnational, according to Camila Victoriano, chief content officer and co-founder of Sonoro. At Sonoro, we produce content that listeners in the US, Mexico, and throughout Latin America adore because we are focused on serving the needs of global Hispanic consumers. This audience is quantified through Podtrac's Global Industry Ranking, which offers useful information to marketers and advertisers worldwide.

• Veritonic Revolutionizes Brand Health Measurement with the Launch of Brand Lift Pulse, Democratizing Access to Comprehensive Brand Metrics

• Fourth Ambie Awards Nominees Announced; Ceremony to Take Place in Los Angeles on March 26.

• Podtrac Launches Podcast Industry’s First Global Ranking and First Podcast Ranking to Include YouTube Views

• Wondery+ and Law&Crime Close Exclusive Content Distribution Deal.

• 160 workers, or about 3% of the workforce, were let go by SiriusXM Holdings Inc. Jennifer Witz, the CEO, stated in a memo that the company is "focused on increasing efficiencies and redeploying resources to support our business's strategic priorities." Variety reported it.

• Lemonada, a podcast network, revealed that Meghan Markle will make her current Archetypes episodes available to a broad audience. The network will charge for back catalogue advertisements. Additionally, Markle will host a new show. Vox Media also revealed that it will collaborate with Brené Brown to revive her two shows, Dare to Lead and Unlocking Us.

• Like Podworks.io who recently lunched an AI chatbot to help Independent Podcast Producers. Podbean is proud to announce the launch of Podbean AI, a suite of innovative AI-powered capabilities designed to elevate the quality of podcasting for listeners while saving creators time.

• Acast's Q4/23 financial results show that the company is now "profitable" for the first time. Despite reporting an operational loss of $7.3 million, the company generated "positive adjusted EBITDA" of US $1.5 million during the quarter. Up 18% in sales the previous year.
  
  
  
  
  

• As part of a new podcast partnership with the mass media company, professor, author, and podcast host Brené Brown is moving her popular podcast series, Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead, from Spotify to Vox Media.
  
  
  

The Creator Economy: Boom Not Bust by Ross Adams

One trending topic is the creator economy. In the opinion of those you speak with, it is either booming or plunging.

Although total funding for startups in the field decreased in 2023, according to Goldman Sachs, the creator economy will have a $480 billion market value by 2027. Furthermore, 44% of marketers intend to raise their creator investment, with an average spend increase of 25% in 2024, according to the Creator Economy Report by TalkShoppe and the IAB.

So which way is up? At Acast, we effectively created the creator economy in podcasting globally back in 2014 when we launched dynamic ad insertion into the industry. Since then, we have paid more than $300 million directly into the pockets of creators worldwide and show no signs of slowing down. We believe that a world connected by great storytelling is a powerful one, and great human stories are the most effective and authentic way for advertisers to be a part of authentic conversations. [Source]

Mark Ritson explains why podcasts are not the audio medium's future by Ashley Regan

Marketing Week Mini MBA founder and strategist Mark Ritson cautions against believing that podcasts are radio's future.

Ritson stated that allocating 11% of an advertising campaign's budget to radio will double its efficacy, during his speech at the CRA's (Commercial Radio & Audio) HEARD conference.

Nonetheless, radio is frequently an afterthought because some clients and the industry believe podcasts are the direction audio is going.

While podcasts present an opportunity for brands that are forward-thinking, Ritson says brands cannot undervalue the power of radio. [Source]

Launching on Monday 19th February, The Word's Hardest Puzzle is a new podcast hosted by Tommie Trelawny, founder of the YouTube channel ‘Hochelaga’ with over 48.5 million views, and journalist & podcast producer Nicky Anderson. This is the second instalment in the investigative documentary series 'Archive' from industry-leading podcast company Stak.

BEEF is a scripted non-fiction storytelling podcast where business wars meets pop culture hosted by award-winning podcast host Bridget Todd who tells the stories of legends in their fields and how they tried to stomp out their competition only to find that their enemies become the driving force behind their success, ultimately changing the world as we know it.

 Curate a list

Jackson Turner

Would you like to appear in an upcoming newsletter? Visit us at podworks.io to share your exciting project updates with us!

Here are our current featured roles. Check the job board for more jobs and some freelance gigs.

• Senior Podcast Producer - Listen, Remotely working with UK-based team

• Associate Podcast Producer, Amicus - Fulltime( Hybrid) ,Brooklyn New York

• Podcast Producer, Decorder Ring - Fulltime( Hybrid) ,Brooklyn New York

• Producer/ Researcher (US based) - Center for Humane Technology, San francisco, USA

Please mention Podworks.io or Podwires in your application.

Do you need to hire for your podcast? Here's where you can post a job (for free). Come hang out with us at podworks.io if you are a professional podcast producer!

• Introducing a special "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) session, Podbean is excited to announce. On Thursday, February 22nd at 2pm Eastern, there will be an interactive event catering to podcast enthusiasts as well as those who are new to the medium.

• Podcasting for Profit workshop: From Content to Client. Strategize Your Success with a Sales Funnel That Fits Your Podcast and learn the 3 keys you need to have for a profitable podcast

• Podcast Sales Machine 2.0 Workshop. Attend our three-day workshop on February 20–22 to learn how to implement the precise, step-by-step method for building a podcast audience of motivated listeners and converting podcasts into a daily lead and sales generator in under 30 days.

• The Hot Pod Summit is returning to Brooklyn on February 28th, 2024, as part of On Air Fest for a day of in-depth talks, intimate conversations, and industry networking.

• The Institute for Independent Journalists 2024 Freelance Journalism Conference on February 29 and March 1, 2024

• Lower Street, the organisation behind the Brand Podcast Virtual Summit, has released the complete list of speakers. The free event is intended for those who want to start or expand a brand podcast.

• Podcast Group Therapy: How to Launch a Podcast. A 1-hour interactive session diving into a niche podcast marketing strategy with Tink Media's marketing experts. It's happening on February 23rd at 3 pm ET/noon PT, and sign-ups close on the 16th. Register here.

• The Podcast Show London is back, and from May 24–25, it will unite thousands of podcast enthusiasts from around the world under one roof at the Business Design Centre in Islington.

• The speakers are lining up for the next Foot in the Door event, taking place at the Glasgow University Union on Wednesday 28th February, and we are delighted to reveal the full programme.

Welcome to the Podcaster Toolbox, a crowd-sourced resource for independent, DIY, and/or beginning home-based podcasters.

The Kangaroofern Media Lab team will review the resources submitted here and add them as soon as possible to the Podcaster Toolbox.

• 🏜️ Transistor.fm - is a powerful and simple podcasting platform. The ability to host multiple podcasts on one account makes it ideal for podcasters with multiple shows.

• 🎙️ Acast - is a podcast hosting service that enables you to publish, share, and earn money from your podcasts.

• 🎧 Epidemic Sound - is a company that provides content producers with access to a sizable library of royalty-free music.

• 🚗 Niceboard - modern job board software, helps communities and organisations create and manage job boards.

• 📼 Tubebuddy - is a complete tool for YouTube channel management and growth.

• 📹 VidIQ - is a website for learning that focuses on offering video tutorials and analytics to aid users in expanding their YouTube channels.

The complete Toolbox can be seen at https://www.podworks.io/toolbox

Send press releases, jobs, events and podcast ads in the street to [email protected]. Editorially, we may rewrite headlines and descriptions.

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