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🎙️Coalition of Concerned Creators demanding Spotify transparency and concerned about the impact of its new audiobook streaming offering

December 23, 2023

Hello! Apologies for the late send.

As we bid 2023 farewell, we can't help but think back on what a fantastic year Kangaroofern Media Lab HQ has been.

Happy Holidays to all our audio-loving friends from the team at Podwires

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to each and every one of you for helping to make the Podwires successful, safe, and cosy. Your enthusiasm inspires us to remain dedicated to giving independent podcast producers and podcasters a safe haven.

I hope you have a happy holiday season and a New Year filled with Podcast.

Contact me via email, and don't forget to sign up for this newsletter here if you haven't already. Encourage a friend to subscribe as well!

Happy Podcasting

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📢 The podcast hosting service Simplecast has announced a number of new features, such as enhanced analytics, quicker episode notes, and tools for uploading to YouTube.

📢 Triton Digital® released its November 2023 U.S. Podcast Ranker and Canada Podcast Ranker. SiriusXM Podcast Network topped the November Top Sales Networks Report again with 43.7M Average Weekly Downloads and 13.2M Average Weekly Users. While in Canada, the top three Canada originated French-language podcasts included Le Radiojournal (CBC/Radio-Canada) again at #1, Richard Martineau (QUB) climbing to #3, and Les chroniques de Pierre-Yves McSween (Cogeco Media) at #3.

📢 New funding round for Podimo totals €44m Danish state fund supports investment. Podimo, a podcast subscription platform, closed its latest round of funding today, including Danish state investments, to continue developing its features.

📢 New York State Attorney General Letitia James is ending SiriusXM's 2023 with legal action as the satellite provider prepares for massive expansion in 2024. James posted, “Illegally traps people into subscriptions,” on X, suing SiriusXM over its difficult cancellation process.

📢 US writers form the Coalition of Concerned Creators to push Spotify for greater openness. Our concerns include the streaming giant's new audiobook streaming offering and its effects on author compensation, book value, and the literary industry.

10. The Infinite Dial's 25th year tracked the U.S.'s transition from dial-up to digital dominance, as 75% of those age 12+ have listened to online audio in the last monthSource: The Infinite Dial® 2023 sponsored by Amazon Music, Wondery, and ART19

9. A majority (58%) of audio listening now occurs in the home, and largely through connected devicesSource: Audio in Evolution sponsored by Amazon Ads

8. Time spent with on-demand audio passes time spent with linear audioSource: Share of Ear from Weekly Insights

7. Level of education played a role in how Ohioans voted on abortion, but it’s not as simple as those with or without college degreesSource: Edison Research Exit Poll/Ohio Referendum Issue 1, 2023

6. Despite all the new audio choices on the in-car dashboard, radio is number one in France, Germany, and the UKSource: Dashboard Dialogue from Edison Research and WorldDAB

5. In-car listeners spend the most time listening to audio through a radio, but mobile devices continue to gain shareSource: Share of Ear from Weekly Insights

. Spoken Word Audio has reached another all-time high, and podcasts now account for 36% of the totalSource: The Spoken Word Audio Report from NPR and Edison Research

3. UK Podcasters Dominate the UK ChartsSource: Edison Podcast Metrics UK

2. Diverse audiences are engaged podcast listenersSources: The Black Podcast Listener Report sponsored by SXM Media, and Mindshare USA; The Latino Podcast Listener Report sponsored by LWC Studios, Latina to Latina podcast, Libsyn, Latino Media Network, and SXM Media

1. Kids are engaged podcast listeners and grow into loyal adult listenersThe Kids Podcast Listener Report from Edison Research and Kids Listen, with sponsors American Public Media, Disney Podcasts, Tumble Media, and Wondery; The Gen Z Podcast Listener Report sponsored by SXM MediaBonus finding: The podcast "New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce" sees a four and a half times increase in weekly podcast listeners age 13+ since the Swift-Kelce pairing became public; audience shifts to 50% femaleSource: Edison Podcast Metrics from Weekly Insights

Presenting New Voices AMPLIFIY! For independent creators who already have a podcast and are looking to expand their audience, there is an 8-week marketing accelerator available.

Selected participants will receive accelerated learning, mentorship from top industry professionals, and a $1,000 stipend. Participants will be a part of a cohort of independent podcasters with the chance to create long-lasting relationships, in addition to workshops and exercises on monetization, audience engagement, and promotional campaigns. You will have a tonne of knowledge and techniques at the end of the programme that you can use right away with your podcast!

The application period is now open!

  • Former Audible and Gimlet executive joins NPR as head of podcast strategy. Colin Campbell will start new role this December.

  • Westwood One will be led by Cumulus Media EVP of Corporate Strategy & Development Collin Jones starting January 1, 2024. He succeeds Suzanne Grimes, who left after eight years.

  • AdLarge announced today Tom Brady has joined the company’s sales force. In this new role, Brady will work directly with EVP of Audio Sales, Robin Sloan.

  • Rachel Williamson was elevated by Audacy to the position of President of Local Sales Strategy and Innovation, from Regional President. Williamson will answer to Chief Revenue Officer Brian Benedik in the newly created role.

  • At the end of March, Spotify's chief revenue officer, Paul Vogel, will be leaving the company. Following a third round of layoffs that affected Spotify earlier this week, the announcement was made.

  • After five years, Denise Viltola, who oversaw social media, PR, and influencer marketing at Bayer, announced her departure. She is still deciding what to do next.

  • Jeff Howard will succeed James Warburton as Seven West Media's managing director and CEO, according to Seven West Media Chairman Kerry Stokes AC.

  • Rachel Fountain has been appointed as Content Director, Audio (News, Sport, and Lifestyle) for NewsCast, News Corp Australia's on-demand audio division.

  • Warner Bros Discovery's Millennial and Gen Z-targeted content company Rooster Teeth's podcast network, The Roost, will have new leadership in the new year. From now on, Roost Podcast Network VP AJ Feliciano will manage all podcast sales and partnerships.

  • Vinyl Group, listed on ASX, will fully acquire Australian youth publisher The Brag Media, including its premium mastheads and events.

The UK's chief book lover, Queen Camilla, will launch a podcast on January 8. The weekly series with host Vicki Perrin and the Queen discussing books and literature is starting at her charity, the Queen's Reading Room.

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

  • Johns Hopkins Carey Business School is seeking a flexible and talented Casual Audio Editor/Sound Designer - for on-call assignments

  • Bloomberg is looking for a Full-time and contractor Podcast Producer. Bloomberg is expanding its audio offerings and seeking an experienced podcast producer for a daily economy, world, and enterprise business news podcast.

  • Google is hiring Associate Product Marketing Manager Whether you're on a consumer product (like Gmail, Search, Maps, Chrome, Android) or a business product (Google Ads, AdSense, Google Marketing Platform, Analytics), you take part in a complete marketing experience as you lead every facet of the product's journey. 

  • Vice Media is looking for a Freelance Podcast Producer Series. As a producer you will be responsible for owning all aspects of pre-production, production and post-production of narrative audio documentary.

  • Sinclair, Inc. is looking for an Associate Producer, Podcasts to assist in developing and producing a slate of audio series. 

  • Nova Entertainment is hiring a Audio Engineer. NOVA Entertainment is Australia’s fastest-growing audio entertainment business.

  • Rode is hiring a Social content creator. As a Social Content Creator specializing in TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts, you will play a pivotal role in our brand's growth strategy. 

Please mention Podworks.io or Podwires in your application.

To get more podcast jobs , subscribe to Podworks IO Click here

  • The Associated Press reports that TikTok, Meta, and X are suing Utah over March laws that would prohibit minors from using social media at night without parental consent and require them to verify their age on their accounts.

  • Meltwater's top 10 Australian TikTok creators are listed by Mediaweek based on their fans, reach, and Meltwater Klear Influence Score, which is calculated using multiple variables and Klear's proprietary AI algorithm.

  • Sole Retriever reports that Nike is suing Divide The Youth founder Nicholas Tuinenburg and Eben Fox (Cedaz) for promoting and selling counterfeit goods.

  • Over 100 creators have threatened to leave Substack after allegations that Nazi content, from swastikas to references to the “Jewish question,” has appeared unchecked in at least 16 newsletters, some with tens of thousands of subscribers. Over 50 Substack writers wrote an open letter supporting the platform's content moderation strategy.

  • The Information reports that Facebook is ending its 55% creator ad revenue share. Video performance-based payouts will replace the program's percentage-based revenue share from ads played next to videos.

  • Social Soup, an Australian and New Zealand influencer marketing agency, launched an AI-powered verification and barcode scanning tool to connect influencer content to in-store product trials and purchases.

  • As part of his new podcast network, The Big Podcast Network, Shaquille O'Neal will launch a weekly podcast show this fall.

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/p/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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