🎙️Podwires 2023: A Year in Review

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📢 Salem Media Group voluntarily withdrew its Class A Common Stock from Nasdaq Global Market. By January 8, 2024, the company will file with the SEC to delist. Salem's Nasdaq stock trading would end around January 18.

📢 Podcasting must “become bionic” in 2024 to adapt. The Nieman Lab journalism prediction portfolio for the coming year includes industry year-end assessments.

📢 Audacy has enlisted the help of some of its most renowned national radio talent to offer a special retrospective on 2023.

📢   The Best Podcasts of 2023, According to People Who Make Podcasts, the third annual Vulture Podcast survey released the other day.

• John Rosso, President and CEO: The buying of broadcast radio will transition into a more digital paradigm, using programmatic techniques and automation for the transacting and delivering of those campaigns. We’re already scratching the surface of this with some of our demand-side buying partners and we’ll see this accelerate in 2024.

• Sharon Taylor, SVP Podcast Strategy and Product Operations: YouTube will continue to grow as an important destination for podcast consumption - both on their video platform and YouTube Music app, as podcasting holds a larger place in both. Publishers will need to build a strategy for how they incorporate video into their podcast plans, especially with lines blurring between RSS delivered podcast content and other mediums. Publishers will also need to get creative with how they market their audio content as they extend it into YouTube.

• Stephanie Donvoan, Global Head of Revenue: Retail Media Networks in the US will outpace digital ad growth in 2024, 14.2% increase vs 11.2%. This year, we’ll see retailers add audio through programmatic exchanges to bolster their multi-channel strategy. Publishers will earn more of the retail media budgets with inventory that can target the listening audience and is aligned with the retailers’ in-store shopper data. We will see that digital audio will demonstrate success in moving traffic to in-store visits as well as upper funnel branding. Advertisers will continue to accelerate spend in audio as they realize they can achieve a similar level of targeting as video and the transparent measurement they have become accustomed to with digital media while expanding their reach and efficacy.

• Daryl Battaglia, SVP Measurement: In 2024 we’re going to see a broadening of the podcast listening audience, driven by growth from previously underserved segments of the population. According to Triton’s Podcast Metrics Demos+ survey, fielded in the US with Signal Hill Insights, many of these segments have seen an increase in podcast listening. In the last 2 years, monthly podcast listeners age 55+ grew 22%, listeners in households with income less than $50k grew 29%, females grew 19%, and the Hispanic audience grew 16%. This will result in more content production to serve those audiences, which will drive even more growth in listeners from these segments.

• Benjamin Masse, Chief Product Officer: There will be a bigger focus on increasing the addressability of audio as buyers’ targeting expectations reach new heights while at the same time we are seeing more stringent privacy laws and higher privacy expectations from listeners. We will also see a growing shift in buyer’s strategies as more sophisticated audio ads and feedback loops from players are integrated into these strategies. We will start seeing more interactive audio ads as part of these strategies, but the transition from passive to interactive will be gradual.

• Americans Spend Over Four Hours Daily with Audio based on the recent Edison Research. At Share of Ear's 2014 launch, Americans 13+ spent 4:17 a day listening to all audio sources.

• US multicultural advertising spending targeting Hispanic, Black, and Asian consumers is rebounding, according to PQ Media. Spending is expected to rise 8.4% to $45.83 billion in 2024 after falling 5.7%. On another research from Horowitz that Black American haven consistently been among the most engage with entertainment and technology.

• The Power of Creator Content: Revolutionizing the Effectiveness of Ads. An Interactive Advertising Bureau report showing marketer interest in placing ads alongside creator content suggests audio creators could benefit from media buyers funding the creator economy.  

• Driving the Future of Media: How Video Podcasts are Overtaking Audio.More podcast listeners watched than listened in the last 30 days for the first time. However, posting your pod on YouTube may fail. What should podcasters do? Sound You Can See examines how consumers view video podcasts and how they shape the medium.

• Trend Alert: Massive Surge in Podcast Advertising Predicted for Next Five Years. The September–October 2023 study found that global marketers are ten times more likely to predict a five-year increase in podcast ad spend than a decrease.

• Edison Research Unveils American Audio Habits: Rise in Podcasting, Changes in Radio Listening. The authoritative American audio time study is Edison Research's quarterly “Share of Ear” study. Edison Research surveys 4,000 Americans annually to measure audio reach and time spent.

• Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights' latest Podcast Download report calls this YouTube's podcast ambitions' “banner year”. It finds that weekly podcast listeners who only watch podcasts have increased from 8% to 14% since April 2022. YouTube is used by 28% of weekly podcast listeners, more than Apple Podcasts and Spotify combined.

• October Sees Rising Podcast Ad Spend by Top Brands: Magellan AI Report. Magellan AI found that podcasting's top 15 advertisers spent more in October than September.

• Global Audio Market to Grow 7% with Podcasts Leading the Way - Deloitte Report. The audio entertainment market is poised for growth. The podcast, streaming music, radio, and audiobook market is expected to reach US$75 billion in 2024, up 7%. Podcasts have untapped per-user revenue.

• Nielsen Unveils Soaring Popularity of Podcasts Over Other Media Platforms. Americans prefer audio over video, even though there are plenty of video services. The Nielsen 2023 Consumer Survey found that 21% of consumers plan to listen to podcasts more in the next six to 12 months, more than any other media.

• The Sound of Success: Audio takes the Spotlight in Digital Entertainment, says Survey. The survey finds that 90% of respondents engage with audio content daily, highlighting its significant role in American entertainment habits.

• In 2023, BBC Sounds experienced a significant surge in listenership, with more than 2 billion plays of radio, music, and podcasts from January to November. Podcasts, in particular, saw a 34% increase in listeners compared to the previous year.

• Spotify has over 100,000 video podcasts and says people prefer them between 6 p.m. and midnight, when they are “winding down and primed for ‘leaned-in’ viewing, According to tubefilter.com

• Podcast advertising is expected to continue growing in 2024, according to Dave Hanley of Libsyn.

• Sports podcaster and radio host Jeff Thurn was indicted on five federal wire fraud counts for stealing $5 million from ticket reselling investors between 2015 and 2022.

• Eleven new hires have been announced by The New York Times for its audio team as it closes out the year.

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!

• Managing Director for Spotify Nordics, Jenny Hermanson, has departed from the company. She said “It has been an extraordinary privilege to lead and contribute to the growth of Spotify in one of its key markets. Being part of a start-up journey to where we are today has been nothing short of an adventure.”

• 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.

Happy Healthy Human 
How To Be Happy Part 1

Happiness is an emotion, but it's also a skill — like a muscle that can be trained. This episode breaks down the three key components to building happiness from the inside out (a.k.a., the only way it can be built).

Curate a list

• Breaking Down What Makes a Podcast Successful. Buzzsprout Conversations is a new-ish podcast where we dive into the real-life stories of podcasters and what makes them successful!

• New AI Tool Creates Podcast Launch Kits in Minutes. Showplanner AI generates a free podcast launch kit to help independent podcasters launch a new idea in minutes.

• 5 new tools to automate podcast production, powered by AI. For the last 3 months, Resound, the AI podcast editor, has been quietly building, iterating and announcing a big step forward to achieving our mission of automating audio production.

• How to Make Your Podcast Recommended by ChatGPT. ChatGPT became the fastest-growing app ever, with 100 million active users in two months. During its initial launch, 13 million people used ChatGPT every day. That number may be much higher today.

🚀 Want to advertise in Podwires ? Book here

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

• Our first events for 2024 are now also open for registration with the year kicking off with our Sydney Audio Summit and Melbourne Audio Summit 

• Design a Great Podcast with Strategy In Mind. This class will take you through a design process that blends vision, planning, and strategy.

• 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

• Podcast Academy: What is “growth” for my podcast? Setting realistic goals with Arielle Nissenblatt. (Register Here)

• Rand Fishkin Joins Us at the Brand Podcast Virtual Summit in January 2024!

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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