Apple now under half of all podcast plays

• Spotify is taking a bite out of Apple. Buzzsprout has shared the top podcast 'agents’ on their platform. Apple Podcasts accounts for just 47% of all plays and downloads, Spotify for 24.4%, and Google Podcasts is third with 2.4%. These are the lowest numbers yet for Apple Podcasts from a podcast host. (Libsyn’s data only shows mobile app downloads, and has a higher percentage of US downloads).

• Google Play Music Podcasts appears to have, finally, been retired, and for the first time in 882 days, Google Podcasts no longer has a competitor from Google. Time to remove all those Google Play logos from your website. We’ve updated our special website.

• Fable & Folly are in the running for an AudioVerse award for sponsored ads, which in their We Fix Space Junk show are performed by SponsorBot. Their listeners love the sponsor messages so much, it was them that managed to get SponsorBot nominated. Advertising that people like? Whatever next.

• UK broadcasting union BECTU has launched a podcasting branch. It should help with standardising pay and contracts.

  
  This link is no longer available, as at Aug 29 2023

• RockWater published the second part of a report about smart speakers and microcast growth strategy: saying that it’s time to figure out your at-home audio plans.

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• Podcast host Fireside has added support to get podcasts into Amazon Music, and has added an option for a Breaker listen badge, too.

• Stephanie Coombes is the new Podcast Content and Partnerships Director at ARN, which runs the iHeartPodcast Network Australia.

  
  This link is no longer available, as at Aug 29 2023

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The Tech Stuff - with RSS․com

• Wanting to upgrade to Big Sur? Descript isn’t compatible yet, but everything else appears to be though - unless you know better.

• Back to Buzzsprout’s new figures (above) - here’s the code they use to identify “podcast agents”.

• Castr is a new censor-free podcast host: files are stored in the Bitcoin SV blockchain, so nobody can delete your audio. It has an in-app resampling service to keep your costs down, too.

• We’ve updated the open privacy section of our podcast pages to check for unique domains. Here’s a podcast with one - we also link to more information on why they’re not such a good plan.

• Podcast host Fireside’s import system now looks for and obeys the podcast:locked tag.

Tips and tricks

• Best Practices for Podcasters on LinkedIn (Christopher Morales, Turnkey Productions)

• What podcast host is the best? This review site links to reviews of podcast hosts. We look forward to a review site which links to review sites.

Podcast News - with Vurbl

Underestimated: Stories for Women, is a new podcast hosted by Crystal Turnbull featuring stories and interviews from women overcoming obstacles and the lessons we all can learn from them. Listen on Vurbl

How to fix the internet is a podcast mini-series from the EFF, that will consider how current tech policy isn’t working well for users and invite experts to join them in imagining a better future.

The Come Up is new from the founder of RockWater Chris Erwin, who talks to entrepreneurs and executives “who are shaking things up and building exciting new companies”.

Matt Yglesias, Vox co-founder and senior correspondent is leaving Vox, but will continue to host The Weeds. The Weeds: The Next Four Years is a new eight part series from Vox, exploring the challenges and opportunities facing the incoming Biden administration. Fittingly, it runs until Inauguration Day.

Wake up in the mornin’ feelin’ like P Diddy; Grab my glasses, I’m out the door, I’m gonna hit this city; Got a podcast on the way with the folks at iHeart; it’s called Kesha and the Creepies and it launches on Friday. Tick-tock, on the clock, and the downloads won’t stop, no; Oh, whoa, whoa-oh; Oh, whoa, whoa-oh.