ABC in Australia goes podcast-first, US podcast ad figures, podcasts get 3% share of ear in Canada

The Australian ABC has reorganised their long-form speech content under ABC Audio Studios. Both Radio National (their news/docs network) and podcasts all now under one roof. Kellie Riordan: “I’m a long believer that the best innovation comes from people who can experiment under the radar.” [my article]

The ABC have also launched a new podcast It’s Not A Race, a podcast about race and identity. “Race, racism and difference are part of everyday life,” says the press release. ABC is funded by government, not by commercials, and thus is able to produce niche, 'difficult’ podcasts on subjects not guaranteed to be a commercial smash.

Some US figures on advertising in podcasts. “U.S. advertisers will spend just $200 million on podcasts this year -- a paltry sum when compared to the $33 billion U.S. streaming audio market.” Why? “There simply isn’t enough data to target or measure a podcast advertising buy.”

Press release about a Stamford historian’s history podcast, How it began. “Through his finely tuned scripts, exceptional production values, and creative tenacity, Harris establishes a truly immersive audio experience that sets How It Began apart.”

Edison Research releases Share of Ear: Canada. Podcasts get 3% of “audio time”; radio (AM/FM/HD/IP/SiriusXM) gets 65%. (When comparing podcast v radio, remember podcasts finish, and radio doesn’t.)

• By comparison, US: podcasts 2%, radio (AM/FM/HD/IP/SiriusXM) 61%.
• Figures compiled by other companies show in the UK: podcasts get 2%, on-demand radio 2%, live radio (AM/FM/DAB/IP/DTV) 77%.
• Australia: podcasts 3.5%, live radio (AM/FM/DAB/IP) 65%.

Jul 23 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

Fred Jacobs asks “What’s radio’s role in podcasting?” and unveils his company’s sessions at Podcast Movement.

One to keep an eye on: JSON Feed for podcasts, a replacement to the RSS feed. Seemingly being implemented very quickly by vendors, including FeedPress. Unsure why the need for change.