Podsights terminates contract with Libsyn, citing bad conduct

• Podsights has terminated its contract with Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast, according to a notice on Podsights’ website. Podsights attribution will not be available to advertisers attempting to run campaigns on Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast from Oct 11. Podnews understands a notice of termination was sent after a Libsyn employee accosted a female Podsights staff member at a virtual event in April, but the banner only appeared after Podsights was called “malicious” and “ignorant” by the same person, Libsyn’s Rob Walch, during a session at Podcast Movement. Walch accused Podsights of “f#cking this community” in an aggressive speech that we’re told is part of a pattern of targeted behaviour against Podsights.

  • Amy FitzHenry, General Counsel at Podsights, told Podnews: “While we have enjoyed working with AdvertiseCast in the past and have great respect for its founders, the continued targeted behavior against our employees and company, and repeated misstatement of the facts and law by an employee that Libsyn continues to endorse and protect makes the situation untenable. This is particularly egregious given that we are currently under contract with the company repeatedly attempting to disparage us. We value our employees and must choose them and their safety over enabling an individual who appears to be acting in bad faith.”
  • AdvertiseCast told Podnews: “Libsyn and AdvertiseCast don’t comment on commercial agreements.”

• Separately, Libsyn has paid a $147,000 penalty after it failed to file registration statements with the SEC. The company will pay these penalties monthly until it files; it doesn’t anticipate filing until December. It made an investor presentation earlier this week, highlighting recent acquisitions and its long-term ad sales strategy.

  
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• The Verge reports that Joe Rogan’s exclusivity on Spotify is hurting his influence, and that his social numbers have halved. Ashley Carman reports that searches for Joe Rogan also dropped after moving to Spotify, and YouTube data has also fallen.

• Audioboom, which is for sale, rejected a $258m offer from a private equity firm All Active Asset Capital in July, but held more talks last week. AAAC has until Sep 13 to make a better offer.

  
  Sep 6 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• Wondery has announced a strategic partnership with Tinkercast, the childrens’ podcast company responsible for, among others, Wow In The World. Wondery gains exclusive rights to distribution, ad sales and merchandise. New Tinkercast content will be released a week early on Wondery+ and their Apple Podcasts channel.

  
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• Pocket, a Mozilla-owned internet reading platform, has teamed up with Slate for reading lists from Slate’s most popular podcasts.

• Cameron Esposito, stand-up comic and host of Queery, has been announced as the keynote speaker for She Podcasts Live in Scottsdale AZ, USA, in mid October.

• Clare Stephens, the Editor in Chief at Mamamia, is to be promoted to Executive Editor in mid-October.

  
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• Need help with the name of that new podcast you’re planning where you interview funny elephants? AI-powered Podcast Name Generator gave us “Elephants in the Room”, and “Elephants Among Us”, and our personal favourite “Elephantastic”.

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