Podcasts help Apple’s figures

• Apple announced its Q2/26 fiscal financial results. Services revenue, which includes revenue from premium Apple Podcasts subscriptions, reached an all-time high of $31 billion, up +16.3%. The word “podcast” wasn’t mentioned in the conference call; though it is available as a podcast - Apple Quarterly Earnings Call. (Weirdly, that podcast isn’t on Spotify…)

• Sounds Profitable’s Tom Webster gives his detailed thoughts on a rumoured merger between SiriusXM and iHeartMedia. If you wanted detail and proper analysis, and even some hot corporate finance talk, you want this post.

• How does your podcast get featured on Spotify? On Monday, we spoke with Spotify’s Lizzy Hale for the official answer. Yet, a UK reader of Podnews spotted a feature for “Podcasts to help save the planet” appear in their app, which might point to an alternative way. Highlighted were podcasts from TEDxLondon, the BBC World Service, and a science podcast from Fresh Air; but the #1 slot was given to a podcast called Heart of the Wild, which is, in its words, “hosted by Dianna Colasurdo, a London-based media executive and passionate animal enthusiast”. This show is too small to appear in either Rephonic or Podscribe, so we’re impressed that it got the prime position in the Spotify carousel. On LinkedIn, we discover a possible reason why: Dianna Colasurdo is the Government Business Lead… at Spotify.

• “An AI-generated true crime show with narrative inconsistencies is annoying. An AI-generated health show giving bad medical advice is dangerous.” RSS.com’s Alberto Betella speaks on the Podnews Weekly Review today to talk AI slop in podcasting: and ways to combat it. “The industry is talking about reaching the moon”, he says, “but we don’t even have a bike yet”.

• The nominations for the true-crime CLUE Awards have been announced. Alongside the full list of nominees, CLUE has unveiled the recipients of its prestigious “Crimefighter of the Year” honor: Jena-Lisa Jones, Haley Robson and Courtney Wild, three Jeffrey Epstein survivors and activists.

• Two podcasters in Canada have been accused in court of running a campaign of harassment and intimidation; and a Canadian court granted an order to seize their devices. The case continues; they deny any wrongdoing.

  • Last year, Podnews reported a story of Canadian courts ruling against a different podcast that was investigating a connected story.

• Guideline has expanded its SQADCosts Local solution, bringing geo-targeted CPM pricing to CTV, audio streaming and podcasting.

• Triton’s Canada Podcast Ranker is out for March. The top 5 for podcasts and publishers remain unchanged.

• SuperAwesome has announced an exclusive advertising partnership with Tinkercast, the publisher of Wow in the World. SuperAwesome will serve as Tinkercast’s exclusive direct-sales advertising partner.

• Apple Podcasts: “On May 16, starting at 6:00 a.m. PDT, Apple Podcasts Connect will be unavailable for up to two hours. Access to Apple Podcasts Connect and Analytics will not be available during this time.” These events don’t normally mean new features are coming - it’s just benevolent technologists with beards running maintenance most likely.

  People News

• Red Seat Ventures has announced that Craig Reilly as the company’s VP of Sales. He joins from SiriusXM and FOX Sports.

• Audacy announced two additions to the Board of Directors. Walker Jacobs is DAZN’s Global Chief Revenue Officer; Gabriel Brotman is from Soros Fund Management (but was with Axel Springer and Politico). Soros Fund Management holds a controlling stake in the broadcaster (as well as an investment in Crooked Media and MeidasTouch Network)

Tips and tricks - with The Podcast Show London

• The Headliner podcast focuses on Audio vs. Video Podcasting: How to Grow as Audio-Only Podcast

Podcast News - with Airwave

With Airwave: In every episode of Sleep Cove you’ll hear relaxing sleep hypnosis, guided sleep meditations and bedtime stories – all designed to help you relax and get a peaceful night’s sleep.

Miss Carly’s Car Rides - recently a nominee in The Webby Awards - is celebrating its 1 year anniversary today with a special edition. The show, from an NJ-based creator and music educator, is designed to help families turn chaotic car rides with toddlers into calm, engaging experiences through music.

What’s that buzzing? Aah! Shoo! Why are there so many flies? That must be because Kingdom: Animalia’s game show, Animalia Fake!, is back after a nearly three year hiatus with a new episode about insects! Play along at home with host Devon and announcers Chet and Cap Chickadee to see if you can spot the Animalia Fakes about insects!

It’s Women’s Health Month in America, and The Women’s Health Playbook has launched to share the plays women living in the US need to make healthcare a little easier. This inaugural season breaks down the exam room: how to find the right doctor, have your concerns taken seriously, and best practices to follow and get real answers and support.

Guidance in Recovery has got a makeover and a new name. Formerly Retrieving Sanity, the show is hosted by Keegan Read, and he’s taking the lessons he’s learned to help people through the mess of early recovery while learning how to embrace a new lifestyle that makes it easier to live with themselves. The rebrand launches today with special guest, Hilary Momberger Powers, who was once the voice for Sally Brown in The Peanuts.

Join Bully Pulpit International (BPI) CEO Andrew Bleeker for Actionable Impact, a new series of brief, practical discussions on AI transformation with the world’s top communications and public affairs experts. We’re going beyond the hype to focus on the real decisions leaders are making every day: managing team anxieties, maintaining brand trust, rebuilding organizational structures, and more. THe first episode features Robert Gibbs, Chief Communications and Public Affairs Officer at Warner Brothers Discovery and former White House Press Secretary.

As we celebrate the end of Earth Month Equity In Every Drop returns for Season 5, bringing together the diverse voices, experiences, and perspectives of Waterkeeper groups around the world. The series has tackled some of the most urgent challenges facing waterways — from climate change and water scarcity to factory farms and industrial agriculture, plastic pollution, toxic chemicals, and the degradation of wetlands; and the advocates, scientists, and changemakers working to drive progress at local, national, and global levels.