The best audio fiction in 2023

• First look: Evo Terra’s newsletter highlighting completed audio fiction, The End has posted its look back at 2023. Only five percent of submitted audio fiction shows did not have an RSS feed. Evo also recommends some of the best.

• The latest Listen Notes statistics show a five year low for “new podcasts” in 2023, at just 213,145. (The data actually measures new podcast RSS feeds; many new shows this year launched in RSS feeds from older shows.) While the number of new podcasts was down year-on-year, the number of new episodes increased by 5.5%.

• Which podcast apps collect the most personal user data? A new report from Surfshark tells us the unsurprising answer: Spotify, which - says the company - shares data like your email address, phone number, product interaction, and advertising data, with third parties.

• Video podcasts aren’t replacing audio-only ones - just adding a new option. Signal Hill Insights looks back at its research in 2023 to spot potential game changers for the industry.

• Voice-over marketplace Voices has published a report into the US industry. The data doesn’t mention podcasts by name, but does say that around half of voice actors work with a voice coach; and that 57% of voiceovers plan to upgrade their home studios this year.

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• Ashley Carman reports that the founder of the UK podcast company Novel Sean Glynn has settled a lawsuit from investor VGC Partners.

Thank you to Lex Friedman (with an e) for becoming Podnews’s latest personal supporter. Lex runs a business consulting firm, publishes Your Daily Lex, and makes a game called Conlextions. Personal supporters help us lower our reliance on advertising and are a great way to support us - if you want to be like Lex, here’s our Patreon.

Tips and tricks - with Patreon + Spotify

• Why aren’t Americans increasing their time spent with audio? And how can podcasting grow further? Steve Goldstein has five strategies for growing podcasting.

• Are podcast stats way too complicated? Our guide to understanding them might help - especially, how to get more detailed data from specific platforms.

Podcast News - with Airwave

Tanner Campbell’s Practical Stoicism has joined Evergreen Podcasts. The show was with Glassbox Media.

Play On Podcasts reimagines Shakespeare’s timeless tales, featuring original musical compositions and the voices of gifted artists. Just posted - the romantic tragedy, Romeo & Juliet.

Shows from the Women’s Meditation Network, like Meditation for Women, have signed with Audacy for sales and distribution. The network was founded by Katie Krimitsos.

From Airwave: Lindsay Schnebly and Jethro Gilligan Toth have always shared a love for stories of people doing ridiculously dumb things. They found it wildly amusing as young boys. They still do today. The Shallow End lets you join them for true stories that are tragically hilarious.