Australia leads the world in smart speaker adoption

• Australians love their smart speakers: 29.3% of all Australians have access to one, which is the highest percentage in the world - beating even the US. Google Home has dominant market share of over 68%; and 55% of Aussies use their smart speakers for podcasts. New data from Voicebot·ai, who released its Australia Smart Speaker Consumer Adoption Report 2019

• Patreon is launching new payment plans (for new creators only) in May, including a simpler way of joining the service.

• HotPod 200 is out, covering burnout and the Gimlet union. Congratulations to Nick Quah for 200 editions of his “comically lengthy newsletters” (his words).

• We listened to iHeartRadio Podcast Channel AM 1470, the company’s new AM station in Allentown PA, USA. And we quite liked it, so we reviewed it. (And in audio).

  
  Aug 11 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• The Audiocraft Podcast Festival (Sydney NSW, Australia: May 31 - June 2) has announced its initial lineup, promising Avery Trufelman (99% Invisible, Radiotopia), Jonathan Zenti (Voxnest/Meat), Natalie Tulloch (Spotify, NYC), Mark Pesce (The Next Billion Seconds, PodcastOne), Travis De Vries (Broriginals), Stephanie Van Schilt (Sisteria) and Tim Roxburgh (Unravel, ABC) + others. Tickets here.

  
  Aug 11 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.
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• Soundcloud has partnered with Southern Cross Austereo for ad representation in Australia.

• Jacobs Media is, once more, bringing the radio industry to Podcast Movement with their now well-known Broadcasters Meet Podcasters portion of the conference. One of those broadcasters that goes is Cumulus, who own the Westwood One Podcast Network. Last year, it earnt US $12.5m “in profitable podcasting revenue” according to CEO Mary Berner.

  
  This link is no longer available, as at Aug 11 2023

• In new data, Nielsen say that 19% of US adults listen to podcasts every week. Edison Research’s recent Infinite Dial says 22% of US adults listen weekly; the two independently researched figures look close enough to us, and both look excellent news.

  
  Aug 11 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.
  • The folks at Radio INK, who also own a podcast newsletter, headline this as “only 19%”. :(
  
  This link is no longer available, as at Aug 11 2023

• AMillionAds, a clever dynamic ad spot company, has opened a New York office and announced new hires.

• Anchor has produced, with training company SkillShare, a free introductory course on podcasting.

• Looking for an equivalent to Podnews, but for China? You’ll want # 播客一下 - “Just Pod” is put together by Yang Yi.

• Want a decent press kit for your podcast? Copy this one for Han and Matt Know It All. It’s got everything a writer needs to write about your podcast. As seen below.

  
  Aug 11 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

Podcasts

Han and Matt Know It All give a second opinion on advice columns from across the internet, and their 111th episode features “Twitter genius” Brandy Jensen. Wil Williams likes it. Us too!

Kid Don’t Kill My Vibe: A Parent Podcast discusses family-kid related topics, reviews products and interviews innovators/entrepreneurs and modern-day parents. Just launched, it’s nicely produced - the current episode talks to an interior designer for kids.

Lausanne and Las Vegas

Want to catch up? We’d love to meet.

At the end of this month, we’ll be in the delightful, beautiful surroundings of the Swiss city of Lausanne for Radiodays Europe. We’ll be enjoying the culture and politeness of the Swiss, while meeting the European radio industry in what’s the world’s largest radio conference.

Early next month, we’ll be dodging the shouty and shady characters, queuing for the monorail, blocking the sounds of the 24/7 casinos, and desperately trying to find something that isn’t deep fried in Las Vegas NV, USA for the NAB Show, where podcasting is bigger than ever.