Is Amazon AWS an alternative to a real podcast host?

• How much does it cost to host a podcast on Amazon AWS? We work out the numbers so you don’t have to. Mostly - it can be very expensive indeed, and you lose so many features it’s not worth it. Unless…

• Michael Barbaro’s trademark … stresses and … pauses? They’re written into his script, which is single line-spaced and all in capitals. Sadly missing from this script: how he writes “Here’s what else youneedtoknwtdy”.

• Pandora reckon that discoverability continues to be an issue for podcasting. Speaking in an investor call, the owner of Pandora, SiriusXM’s CEO Jim Meyer, says that podcasting is “like a flea market,” and that content “is up there, but nobody can find it easily”. “Right now, it seems to be a race as who can put the most stuff up,” he also said, “which personally, I don’t believe is what is going to win.” Pandora currently lists 3,000 podcasts (including Podnews).

  • The company highlighted a recent agreement to do a radio stream with instructors of a fitness cycle brand. “I thought you’re amazing. It’s so creative,” gushes an analyst from Merrill Lynch in response.

• Podcast host Blubrry have announced the launch of full, dynamic ad insertion. CEO Todd Cochrane calls it “another podcast component that creators can easily manage at an affordable price”.

• Advertisers are opening their wallets to podcasting, says Jeff Vidler from Audience Insights, with new data from the company’s recent work with Westwood One and Pacific Content. Meanwhile, if you’re a subscriber, the Financial Times claims that the future of podcasting will be highly personalised, claiming “the fusion of great content and artificial intelligence may herald the arrival of a voice guru: a trusted companion and adviser, armed with data from past listening choices, who anticipates listeners’ desires better than they can.”

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• Magellan takes a look at advertising within the new Apple Podcasts category of true crime. The most frequent advertiser is hair-care brand Madison Reed.

• Got (exactly) the same name as another podcast? Spotify won’t let you in, it transpires - it rejects your podcast if it shares the name of one already on its platform.

• A 50 page report on getting started in podcasting, of particular interest to current magazine and newspaper publishers, has been published. It’s free.

• Radiotopia is adding two new podcasts next month. They’ve acquired AdultISH for its second season, and unveil Passenger List, a fictional mystery thriller about a plane that disappears with 256 passengers on board.

• It’s now day eight without any categories in Apple Podcasts apps while the company reworks them.

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Podcasts

Spreaker Prime: All Crime No Cattle details the most fascinating true crimes from the Lone Star State. From small to Texas-sized crimes, y’all won’t be able to get enough of these stories. They’re using Spreaker Prime to host for free and make more money.

Rob Greenlee is a guest of Podcasting Made Easy, delving into the past, present and future of podcasting. (Libsyn)

Emma’s Diary features stand-up comedian and actor Emma Willmann, in a daily podcast recorded from wherever she happens to be. (Anchor)

The Offside Rule, a football podcast hosted by three women, has been signed by UK radio station JACK Radio - a station that plays music exclusively by female artists - for broadcast every Friday night at 7pm.