A new ‘civility score’ for podcasts

• Seekr and Oxford Road have launched what they call the first-ever “civility score” for podcasts. Using AI, the tool scans podcast episodes in their entirety, enabling it to spot instances of ad hominem attacks that occur at any point in a program, so brands can avoid getting caught in the crossfire. “Now, we can reward the most responsible voices, rather than those that are simply the loudest”, says Oxford Road CEO Dan Granger.

• Media research firm Coleman Insights has launched Pod Predictor - a way to test podcast concepts and marketing before release. The tool surveys a thousand podcast listeners about your idea.

• PodcastOne has signed an exclusive distribution and monetisation agreement with Some More News and its spinoff. It’s part of the company’s proposed acquisition of “certain assets” of Kast Media.

• “Video podcast” production company The Fellas Studios has attracted a £1.5mn (US$2mn) investment. The investment for the company, which launched in 2021, came from creators.

• Acast has launched its self-service ad platform in France.

• Entries for the Independent Podcast Awards close tomorrow.

• Podcast ad creative has never been more important, says Paul Riismandel from Signal Hill Insights, quoting a survey the company worked on. “My hypothesis is that great podcast ads work because they keep a listener’s attention. This stands in opposition to radio or streaming, where part of an ad’s job is to attract, or even demand a listener’s attention,” he surmises.

In tomorrow’s Podnews Weekly Review, a full interview with the first ever podcaster, Christopher Lydon. Guest-hosting for Sam Sethi this week is Rob Greenlee, who takes us through his personal thoughts on 20 years of podcasting and the future.

Thank you to Joanne Phillips for becoming our latest personal supporter. Your support is super-kind, and ensures that we are less reliant on commercial interests for funding our journalism. Thank you!

Tips and tricks

• We Edit Podcasts delves into how to find the right sponsors for your podcast
• Headliner shares effective podcast promotion using listening behaviours

Podcast News - with the Radioinfo Asia Podcast Awards

Black Magic Woman becomes the first Indigenous podcast to join ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network Australia. The show has provided a platform for Aboriginal doctors, lawyers, parents, entrepreneurs, professors, authors and actors, recognising the importance of telling their own stories separate from the mainstream media.

Machine Takeover is a new podcast that blends Artificial Intelligence voices, narrative comedy, and immersive sound design - as well as human acting. It is the first time this mix of elements has been combined for a podcast, they say. Set in the future, it tells the story of John Doe, the last human on earth forced in the AI apocalypse to teach two AI systems Orissa and Pantheon what it means to be human.