Deleted: the Spotify podcaster vs the algorithm

• Exclusive: A trigger-happy algorithm at Spotify managed to delete one creator’s show on Spotify for Podcasters, losing every follower, every paid subscriber, and her revenue. Could it happen to you, too?

• Podcasts are Replacing Traditional Media Consumption, says a new set of data from consultancy and research firm KS&R. The data shows that a third of Gen Z listeners say they spend less time playing video games since they began listening to podcasts.

• The number of active podcasts increased by over 3.3% last month, according to The Actively Established Podcast Report. The number of active indie produced interview-based podcasts has increased by more than 5.6% to over 120,000.

• Colorado Public Radio has laid off fifteen employees, primarily in the audio and podcast production departments. It’s the largest cut to the company’s payroll in at least 25 years.

• Podcast ad optimisation company Flightpath has added support for episode-targeted DAI advertising.

• Seltzer Kings has announced a new podcast network, the Seltzer Kings Podcast Network, and a new studio in Brooklyn NY, USA. Seltzer Kings is also to expand its production wing with a set of new services.

• PodBravo, an AI-powered content repurposing company, launched yesterday. Using the tool, podcasters can “effortlessly expand audience reach and engagement without the burden of additional manual work”.

• Audioboom has announced renewals of a number of popular shows on its network, which collectively contributed 90mn downloads in 2023.

• A new podcast festival has been launched in the UK. Crossed Wires will be in Sheffield from May 31-Jun 2. It’s organised by My Dad Wrote A (naughty book)’s Alice Levine, Persephonica’s Dino Sofos, and James O’Hara.

• Libsyn has reported a record share of downloads from Spotify, at 20%.

Tips and tricks - with Memberful

• Should I Really Use Dynamic Ads for Mid-roll Sponsors? (Joe Casabona)

• Here’s how to export your subscriptions from Google Podcasts before it shuts down (9 to 5 Google)

Podcast News - with Airwave

From Airwave: Step into the world of the unknown and unravel the dark history, and infamous legends of the American South in Southern Gothic. Expect stories like the Bell Witch of Tennessee and the haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium; this show uncovers the truth behind classic tales of the paranormal.

The YouTuber-presented Dad V Girls After Hours has hit “1.5mn audio downloads and full episode YouTube views” in its first month since launch. It hit #1 in Spotify and #1 trending worldwide on YouTube on launch. It’s produced by The Fellas Studios, a video podcasting company targeting 16-35 year-olds.

Black Box, a Guardian investigative podcast series, has revealed the names connected to a deepfake photo app that is inviting users to “undress anyone using AI”. (It’s even more concerning than it sounds).

Sports Shrinks launches today - an entertaining, informative destination of all issues and topics surrounding mental health for athletes, parents, coaches, and anyone who loves athletics. It’s from The Athletes Mental Health Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping athletes understand and address their internal well-being.

MUMBELIEVABLE with Sonia Beldom promises “a funny and insightful podcast about our maddening, mixed-up and marvelous mums”. Sonia Beldom is the host, who has her own popular blog called Sonia’s Mum. It launches today, just before Mothering Sunday, the British equivalent of Mother’s Day, which is this Sunday.

Thirty years after the TV show first hit the airwaves on NBC, Homicide: Life On The Set is a new podcast focusing on creators and crew of Homicide: Life On The Street - a different-looking TV show that won an Emmy Award.

Novel and iHeartRadio are bringing back The Girlfriends for a second series - with a bonus episode released today. It’s back from May 6, working to try and find the true identity of an unidentified woman uncovered in the first season.