Dr Death tops podcast charts across the world

• Wondery’s Dr Death has hit the #1 spot in Apple Podcasts worldwide, after translated versions were released last week at Podcast Movement. They’re the first to launch a set of translated podcasts across the world. (Here’s how the Apple Charts work).

• 16% of the UAE listen to podcasts weekly, and they spend a quarter more than non-podcast listeners on food and drink. Thirsty work, true crime. The full research from markettiers 4DC is now out.

• Spotify is adding podcast playlists, allowing anyone to share playlists with their friends. Zach Kahn has spotted this, and added this playlist including some episodes of Today, Explained. Meanwhile, Spotify is also working on Stories for Playlists, says Jane Manchun Wong, including video clips and tracks from a Q&A from an artist.

  
  This link is no longer available, as at Aug 16 2023

• Of the 39% of smart speaker owners who’ve tried to listen to a podcast through it, only 26% have succeeded, according to Voicebot.

• Podtrac have released their top 20 podcasts list for July. iHeartRadio’s Stuff You Should Know has dropped to #3, being overtaken by This American Life at 2. The Daily still remains at #1. The data is opt-in and US-only.

  
  Aug 16 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• PodHunt - like ProductHunt but for podcasting - officially launches today, on ProductHunt, naturally.

• Gimlet had a rebrand at the end of May. Here’s more about that from a design website. “With its typography, it gives the company a feeling of authority, but its colours and use of imagery mean it still feels playful and approachable.” The company responsible is GrandArmy.

• The team behind The Fantasy Footballers are working with US satellite radio broadcaster SiriusXM. A new live show featuring the hosts will go to air every Thursday on the Fantasy Sports Radio channel, and the podcast, which remains independent, will also be aired weeknights.

• In an opinion piece, Tony Compton highlights the false premise of the podcast craze: “Sticking ill-prepared people in front of a microphone and calling it a podcast: all the technology in the world won’t make those podcasts successful.”

• The second round of the Google Podcasts PRX creator program is underway. So far, they’ve been to a Red Sox game. They lost.

Podcasts

Spreaker Prime: Lost Origins explores all things ancient mystery, alternative historical theory, extraterrestrial phenomena, and lost civilizations. Hosts Andrew and CK are using Spreaker Prime to earn money and save on their hosting costs.
Public Comment are a series of open-ended essays blending memoir, politics, and culture. Its host, Sean O’Connor, hopes they are “a commitment to thinking with clarity, elaborateness, and depth”. (Podbean)

Reasons to be cheerful with Ed Miliband and Geoff Lloyd has recently released its 100th episode. The podcast talks to smart thinkers from across the world. Episode 100 was recorded in Abbey Road Studios in London. (Acast)

Dave Jackson’s School of Podcasting focuses, in its latest episode, on insights from Podcast Movement. (Libsyn)

The latest episode of The New Media Show, recorded at Podcast Movement itself, included Lindsay Bowen from Pandora let slip that the company will share advertising revenue with podcasters; and an unusual pronounciation of Cochrane. (Blubrry)

It’s like The Daily, only for fans of murder and thievery! Parcast is launching Today in True Crime. The show starts in mid September. “Here’s what else you need-to-kill-today”. (Megaphone)