The Economist launches a daily podcast, and Spotify tests an import function

• Spotify appears to be testing an import function that will allow you to “add podcasts from another app” on iOS. It appears to look inside your media library. Podcasts do need to be on Spotify, of course. (Is your podcast not on Spotify? Add it here).

• Our technical analysis of recent podcasts has been improved under the hood, and is now measuring more podcasts more often. Bitrates, LUFS levels, and other things - you’ll also find this analysis appearing in selected podcast pages. Just search.

• The BBC Sounds app continues to gather bad press. The BBC, who has lost a number of radio presenters recently including Chris Evans, Simon Mayo and Charlie Sloth, has suffered another setback with the announcement that Brett Spencer, formerly Digital Editor for BBC Radio’s music channels, has accepted a new role as Digital Content Director for rival Bauer Media. Formerly under his watch? Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review.

• The Listen App is a new podcast app that can be operated one-handed.

• HotPod focuses on Pinna, a kids podcaster, previously owned by Panoply, which is now being spun out as an independent company.

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• Podiant, a hosting and analytics platform, has announced integrations with creator platform Podchaser, a new player, support for analytics technology Podcast Pingback, and 'applause’, a way for listeners to show appreciation in their web player as they listen.

• Røde is talking up “a major firmware update” for their Prodcaster mixer. The video says: “You asked for it - we made it”.

• Radiodays Europe has published its preliminary programme. This conference, in Lausanne Switzerland at the end of March, is the world’s meeting point for the world of radio and audio. Tom Webster from Edison Research, and James Cridland, Podnews’s Editor, are amongst the speakers.

• Event: Podcamp Toronto “the un-conference where digital media comes together”, is Feb 22-24 in Toronto ON, Canada.

• Event: Podcast Festival in Hamburg, Germany, Feb 25 to Mar 1, featuring German-language podcasters.

  
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• Job: Channel 4 News is looking for a Junior Podcast Producer, based at ITN in London.<!-- LINKCHECK|20230809|410|https://careers-itn.icims.com/jobs/1506/junior-podcast-producer---6-month-ftc%2c-channel-4-news/job?fbclid=IwAR1EsltQrUjT0zzQOAu86epBTm80D-74sC9HYoL27qBKHFBoU9TfT7MIgPw&mobile=false&width=940&height=500&bga=true&needsRedirect=false&jan1offset=0&jun1offset=60|| -->

Stats and data

• TuneIn, a radio stream and podcast aggregator, claims total listening hours were up 31% in 2018. They’re the default for Amazon Alexa’s podcast experience; and the default for both Amazon and Google speakers for live radio. Not on Tunein? Add your podcast here.

Podcasts

The Economist, a newspaper disguised as a magazine, is launching a daily podcast. Jason Palmer will host it, called The Intelligence, which will be published at the same time as Podnews (6am NY, 11am London), from January 29th. Digiday report it has 8 staffers. (Acast)

Westwood One has launched season 2 of Suze Orman’s Women & Money original podcast. The press release promises a new interactive approach.

Case Closed is the first true-crime podcast from Macmillan. The first season is based on Shanna Hogan's Secrets of a Marine’s Wife, out next month; of note, their email to us stresses that “each season is based on a solved story, so that you can walk away feeling satisfied and knowing exactly how the story ends.” Amen.

Blank Check has reached its 200th episode. The podcast delves into the movies of Hollywood’s most outsized directors. Specifically, the auteurs whose early successes afforded them the rare ‘blank check’ from Hollywood to produce passion projects. Sometimes those checks clear. And sometimes – they bounce. Episode 200 looks at Glass, a movie they call a 'glassterpiece’.

If you follow Podnews Weekly in Spotify, you’ll notice that it’s no longer available (we’ve grayed the logo out and everything). Instead, please do subscribe to Podnews which you’ll find in all good podcast apps (and some bad ones). Our podcast’s good: our newsletter’s better, though.

Developer’s Corner

• Amazon have launched In Skill Purchasing for the Amazon Alexa. You could probably use that for merch, premium content, or donations, maybe.