New, open podcast hosting company launches

• Fountain has announced the launch of Fountain for Podcasters, a new podcast hosting service. Fountain for Podcasters distributes video to supported apps (including the podcast app Fountain itself), and also supports streaming payments and paid subscriptions - using open standards to do so, including RSS, Lightning and Nostr.

  • The company is running a webinar with a full walkthough on Oct 30.

• One of the US’s biggest podcasts and video creators, MrBallen has signed with SiriusXM for distribution and monetisation. The deal includes MrBallen’s YouTube channel.

• Steven Bartlett’s company steven.com has closed a “major eight-figure investment” at a $425mn valuation. The host of Diary of a CEO, and owner of FlightStory, FlightCast and FlightFund, says that he has an ambition to build the Disney of the creator economy. The press release tells us that this is believed to be Europe’s biggest ever creator holding company fundraising round.

• HBO Max is to stream four episodes of the In Proximity podcast, which focuses on “a deep dive into the creative process of making movies, television, music, podcasts”. The episodes focus on the hit horror film Sinners, which itself is available to stream on HBO Max (and others).

• Casted, a branded podcast platform which launched in 2020, is up for sale. Armanino Advisory LLC, who now hold the assets, say: “Despite building a strong product and customer base, Casted was unable to secure sufficient funding to continue operations. At its peak, recurring revenue reached $2.5 million, supported by a total customer base of 70. Currently, 22 customers remain active.” So far, it’s raised $15mn.

• There’s a new podcast studio in Minneapolis. “AMP Studios is one of the only facilities of its kind offered within a financial services back-office environment.” It’s operated by AdvisorNet Financial.

• The podcast movie Age of Audio has announced a set of screenings in November. You’ll be able to see it at Resonate in Richmond VA on 7 Nov, and twice on 22 Nov: the Arkast Podcast Conference in Fayetteville AR, and multiple showings at the Deep Ellum Block Party in Dallas TX. The website has details and a trailer.

Disclosure: Podnews’s Editor, James Cridland, was an advisor for Fountain until earlier this year. Also an advisor for podcast hosting company RSS.com, he didn’t advise Fountain on its hosting product, which launches this week. Disclosures and ownership information are always kept up to date on the Podnews website.

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With Airwave: Planning your next vacation? Before you budget, learn how to get the most out of your travel dollars with Smart Travel. NerdWallet’s trusted travel experts, Sally French and Meghan Coyle, are here to help your travel dollars work even harder - so you can finally plan that dream vacation.

Party of One Podcast is celebrating its ten year anniversary this week. Each episode, host Jeff Stormer sits down with a guest one-on-one to play a game, tell a story, and have the kinds of experiences that can only occur when creative processes are allowed to run wild.

From RNZ, Nark launches today, looking at the murder of prison inmate Darcy Te Hira in 1985, with fellow inmate Ross Appelgren being convicted of the crime. But was the evidence dodgy? After all, it was supplied by narks. The show also marks the first use of AI in a podcast for RNZ. With the blessing of Appelgren’s family, producers have used audio from historical radio interviews to teach AI his voice patterns and then applying them to his own words from his unpublished memoir and interviews.

Ambition 2.0, which launches today, isn’t your typical hustle-culture podcast. Ambition 2.0 is for high-achievers who secretly wonder: Is it worth it? Exploring the tension between striving and thriving, ambition and burnout, it also ignites the question of how to define “girlboss” in 2025 and beyond.

Kicking off the thirteenth season, film maker Sara Alessandrini spends some time in The Listening Tube to talk about the New York elections, Andrew Cuomo, and her documentary called “What New Yorkers Say.” Host Bob Woodley also points out the obvious when it comes to political violence.

In The Greg Laurie Show episode live today, Pastor Greg Laurie interviews Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the historic release of hostages in Israel, the role of faith and family, and the challenges facing America and the world. Rubio shares personal stories, reflects on his Christian beliefs, and discusses leadership, values, and hope in uncertain times.

Saving Throw Society is an actual-play Dungeons & Dragons series set in a modern New Orleans where the boundary between the mortal world and the Feywild has faded. Thirty years after magic became part of everyday life, the city hums with secrets, strange bargains, and dangerous beauty. Join a cast of adventurers as they navigate power, consequence, and the unseen forces shaping their fate. It launches today.

Want to read more but don’t know where to start? New visualised books podcast The Stack is here to cut through the noise with recommendations and chat. Jake, a writer and podcast producer, and Ella who works in publishing, are here to recommended a curated stack of six brilliant books on a new theme, every fortnight.

The acclaimed independent podcast Shifting Terrain is back today. The second season kicks off with a lively discussion between a progressive, weightlifting social media star and Fox News expert that illuminates the media’s role in shaping political narratives and election outcomes. Future episodes will continue to highlight diverse voices and explore timely topics, including the role of Christian nationalism in politics, if unions are actually the way to build power, and the realities of immigration policy.