Global acquires sports content studio The Overlap

• In the UK, Global have acquired a majority stake in The Overlap, one of the world’s most popular football and sports destinations with more than 38 million monthly views on YouTube. The Overlap was founded by footballer Gary Neville, and recently acquired broadcasting rights for the German Bundesliga. The news comes in a World Cup year, after the launch of Global Studios and Sport by Global last October, and Global’s acquisition of The Fellas Studios. No terms were given.

• Exclusive: Imagine a podcast containing lots of deeply unimportant things. The 1922 Western Softwood Lumber Grading Rules, for example. Or, one containing the 1954 Singer Sewing Machine Manual. Deeply Unimportant has launched today from Dallas Kachan, a former Canadian national news anchor who now wants you to pay no attention at all to what he’s talking about - to stop your brain from focusing on everything else that’s happened today. The latest episode goes into 45 minutes of boring and unimportant detail about the CSC 1972 International Convention for Safe Containers - and long, all-night episodes, are available for premium subscribers.

• The Nigerian Podcast Index has been announced - a definitive, independent record of Nigerian podcasts, according to the founder, Tony Doe.

• Meta, the owner of Facebook, has announced SAM Audio - an AI tool that separates speech from background noise (or, indeed, guitars from a noisy bar, or a chirping bird from the sounds of the seaside). You can give it a go here.

• Mercury Podcast Network is to expand its true crime slate with three new signings.

How Apple and Spotify Decide Which Podcasts Get Seen

Paid content

When listeners search for a podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, the results they see are not random. Each platform uses its own algorithm to decide which shows appear first for a given keyword. For visibility in search, three factors matter most:

• Metadata relevance: how closely your titles, descriptions, and keywords match the query.
• Listener behavior: plays, follows, retention, and other engagement signals.
• Popularity: overall traction and momentum of the show and episodes.

On Spotify in particular, freshness also plays a role, rewarding recent, consistently published content.

Understanding these ranking signals helps you adapt your strategy instead of guessing what the platforms want.

With a few smart adjustments, you can strengthen your position in search results and grow your audience more consistently.

Want to know more? Download Ausha’s exclusive study on how Apple Podcasts and Spotify algorithms work.This in-depth report reveals the key factors that shape podcast rankings and how they differ between platforms. It’s a must-read for any creator who wants to improve visibility using data, not guesswork.

👉 Download the full study on Ausha’s Academy

Podcast News

Which Side of History? is a brand-new podcast, launched today, from popular Stanford University professor Jim Steyer. For years, Steyer has taught a popular class by that same name. Now it’s available as a podcast. Kara Swisher, Condoleezza Rice, and Tom Friedman are among his first guests.

Judge Bex adjudicates family disputes - with evidence from kids, their parents and occasional celebrity witnesses. A new podcast from the team at Fun Kids Studios.

Hundreds of thousands of English speakers live in France and a sizeable number are renovating property. But it’s not all croissants by day and sipping Chablis by night; navigating French planning laws, insurance requirements, and even sourcing materials can be a complicated, tedious and lonely slog. Enter the French Reno Diaries UNCENSORED podcast, which launches today - hosted by three English women with decades of personal and professional experience of renovating property in the country. Expect rookie mistakes, budget tips and rants every fortnight.

Introducing The Tuesdays Morning Show, a weekly discussion of pop culture, viral moments, and everyday life, hosted by an eclectic crew that first met on the radio before turning their freewheeling conversations full of stories, opinions, and laughs into a lively podcast.

In In The Money with Amber Kanwar, top portfolio managers reveal their 3 best stock picks in under 30 minutes: with no jargon. Hear actionable insights from money managers at firms like CI Global Asset Management, Franklin Tempstead, and Baskin Wealth who oversee billions in assets. Amber’s interviewing style, honed over 10+ years covering markets at BNN Bloomberg, cuts straight to the information you actually need.

In No Guilt Mom this week, JoAnn drops the 6 things you should NOT do as a mom if you want a good relationship with your teen.