Independent Podcast Awards to return

• The Independent Podcast Awards are to return later this year, organisers have announced. The awards will take place in London on Oct 23. Entries open in the next few months. (You can hear last year’s winner in the Podnews Weekly Review).

• Sports podcast company Blue Wire has concluded a new funding round with Decathlon Capital. Terms weren’t given; Axios reports that the company cut its staff from 30 to 18 in recent months, and has ended its partnership with Wynn Resorts. The company has been profitable since late last year.

• Audacy, the owner of a number of podcast companies and broadcast radio stations, has had its reorganization approved in bankruptcy court, and should emerge from the Chapter 11 process following FCC approval. The plan reduces its debt from $1.9bn to $350mn.

• Podcast hosting company Transistor has shared a video of the company’s upcoming AI transcript service.

• Magellan AI shared its rankings for top podcast advertisers in January. MGM Resorts was the advertiser which has increased its spend the most, alongside MailChimp owner Intuit and IXL Learning. There’s a free webinar on these results tomorrow at 11am ET.

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• In France, a charity event called Podcasthon is planned for next month. The idea is to make a special version of your show that highlights a cause or charity; and to co-ordinate its release at the end of March. Last year, 300 podcasts took part; this year, it has the support of Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and Spotify. 400 shows have already registered for this year - et vous? (Next year’s Podcasthon will be in English and other languages, too).

• The first Arabic podcast brand safety and suitability tool has been launched by Next Broadcast Media and Barometer. It is Barometer’s first offering in Arabic, and brings transparency and brand suitability to podcasting in the Middle East.

• Radiodays North America, in Toronto in early June, will start with a podcast session called The Podcast Power-Up Summit. (Our Editor will be there).

Ad Infinitum

Paid content

Ad Infinitum is the only podcast solely focused on audio ads, the creatives who make them and/or the latest thinking that informs them, how the space is evolving, and a round-up of recent audio ads and analysis by Stew Redwine, VP Creative at Oxford Road - and each episode’s guest.

Start at Episode 1 to get a better understanding of what makes audio ads work and how they can work better. Each episode breaks down real recent audio ads from top spenders across Podcast, Radio, Streaming, and even SiriusXM. Episodes feature expert guests like Amanda DiMarco from Veritonic, Dallas Taylor, Host of 20k Hertz, and Richard Shotton, Author of The Choice Factory.

The first season wrapped in January and the first episode of season 2, “Sound Strategy” drops this week, with guest Mark Pollard - podcast host and CEO of Sweathead and Author of Strategy is Your Words.

Ad Infinitum is Presented by Oxford Road and Produced by Caitlyn Spring & Ezra Fox, MFA, written & hosted by Stew Redwine, and mixed & sound designed by Zach Hahn.

Moves and hires

• In Canada, Pary Bell is the new CEO for TPX, The Podcast Exchange. After working in digital media at Rogers for more than eight years, he joins from a marketing firm.

Tips and tricks - with Podpage

• Blubrry looks at the “legal rights of podcasters”.

• Myth - podcast thumbnails need to be 500Kb or less. Fact - podcast artwork is really important. Here are tips on how to make decent podcast artwork from the pages of Podnews.

Podcast News - with New Podcast Trailers - the podcast

Jon Stewart’s back - and The Daily Show: Ears Edition has all the best bits from the show. Stewart’s return has brought critical acclaim, and, um, critical comment - and the show’s available in podcast form whenever you want it.

The Tao of Muhammad Ali is new this week from Imagine Audio and iHeartPodcasts. The podcast tells the story of how The Champ saved a bullied young boy from paralyzing depression. Years later that boy was reunited with a Parkinson ridden Ali who once again inspired him to become a successful writer. That boy, Davis Miller, hosts the podcast, which explores how Ali became a role model for millions.

Feuille de Route, or “Road Map” in English, is a new podcast in French looking at the transition to a more sustainable society. It’s hosted by Romain Roy, the founder and CEO of Greenweez, an eco-responsible marketplace; guests include business-people, scientists and politicians.

From Foster to Forever is a new podcast sharing eight foster-to-adopt success stories. The show sheds light on the challenges and triumphs within the foster care and adoption process, and aims to empower and inspire individuals and families considering or currently navigating the foster-to-adopt path. It’s hosted by two-time foster-adopt mom Rachel Fulginiti.

Story Mill Media has launched Anomalie, a role-playing meditation podcast. The goal of guided fantasy role-playing meditation is to help you cultivate a sense of wonder, curiosity, balance, and joy in your inner world - a form of escapism and relaxation, as well as a creative outlet for the imagination.