Edison Research has released the first Infinite Dial Germany, a survey to examine how Germans are consuming audio, made to be comparable with other countries. 17% of Germans have listened to a podcast in the past month, compared to 33% of the USA, 22% of Australia, 36% of Canada and 10% of the South African metro population.
Lovers of brightly-coloured data will also enjoy Rajar’s MIDAS study, a study of internet-connected audio consumption in the UK. Their Autumn 2019 data shows that podcast listening has doubled in the UK in the past two years. Podcasts are also the most popular audio content to listen-to on headphones, says the study.
Plink, a service that makes smart-links to podcasts that work on any device, has unveiled a way of sharing episode-level deep-links. Their blog contains more information, with an excellently-chosen example of a podcast.
Apple has sent an email to all podcasters, highlighting the new Apple Podcasts for Mac app, and search enhancements. Some podcasts (“top English language shows”) will get full audio search, and images of hosts and guests, which continues to appear to be a manual process. There’s also a requirement for a signed photo release; and notice of some downtime for Podcasts Connect.
Speaker submissions are now open for Outlier Podcast Festival events next year, in Salt Lake City UT, Columbus OH and North Adams MA.
Podcasts
The Gravy Train focuses on the life and legacy of Toronto’s drunk-driving, crack-smoking mayor, Rob Ford. When this controversial, blonde-haired businessman stood for election, it was widely seen as a joke… and then he won. Remind you of anyone? The trailer’s released today. (Frequency Podcast Network / leanStream)
Caroline’s Obsessions is a new podcast with Caroline Kraddick. “Caroline’s Obsessions” started off as a segment on The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show, where Caroline talked about new songs, products, apps and travels. After an overwhelming response to the segment, she decided to turn it into a weekly podcast. (YEA Networks / Megaphone)
Sick is a new podcast investigating the fertility industry. In the 1970s and 80s, dozens of women went to an Indianapolis fertility clinic in the hopes of getting pregnant. The doctor said he could help. What happened in his office wasn’t what the women had signed up for, and decades later, their children uncovered the doctor’s terrible secret. (WFYI/Side Effects Public Media/PRX)
Back for a new season, Leading with James Ashton brings two leaders of different organisations together, to share stories of success and failure. The host is a UK journalist; the first two guests are the Chief Executive of O2, Mark Evans, and the Chief Executive of the English National Opera, Stuart Murphy. (This Is Distorted)
Rocket Fuel is a new series of one to one interviews with people that have affected UK youth culture. From the UK GM of Snap, Ed Coucher, to the former head of programming at Kiss Radio, Andy Roberts and the editor of Shout Magazine, Louise Kettle. (The Big Shot / Pippa)