Apple, Omny Studio release data; Acast promote shows

Happy International Podcast Day!

• First look: For International Podcast Day, Apple Podcasts has just released data on their top subscriptions and top free channels. Wondery+ is the most popular paid channel, while The New York Times is the top free channel - the data also reveals that Luminary has been thrown a lifeline becoming the second most popular paid subscription on the platform. We have the full list, and analysis of the results.

• Data: Enterprise podcast host Omny Studio has released stats for International Podcast Day. Apple Podcasts got 55% of downloads in August 2021; Spotify got 14% (doubling in downloads year-on-year); and Google Podcasts is #3 with 4.29% (up by almost 150%). Podcasts on smart speakers have increased by a third.

• Acast is running a podcast advertising campaign this International Podcast Day, with some of Acast’s best-known podcasters highlighting the shows that have defined their careers.

• This International Podcast Day, podcasts have been added to the radio - the radio receiver, that is. If you own a Pure Elan Connect or Connect+, it’s been updated today to include podcasts. Here’s more details of how to update it. These radios are available across Europe, the UK and Australia.

• Love Apple Podcasts? You can now rate and review inbuilt iOS apps like Apple Podcasts. At the time of writing, Apple Podcasts was the company’s worst-rated app with just 2.0 stars after 156 ratings.

• Podcast host Castos has launched a refresh of their UI today. Unusually, they’re sharing their design system with the world. The company also introduced support for three new podcast namespace tags last week.

• Podcast host Captivate has a live stream today (12pm Eastern) with a 'huge’ new feature. We’ll have details of it tomorrow. Podnews’s Editor is an advisor.

• In India, podcast network HT Smartcast is cebrating its two year anniversary, having reached more than 50 million listens. The company produces podcasts in six different Indian languages.

• IMDB has made another tentative step into podcasting: listing the winners of the British Podcast Awards all the way back to 2017.

• Shure has released the Shure MV7x, a version of the MV7 with just an XLR connection. Bandrew Scott says, in a review, that “the XLR output sounds 10x better than the XLR output on the original MV7”. The company recently sponsored a category in the International Women’s Podcast Awards.

• Podcast Movement Evolutions is accepting speaker applications. The event is in Los Angeles CA, Mar 23-26.

• NinjaBuzz is a new service allowing podcasts to find advertisers for sponsorship deals. Just launched, it takes a 15% commission.

• The FCC has fined ViacomCBS and Pluto TV for violating closed-captioning rules. Closed-captions obligations have applied to online services since 2012, but this is the first enforcement action. Captivate’s new player has inbuilt transcripts, while podcast players like Podfriend have (if you open the player at the bottom) real-time closed captions, both made possible by the new podcast:transcript tag.

• Audio ad exchange DAX has partnered with Breakbeat, a global hip-hop podcast network run by Kendrick Ashton. The company has also released a study claiming 64% of UK media agencies increased their ad spend in podcasts over the last year.

• The Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund has partnered with UK audio producer trade body AudioUK to publicise the fund across Britain and Northern Ireland.

• Double Elvis has announced a new music show looking at post-punk, and partnered with three existing music shows.

• Good luck to the entrants for the People’s Choice Podcast Awards. The winners will be announced tonight at 9pm Eastern.

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Podcast News

Australian journalist Jessica Rowe has removed an interview from The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show after social media backlash. The interview was with controversial Australian politician Pauline Hanson.

Popular entertainment website TMZ has launched its podcast, The TMZ Podcast is focusing on the Britney Spears court case.
Sep 7 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

Caso 63, a successful Spanish language podcast from Spotify, is to return for a second season. The show has also been adapted in Brazil, India and will make it into English later this year.