Murdoch’s Fox buys into Red Seat Ventures

• Red Seat Ventures has been acquired by Tubi Media Group, part of Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corporation. Red Seat Ventures makes shows with people like Tucker Carlson, Megyn Kelly and Piers Morgan. Terms weren’t disclosed.

• Amy Poehler is to launch a new podcast with Spotify’s The Ringer. The actor, who spoke at Evolutions in Los Angeles last year, is to do a new show called Good Hang, launching in March. It’ll be produced by her company Paper Kite Productions, which recently gained Jenna Weiss-Berman as Head of Audio.

• The original founders of Chartable, Dave Zohrob and Harish Agarwal, are working on a new startup using voice AI - and, of course, podcasting about it. Smart Speakers comes out Feb 24.

• “Oh, my Pod!” Edison Research released The Infinite Dial 2024 Australia. The data shows that 48% of all Australian adults have listened to a a podcast in the last month; leading the US (which reaches 47%). The study is designed for direct comparison between Australia, New Zealand, and the US.

  • Two interesting numbers: 33% of podcast listeners claim to have listened to a podcast on a Smart TV; and if people have Apple Carplay or Android Auto, they’re 60% more likely to listen to podcasts in the car.

• In Australia, Commercial Radio & Audio has announced “a unified digital audio ID” for advertisers. It will launch in June for streaming audio: “podcasting will follow”, the industry group said. “CRA’s strategy [is] to develop solutions which leverage world class technology to make audio easy to buy … along with considerations around privacy.” There was no announcement about technology partners being used.

• A podcast has led to a new federal law in the US. The KSL Podcast Unsolved Histories, made with Rhapsody Voices, covered a flight crash that killed military personnel and their families - whose loss was never formally recognised. The new, bi-partisan law, seeks to change that.

• Hearst UK has signed with Adelicious for ad representation. Adelicious will represent Hearst UK’s podcasts commercially, connecting their podcast content with advertisers and supporting the monetisation and growth of Hearst UK’s podcast portfolio.

• Lower Street is running a free Office Hours session tomorrow at 12pm EST. Laying the Groundwork for Podcast Success is free to attend.

• Joe Rogan isn’t a podcast, says Steve Pratt. It’s “a video interview show that translates well to audio, not vice-versa,” he explains. Some interesting thoughts about how video podcasting should work.

• Got a few minutes spare? Please fill out the Podnews Report Card.

Tips and tricks - with Pod Predictor by Coleman Insights

• In your podcast artwork, it’s a scientifically-proven choice to tilt your podcast title text up or down if you want to convey what it’s about. Tilt it up to highlight energy, activity or excitement - tilt it down to signify relaxation and calm. (If it’s good enough for a tin of Fanta, it’s good enough for your show!).

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85% of Australian women experience menopausal symptoms; but only 10.5% receive proper treatment. Today, personal trainer and TV personality Michelle Bridges launches We Have A Situation, a mainstream podcast dedicated to perimenopause, menopause and post menopause.

FAMILICIDE is new today on the fwd. network - a show that pays tribute to the victims of the most harrowing and tragic crimes—those committed within families.

OBSCURUM was launched today with iHeart and Imagine Entertainment. Season one, OBSCURUM: Invasion of the Drones, explores a wave of mysterious drone sightings over Nebraska and Colorado in late 2019—events strikingly similar to recent drone activity in New Jersey, New York, and beyond. The show is hosted by Gabe Lenners, and features immersive storytelling and investigative reporting.

Crook County launches today from iHeart and Tenderfoot TV. It’s a story of Ken Tekiela, a celebrated Chicago firefighter and loving father of two who led a secret double life as a hitman for the Chicago mafia. For over two decades Ken, known in crime circles as “the Kid,” successfully kept his mafia life a secret from his family and closest friends. In 2013, that all changed when he broke down and told his son Kyle everything. Kyle hosts the podcast.

Building One with Tomer Cohen is back for another season, with LinkedIn’s Chief Product Officer. Tomer has a whole new lineup of interviews with giants in the product world - Patagonia, Nike, Khan Academy, Whoop, Chase, and others. The podcast helps you understand understand the nuances of product development and leadership, and is part of the LinkedIn Podcast Network.