#OzPod2018 returns; Alex Jones episodes removed from Spotify

August 3, 2018

• The Australian ABC has announced the return of OzPod, the podcast conference. This year it's on October 17 in a new venue: Melbourne. Headlining are ESPN's Julia Henderson (30 for 30) , and CBC's Veronica Simmonds (Alone: A Love Story). Also in the line-up: our Editor, James Cridland. Grab tickets; or enjoy speakers from last year.

• On Aug 1, we reported that Spotify was under pressure for hosting The Alex Jones Show Podcast. AP reports that the company has now 'removed specific episodes', citing hate content. Most episodes remain. Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts, among others, still appear to link to all available episodes. The podcast is hosted with Spreaker.

• The UK commercial television network ITV has signed a deal with Acast as its partner platform to host and help grow its expanding roster of podcasts. Susie Warhurst, Acast's Global Head of Content, is speaking at Next Radio on Sept 17th. Meanwhile, ART19 has been selected by New York Media, publishers of New York Magazine and Vulture, to host and monetize podcast content.

• New: the scifi TV show The Good Place, back late September, has a podcast to warm up audiences to the new season. WIRED says it's a good listen.

• Lipp Media, a collaborative partnership for on-demand digital audio by women and members of the LGBT+ community, has launched in Melbourne VIC, Australia. The network launches with three original shows, and represents two existing ones, including Popchops. Shows are hosted with Omny Studio.

• On Android, Samsung's default internet browser doesn't work with Google Podcast buttons - directing a listener to the Google Play store rather than opening up a podcast. This issue was reported in Jan 2017, and direct to Samsung in Sep 2017 but the company hasn't deployed a fix. Samsung had a share in 2017 of about 23% of worldwide smartphones sales; Apple had a share of about 17%. (Workaround 1: listeners need to search for your podcast manually after installing the Google Podcasts app, just like every other app works; workaround 2: listeners should use Chrome, not the Samsung browser).

• Alitu, the podcast maker, has launched a "make an intro for your podcast" tool. Here's a video of it working.

• The LA Times highlights # How podcasts are being used by journalists and how they are changing journalism. Meanwhile, some people expect Wait Wait Don't Tell Me to be politically balanced.

• Zencastr have sent their users a voucher code for 25% off an annual subscription. Here it is.

• Rev are running a chance to win $5,165 of podcasting equipment and services in a competition and podcast beginner's guide.

• Lego, Danish manufacturers of sharp plastic bricks that really hurt when you stand on them, is using audio content on Amazon Alexa skills to market itself.

• Book: Podcasting: New Aural Cultures and Digital Media - "the first comprehensive interdisciplinary collection of academic research exploring the definition, status, practices and implications of podcasting through a Media and Cultural Studies lens".

• Events:

  • The business side of podcasting — Creating an engaging show which pays the bills with Melbourne Podcasters, on August 14th.
  • Writing for podcasts is a course in London on Aug 8 and 9, covering "podcasts and the different styles of writing that they require".

• Back: For three new chapters, Cadence13's Origins with James Andrew Miller. The episode planned for 12 September goes behind the scenes at Saturday Night Live; it's hosted with ART19. Also back: Eagles BGN Radio, now called Go Birds and relaunched by US broadcaster Entercom.

• PodcastBrunchClub's August playlist is themed around wanderlust, the love of travel.

• Is podcasting the new Gutenberg Revolution? A piece in a progressive Australian website. "The rigid, artificial format of television seems to be losing its reign over society and this may not necessarily be a bad thing. Though, what this shift towards online independent media holds for the future, perhaps is too soon to tell."

• Finally, following the success of the true crime genre, the Australian Government have launched The Australian Department of Podcasts. This video explains more. Hmm.

Thank you to Lipp Media, a collaborative partnership for on-demand digital audio by women and members of the LGBT+ community, for your kind support.

Welcome to our recent new subscribers, including folk from iHeart Media, the Australian ABC, the American ABC, Mamamia, IMG, Audioburst, Wireless Group, Communicorp, Benztown, Westwood One, Panoply, the EBU, RTÉ, Spotify, the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Rawlco, the BBC, Germany's HR, Prisa Media, Turner and Scripps.

Chicago - I'd love to catch up in Chicago: I'm there next week, Tues 7th to Thurs 9th. Coffee? Pizza Pie? I'm at james@crid.land