Podcasting's sweet new advertiser

• BetterHelp remains podcasting’s biggest advertiser, spending an estimated $8.2m according to Magellan AI. The biggest new advertiser was Candy Crush Saga, spending $992,000. Divine!

• Anchor podcasts are unplayable in some podcast apps. Popular podcast app Overcast rushed out an update after files are “now being served as AAC in some way that breaks Apple’s ExtAudioFile API,” said developer Marco Arment, which “makes them unplayable in Overcast as downloads, but playable as streams”. The fault in Anchor’s audio also affects other apps. Arment tweeted more technical details; and added, in a tweet to Anchor: “It’s been two weeks that you’re serving malformed files, breaking media players, and losing the audiences of your customers. Do you care about this medium at all?” The company hasn’t responded.

• For new members, The Podcast Academy is offering a 50% discount if you use VOLUME22 as a discount code.

  • Thanks to Spotify, qualifying independent podcast creators can get in for free. Details here.

• Acast has announced the launch of a specialised “growth division”, dedicated to helping podcasts scale and grow.

• Stephen Fry has launched a new podcast exploring the brain. The podcast is exclusively on Audible, which has a number of exclusive UK shows.

• Backup My Podcast, a service to protect your show if your podcast host closed down, has itself closed down. The product launched in April 2021; customers were given plenty of notice, though.

• A five minute podcast “about what’s cool”, How Cool Is This? is to run its own awards show, called The Coolios. You can vote for “the coolest idea of the year”.

• Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me's producer WBEZ Chicago is to buy the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper.

Moves and hires - with Pod People

• Aaron Scott and Regina G. Barber have joined NPR’s Short Wave daily science podcast; Aaron as co-host, and Regina as Scientist In Residence

Tips and tricks - with Podpage

• Zencastr suggest How to Get the Best Podcast Audio. Alongside an inevitable plug for Zencastr, the benefits of wearing headphones and using a proper microphone are highlighted.

• Podcaster, you’re doing teasers all wrong says Carrie Caulfield Arick. We’d tell you how she says you should be doing teasers, but that wouldn’t be a teaser any more.

• 20 Podcast Twitter Tips from Lauren Passell includes the great advice “follow @podnews”. We 100% agree.

Podcast News - with Quill

Produced by Quill: The Great Indoors How has technology changed around the world? Join Matt Roberts from Amdocs as he discusses how human technological adoption habits are evolving as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and how we’re rediscovering the magic of technology as a necessary result of being indoors.

Adela from Podcast Brunch Club ran a podcast pitch party earlier today on Twitter Spaces. Listen to the Twitter Space here: and here were the shows pitched…

The Science Pawdcast looks at science with the aid of Bunsen and Beaker, who are dogs. We’re promised: Fascinating Facts. Adorable Dog Stories.

The Young God looks at how you can be your best self. From Abuja, Nigeria, Rodney Omeokachie curates ideas, stories, and conversations that illustrate how you might be the best version of yourself in all things.

ACCESS: A Podcast About Abortion answers all the questions you might have been afraid to ask about abortion - not something people normally think or talk about. Hosted by Garnet Henderson, next week’s episode is all about religion.

Most financial podcasts are very boring, but Michelle is Money Hungry tries to make the subject more fun. Hosted by Michelle Jackson, it’s won three awards already.

Geekset promises to be the only podcast that blends Hip-Hop Culture & Geek Culture together in one place, hosted by four people from Milwaukee.

Next On Stage One is a podcast about the adult entertainment industry and what it’s really like - one time, host Pixie got hit by a chair on stage.

Exvangelical looks at the evangelical subculture, and those who left it. Hosted by Blake Chastain, the show explores a different person’s story each episode.

How is climate change affecting African people? Sustain267 Podcast comes from Botswana. Hosted by Pato Kelesitse, it interviews people from Botswana, elsewhere in Africa, and more.

Relationships don’t always end up happily ever after. Love and Murder, hosted by Ky and Char, looks at those that lead to something else.

Cinematic Sound Radio looks at soundtrack music from video games, TV and films - interviewing the composers and others. Erik Woods has been the host since 1996; he’s currently working on a special series of programmes about John Williams.

Which Candy Crush candy would be the tastiest in real life? Debate This! answers questions that nobody is asking about gaming and comic book stuff, with a heavy dose of comedy.

Wine Chats “want to bring joy and laughter” to people, talking about all kinds of things over a glass of wine. From Brisbane, Australia, expect causal conversations about general topics, interviews, stories, wine, and more. Season three has just launched, with an episode all about groping.

A History of Italy doesn’t just look at dates and battles: the podcast focuses on other parts of Italy’s history too. We’re promised “popes doing naughty things”

OBSIDIAN is “a speculative fiction podcast based in Afrofuturism”. By Adetola Abdulkadir and Safiyah Cheatam it’s a podcast driven by a deep, untapped interest in science fiction.

When Angela Hollowell started her business, she didn’t have access to people who’d been there; so Honey & Hustle is a podcast interviewing people who’ve built their own business so others can learn from their experiences.

The FilmJerk Podcast is a uniquely curated journey through the 1980s cinematic decade. Rediscover a forgotten favorite, or learn about a film you never knew existed.