Promo codes: do they work?

• Promo codes are almost 5x less effective for attribution than advertising pixels, according to data contained in the Q2 Podscribe Performance Benchmark Report, released today. The data, which includes benchmarks from Germany, France, Australia, the UK and Canada as well as the United States, also suggests that ads don’t work instantly, with around half of conversions happening more than a week after hearing advertising. The report is a free download.

• Call Her Daddy’s Alex Cooper is the subject of a Hulu docuseries called Call Her Alex, which Variety says is “fine” but “simplistic”.

• Goalhanger show The Rest is Football will be “enhanced” through the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup with official match clips, in a new partnership with DAZN.

• One of England’s greatest cricketers, Stuart Broad, is to join former England captain Jos Buttler for a new cricket show, For The Love of Cricket, from Crowd Network. The first episode will be available tomorrow.

• Popular Acast show Toni and Ryan has got into the press after their latest episode finished abruptly.

• From Greece, iMEdD post the ten things they learned at The Podcast Show in London.

• It’s three years since the Dobbs decision that ended the constitutional right to abortion in the US. Within the Embedded feed, The Network, a new limited series from NPR and Futuro Media, looks at how women self-manage abortions in countries with legal restrictions, from the US to Brazil; while on Wondery+, Liberty Lost examines evangelical maternity homes and their rise in America post-Roe as a key tactic for the pro-life movement.

• Video is making podcasts a premium buy for advertisers, suggests Digiday.

The Tech Stuff - with RSS.com

• Podstats is a new tool that uses OP3 analytics data and extracts more from it, including trending information and more - and for all data within OP3, not just the last 90 days visible on the OP3 page. Here’s the Podnews Weekly Review’s stats page. The tool is in preview, and looking for your feedback.

• Adam Bowie worries about what happens when podcasts cease production, and how they might be archived. Will they eventually just be deleted?

  • That’s one reason why Podnews stepped in to archive Dave Winer and Adam Curry’s Trade Secrets, and Winer’s Morning Coffee Notes. Hosting those shows cost us an estimated $0.84 cents a month. (Thank you for your support!)

• ffmpeg includes dynamic range compression, and might be useful for large networks wanting a uniform sound. It can also draw wave forms, too - which might be useful for networks wanting to check volume of DAI as quick visual feedback.

• Our Editor has shared code for an audio player that uses VTT captions.

Tips and tricks - with Memberful

• The Trump vs Musk thing in the news reminds John Wordock about clear contract terms in negotiations for podcasts, to avoid this sort of thing happening in future.

• Wait at least three episodes before even looking at your analytics, says Buzzsprout’s Alban Brooke in an interview in Podcast Marketing Magic.

Podcast News - with Podcast Movement

This Was Always Me is a podcast highlighting untold stories from LGBTQIA+ individuals who spent years hiding their true selves. It’s hosted by radio presenter Rich Clarke, who had to conceal his sexuality for the majority of his adult life; the first episode features Olympic legend Dame Kelly Holmes, who reveals her fear of coming out due to the military “gay ban” and the impact it had on her mental health.

Hearthbound: An Untelling of the Odyssey premiered earlier this month with two new episodes. It’s a queer musical audio drama podcast set across a post-apocalyptic Great Basin. It’s a love story, a road trip, and a ballad for ecological restoration.

Success looks great - but it can be harder than you think. Hosted by Maryam Banikarim, a former executive at companies like Hyatt, Gannett, NBCUniversal, and Univision, The Messy Parts is new today, and talks about the messy and personal parts of success with guests like Katie Sturino, Debra Martin Chase, Judith Curr, and Negin Farsad.

Many Rivers is a brand-new podcast series from Warner Music Entertainment, celebrating the legacy, creativity, and power of British Black Music. It’s hosted by the vibrant duo of author and cultural historian Lloyd Bradley, and poet and music creative Rotimi Skyers; the first episode, with jazz icon Courtney Pine, is out now.

What compelled two men to risk everything in one of the most dangerous regions in the world? Missing in the Amazon is a new series from The Guardian, uncovering the full, untold story of the disappearance of journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous defender Bruno Pereira - told for the first time by the people closest to them. The series delves into the complex intersection of organised crime, environmental destruction, and the fight to protect indigenous land.

Freshly Squeezed: A New Music Podcast is heading to the fields! The show for music fans wanting to discover their next favourite band, this summer the focus turns to the festival scene and those future headliners you need to be checking out - kicking off at this years Isle of Wight festival, before heading off around the UK in the coming weeks to Glastonbury, Y Not, TRNSMT (and more). Expect interviews, music and exclusive sessions from some of the most exciting new acts in the UK and beyond.

Superhero Leadership with Peter Cuneo returns for a second season today. Peter is a legendary business turnaround expert, who led Marvel’s epic comeback, and his show explores what it really takes to lead in today’s complex world. Peter and his guests have lived these lessons firsthand—leading through crisis, transformation, and high-stakes decisions.

Find more podcasts, and add your show