Spotify gains on Apple worldwide

• Spotify is leading Apple in more than 80 markets, according to Voxnest, who have published a mid-year version of their State of The Podcast Universe report. The report also contains details of the impact of the pandemic on listening.

• Is Spotify really bigger than Apple? Chances are that your podcast stats don’t say that: so why is Voxnest saying different? Our Editor has looked at the numbers in more detail: and spoken to others to try to find the truth.

• Podfan has launched The Super Sampler, a podcast “that anyone can publish to”. A podcast of teaser episodes from other podcasts, the company is allowing anyone to post their teaser for free. Today’s promo is good.

• As we reported last week, the hosts of The Nod “want Spotify to hand over their podcast”, according to a story in The Verge, which highlights other podcasters in the same boat. They were Gimlet employees when they pitched the show.

  • Podnews asked The Nod’s Eric Eddings of the benefits of working for Gimlet last year; he replied that they “offer podcasters the type of budget that they need to make great stories up front”.

• Podcast Movement has launched the Podcast Movement University, a community and networking service. We’ve been trying it for a week or so; it comes recommended. Additionally, they have a kickoff event on Tuesday July 14, called Shift. You can sign up for free.

  
  Aug 25 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• Timber Media is a new website with “stories of the struggles and triumphs of the best podcasters”. It’s gone live with a set of different shows, including the story behind Rabia Chaudry’s Undisclosed.

• The iHeart-owned InsideRadio has published two reports on Voxnest’s Podcast Advertising Industry Summit. Advertisers are sticking with podcasts, and podcasters are warming to programmatic buying. They’re two great précis pieces of the event.

  
  Aug 25 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• After Podnews reported a bug, code has been written to fix a useragent bug within podcast app AntennaPod, which wasn’t consistently sending a useragent. Useragents (for both RSS and audio) are helpful so podcasters know which app is playing their material.

Tips and tricks - with Podcorn

• Storytelling resources for podcasters (Podcast Movement)
• Is your podcast just a commodity? Here’s how to make sure it isn’t. (Jeremy Enns)
• How to make your Google Podcasts Creator Program application stand out (PRX)

Podcast News

The New Media Show had Adam Curry on their latest show. Known as the “podfather”, he came up with the idea of adding file enclosures to RSS feeds, which many cite as the invention of podcasting. He discusses Joe Rogan, Spotify, The Podcast Academy and his donation model.

The World Health Organization must be twiddling their thumbs with nothing really going on right now in the world of health, so they’ve launched a new podcast called Health in Europe. Sarcasm aside, the podcast isn’t about the Rona, so you can relax: the first episode looks at what’s inside your bottle of booze.