Stitcher is the #1 podcast network in US

• Stitcher Media is the new #1 podcast publisher in the US, according to the latest Triton Digital US Podcast Report for the four weeks ending May 30. The company, owned by SiriusXM, beat NPR for both average weekly downloads and listeners. NPR News Now is still the #1 podcast, though. It’s the first to be compiled to v2.1 of the IAB Podcast Technical Guidelines: the result is a reduction in average weekly users by around 5% for the top 5 publishers. The ranker measures participating publishers only; iHeartRadio owns Triton Digital, but it is not included in the ranker.

• Spotify has bought Podz, a podcast discovery platform launched in February. Podz generates clips that lets users preview key moments from podcast episodes; its website and app have already disappeared.

• Yesterday, Acast became a listed company on the Nasdaq First North Premier Growth Market, valuing the company at SEK 6.7bn (US$782m). Shares closed slightly down from the initial SEK 38 ($4.44), at SEK 37.7 ($4.40). It was a proud moment, writes co-founder Johan Billgren.

• Wonkybot, a kids and family podcast company, has launched a new subscription channel on Apple Podcasts. The season premiere of Tara Tremendous has also just been posted.

• For creators, Apple Podcasts has posted a video explaining how channels and subscriptions work.

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• Zencastr has announced new video layout features, and rolled-out faster processing for audio and video mixes.

  
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• The New York Times is no longer interested in buying The Athletic; there was apparently disagreement on valuation and employee equity.

• Stephanie Serrano has been hired as Associate Editor at Neon Hum Media. She was a participant on the company’s Editors’ Bootcamp.

  
  This link is no longer available, as at Sep 4 2023

• In the UK, Mags Creative is running a free six week learning and mentoring programme. The program will offer industry insights, expert knowledge and support for 12 podcasters from underrepresented communities. They wish to specifically encourage those who are Black, Asian or minority ethnic, have disabilities or identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community to apply.

Hints and tips

• How to improve your podcast’s introduction in four easy steps - Matty Staudt’s dogs just got clipped and look really skinny, he perplexingly tells us.

• Here’s how we make Podnews, and how we record the podcast.

Podcast News

Code Switch is losing co-host and senior producer Shereen Marisol Meraji; she’ll concentrate on her academic career.

Travel That Matters is new from CurtCo Media, as part of a new “luxury podcast division”. The show provides listeners with insider access to luxury hotels, impactful adventures, and secret hideaways, and is hosted by Bruce Wallin.

Congratulations to Out Of Office: a travel podcast for hitting episode 100. The European travel specialist Rick Steves joins them for the centenary episode.

Cultureverse is a new immersive audio drama from Studio Ochenta and TRAX from PRX. It tells folk stories and legends from cultures across the world.

Gimlet’s Mogul is back for season three, turning its focus to one of the earliest hip hop pioneers in Houston, DJ Screw. The new episodes drop June 23.

BAPcast publishes its first episode tomorrow on Juneteeth. It’s a focus on Black women in US history, and will start with Charity Adams Earley, the first Black woman to serve as commanding officer for the first battalion of Black women to serve overseas in WWII.