Vurbl launches - a new 'creator-first' audio streaming platform

• Vurbl, a free “creator-first audio streaming platform”, launches today. The press release draws comparison with YouTube, claiming that Vurbl is a central place that any user can upload any audio content they own, not just podcasts, and earn money from it - monetization is supported by real-time programmatic ads. The company achieved $1.3m in funding in September. (We’re on Vurbl).

• First look: A new service, Rephonic, has launched: a podcast research and outreach tool with reach, demographics and contacts, it’s intended for advertisers and PR companies to find the right shows for clients or brands. You can claim your show for free to access their metrics. Here’s what we look like.

• Podfund, an investment fund for podcasting creators formerly run by RadioPublic, is now to be managed by an investment firm, TechNexus.

  • RadioPublic itself hasn’t posted new content to its blog since January 31; and hasn’t tweeted since February. Jake Shapiro, who founded both RadioPublic and Podfund, joined Apple Podcasts in early September.

• Veritone has launched an audio licensing library, including audio from CBS News and Bloomberg. Already being used by companies like Stitcher and Audible, the service also allows podcasters to make their clips available for licensing too.

  
  Aug 29 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• Nielsen shared stats about podcasting at Podcast Movement Virtual. In a blog post, the company covers its own data, and the other speakers in the panels that the company took part in. Nielsen also spoke at the Radio INK Hispanic conference.

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• Spotify hasn’t finished spending on podcasting. Paul Vogel from Spotify spoke in an RBC Capital Markets Global Technology, Internet, Media and Telecommunications conference call, dropping heavy hints that the company will continue to purchase in 2021 and 2022. “That will be really driven by some of the successes and learnings we have from the current investments,” he said. “The more podcasts grow, the more ad inventory there is to sell across podcasts. From a business perspective over the long-term, it’s a lot more fixed price content, which is great for us. … We feel really good about the demand for podcasts and podcasts advertising on our platform.” He also added that Joe Rogan has done better than expected so far - that podcast goes exclusive on December 1.

• Radio is big in South Africa, but podcasts have a part to play for journalism - especially during the pandemic. Writing for Podnews, Aaisha Dadi Patel describes how one podcast, Media Diaries, has helped highlight the work of smaller media organisations.

• Where are people wanting to create podcasts in the UK during the pandemic? Audio Technica reckon it’s not London, but Bristol; though Leicester is most interested in making YouTube channels. Meanwhile, our own research points to Wales being the region most interested in a nice cup of tea.

  
  Aug 29 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• After Apple Podcasts launched an embedded player yesterday, Podkite lets their users know that they can also embed podcasts - individual episodes only, though.

  
  This link is no longer available, as at Aug 29 2023

• Small Good Thing is a new full-service podcast production and consulting company in the US. It’s being run by Steve Lickteig, who has previously worked at NBC News, Slate, NPR and SiriusXM.

  
  This link is no longer available, as at Aug 29 2023

• Is the future of podcasting ultra-short or ultra-long? Ollie Wards, who works for TikTok, suggests this might be worth watching.

  
  Aug 29 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• MIC’s podcast club for UK podcasters has a free meetup tonight at 6pm. It’s their twentieth event, and is free to attend.

• Meanwhile, in Spain, Día del Podcast como Negocio - focusing on the business around podcasting - is on November 25; it’s a free virtual event.

Tips and tricks

• How to pick a microphone for your podcast studio (ProSound News)

• How to fight podfade (Blubrry)

Podcast News - with Vurbl

On Vurbl Voices - get to know the co-founders of Vurbl with a behind the scenes launch episode. They talk about why they’re building the platform, developing the team, what they’re excited about most for Vurbl and what creators and listeners can expect from the platform. Listen on Vurbl

Lemonada Media’s Add to Cart stars comedian-writer-director Kulap Vilaysack and veteran journalist SuChin Pak, in a subversive take on consumerism - what’s worth adding to, or removing from, your cart? It launched yesterday.

This year marks 25 years of the Irene Taylor Trust - which works with people in prison to inspire and transform their lives through the power of music. From Stabl, the first episode of Changing the Record highlights Patricia, who arrived in prison with a musical past.