How VCs Use Podcasts, Industry Leaders @ IAB Upfront & More

How Venture Capitalists Are Using Podcasts to Lure in Founders by Andrew Zucker

The field of podcasting is giving VCs the ability to establish credibility and reach a wide audience. The wider a net cast, the more chance of finding investment opportunities. Podcasts also allow for sharing investment philosophies and approaches to business, helping VCs cement why they’re unique in a competitive marketplace. Though they do come with the challenge of maintaining that authenticity. [Source]

IAB Podcast Upfront Interviews

The IAB’s official YouTube channel has published ten videos interviewing leaders from across the podcast industry. From content creation to advertising technology, the ten videos range from 90 seconds to 4 minutes total. Interviewees include Kurt Kaufer of Ad Results Media, Stevie Manns of Blackrock, and Erik Lundberg from ArtsAI, a Claritas company. [Source]

Streaming surge puts upfronts to the test

This year’s TV upfronts show a strong parallel between the streaming world and podcasting. With an abundance of inventory, prices have to come down for buyers to want to compete. This year’s upfronts are focused more on new tech capabilities instead of upcoming content, similar to the Podcast Upfront. And Nielsen’s value as a standard has been debated for years, and streaming still uses Nielsen numbers heavily even though it’s not a perfect solution. Quite like podcasting’s relationship with The Download. [Source]

Advertisers Still Under-Investing in Hispanic Audience

The summer of 1999 was a watershed moment for Latin pop music, with stars like Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and Marc Anthony dominating the charts and leading to advertisers doubling their investment in reaching Hispanic audiences from 1999 to 2000. From 1.5% total advertising spend to 3%. In the quarter-century since advertising spend targeting Hispanic audiences has only increased one more percentage point. The power of multicultural marketing and targeting authentic campaigns to Hispanic audiences has been proven, they simply need the investment necessary to actually happen. [Source]

Open letter warns government of ‘disastrous impact’ of ad-funded BBC podcasts by Ella Sagar

A coalition of 20 media businesses have signed an open letter expressing strong concerns regarding the BBC’s proposed plan to run advertisements on BBC-produced audio aired on third party platforms. While the content would still be available ad-free on the BBC official app, the coalition argues advertising on any BBC content is not expected by those paying license fees, among other concerns about the presence of BBC inventory destabilizing UK audio advertising. [Source]

…as for the rest of the news: