Spreaker unveils the Supporters Club, a new monthly subscription feature directing 100% of revenue to creators. With a commitment to amplifying the creator-audience connection, Spreaker’s transparent, all-in-one platform fosters a sustainable and vibrant podcasting ecosystem. See more
How to Maximize Your SXSW 2024 Experience as a Podcast Professional by Edward Fuller
Media Bodies founder Edward Fuller has written a thorough guide on ways attendees of SXSW 2024 can most take advantage of the vent from the perspective of a podcast professional. Pre-event prep includes setting up one’s profile in the SXSW social platform and perusing the attendee directory to find people to connect with both through the chat function and in-person. Fuller also gives a rundown of three events he’s earmarked to attend next month. [Source]
Why NPR’s new podcast strategist sees opportunity after a turbulent year for the network by Tyler Falk
NPR SVP of Podcast Strategy Collin Campbell, late of Gimlet, is optimistic about NPR’s 2024. After a turbulent 2023, Campbell sees lots of opportunity to strengthen the network’s podcast portfolio. With podcasting’s recent boom of enabling audiences to pay for premium subscriptions, Campbell says income streams like the NPR+ program in Apple Podcasts is a great step forward. There’s little overlap between NPR’s wider broadcast and podcast audiences (Campbell says the number is almost down to single digits) who’ve not had many ways to directly give via a podcast until recently. [Source]
European Commission eyes Apple fine: What’s next? by Ella Sagar
As the headline says, the European Commission is moving forward on imposing its first ever fine on Apple for allegedly breaking EU law with Apple Music. Reportedly the fine will be somewhere in the range of €500 million for prioritizing Apple Music and devaluing cheaper competing music streamers in App Store searches. The specifics of the fine are to be finalized later this month. It should be noted this investigation was launched outside the scope of the upcoming Digital Markets Act, which will require companies operating in Europe to share information in the interest of fairer competition. When the DMA is implemented, there is a potential for more antitrust investigations and fines on the horizon. [Source]
Marketers are chronically underinvesting in brand by Ashle y Regan
According to data shared at the Commercial Radio & Audio HEARD conference, brand marketing outperforms performance messaging by 80%. With that in mind, Australian radio sees far more performance than brand. That and according to Paul Sinkinson, Managing Director at Analytics Partners, what branded campaigns are running tend to run far too short a campaign to effectively measure. Lauren Joyce, chief strategy and connections officer at ARN, says the underinvestment in brand is a side effect of businesses wanting to demonstrate results fast, and brand campaigns take time to build momentum. Branded audio works, as shown by the podcasting industry reaching the inflection point of branded campaigns outnumbering the tried-and-true direct to consumer campaigns that flourished in podcasting’s formative years. [Source]
…as for the rest of the news: Tenderfoot TV’s Up and Vanished returns for a fourth season, The Peers Project is coming to the US, Veritonic partners with RealEyes for Audio Attention report, and Wondery+ has signed a content distribution deal with Law&Crime.
