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Podcast Upfront Recap, Audio Announcements, & More

Podcast Upfront Recap, Audio Announcements, & More

May 13, 2024

Coverage of the IAB Podcast Revenue Study

Last Thursday the IAB published their annual study on podcast revenue, and quite a few outlets have covered it. The Hollywood Reporter highlighted the finding of podcast ad revenue increasing 5% in 2023 due to overall rocky waters for advertising. Digiday highlighted the growing long tail of podcasting, with Acast CBO Greg Glenday noting 2023 saw a 182% increase in number of shows included per buy. Variety’s coverage spotlights Comedy as the top genre, with 17% of overall U.S. podcast revenue (up 3% y-o-y).

Julie McNamara Exits as Head of Spotify Podcast Studios by Todd Spangler

On Thursday McNamara published a memo announcing she will be leaving Spotify to return to her creative roots. McNamara joined Spotify in her current position in 2021. As noted in coverage from Bloomberg and Fortune, the exit punctuates a period of transition as Spotify shifts from its early focus on content acquisition and exclusivity to a focus on wide releases and advertising. [Source]

Horizon Next Partners with ArtsAI on Proprietary Cross-Platform Audio Measurement Framework

Third-party attribution platform ArtsAI and Horizon Next have entered into a strategic partnership to provide an enhanced audio analytics solution, with a focus on transparency. Horizon Next aims to assess audio’s contribution to client KPIs (key performance indicators) and deliver omni-channel measurement across both traditional and digital channels. [Source]

Adelaide Expands AFP with Advanced Audio Capabilities

The Adelaide for Publishers (AFP) platform has been upgraded to include audio attention measurement and activation capability. NPR, SiriusXM Media, and Westwood One are on the list of launch partners for the initiative. Both this and the previous story show podcasting is moving past lamenting the download metric as our primary form of measurement. Companies are getting together and creating data that can be explored as the industry grows. [Source]

…as for the rest of the news:

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The Business Podcast Consumer

The first presentation of the Sounds Profitable Educational Series

The Sounds Profitable Educational Series kicks off 2025 with a bang - a look at the audience for business podcasts, and what makes them different to the audience for any other genre! This report, from Sounds Profitable and American Public Media, will look at the demographics and media consumption habits of this very valuable audience, and how they respond to brand involvement in podcasting. Tom Webster will walk attendees through this lively 30-minute session, which also features a special guest - Marketplace host Kai Ryssdal. Registrants will also be sent the full report as soon as it is available. So join us Jan 15th, at 3PM Eastern, for this special look at one of podcasting’s most valuable audiences!

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