Inertia Is The Enemy of Podcasting by Tom Webster
One section of the 2024 edition of The Podcast Landscape asked respondents why they have ever quit a podcast that was part of their regular listening routine. Three of the top five answers relate to the quality of the show. When asked why they haven’t listened to podcasts recently, the third-highest answer is “I got tired of podcasts” at 21%. When asked when they think they’ll listen to podcasts again, 43% chose “I don’t know.” Webster points to the world of television, where if one gets tired of a single show they don’t also drop off of the concept of watching TV. Podcasting has an inertia problem, a problem that will require some of the biggest names in the industry to loudly and proudly contribute back to podcasting, creating a symbiotic loop by openly discussing the benefits of podcasting and what it has done for them.
Why Trump and Harris Are Turning to Podcasts by Lora Kelley
The U.S. presidential election is less than four weeks away and both candidates are doing their final rounds on media to collect votes. In addition to more traditional old-guard media like Kamala Harris appearance on’ 60 Minutes, both candidates are racking up several podcast guest appearances during the final weeks of the election. Writer Helen Lewis says it’s time for traditional media to re-frame podcast coverage from ‘alternative’ media to what it is: media. It’s disingenuous to cover mega-shows like Call Her Daddy like quirky hobby productions struggling against professional broadcasters. Top podcasts consistently play to audiences as big as, if not bigger than the audiences of legacy TV outlets.
Spencer’s Announces Exclusive “Morbid” Collection with Popular True Crime Podcast Show
Coming to a mall near you: Wondery’s continued move into merchandising and franchising podcast properties has expanded to a new line of products based on the true crime series Morbid. The Halloweeny branded collection covers drinkware, apparel, makeup, and accessories themed around macabre designs relevant to the show, including merch identifying the owner as a member of Morbid’s fanbase (affectionately dubbed ‘weirdos’).
As for the rest of the news…
- Acast is partnering with Intium Media to expand its podcasting reach to Chinese-speaking markets in Asia Pacific, North America, and Europe
- Wondercraft has launched the new feature Director’s Mode for creators using AI voices
- Triton Digital has joined forces with NZME to develop its audio offerings in New Zealand
