Month: May 2022

How to Choose The Best Podcast Keyword

One of the essential elements for optimizing your podcast for search engine optimization is keywords. There are many types of keywords, and there is a variety of strategies you can use to make the best out of podcast SEO. The goal of today’s talk will be to teach you how to choose the best podcast keywords and grow your brand’s authority.

The post How to Choose The Best Podcast Keyword appeared first on Spreaker Blog.

Posted by Experimentor in Podcast News

Is ‘binge listening’ the future?

I hope everyone’s ready for the long weekend. I’ve got some big plans lined up that involve organizing all the cables in my living room… and hopefully getting out to Prospect Park, assuming the weather holds up. Today, we’ve got updates on video podcasts, binge listening, an NPR diversity grant, and whatever B.J. Novak’s up […]
Posted by Experimentor in Podcast News

It takes ‘2-3 weeks’ to see if a podcast is a hit

Hi, everyone, Jake here again. It’s been a while! I’ve been enjoying hanging out in the background since Ariel took over last month, but everyone’s gotta take a day off sometime. So I’m back and newly energized to jam through some podcasting news. And yes, I have once again written too much about Spotify. iHeart […]
Posted by Experimentor in Podcast News

Norwegian Startup Nomono Launches Nomono Sound Capsule

Nomono, pioneers of audio recording and collaboration tools that help podcasters and journalists tell immersive stories, debuted its integrated hardware and software solutions for simplifying field recording, file management, collaboration, and production while paving the way for a spatial audio future.

Nomono will demonstrate its platform during The Podcast Show 2022, May 25-26 at The Business Design Centre in London at Booth F11.

Nomono platform includes the Nomono Sound Capsule, a Wi-Fi enabled recorder that combines four ultra-compact wireless lavalier mics with a 360-degree spatial audio microphone array and weighs less than 4 pounds. The Nomono Sound Capsule connects seamlessly to the Nomono Web App, an online audio collaboration tool where content creators backup their recordings, collaborate with their production team, and apply AI-powered dialogue enhancement processing to ensure their audio sounds the best it can before starting the editorial process.

With unparalleled portability and ease-of-use, Nomono’s combined solutions are revolutionizing how professional-quality audio is created.

“We’re sound people with a passion for building great products for like-minded pros, including podcasters, broadcast journalists, and media houses,” said Jonas Rinde, Nomono CEO. “Nomono simplifies podcasting with intuitive tools for capturing interviews from the field, collaborating on the editorial process, and improving audio quality. Our goal is to provide storytellers with an audio workflow that is smart, simple, and capable of delivering excellent sound.”

Unlike current podcasting workflows that depend on separate field recorders, microphones, mixers, and accessories – plus software collaboration tools like Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud, Google Docs, Asana, Notion, and more – Nomono offers a portable, all-in-one field recording solution built specifically for podcasters and journalists that automatically uploads recordings to an intuitive cloud-based audio collaboration and preparation tool.

“With the Nomono platform, creators can focus on their subjects and content without worrying about technology and equipment,” Rinde said. “This allows them to be more creative in their audio storytelling.”

The Nomono Sound Capsule

The Nomono Sound Capsule is a compact, one-button field recording solution that captures up to four guests and immersive scene tape without wires or a complicated setup. The portable all-in-one solution is built specifically for podcasters and journalists who work in the field and want to record conversations with multiple people without the technology getting in the way.

It includes Nomono’s groundbreaking wireless microphones, which capture and buffer high-resolution, uncompressed audio files, and transmit them back to the recorder asynchronously, providing wireless flexibility without the typical concerns of dropouts or interference. The recorder itself includes an ambisonic microphone array to capture a high-resolution 3D recording of the environment and ambience along with the voices of each participant. The combination makes it easy to record object-based spatial audio that is compatible with formats from binaural all the way to Dolby Atmos, and bring listeners right inside the conversation.

“All of Nomono’s technology is built with spatial audio in mind, so creators can produce content like they always have and make the transition to spatial audio production with ease,” Rinde explained.

The Nomono Sound Capsue weighs less than 4 pounds and fits in a backpack. It comes with a rugged carrying case with a built-in rapid charger. There are no levels to set and no SD cards to format. Creators just push one button and start the conversation.

Nomono Cloud Collaboration

Audio captured by the Nomono Sound Capsule is uploaded wirelessly to the Nomono Web App, a secure cloud resource and audio collaboration tool featuring AI-powered signal processing. Through the Web App, Nomono makes it easy for content creators to gather and organize material in a central repository; collect comments, feedback, and approvals in relation to an audio timeline; and save time and money in post-production through one-button dialogue enhancement and noise reduction technology.

The same Nomono Intelligent Signal Processing technology that enables spatial audio recordings can also help separate the foreground dialogue from the background environment to provide exceptional intelligibility and noise reduction without distracting artifacts or having to remove the background sound entirely.

With field recordings from the Sound Capsule automatically backed up to the cloud, content teams can immediately start logging and collaborating on recorded material to speed up the editorial process and get the content “on air” as fast as possible. Creators can even upload from other sources into the same Nomono Web App, keeping all their material organized in a single location that’s accessible to anyone on the team, including outside collaborators.

Posted by Experimentor in Podcast News

American Girl Launches New Family-Friendly Podcast Network

American Girl, longtime children’s publisher and cornerstone in the Mattel portfolio of purposeful brands, launched the American Girl Podcast Network, which is rooted in the brand’s popular stories, characters, and real-world advice to connect and entertain girls, their parents, and the entire fan community over their shared love of all things “AG”. The new podcast network, with ad-free shows spanning diverse formats and themes, will amplify the brand’s digital and creative storytelling – sparking imaginations and a love of reading.

The American Girl Podcast Network will launch with three original shows – one scripted and adapted from the brand’s slate of fan-favorite published content for young readers that debuted on May 24th, followed by two nonfiction podcasts with a mix of guest interviews, real-life advice, and behind-the-scenes exclusives that launch this summer.

“From the start, American Girl has been rooted in story. Our books – whether adventures, mysteries, or real-life advice – are the heart of what we do,” said Jamie Cygielman, General Manager of American Girl. “With storytelling an intrinsic part of our DNA, the American Girl Podcast Network is a natural evolution for the brand, allowing us to tap into our vast collection of diverse content, as well as our numerous authors and subject-matter experts, to enrich and entertain our fans. We’re thrilled to connect with all those in our celebrated American Girl community in this authentic and culturally relevant way.”

The American Girl Podcast Network launches with the following three shows:

American Girl 10-Minute Mysteries (launched May 24): A scripted podcast series of bite-sized content developed from American Girl’s slate of beloved historical character mystery books, taking young readers on action-packed adventures full of fun, friendships, and suspense. Season 1 is based on a fan-favorite “A Light in the Cellar: A Molly Mystery”, voiced by actress and podcast host Maggie Lawson.

American Girl Fan Club (launching July 23): Hosted by two real-life American Girl superfans, Sydney Paulson and Kristen Washington, this show goes where no one has gone before. Fans get exclusive access to all the behind-the-scenes facts and trivia about the creation and evolution of American Girl’s iconic characters and content throughout the years, featuring special guest interviews and insider sneak peeks of exciting things to come!

The Smart Girls Podcast (launching Aug. 17): This show brings to life American Girl’s most popular advice series: “A Smart Girl’s Guide”. For 20 years, the “Smart Girls Guides” have been a trusted resource for parents and their kids, selling more than 6 million titles to date. Building on that success, this podcast is full of conversations aimed to help tweens navigate what’s really happening with their emotions, mental health, friendships, and more. The hosts – 16-year-old actress Shay Rudolph and cultural expert and creative producer for the podcast network Jess Weiner – will interview celebrated guests and young change makers to ask ALL the questions listeners want to know.

Partners in the American Girl Podcast Network include:

Jess Weiner and Talk to Jess, a cultural consultancy and creative production company, which specializes in branded podcasts, most recently launching the Dominant Stories with Shondaland. Jess and American Girl have a long-standing association with the projects and programs that help all girls feel seen and represented.

Distribution partner Cloud10 Media, a full-service network that provides listeners an outlet for best-in-class podcast discovery, while offering development, promotion, marketing, and sales support.

“We know that podcast listenership among kids and teens continues to grow exponentially, and we are so excited to help American Girl bring their stories and inspired conversations to the next generation,” said Sim Sarna, Founder + CEO, Cloud10 Media.

The American Girl Podcast Network will be available on all streaming platforms where listeners get their podcasts; to learn more, visit americangirl.com/podcast. Audio and visual clops from the podcast shows will also be shared on American Girl’s social channels, and American Girl 10-Minute Mysteries will be available on the brand’s trusted YouTube channel, for those who like to watch while they listen.

Posted by Experimentor in Podcast News

SiriusXM Acquires Team Coco and Conan O’Brian Needs A Friend Podcast

SiriusXM announced the acquisition of Team Coco, including the critically-acclaimed hit podcast Conan O’Brian Needs a Friend, and the Conan O’Brian-led podcast network and digital media business. The transaction also brings to SiriusXM Team Coco’s staff, who will continue to produce the network’s slate of popular podcasts, as well as collaborate on content for Sirius XM.

As part of the deal, Conan has entered into a five-year talent agreement with SiriusXM, under which he will remain host of his namesake podcast, which will continue to be available widely, and will also collaborate with SiriusXM to create and executive produce a new full-time, original Team Coco comedy channel for SiriusXM subscribers. The agreement also includes distribution of select video from Conan’s podcast as well as from the archives of his long-running late night show on TBS, live events, and merchandise from the Team Coco brands.

Since its inception over a decade ago, Team Coco has garnered more than 1 billion annual video views across YouTube and Facebook, averages 180 million annual podcast downloads, and now reaches 17 million fans across social media. Team Coco’s flagship podcast, Conan O’Brian Needs a Friend, which was developed with Stitcher’s Earwolf, ranks as one of the top five most searched-for podcasts, and recently won two Webby Awards. By becoming a part of SiriusXM, the leading home of comedy in audio entertainment, Team Coco gains the promotional power of the SiriusXM, Pandora, and Stitcher listening platforms – amplifying the network’s voices and extending the Team Coco brand to new audiences.

“When I started in television my ultimate goal was to work my way up to radio,” said Conan O’Brian. “This new deal with SiriusXM builds on the great relationship that began several years ago with a team that is the standout in their field.’

“We are thrilled that Conan remains committed to producing his incredibly successful podcast and will now expand his role into executive producing an excusing Team Coco radio channel for SiriusXM,” said Scott Greenstein, President and Chef Content Officer of SiriusXM. “Conan has built an amazing brand and organization at Team Coco with a proven track record of finding and launching compelling and addictive podcasts. We look forward to continuing to grow the Team Coco brand.”

As part of the acquisition, SXM Media, the combined advertising sales organization of SiriusXM, expands its exclusive global ad representation beyond Team Coco’s acclaimed podcasts – such as Nicole Byer’s Why Won’t You Date Me? and JB Smoove’s May I Elaborate?, along with its Stitcher co-productions Scam Goddess with Laci Mosley, Literally! with Rob Lowe, The Three Questions with Andy Richter, and Parks and Recollection – to also include digital video, social media, and live events associated with Team Coco’s properties.

Team Coco podcasts will continue to be available on Stitcher, the SXM App, Pandora, and major podcast listening platforms.

Team Coco joins an already robust and industry-leading comedy lineup at SiriusXM, the exclusive audio home for top comedies and brands, which includes channels such as Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud Radio, Netflix is a Joke Radio, and Comedy Central Radio, as well as Stitcher’s Earwolf network and their collection of award-winning and critically-acclaimed shows How Did This Get Made?, Office Ladies, Storytime with Seth Rogen, and more.

SiriusXM’s acquisition of Team Coco follows that of 99% Invisible, the announcement of a global advertising agreement with podcast company Audiochuck, and it’s top-rated podcast, Crime Junkie; an agreement with Tom Segura and Christine P’s YMH Studios to distribute and develop content; an agreement for the exclusive rights to manage all audio and video ad sales for the comedy horror show The Last Podcast on the Left; and a multi-platform agreement with Crooked Media that brings the independent progressive media company’s top ranked podcasts to Sirius XM through the 2024 election cycle and beyond.

Posted by Experimentor in Podcast News

Podcast Giant Marc Maron Joins Acast

Acast, the world’s leading independent podcast platform has entered into a three-year partnership with podcast creator Marc Maron and his podcast WTF with Marc Maron. The partnership will now be hosted, monetized and distributed via Acast, and will also be making use of the platform’s paid memberships offering, Acast+. Maron’s podcast has approximately 55 million listens per year, primarily in North America.

Maron has, since the podcast started in 2009, become a phenomenon in the podcasting world and over the years has interviewed personalities including President Barack Obama, Kate Winslet, Keith Richards, Nicole Kidman, Stacey Abrams and Robin Williams – the latter episode being inducted into America’s National Recording Registry earlier this year. Shortly after Maron launched his podcast, it established itself as one of the world’s largest and most popular shows.

This partnership means that Acast will be the exclusive host and sales partner for the podcast, its full back catalog and other related materials. WTF with Marc Maron will continue to be released twice a week and will be available to all listeners, wherever they choose to listen to their podcasts. The agreement will come into effect from July 1, 2022.

WTF with Marc Maron will also be utilizing Acast+, giving the podcast additional monetization options including Maron’s back catalog and brand new bonus content for Maron’s paying members – without restricting them to listen to their paid-for content on a specific podcast player. In addition, Acast will offer advertisers the opportunity to promote their brand to Maron’s million of listeners through both dynamic and in-episode sponsorships, plus much more.

“Entering into a partnership with the podcast giant Marc Maron is a big win for Acast and for the open podcasting landscape, as this deal guarantees that the podcast can continue to be listened to by everyone, everywhere and on their preferred listening platform. In addition to WTF with Marc Maron being one of the largest podcasts in the world, Maron is also one of the very best hosts in the business. This collaboration presents a real step forward for us in the North American market, adding millions of listens and strengthening our brand even further in the region. At the same time we will also be working with the show to increase the number of Marc Maron fans across the globe,” said Ross Adams, CEO of Acast.

“We’ve amassed an amazing catalog over the years and Acast offers us an opportunity to make it available in a way that hasn’t always been before, especially in international markets. We’ve released two episodes every week for almost 13 years and we don’t plan on stopping any time soon. Acast won’t stand in the way of us doing the show the way we want to do it, the way we like doing it, they way we’ve always done it. They’re excited and focused and I think the partnership will be very productive,” said Marc Maron, host of WTF with Mark Maron.

“We take great pride in maintaining the high quality and universal accessibility of WTF, and we know we are in very safe hands with Acast. We will be utilizing both their expertise and innovative technologies, such as Acast+, to ensure our podcast stays ahead of the game. We look forward to sharing more and more great content with our listeners,” said WTF with Marc Maron co-creator and producer Brendan McDonald.

The deal was negotiated by Avalon who represents WTF with Marc Maron and Marc Maron.

Posted by Experimentor in Podcast News

Camp Substack

Happy Friday! Got lots of little podcast nuggets for you, so let’s get into it. Substack launches podcast boot camp for creators In Substack’s latest push to make the platform a podcast destination, the company will host a month-long podcasting intensive for 10 participants this summer. The course, which is intended to help creators turn […]
Posted by Experimentor in Podcast News

Conan O’Brien makes a $150 million podcast deal

After bottomless headlines about podcast licensing deals, I guess getting acquired is cool again. Or maybe Conan is just tired. I’m tired, and I didn’t even spend three decades as the “good king” of late night. On that note, I will be out for the next few days, so send all pitches and thoughts to […]
Posted by Experimentor in Podcast News

iHeartMedia Welcomes Sarah Von Mosel

iHeartMedia, Inc., the leading audio company in America, announced that it has named Sarah van Mosel as Executive Vice President of the iHeart Audience Network (iAN).

The iHeart Audience Network – the next evolution of audience-based buying – is a new service from iHeart that simplifies audio advertising. With inventory sourced from the expansive iHeartRadio database and other premium publishers across streaming and podcasting, the iHeart Audience Network is the leading service brands can rely on to reach addressable audiences in premium audio inventory at scale.

Each network campaign will allow brands to unlock access to multiple services, including advanced targeting that looks across channels, devices and behaviors to pinpoint the right audience; and an upcoming one-of-a-kind brand safety tech tool, developed by iHeartMedia in partnership with Sounder, called Audio Intelligence, using AI and machine learning to check content against the IAB’s standards for brand safety. The iHeart Audience Network spans streaming and podcasting – with the added reach of broadcast radio too.

As Executive Vice President for the iHeart Audience Network, van Mosel will additionally assist with iAN sales operations, publisher development and podcast slate partnerships for iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac. With her experience as a force in the podcasting business, van Mosel will work closely with Carter Brokaw, President of Digital Revenue Strategy to bolster iHeart’s continued growth in the space. She will report to Conal Byrne, Chief Executive Officer of the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group.

“The iHeart Audience Network is the first and only audio marketplace that seamlessly unifies all forms of audio with one common set of audiences, and we’re thrilled Sarah is bringing her expertise, vision and talent to take these unique capabilities to their full potential for advertisers and publishers,” said Byrne. “She’s been at the forefront of innovation in podcasting from the very beginning and her unique perspective on the rapidly growing medium will ensure this venture becomes the premier service for all brands. The team is looking forward to seeing where she takes iAN next.”

A long-time champion of the industry and creator community, van Mosel most recently served as the Chief Revenue Officer at Stitcher, where she led podcast revenue strategy across SiriusXM, Pandora and Stitcher. Van Mosel was part of the leadership team that oversaw Stitcher’s acquisition by SiriusXM in October 2020. Following the acquisition, she was responsible for integrating Stitcher’s sales organization, setting direction for revenue growth, and scaling opportunities for podcast monetization.

Van Mosel has also held multiple executive roles within the podcast space. As Chief Podcast Sales and Strategy Office at Market Engenuity, van Mosel built the monetization engine for podcasts from PDX, Radiotopia, The Moth, and TED Talks Daily. In addition to overseeing revenue generation, van Mosel drove content acquisition and business development across 13 public media stations in the top 10 U.S. markets. Prior to Market Enginunity, van Mosel has also held senior positions at Acast and WNYC. Additionally, she’s a founding member of the IAB Podcast Working Group.

“My path to iHeart has been a long one, but each step of the way, has equipped me with the exact set of skills I need to lock arms with this outstanding team,” says van Mosel. “Anyone who knows me knows I love to build. I love to push the industry forward. The team at iHeart is poised to completely transform the audio industry and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”

Posted by Experimentor in Podcast News