PodcastOne

Hubbard Radio takes 30% Ownership Stake in Podcast One

~ shawn

PodcastOne LogoSt. Paul, MN-based media company Hubbard Radio has taken a 30% ownership stake in PodcastOne, the podcasting network best known for its celebrity-driven shows. From a press release sent out earlier today:

The agreement maintains PodcastOne and parent company Courtside Entertainment Group’s independent control of all operations, as the network continues to expand its collection of more than 200 top-rated programs, delivering more than 400 million monthly impressions for advertisers. The network features many of America’s most popular podcasts, including Adam Carolla, Shaquille O’Neal, Steve Austin, Dan Patrick, Chris Jericho, Penn Jillette, Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi, Shawn and Larry King, Laura Ingraham, Dr. Drew, TheCHIVE, the newly launched Mark Schlereth podcast, plus WNYC’s Radiolab, Freakonomics and many more.

Hubbard Broadcasting operates a variety of media outlets, including radio/TV stations, a satellite TV network called ReelzChannel, and the F&F Productions company. It seems natural that a company this established in traditional media would want to get a piece of the growing new media market. PodcastOne has proven its ability to create shows with big names that generate large audiences.

The press release is peppered with the usual corporate-speak of “synergies” and “brand development.” Could this mean some of PodcastOne’s shows will also be heard on terrestrial radio or other outlets controlled by Hubbard? It’s too early on in this partnership to know for sure. But this news, along with last week’s announcement of Scipps buying Midroll proves that legacy media companies are starting to take podcasting seriously.

5 Posts to Revisit from the First Year of Podcaster News

~ shawn

PCNNEW.fwToday marks the first anniversary of the unofficial launch date of Podcaster News (and that’s no April foolin’). We’ve presented a lot of news, how-to’s, and commentary on podcasting over the last year. And we’re looking forward to continuing that coverage into the future. I took a look back thru the Podcaster News archive and put together a list of posts from our first year that are worth revisiting. Here they are, in no particular order:

  • Beware of Podcast Snake Oil Sellers Promising Riches: This is the first post I contributed to the site that really got some attention. During the first quarter of 2014, it seemed like everyone and their other had launched a podcast training course. This post was a word of caution to new podcasters that they should be weary of teachers/consultants who charge high prices with the promise of great “podcasting riches” down the road.
  • 54 Seconds (The Wadsworth Constant): Jackson Rogers wrote about “The Wadsworth Constant,” a kind of law that dictates that the first 30% of any online video can be skipped in order to get to the real content. The Wadsworth Constant applies to more than just video. There’s definitely a lesson here for podcasters, too.
  • A Decade of Podcasting: Podcaster News founder and executive editor Todd Cochrane takes a look back at the first ten years of his podcasting journey.
  • Is Swapping Reviews Hurting Podcasting?: Dave Jackson takes a look at something that’s really turned into a phenomenon over the last year; iTunes review swapping. Dave breaks down what swapping is and offers some commentary on why it’s really not helping anybody.
  • Norm Pattiz of PodcastOne: “We were looking at acquiring Stitcher.” – PCN Show 008: It seemed only fair to include at least one episode of our fledgling Podcaster News Show. This episode turned out to be a real bombshell as I was able to interview Norm Pattiz during last year’s drama between PodcastOne and Stitcher.

Thanks to all of the readers and contributors here at Podcaster News for making it a spectacular first year! If I missed anything memorable from the last twelve months, let me know in the comments.

Norm Pattiz of PodcastOne: “We were looking at acquiring Stitcher.” – PCN Show 008

~ shawn ~ 1 Comment

Norm PattizIn response to the article I posted yesterday about the recent dust up between PodcastOne and Stitcher, I was contacted today by a PodcastOne rep who said that the company’s Chairman/CEO, Norm Pattiz, was willing to do an interview to try and shed some light on the situation. I’m presenting that interview today (with Norm’s permission) as my November contribution to the Podcaster News Show.

Some highlights from our discussion:

  • PodcastOne was, at one point, considering acquiring Stitcher.
  • Stitcher is still syndicating some of PodcastOne’s show, despite PodcastOne’s request that they stop.
  • PodcastOne hasn’t seen any significant decrease in downloads since Sitcher removed PodcastOne’s shows.
  • Pattiz says Sitcher doesn’t have a “robust” revenue generating system.

Hear all of this and more in the full podcast episode below.

Original image by PeteSessa from Wikimedia, used under Creative Commons license.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

PodcastOne vs. Stitcher: Shots Fired

~ shawn ~ 3 Comments

PodcastOne LogoCelebrity-driven network PodcastOne made podcasting news yesterday when it announced it will be removing all of its shows as well as shows it represents to advertisers from the Stitcher streaming-media app. From a statement released by PodcastOne:

Stitcher continues to sell and distribute programming without the proper rights, consent and compensation PodcastOne and its talent are due.

And that:

(PodcastOne) has repeatedly tried to work with Stitcher, and requested the removal of programming without verbal or written consent to distribute, in addition to the discontinuance of video ads as post, pre-roll and pop-ups attributed to these podcasts. Stitcher continues to make PodcastOne programming available on the home screen of their app to listeners who are already ‘following’ the programs.

Also, PodcastOne CEO Norm Pattiz was quoted as saying:

In some cases, Stitcher has absolutely no rights to carry our programs, and in others, no rights to sell or monetize our exclusively represented content in any way. This has been an ongoing problem, and enough is enough. You can’t just steal content without permission. Podcasting is breaking through big time, not only with consumers but with advertisers as well. I see new players coming into the market, all touting technology that will allow them to grab podcasts for their subscribers. Let this be a message – make sure you have secured the rights from content suppliers before you distribute programing you don’t have the rights to.

I surveyed PodcastOne’s “Top 25” shows and found that most of them are no longer listed with Stitcher. Exceptions include podcasts that don’t originate with PodcastOne, such as Radiolab and The Laura Ingraham Show.

PodcastOne’s stance is that Stitcher was using PodcastOne’s shows without the company’s consent. Given Pattiz’s statement, it looks like he’s unhappy with Stitcher running ads against PodcastOne’s content. Speculation has flooded podcasting forums since the news broke as to what exactly is happening here. Is PodcastOne falling back on its roots as a radio syndicator (Westwood One) and trying to get Stitcher to pay PodcastOne to distribute its shows? Did Stitcher offer PodcastOne any kind of revenue sharing for running ads against its content? If so, could the two parties not reach a mutually beneficial agreement? How do the shows PodcastOne represents for advertising feel about PodcastOne wanting them to leave Stitcher as well? The mind reels with possibilities.

Regardless, this isn’t the first time that Stitcher has run afoul of a notable podcast network. Back in 2011, Nerdist had its own drama that ended up in its shows being removed from Stitcher. That situation has since been cleared up, so there’s some potential for PodcastOne and Stitcher to heal their divide.

One thing is certain. As podcasting enters its tenth year, we can expect more of these types of disputes. Big players are here and in some cases, big money is at stake. This case of PodcastOne vs. Stitcher is only the beginning.

Podcasts Are Back! Actually, They Never Left…

~ shawn ~ 1 Comment

Washington Post LogoI guess it’s always good when podcasting gets some exposure from sources outside of the echo chambers that usually cover podcasting news. But it can be a mixed bag when those sources step in and cover our beloved medium. Sure, this coverage brings new eyes (and new ears!) to podcasting, and potentially to our shows. But the focus of the coverage can be shallow, usually sticking to firebrand topics like money and famous people.

An article was recently published by The Washington Post titled Podcasts are back – and making money. Nothing gets a mainstream publication more excited about podcasting than mentioning the fact that big-name celebrities are now podcasters and the Post article name drops its fair share (Adam Carolla, Snooki, Steve Austin, more). But the real lede the article wants to drive home is that, as the title suggests, podcasts are back! And they’re MAKING MONEY! I bet most people who read Podcaster News probably feel like podcasting never left. And most of us know that while it is possible to make money in podcasting, it’s really not that simple. The article cites statistics like the number of iTunes podcast subscriptions in 2013 (over 1 billion!) and that PodcastOne sells “millions of dollars” worth of ads thru its podcast network. I’m sure these big numbers will help to make a good impression on those who are just learning about podcasting for the first time. But they’re more the exception than the rule.

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