Month: June 2021

NPR Won a Pulitzer for their No Compromise Investigative Podcast Series

~ jen ~ 1 Comment

NPR reported that they, and Member Stations KCUR and WABE, won a Pulitzer Prize for audio reporting. This is NPR’s first-ever Pulitzer.

NPR’s Pulitzer for audio reporting went to Lisa Hagen, Chris Haxel, Graham Smith, and Robert Little for their investigative reporting podcast series No Compromise about gun rights activists that illuminated the deepening schism between American conservatives.

The description of the No Compromise podcast is as follows:

Winner of the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting. Discover a social media empire with an unapologetic vision of gun rights – generating millions of likes, follows, and dollars. From Guns & America, reporters Lisa Hagen of WABE and Chris Haxel of KCUR expose how three brothers from the most uncompromising corner of the gun debate are turning hot-button issues into donations and controversy.

It was one of two NPR finalists in the category; the other was for what the Pulitzer committee described as “courageous, on-the-ground reporting on the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and its implications around the globe.”

In an emailed statement to the newsroom, Senior VP of News, Nancy Barns noted that this is the second year that the Pulitzer Prize has experimented with an audio category. “You may recall that NPR was a finalist last year for the White Lies podcast,” she wrote. “The recognition today underscores the investments we have made in deep reporting, longform storytelling, and collaboration across NPR and our Member stations.”

The No Compromise podcast was introduced in August of 2020. The first episode, “A World Where the NRA is Soft on Guns” was released on September 8, 2020. The most recent episode is titled: “A One-Man Propaganda Band” and was released on October 20, 2020.

FOX News Media Launches FOX News Podcasts+ On Apple Podcasts

~ jen

FOX News Audio, Fox News Media’s radio and podcast division, has collaborated with Apple Podcast Subscriptions to launch new subscription-based content channel entitled FOX News Podcasts+. This new platform will offer exclusive content along with commercial-free episodes of the FOX News Podcasts portfolio, as well as commercial-free podcast versions of FOX News Sunday, and FOX News Radio’s (FNR) The Brian Kilmeade Show, FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla and The Guy Benson Show.

Available for $2.99 per month ($29.99 per year), subscribers will have access to exclusive content including seasonal FOX News Investigates specials, bonus shows from major political events, and special long-form podcasts encompassing faith, history, documentaries and true crime. FOX News Podcast+ will also provide subscribers with commercial-free access to the platform’s nearly 40 original podcasts hosted by network stars such as Bret Baier, Martha MacCallum, Dana Perino and Will Cain, along with additional episodes and interviews from FOX News Audio’s entire content portfolio. Subscriptions will be available on FOXNewsPodcasts.com, and at Apple Podcasts by clicking the FOX News Podcasts+ channel.

FOX News Podcasts currently rank among the top 15 podcast publishers according to Triton Digital and delivered double-digit year-over-year growth across downloads and overall listeners during Q1 2021. Additionally, The Brian Kilmeade Show (weekdays, 9 AM – 12 PM/ET) was recently named one of the top five most influential radio shows in America according to the TALKERS magazine’s Heavy Hundred list. FOX Across America with Jimmy Failla (weekdays, 12-3PM/ET) and The Guy Benson Show (weekdays, 3-6PM/ET) also placed in the top 100.

Sony Music Entertainment Announced Ad-Free Offerings on Apple Podcasts Subscriptions

~ jen

Sony Music Entertainment (SME) announced its initial ad-free podcast channel offerings available with the launch of Apple Podcast Subscriptions beginning today. With shows from its podcast partners all around the world and across all genres, the first SME subscription channels will offer listeners a range of ad-free listening experiences and exclusive bonus content.

Ad-free channels will include shows from SME production partners Neon Hum Media, Somthin’ Else, Three Uncanny Four and Campside Media. Additional pricing and free trial information is available for each channel at their respective links below.

Listeners can subscribe to all channels on Apple Podcasts. For more information on all Sony Podcast shows, follow @SonyPodcasts on Twitter and Instagram.

Broken: Uninterrupted: Investigative Reporter Julie K. Brown exposed Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes to the world. Now his survivors are fighting for the truth. This season, host Tara Palmeri follows the women who are making their own justice.

Production Partner: Three Uncanny Four and Hyperobject Industries

Chameleon: Uninterrupted: Deceit, scandal, lies – it’s Las Vegas. It’s the FBI sting you have to hear to believe. Chameleon is back for a second season and this time there’s even more scandal and deceit. From Campfire Media comes the story of a two-year FBI undercover investigation the went bust.

Production Partner: Campfire Media

Cheat! PLUS: Hosted by storyteller Azlo Slade, Cheat! tells the stories behind some of the biggest scandals in contemporary history and the flawed protagonists at their heart: controversial and contentious figures from the world of pop culture, business, sport, music, politics. Why do people cheat? Is it ever justifiable? And most importantly are cheats – these people we think of as the dregs of society – actually not so different from ourselves?

Production Partner: Something’ Else

David Tennant Does a Podcast With… EXTRA: David Tennant, start of Doctor Who, Good Omens and Broadchurch, gets talking with the biggest names from TV, movies, comedy, and elsewhere. Featuring superstar names like Olivia Coleman, James Cordon and Whoopi Goldberg.

Production Partner: Something’ Else

Death at the Wing Plus: Hosted by Adam McCay, Death at the Wing examines the shocking number of promising basketball stars who lost their lives in the 80s and early 90s. At the dawn of the 1980s, the world was moving faster, the media was growing bigger, and greed was finally good. For the NBA, it was a chance to finally step into the spotlight. But all that wealth and stardom came at a deep cost.

Production Partner: Three Uncanny Four and Hyperobject Industries

More information about additional SME Ad-Free Podcasts HERE.

Spotify Launches Greenroom to Compete with Clubhouse

~ jen

Spotify announced that they have made Greenroom available for the first time in its new form. In March of 2021, Spotify acquired Betty Labs, the creators of Locker Room. Spotify’s plan was to evolve and expand Locker Room from a Clubhouse-like app for people to talk about sports to what has now become Greenroom.

Today, we’re making Spotify Greenroom available for the first time in its new form, available on iOS and Android in over 135 markets around the world. We’re building Greenroom with the creators and artists in mind who make Spotify great, optimizing for interactivity and deep connections between participants in live rooms. The app, rolling out today, includes:

  • New app branding (aka Greenroom) and a new overall look and feel
  • The ability for any user to host or participate in live rooms
  • A way to join Greenroom using your using your Spotify log-in info
  • A new onboarding experience that puts users’ interests front and center
  • Recording capabilities so you can compliment your on-demand content with live conversations
  • Chat controls to ensure the best possible experience

TechCrunch reported that Spotify could use Greenroom to send out notifications to users if a podcast the user already followed on Spotify went live in a Spotify Greenroom.

According to TechCrunch, Greenroom has has features including Speakers at the top of the screen in rounded profiles, with listeners appearing below as smaller icons. There are mute options and moderation controls. It is also possible to bring listeners on stage during the live audio session. Rooms can host up to 1,000 people.

It is easy to see how podcasters on Spotify could use Greenroom as a way to do a live podcast. Greenroom includes recording capabilities, which podcasters could add to their on-demand podcast.

Apple Podcast Subscriptions are Now Available

~ jen

Apple announced on June 15, 2021, that Apple Podcast Subscriptions and channels are now available worldwide. This news comes after Apple unveiled Apple Podcast Subscriptions in April of 2021. Subscriptions include Luminary’s The Midnight Miracle, Pushkin Industries’ Revisionist History, QCODE’s Blackout, and CNN’s The Handoff.

Thousands of Apple Podcasts Subscriptions and channels from the world’s best audio creators, including the Los Angeles Times, Luminary, NPR, Pushkin Industries, and QCODE, are available today, with more launching every week.

Apple pointed out that listeners in 170 countries and regions can purchase subscriptions to individual shows and groups of shows through channels, making it easy to support their favorite creators, enjoy new content, and unlock additional benefits. Those benefits include ad-free listening and early access, directly on Apple Podcasts.

Listeners can now discover thousands of subscriptions and channels featuring brand new shows that span many genres and formats, including news, comedy, sports, and true crime, offering listeners premium experiences that help them stay informed, entertained, connected, and inspired.

These include subscriptions to shows from essential independent voices like Birthful with Adriana Lozada, Pantsuit Politics with Beth Silvers and Sarah Stewart Holland, Snap Judgement with Glynn Washington, and You Had Me At Black with Martina Abrams Ilunga.

Apple Podcast Subscriptions also include premier studios such as Lemonade Media, Luminary, Realm, and Wondery; and leading media and entertainment brands, including CNN, NPR The Washington Post, and Sony Music Entertainment.

When listeners purchase a subscription to a show, they automatically follow the show and the page is updated with a Subscriber Edition label so they know they have access to the premium experience.

Listeners can discover channels for their favorite podcasts from each show page and through Search, explore reconditions from the Listen Now and Browse tabs, and share channels using Messages, Mail and other apps. As listeners subscribe to channels, the Listen Now tab expands with new rows that provides easy access to all of the content included in the channel and with their subscription.

The International Women’s Podcast Awards Seeks Podcast Nominations

~ jen

The International Women’s Podcast Awards is seeking podcast submissions for its inaugural awards. Nominations are now open. The Awards will take place on September 2021, in Allbright, London, UK.

Here is a description of what The International Women’s Podcast Awards is looking for:

“The joy of podcasting lies in its intimacy. In the atmosphere created between the host, guest and listener. In the moments of incredible sensitivity, humour, or honesty that keeps people engrossed.

“The International Women’s Podcast Awards celebrate these intimate moments of podcasting brilliance, and the women who make them happen. You might not be the biggest name in podcasting, or have the largest audience, but if you’ve captured a delicious piece of audio that sums up you, your guest, or your audience to perfection, we want to know about it…

“The inaugural awards will recognize the work of those who identify as women or non-binary behind the mic and behind the scenes, from podcast hosts and writers, to editors and producers. Eight award categories will celebrate brilliant moments from podcasting in the previous 12 months, while one extra category will recognize outstanding achievement in podcasting.”

Nominations are now open and will be accepted in eight categories of “Moments”:

  • Moment of Comedy Gold
  • Moment of Raw Emotion
  • Moment of Cliff-hanger Drama
  • Moment of Touching Honesty
  • Moment of Entrepreneurial Inspiration
  • Moment of Badass Business Advice
  • Award for Changing the World One Moment at a Time
  • Moment of Behind-The-Scenes Brilliance

Before entering, it is recommended that you read the terms and conditions for entry. Each entry must consist of a single MP3 of a maximum of 10 minutes of audio taken from one podcast episode. You will be asked to confirm that you have read the terms and conditions of entry as part of your submission.

Each entry costs £25 which is payable by card at the time of submission, and the deadline for entries is Friday 16th July 2021.

American Public Media and Cadence13 Team Up For Multi-Year Partnership

~ jen

Leading audio storytelling organizations American Public Media (APM) and Cadence13, an Audacy company, have announced a multi-year strategic partnership.

Through this deal – which is between Cadence13 and the podcast arm of APM – Cadence13 will serve as the exclusive podcast sales representative for APM. Additionally, the organizations will develop future on-demand programming initiatives, co-productions, and collaborative new revenue opportunities.

The partnership brings together APM’s premium podcast programming with the reach and scale of Cadence13’s audio and ad networks, creating unrivaled opportunities for advertisers seeking to align their brands with purpose-driven content across business news, investigative journalism, lifestyle, as well as kids and family – to reach a large audience of listeners.

Remarked Lily Kim, General Manager of APM’s podcast division, “Our organizations share a complementary vision for premium audio storytelling and we are delighted to form a partnership with an established powerhouse like Cadence13 that will help us expand our collective reach and pursue new ways to connect directly with our fans. A cornerstone of public media is the commitment to serve our listeners by providing meaningful content that enriches, informs and builds community. This partnership will further enhance our ability to deliver on that mission.”

“Cadence13’s objective is to align with the best,” said Chris Corcoran, Chief Content Officer, Cadence13. “Partnering with APM, one of the most premium networks in the industry, brings together two of the most accomplished podcast companies for unmatched opportunities for scale and development. We are so proud to be joining forces with the entire team at APM, and look forward to taking this market together.”

APM’s podcast lineup reaches an audience of more than 3M listeners and 17M+ monthly downloads. This spans a portfolio that includes the prestigious Marketplace franchise; the investigative juggernaut In the Dark, an award-winning Kids and Family vertical that includes four of the top 25 podcasts in the category; and a growing Lifestyle vertical featuring classics such as The Splendid Table hosted by celebrity cookbook editor Francis Lam, legendary comedian Tig Notaro’s advice show Don’t Ask Tig, and critically lauded mental health wellness series Terrible, Thanks for Asking from multi-hyphenate writer-podcast host-performer Nora McInerny.

Cadence13 is a hit machine of premium shows including We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle, The Goop Podcast, You Must Remember This, Gangster Capitalism, It Was Said with John Meacham, The ETC’s with Kevin Durant, 4D with Demi Levato, and many more.

Audacy, Cadence13’s parent company, will support this partnership through marketing and development opportunities across its radio and digital platforms.

UTA brokered the deal on behalf of American Public Media.

Riverside.FM Announces Media Board to Help Creators Reduce Editing Time

~ jen

Riverside.fm, the audio-video recording software for podcasters, just launched an innovative feature called the “Media Board”. It works as a virtual sound AND video board, allowing creators to insert pre-recorded content straight into the live recording session.

“Adding a soundboard to the online recording studio has been one of the most requested features among our creators,” said Co-founder and CEO Nadav Keyson. “Bringing not only the requested soundboard to play audio clips, but adding the video element to it was an intuitive step for us to use as a company.”

Since the beginning, Riverside has been built as a flexible solution for creators, no matter their preference for audio-only or audio-visual content. Co-founder and CTO Gideon Keyson adds: “We’re always looking for ways to make Riverside more powerful while simplifying the workflow of creators.”

Rather than having to add intros, outs, ad reads, and other clips in post-production, the Media Board enables creators to play these during the live interview. This so-called live editing reduces the time spent in post-production while also allowing for a more interactive experience.

Even better, all audio and video clips are recorded locally and provided to the user as separate tracks, perfectly in sync with the host and guests’ regular audio/video tracks. For more information on the Media Board, visit Riverside.fm.

Podcast Movement 2021 Announced Speakers and Panelists

~ jen

Podcast Movement 2021 will take place in Nashville, Tennessee, in August of 2021. They have announced a list of Featured Speakers, and a list of Speakers/Panelists.

Featured Speakers:

Chris Colbert – CEO DCP Entertainment / Say Their Name podcast
Gaby Dunn – Host – Bad With Money with Gaby Dunn
Kate Erickson – Boss – Entrepreneurs on Fire
Paula Pant – Afford Anything
Joe Saul-Sehy – Host – Stacking Benjamins Podcast
Tom Webster – Senior Vice President Edison Research
John Wordock – Executive Editor Cumulus Podcast Network

Speakers / Panelists include:

Sara Alepin – CEO, Podcaster / Podcasts: The Wedding Dish, Laughing with Gingers, Company: District Bliss
Debbie Arcangeles – Host – The Offbeat Life
Sebastian Arrechedera – Host and Creator / El Martinez, Rainbow Lobster
Paloma Beltran – Associate Producer / Living on Earth (distributed by PRX)
Christine Blackburn – Host – Story Worthy Media
Jesse Brown – Publisher / Canadaland
Sena Bryer – Producer / Dreambound
Forrest Burgess – Co-Host/Creator – Astonishing Legends
Cole Burkhardt – Ritual Six
Shannon Cason – Host – Shannon Cason’s Homemade Stories
Jessie Clarke – Producer/Podcast Writer – The Smart Marketer, Scalable Agency
Todd Cochrane – CEO Geek News Central – New Media Show, Podcast Insider, Blubrry Podcasting
Steve Curwood – Executive Producer and Host – Living on Earth (distributed by PRX)
Twila Dang – Founder & CEO Matriarch Digital Media
Lauren DeVera – Host – Thrive and Thread
Erica Dickerson – Host – Good Moms Bad Choices Podcast
Samuel Donner – Host – Finding Founders / Secret Sauce
Chad Ellis – Station Blue
Gordon Firemark – Attorney / The Podcast Lawyer
John Frye – Host – Inside the Podcaster’s Studio, Secret Sauce
Jamie Golden – Founder – The Popcast Media Company / Host – The Popcast with Knox and Jamie
Dave Hanley – Co-Founder/VP Business Development – AdvertiseCast
Clara Harris – Swamp Witch Studio podcast
Zaiba Hasan – Executive Director/Co-Host – Mommying While Muslim
Sarah Holland – Host – Pantsuit Politics LLC
Shanda Ivory – Host – College Admissions Decoded
Rich Jones – Host & Founder – Paychecks & Balances
Kara Mayer Robinson – Really Famous Podcast
Ryan McCullough – Sound Designer/ Astonishing Legends
Tal Minear – Sidequesting

Please visit the Podcast Movement 2021 website for the full list of Speakers/Panelists.

TYT Taps Acast to Expand Podcasting Business with New Programming

~ jen

TYT, America’s largest online progressive news network and the creator of the flagship political show The Young Turks, has partnered with podcast powerhouse Acast to expand its podcast offering.

Through the partnership, TYT and Acast will bolster the former’s podcast production capabilities, and deliver new podcast programming to audiences by both creating original series and acquiring established series onto the TYT Network.

While some of its upcoming programming will focus on offering progressive analysis of news for diverse audiences, others will extend beyond political news and feature unique and compelling voices that offer expertise on a variety of cultural topics.

TYT’s new audio strategy aims to attract and be inclusive of audiences with interests beyond the realm of news and politics. Its current roster of programming includes The Young Turks, The Damage Report with John Iadarola, The Conversation, and Old School.

“TYT is known for its authentic voice, and podcasting is a great fit for our content because the platform provides an intimate and real audio experience,” said Praveen Singh, Chief Marketing Officer at TYT.

“This year, we’re investing in marketing and production resources that will offer an intimate, audio-first experience for audiences across all of our shows. By signing with Acast, I see a true partnership that will help TYT in our renewed focus on our podcasting business and in reaching new and existing global audiences.”

“Acast has a strong understanding of our mission and vision, and they’re invested in our success. Together, we are in a strong position to build our presence.”

The move is part of TYT’s ongoing investment in making progressive news highly accessible for traditional and emerging audiences across immersive digital channels.

Acast – which works with publishers such as PBS NewsHour, A+E Networks, Discovery, Daily Beast, BBC and The Intercept – will host and distribute all of TYT’s podcasting programming widely, making it available to audiences across all podcast apps and players, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Amazon Music, and Google Podcasts. Acast will also manage monetization of the shows through ads and sponsorships.

“The appetite for accessible digital news that’s trustworthy, equitable, and inclusive has never been stronger,” said Rebecca Steinberg, Director of Development at Acast.

“TYT’s investment into podcasting perfectly complements its unparalleled success in the digital video space, attracting progressive audiences of varied backgrounds and demographics. We look forward to helping TYT widen its reach, make its audio content more accessible than ever, and meet people where they are – on one of the fastest growing mediums in the world.”