Month: February 2022

Terrance Moore Joins the Bleav Podcast Network as Head of Podcasts

~ jen

The Bleav Podcast Network, the #1 network for professionals, announced that Terrance Moore has joined as Head of Talent. Moore will lead Bleav’s diverse and fast-growing roster of over 700 hosts.

Moore elaborates, “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Bleav team in continuing to expand the amazing foundation they’ve built, and to be part of growing the company as a full scale, multi-hyphenate media platform and as the premier destination for sport and pop-culture tastemakers, commentators, and enthusiasts alike.

Bron Heussenstamm, CEO of Bleav Podcast Network, comments on the exciting signing, “Terrance is a brilliant mind in content creation and talent representing so naturally we’re thrilled to have him here at Bleav.”

Terrance Moore is a former Agent at William Morris Endeavor in the digital media department, where he represented: publishers, media brands, creators, musicians, comedians, athletes, writers, producers and directors. Moore’s most recent experience took him to Ammolite Inc., as Head of Content and Strategy. The company is a hybrid creative and production studio specializing in artist and talent collaboration where Moore guided and oversaw the companies original content portfolio and strategic alliances with studios, brands, and artist. Additionally, he is graduate of the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.

Bleav currently distributes over 450 premium podcast, including more than 150 professional athletes as hosts. All of Bleav’s podcasts are available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major directories. For more information about Bleav Podcast Network, please visit www.bleav.com or @BleavePodcasts.

International Podcast Festival, The Podcast Show, Arrives in Islington, London, UK

~ jen

The new international festival for podcasting, The Podcast Show 2022, is set to welcome 6,000 people for a one-of-a-kind vibrant event for industry professionals, independent podcast creators, business leaders, emerging talent and fans alike. The festival will take place across two days at The Business Design Centre in Islington, London on 25 & 26 May 2022. Delegate day passes for The Podcast Show 2022 are on sale now at thepodcastshowlondon.com. Prices start from only £55 with a limited number of  £30 tickets are for those aged 30 and under.

The Podcast Show 2022 will bring together the audio and broadcast industry under one roof to learn, do business and network. In the heart of the City’s media district, the festival is just a stone’s throw away from Kings Cross London and the Eurostar, the gateway to the rest of Europe.

Produce by AV Media & Events (AVME), a joint venture between SME London and GetOnMedia, the festival will celebrate podcasting, plus its huge popularity and growth. It will also support the newest podcast creators and help shape the future of podcasting.

The Podcast Show 2022 will host 150 in-person panels and sessions with industry leaders, discussing everything from what commissioners, ad buyers, and potential funders are looking for, through first-class marketing campaigns, how to succeed and how to avoid a flop. There will be a wide range of talks to fit attendees at every stage in their careers, whether just starting out or seasoned professionals.

Delegates can also expect unrivaled international networking opportunities with executives and decision makers, offering a chance to be face-to-face with some of the biggest global organizations in the podcasting world, all showcasing many aspects of their business at the show with activation stages and more. Brands confirmed include Spotify, Amazon Music, Acast, BBC Sounds, Global, Wonder, Sony Music Entertainment, Audioboom, Anchor, Megaphone, Ponders, IAB UK, The Guardian and Broadcast.

The Podcast Show 2022 will also provide masterclasses, chances to meet the experts, feedback and advice centres through a creator’s corner, networking bars, partner activations and a smattering of very special guests, too. The festivals ‘Brand Works’ on the main show floor will be a central hub to bring brands and advertisers together with podcast creators. Expect global industry leaders, recognizable talent, and brands around every corner.

With over 350 speakers, attendees can expect to hear from award-winning creatives, podcasters and rising stars. Exciting new additions to the programme include Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces, alongside Happy Place’s Fearne Cotton; Wondery’s CEO Jen Sargent; Acast’s CEO Ross Adams; Tolani; Audrey and Milena from Spotify Exclusive podcast The Reciepts; My Dad Wrote a Porno, The Observer’s audio critic Miranda Sawyer, Podnews’ James Cridland, BBC’s Nihal Arthanayake and Soundtracking’s Edith Bowman. The full lineup for The Podcast Show 2022 will be announced shortly.

The Podcast Show 2022 are committed to supporting the future of the industry and nurturing the next steps in their careers. It will be the world’s leading event to discover diverse, emerging and under-represented podcast creator talent.

Acast Appoints New Creator Network Leadership in the US

~ jen

Following Veronika Taylor’s recent appointment to SVP of the Acast Creator Network, Acast announces the appointment of two US executives to leadership roles for its Creator Network in the market.

Tiffany Ashitey has been appointed US Director of the Creator Network, overseeing domestic podcast acquisition, partnership management, and growth. Ashitey was previously US Director of Partnerships at Acast, leading a team working with podcasters to distribute, optimize, and amplify their shows. She will report to Taylor.

A three-time Webby Award-nominated executive producer, Ashitey has more than a decade of experience leading, executing, and managing projects in audio storytelling, video, and podcast production. She also founded the ESSENCE Podcast Network, the first-ever podcast network in the media brand’s 50-year-history – created, operated, developed and produced by women of color.

Ashitey said: “It’s beautiful to see how podcasting has evolved and opened the door for first-rate talent and unique storytellers, including many creators who are new to the medium. As interest in the space takes off and podcasters eye new audiences, our goal is to seek out and amplify their stories effectively and strategically – ensuring an array of programming gets in front of listeners with various shared experiences, while enabling creators to operate a thriving business off their hard work.”

Tim Ruggeri has been with Acast for nearly six years and was one of the company’s first employees in the US. He’s worked with popular independent creators and major publishers to grow their podcasts and has spearheaded a number of high-profile projects – including Acast’s signings of A+E Networks, The Intercept, Everything Iconic with Danny Pellegrino, Dungeons & Daddies, and new series Kasich & Klepper, which features former Ohio governor John Kasich and The Daily Show comedian Jordan Klepper. He has more than a decade of experience in media, communications, and online content creation.

Riggeri said: “I look forward to leading our fast-growing development teams as we join forces with the industry’s most renowned podcasters and bring new, diverse voices into the space.”

Their appointments come at a time when the company is rapidly expanding the Creator Network in the US, as high-caliber podcast talent flocks to Acast. Recently, the company announced its new partnership with Anna Paris for her podcast, Anna Paris is Unqualified.

Acast currently powers more than 35,000 podcasts globally – from the most popular independent podcasters to world-renowned publisher partners.

Georgie Holt, Managing Director, Americas, at Acast, said: “Tiffany and Tim are stellar members of the team who deeply understand the world of audio and what moves audiences. Through their work and Veronika’s leadership, our Creator Network team sets the industry standard in delivering value for podcast talent – in the US and beyond. It’s no wonder creators of all sizes, genres, and identities are turning to Acast.”

In addition to their appointments, Acast is adding a further four new hires to its podcast development teams in the US.

Cumulus Media and The Bulwark form Partnership for Podcasts

~ jen

Cumulus Media announced that podcasts from political news and analysis network The Bulwark have joined the Cumulus Podcast Network. Under the terms of the agreement, Cumulus monetizes all existing and forthcoming podcasts from The Bulwark, a first for The Bulwark shows.

Cumulus also markets and distributes the podcasts, which include The Bulwark Podcast, Beg to Differ with Mona Charen, The Focus Group with Sarah Longwell, and The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood. The podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Pocket Casts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, and Pandora, among other platforms.

“The Bulwark is committed to building a home for the politically untethered through smart political analysis free from tribal loyalties. Our partnership with Cumulus Media will enable The Bulwark to build on its strong audience growth over the past three years,” said Bulwark publisher Sarah Longwell. “Cumulus is first class in political podcast advertising and we’re extremely excited to begin this partnership.”

“The Bulwark team has spent years questioning and challenging political assumptions,” said Suzanne Grimes, Executive Vice President Corporate Marketing, Cumulus Media and President, Westwood One. “As we enter what is sure to be one of the most closely watched election cycles, The Bulwark will provide much for our listeners to absorb and ponder.”

The Bulwark podcast roster includes:

The Bulwark Podcast: Charlie Sykes and guests discuss the latest news from inside Washington and around the world. No shouting, grandstanding, or sloganeering. Conservative, conscientious, and civil.
From: The Bulwark
Hosted by: Megaphone

Beg to Differ with Mona Charen: Host Mona Charen is joined by Linda Chavez of the Niskanen Center, Bill Galston of the Brookings Institution, and Damon Linker of The Week in a weekly roundtable discussion of the week’s news in a respectful, rational forum.
From: The Bulwark
Hosted by: Megaphone

The Focus Group with Sarah Longwell: The Bulwark Unfiltered publisher Sarah Longwell, who has conducted hundreds of hours of focus groups all across the country, takes an unfiltered, uncompromising, unexpected look into what the average voter thinks about politics, policy, and current events.
From: The Bulwark
Hosted by: Megaphone

The Bulwark Goes to Hollywood: Host Sonny Bunch interviews folks who have their finger on the pulse of the entertainment industry during this dynamic – and difficult – time.
From: Sonny Bunch
Hosted by: Megaphone

AdLarge and Neilsen Renew Multi-Year Agreement

~ jen

Ad-Large and Nielsen announced they have entered into a multi-year renewal agreement for Nielsen Audio measurement. With this agreement, AdLarge continues its participation in RADAR, the only Nielsen audio service that provides commercial ratings and is the best available forecast of a network’s audience delivery.

AdLarge Media is the leading independent ad sales and content company, specializing in podcasts, AM/FM, streaming, and on-demand lifestyle-driven audio content. AdLarge has utilized Nielsen’s measurement service since 2013.

“RADAR continues to be an extremely integral part of the purchasing and decision making process for advertisers,” said Don Wachsmith, Chief Revenue Officer of AdLarge Media. “Subscribers are required to adhere to strict guidelines in order to provide agencies with secure and accurate information. RADAR’s measurement data remains the most proven and reliable in the marketplace today.”

“AdLarge is an audio powerhouse, and we are pleased to continue our relationship,” said Bruce Supovitz, SVP/National Audio Services, Nielsen Audio. “AdLarge offers a tremendous breadth of scale by focusing on all audio environments, across all platforms, and we look forward to continuing to empower them with capabilities that optimize their national sales inventory.”

RADAR radio networks provide Nielsen with commercial clearance records from thousands of affiliated radio stations, which are merged with listening information from a database of almost 400,000 respondents. This added accountability allows RADAR to provide the best available forecast of a network’s future audience delivery and a high standard of reliable metrics for buying network radio.

New Appointments as Mamamia’s Content Team Grows

~ jen

Rosie Squiers has joined leading women’s media brand, Mamamia, in the new role of Editorial Director. Rosie was previously Head of Digital Content at ARN. Rosie will report into Mamamia’s overall Head of Content, Holly Wainwright, and will be responsible for managing the talented team of content leads across written, audio, video and social.

Also, Melody Teh has been promoted from Deputy Editor to Editor, taking over the written content reins from Clare Stephenson who has become an Executive Editor and co-host of the weekly podcast, Cancelled.

Speaking of the new appointments, Holly Wainwright said: “We have the strongest bench of female media talent in the country, including Melody, speaking to over 6.5 million Australian women every month. Rosie is bursting with expertise and ideas and is the perfect person to steer that content team to even greater success in 2022.”

“I am incredibly excited to join Mamamia. It’s the go-to for engaging coverage of issues and interests across the country and I will work with the team to continue to drive Mamamia’s core purpose of making the world a better place for women and girls,” said Rosie Squires.

“I look forward to connecting with the community through podcasts, videos, articles, social media, events and the subscription platform MPlus. Taking on this role feels like coming home and I am thrilled to be here.”

Mamamia is Australia’s #1 women’s media brand across articles, podcasts, social media, LIVE events and online courses. Its stable of over 40 shows makes it the world’s largest women’s podcast network. Mamamia’s founding purpose is to make the world a better place for women and girls.

SiriusXM’s SXM Media Introduces AudioID

~ jen

SiriusXM’s SXM Media announced the introduction of AudioID powered by AdsWizz, a first-to-market listener identity solution offering marketers new avenues to reach, target, and connect with consumers at scale. AudioID puts content and audiences first, providing an improved consumer experience across multiple platforms and a better way for brands to buy audio advertising.

AudioID is the most recent example of SiriusXM’s investment in audio ad technology and solutions to make advertising across satellite radio, streaming music, and podcasts as simple as pressing play or turning the dial. From in-car to at-home to mobile, SXM Media is committed to making premium audio advertising intelligent, accessible, and impactful for listeners and marketers.

As traditional digital identifiers erode in the market and audio content such as podcasts increase share of ear, AudioID is the future of listener identity. With an algorithm that accepts and matches a variety of consented listener signals and inputs then weighs them accordingly, this new identity solution responds to ad requests by finding or creating unique, anonymized AudioIDs. These IDs can then be tapped into for everything from reach and forecasting to frequency capping, advanced first-party targeting, enhanced measurement, and more.

AudioID’s U.S.-based identity launch offering will live within the walls of SXM Media. The product will leverage datasets across the tens of millions of known Pandora, SirusXM, and Stitcher listeners, matching them to create AudioIDs. This will allow for a better ad experience for consumers, marketers and publishers, tapping into listener behavior and preferences in a way that supports the future of identity safety while helping marketers achieve their goals.

Beginning later in 2022, AudioID will extend SXM Media’s first-party audience targeting to opted-in off-platform parties across AdsWizz, giving marketers and publishers in the U.S. access to better, smarter data guidelines, long-term, AdsWizz’s platform has the potential to expand AudioID globally; strengthen any behaviors; and define a new identity framework for the audio ecosystem at large, one that centers around consumption, content, and preference data versus personal consumer signals.

“We are entering a new era of identity – both in culture and technology – that defines us not by who we are on paper or the cookies we leave behind, but by our interests and passions. AudioID is a consumer-first, privacy-conscious infrastructure that will deliver our audiences the best experiences and give marketers access to data-driven capabilities like never before,” said Chris Record, Senior Vice President and Head of Ad Product, Technology & Operations at SXM Media & AdsWizz.

AudioID is based on several fundamental founding principles:

Innovative & Additive: AudioID will always remain an innovator in audio identity and additive to the overall audio advertising ecosystem.

Flexible & Iterative: To support marketers and publishers, AudioID will be flexible in its acceptance of inputs from data providers, publishers, alternative identifiers, and other third parties. In addition, AudioID is expected tone an ever-evolving, iterative technology that will continue to develop with the needs of the media and marketing ecosystem.

Private & Optional: Privacy protection is embedded into AudioID by design as an anonymized identity solution that enhances consumer privacy. Publishers and marketers will maintain control of their data resources, with AudioID always remaining an optional (versus required) solution for external parties.

Intelligent & Science-Driven: Developing AudioID is a team of technologists and data scientists from around the world committed to using the latest tech and knowledge and applying it to the product.

Podigee Releases an Enterprise-Grade Roles and Permission System

~ jen

Podigee, the podcast hosting & analytics provider, has built a powerful extension to its podcast CMS called “Roles & Rights Management”, that allows organizations of certain size to manage the individual roles and editing permissions of their employees and contractors.

“Think of how costly certain mistakes can be. Especially if you are monetizing your content or running a large podcast organization,” explains Mateusz Sojka, co-founder and CEO at Podigee. And adds, “You want to be a 100% sure that only the people with sufficient permissions can actually make certain changes to the content, like deleting episodes or changing the publishing schedule.”

There is a raising concern of accidental mistakes (or intentional attacks) in the management of podcast content which can now be prevented by using the Podigee enterprise-grade CMS for podcasts.

The feature also targets those organizations who care about GDPR and data security. By making sure each user only gets the lowest required permissions to do their work, companies can make sure to stay on the safe side of legal compliance and avoid liability issues.

Mr. Sojka finally explains, “If you are concerned about data security or if you monetize your content, this feature is a must.”

“Alt-Right Armory” Podcaster Charged with Unlawful Possession of Guns

~ jen

The United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Pennsylvania posted a release titled: “Lehigh County Father and Son Charged with Unlawful Possession of More Than a Dozen Machine Guns and Nearly as Many Silencers”. This was in regards to the Alt-Right Armory Podcast host and his father. The release was posted on February 10, 2022.

According to the release:

United States Attorney Jennifer Arbiter Williams announced that Joseph Raymond Berger, 67, and Joseph Paul Berger, 32, of Bethlehem, PA, were arrested and charged by Indictment this week with multiple firearms offenses including possessing machine guns, possessing non-registered firearms, and possessing non-registered silencers.

The Indictment alleges that the defendant illegally possessed 13 fully automatic machine guns and 12 firearm silencers. According to court documents, law enforcement agents with Customs and Border Protection intercepted three firearms silencers that were illegally imported into the United States in packages addressed to the defendants at their shared residence. Investigators then obtained a search warrant for the home and recovered from the basement the 12 firearms suppressors/silencers and 13 fully automatic machine guns that are listed in the Indictment. The machine guns included 11 rifles and 2 submachine guns.

According to court documents, Investigators also uncovered evidence that the firearms found in the Berger home were originally sold and purchased as semi-automatic firearms, which were then manually converted into unregistered, fully automatic machine guns…

…If convicted, the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of 30 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, a $270,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment…

The New York Times reported that the man who hosted the Alt-Right Armory podcast (Joseph Paul Berger) described it as “the alt-right’s favorite firearms-related podcast.” He used the name “GlockDoctor1488” and discussed topics like how to use 3-D printers to make “ghost guns”, or firearms that are assembled from kits and do not carry serial numbers, according to the prosecutors.

According to The New York Times, a magistrate judge granted the prosecutors’ motion to keep the younger Mr. Berger detained. The judge released the elder Mr. Berger on $25,000 bail. If convicted, they face up to 30 years in prison, prosecutors said.

Triton Digital Releases the Australian Podcast Ranker for January 2022

~ jen

Triton Digital, the global technology and services leader to the digital audio and podcast industry, announced the release of the latest Australian Podcast Ranker. The Ranker provides insight into the Top 100 Podcasts as well as the Top 10 Publishers in Australia from 1 January through 31 January, 2022, as measured by Triton’s Podcast Metrics measurement service.

The Top Podcast Ranker and All-Australian Top 100 Ranker are ranked by monthly listeners, in accordance with the latest IAB Podcast Technical Measurement Guidelines.

For the first ranker of 2022, the top three publishers are ARN/iHeartMedia, Stitcher, and Audioboom.

The top three podcasts for both the Top 100 Ranker and Top 100 All-Australian Ranker include Castile True Crime (Audioboom), Life Uncut with Brittany Hockley and Laura Byrne (ARN/iHeartMedia), and The Update (NOVA Entertainment).

There have been several debuts for the Top 100 Ranker from Crime Junkie (audiochuck/Stitcher), 2 Bears, 1 Cave with Tom Segura & Bert Kreischer (Stitcher Media), Ben and Liam (NOVA Entertainment) and more.

Total downloads of all shows by participating publishers in the month of January is 56.2M.

Participating publishers in the Australian Ranker include Audioboom, ARN/iHeartMedia, DM Podcasts, Equity Mates Media, Hidden Brain Media, LiSTNR (SCA), Motorsport Podcast Network, News Corp Australia, Nine, NOVA Entertainment, Podshape, Schwartz Media, Sports Entertainment Network (SEN), Stitcher Media, TOFOP Productions, The Chaser, Wavelength Creative, and West Australian Newspapers.

Recently, Triton Digital introduced their online ranker – an enhanced and robust experience for Australian advertisers and agencies seeking podcast consumption insights. To view the full results, view their Australian Podcast Ranker website and subscribe to receive all Triton Digital’s future Rankers via email.

Triton Digital’s Podcast Metrics measurement service is certified by the IAB Tech Lab as complying with Version 2.1 of the IAB Podcast Measurement Technical Guidelines. It provides accurate and insightful data around how, when, and where podcast content is being consumed across multiple hosting platforms, with the ability to view metrics by date range, location, device, podcast name, episode, title, and more.