Month: June 2022

Exciting New Podcast Welcomes Leaders To Explore Life Sciences Innovation

~ jen

Life Sciences Hub Wales has launched the latest series of Healthy Thinking – podcast This provides new perspectives from leading thinkers exploring some the most interesting and important topics impacting health and social care innovation:

How is innovation the key to delivering a healthier Wales? Eluned Morgan, Minister for Health and Social Services for Welsh Government, discusses current plans aimed at tackling challenges facing NHS Wales, such as the significant backlog of patient appointments and the need for early diagnosis of diseases like cancer.

How green is our NHS? Kathy Scott, Director of Operations and Deputy CEO of Yorkshire & Humber AHSN and AHSN Network lead for sustainability, explores the major impact the healthcare sector has on climate change and how innovation can help change this.

Do you share your health data with tech giants? Bleddyn Rees, Co-Founder of the European Connected Healthcare Alliance, speaks about the important ethical issues around the sharing of medical data and considers whether it can lead to a greater good.

Big Data, AI, and Machine Learning: how these can transform patients’ health. Dr Manish Patel, CEO of JIVA AI, discusses the far-reaching benefits of machine learning for disease screening and how this could impact the delivery of health services.

Smart technology: living healthier for longer. Carla Dix, Technology Enabled Care Prevention Strategy Manager at Delta Wellbeing, discusses how a new technology-enabled support system is helping people lead more independent lives.

How NHS Wales is using innovation to bounce back after Covid-19. Linda Prosser, Executive Director of Strategy and Transformation at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, and its CEO, Paul Mears, envision the post-Covid-19 future of the NHS and how their health board is using an innovative solution to address the issue of the patient backing.

The English language podcast is hosted by their Chairman, Chris Martin, and Welsh language podcast by their Innovation Adoption Director, Rhodri Griffiths.

Chris Martin, Chairman at Life Sciences Hub Wales, said: “With topics including the applications and implications of public health data and how we can create climate smart healthcare, I am delighted to have hosted the Healthy Thinking podcast. All of our guests have helped to highlight some of the most exciting and impactful work across our health and social care systems in Wales and beyond.”

Each Healthy Thinking episode will be released every Tuesday for six weeks, starting from 7 June 2022, on a range of podcast hosting sites includes Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

There’s also a Welsh language podcast, Syniadau lach.

Haymarket Media Group Joins With Podcast Awards Ltd.

~ jen

Haymarket Media Group announced ts acquisition of Podcast Awards Ltd. (PAL), owner of the British Podcast Awards, Australian Podcast Awards and the Irish Podcast Awards. Haymarket will also become a partner in Podcast Day 24, a 24-hour non-stop global podcast conference with live events in Sydney, London, and ending in New York.

Podcast Awards Ltd. will initially sit within Haymarket Business Media’s marketing communications portfolio, alongside leading brands including Campaign and PRWeek, with plans to launch more podcast events internationally in 2023.

The British Podcast Awards were established in 2017 by co-founders Matt Deegan and Matt Hill, later taking on the Australian Podcast Awards in 2019 and the Irish Podcasts Award this year. In 2021, they partnered with Radiodays Europe to create the worldwide event: Podcast Day 24, which brings together creators, advertisers and platforms from all across the world to share ideas, knowledge and best practice.

Speaking about the partnership, Matt Deegan, co-founder of Podcast Awards Ltd., said: Having run the Awards since 2017, it was important to find the right partner that empowered us to continue to cater to podcast creators big and small and promote all the great work they do. We have definitely found that with Haymarket. Its global presence allows us to accelerate growth, be more ambitious and get creative with opportunities that until now have been out of reach.

Co-founder, Matt Hill added: Working with the Haymarket team oers a wealth of access and opportunities for the sector – whether you’re making your shows at weekends or as your day job, this new partnership is going to have a positive impact on what you make. We can now be more adventurous with our plans to suit all podcasters, better reflect the needs of the sector and have security for the future.

Kevin Costello, Chief Executive at Haymarket commented: This investment reinforces our position in the rapidly growing audio space. We have seen the success of our own audio brands, including the Campaign Podcast, PRWeek Podcast, Third Sector Podcast, Rheum Advisor on Air and GP Online Podcast, and with our expertise in the awards space, the addition of the Podcast Awards makes for a perfect fit. The two founders have produced a brilliant product and we look forward to working together to further develop the brand globally. We already have plans to launch a Podcast360 event as part of our Media360 annual suite of conferences, strengthening our commitment to serving a remarkable content to our roster of international clients and audiences.

The winners of the British Podcast Awards, this year powered by Audible, will be announced on 23 July, followed by the Irish Podcast Awards ceremony in September, with the Australian Podcast Awards announced at the end of the year. Podcast Day 24 is taking place on Tuesday 4 October.

Triton Digital Releases the Australian Podcast Ranker for May 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 May through 31 May, 2022, as measured by Triton’s Podcast Metrics measurement service. The month of May had 74.3M downloads.

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 this reporting period, the top three publishers were ARN’s iHeartPodcast Network Australia, LiSTNR (SCA), and Audioboom.

The top three podcasts for both the Top 100 Ranker and Top 100-All Australian Ranker included, Hamish & Andy (LiSTNR)(SCA)), True Crime (Audioboom), and Liar, Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions (Nine Publishing), Liar, Liar: Melissa Caddick and the Missing Millions (Nine Publishing) first debuted on the Top 100 Ranker in April.

There were several debuts for the Top 100 Ranker there were a few new podcasts including, The Teacher’s Trial (NOVA Entertainment), The Front (News Corp Australia), Betrayal (ARN/iHeartMedia), Outspoken the Podcast (ARN/iHeartMedia), CounterClock (audiochuck/Stitcher), and Scamfluencers (Wondery).

For the Australian-Made Top 100 Ranker there were a few new podcasts including, The Teachers Trial (NOVA Entertainment) 5 Minute Food Fix (ARN/iHeartMedia) and Stories of Origin (Nine Digital).

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

For an enhanced and robust experience, visit Triton Digital’s online ranker to view the full results of the Australian Podcast Ranker. You can also subscribe to receive 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.

Buzzsprout Announces Buzzsprout Ads

~ jen

Buzzsprout is excited to announce Buzzsprout Ads – a revolutionary way to buy podcast promotions across the 114,000 active shows hosted on BuzzSprout.

Buzzsprout Ads helps podcasts get their shows in front of the right audience: people who already love listening to podcasts and are interested in similar topics.

It is a self-service platform where any podcaster can sign up and buy an ad regardless of where they host their show. Once a podcaster uploads their promo audio, it will be immediately matched with the optimal audience based on categories and listening preferences.

Buzzsprout Ads works with any budget, with ad buys starting as low as $100 for 5,000 ad downloads, and since it targets a podcast audience instead of individual shows, it scales for the largest budgets.

Every podcast promo bought on Buzzsprout Ads runs as a mid roll to optimize its performance.

Podcasters can start buying podcast promos today and, for a limited time, podcasts hosted on Buzzsprout will automatically save 30% on any ad buy.

Buzzsprout was founded in 2009 and has helped over 300,000 people launch their podcasts. It is the easiest way to get your podcast online, listed in every major podcast directory, and distributed to the world. Buzzsprout is based in sunny Jacksonville, Florida.

Triton Digital Releases the New Zealand Podcast Ranker For May 2022

~ jen

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

The Top 100 Podcast Ranker and Top Network Ranker are ranked by monthly listeners, in accordance with the latest IAB Podcast Technical Measurements Guidelines.

For this reporting period, the top three podcasts included Fletch, Vaughan & Haley on ZM (NZME/iHeartRadio/ARN), The Mike Hosting Breakfast (NZME/iHeartRadio/ARN), and Casefile True Crime (Audioboom).

New podcasts debuting on the ranker this month include Betrayal (NZME/iHeartRadio/ARN), Inside Dancing with the Stars (NZME/iHeartRadio/ARN), CounterClock (audiochuck), and Sympathy Pains (NZME/iHeartRadio/ARN).

Over the last month, there has been a 21% increase in total downloads with May coming in at 8.1M.

Participating networks in the New Zealand Ranker inside Audioboom, Head gum, Kart Media, Listen (SC), Mediator Radio Limited, NZME/iHeartRadio/ARN, Stitcher Media, and Sports Entertainment Network (SEN).

For podcast consumption rights, visit Triton Digital’s New Zealand Podcast Ranker website for an enhanced and robust experience.

Triton Digital 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.

Paul Greenberg Joins Rom-Com Entertainment Company Meet Cute

~ jen

Meet Cute, the leading entertainment company producing original scripted romantic comedies for Gen Z and millennial audiences, announced industry leader and digital content pioneer Paul Greenberg as President and COO. In this new role, Greenberg will leverage his decades of experience leading entertainment, digital, and technology companies and oversee all content, marketing, and analytics for Meet Cute.

Greenberg was previously CEO of Butter Works, a full-service digital video firm providing AI-driven data analysis, creative and production services, and strategy. He also served as Executive Vice President & General Manager at A+E Networks, where he oversaw the creation of the #1 show on Facebook, the #2 show on Snapchat, multiple hit shows on YouTube, and many successful branded content advertising campaigns, while growing A+E’s overall digital video audience by hundreds of millions of views. Simultaneously, he ran FYI, one of A+E’s cable networks.

“Paul has unparalleled experience leading content companies and is the perfect partner to guide Meet Cute into its next phase of growth,” said Naomi Shah, CEO and Founder. “His expertise in leveraging quality content to build, grow, and retain audiences will be incredibly valuable as we explore new revenue channels, build strategic partnerships, and expand our multichannel presence.”

Greenberg’s executive experience also includes serving as CEO of CollegeHumor, where he grew traffic by billions of views to make the company the #7 YouTube channel and tripled revenue. He has also worked as CEO of Nylon, where he grew revenue 150%, and the brand’s digital audience by 15x, and President of SFX. As President, Digital of Time Inc. Lifestyle Group, he ran 10 digital properties, which grew 50% YOY.

Greenberg joins Meet Cute as the company leverages its organic growth into new entertainment offerings. To date, Meet Cute series have attracted more than 3 million listens, with month-over-month growth as new series are released and a listener average retention rate of 90-100% per series. Meet Cute recently inked a talent and development deal with A+E backed Range Media Partners to adapt a selection of Meet Cute’s stories into TV series and films, as well as a deal with Mare of Easttown producer wiip to adapt a select number of Meet Cute stories into television series.

“Meet Cute is poised to take the entertainment industry by storm, and I am thrilled to be joining Naomi in making Meet Cute the ultimate destination for stories about love, connection, and the human experience,” said Greenberg. “Meet Cute is producing top-quality content that is resonating with Gen Z and millennial audiences, and its data-driven approach makes it a valuable IP incubator for Hollywood.”

To date, Meet Cute has produced more than 400 scripted romantic stories with hundreds of creators from different backgrounds and lifestyles, resulting in a content library that is diverse, inclusive, and reflective of the full spectrum of human connection. Meet Cute’s newest release is the romantic comedy Green Mountain, a heartfelt and hilarious tale of two siblings finding new love against the complex racial history of a remote Vermont town. Starring Owen Thiele (Dollface, I Think You Should Leave), Green Mountain released June 7, 2022 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other audio entertainment providers.

Danielle N. Kramer Named First Chief Operation Office of Exactly Right Media

~ jen

Exactly Right Media, the podcast network home of My Favorite Murder and other hit programs, has named Danielle N. Kramer as the company’s first Chief Operating Officer. Prior to the appointment, Kramer was Exactly Right’s VP of Production & Operations.

As COO, Kramer will oversee general creative and business operations, partnerships, and expanding the development slate, while leading the charge with Exactly Right’s migration to Wondery/Amazon Music. She also oversees the network’s day-to-day activities for a highly rated slate of podcast content along such categories as true crime (My Favorite Murder, Tenfold More Wicked); comedy (I Said No Gifts!, Bananas); science (This Podcast Will Kill You); entertainment (I Saw What You Did, That’s Messed Up: An SVU Podcast) and beyond.

Kramer played a vital role in Exactly Right’s speedy growth since its inception in 2018. Under her leadership, she’s effectively grown the team by recruiting top tier talent to help produce, record, and launch new high-quality podcasts. By creating a positive and supportive work environment, Kramer has built a dynamic staff that continues to elevate the overall quality of the network, with new engaging storytelling, elevated sound design, strong brand loyalty and ongoing growth opportunities.

“Danielle has led this network since its inception with her wide breadth of producing experience, expert team building, tenacity, and humor,” said Karen Kilgariff, Co-founder and CEO of Exactly Right. “That talent and dedication helped us build Exactly Right into the network that it’s become. Her ability to deftly navigate this new media space will enable us to do great things in the future!”

“It’s such a thrill working with Karen and Georgia to help them achieve their inspiring creative vision for this network,” said Danielle Kramer. “I couldn’t be prouder of the impactful storytelling and hilarious voices we get to share with our listeners. And we have an amazing team of the most talented, funny, dedicated individuals who make it really fun to come to work. Together, we are building something truly special.”

Prior to joining Exactly Right, Kramer was a Development Executive at JASH, where she scouted new talent; grabbed meetings with comedians, actors, musicians, writers, and directors; and, along with many creators, developed and produced original content for online and TV. She also helped select projects to green light and licensed content for JASH platforms. She contributed to many notable shows, including Sarah Silverman: A Speck of Dust (Netflix), Rubberhead with Sarah Silverman (Xbox), and Getting Doug With High with Doug Benson.

MBE Awarded to Camilla Byk in the Queen’s Birthday 2022 Honours List

~ jen

“This award is a real honour to receive as it recognizes the need for young people to have a voice and a platform that is truly theirs.” – Camilla Byk.

Camilla Byk, Co-Founder of Podium.me, has been awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for her services to Young People and Broadcast Journalism.

The recommendation has been made by the Prime Minister on the advice of the Independent Main Honours Committee following an independent assessment process.

Camilla Byk co-founded Podium.me 10 years ago as a platform for young people under the age of 25 to create podcasts and audio dramas about stories they really care about.

Experiencing the press’s reporting on young people as often biased during the Clapham Junction riots in 2012, Camilla’s mission has been to hear young people represented and respected in every sphere of the media.

With over 2000 people globally participating in Podium.me’s workshops and programmes over the last decade, Camilla’s mission has been to treat every participant as an individual with a unique story to tell.

Podium’s ‘no selection, no rejection’ approach highlights Camilla’s belief that all ideas are good ideas and helps participants to feel empowered to create the best content they can. Camilla is always looking for opportunities to encourage young people to network with others and progress in their careers. She now provides work experience and internships to young people around the world and has helped to establish hundreds of careers in the audio industry due to her relationships with schools, youth clubs and universities as well as the BBC and commissioners for Radio 1.

Podcasts and audio dramas created by young people from the podium.me network are available on podium.me and SoundCloud.

About Camilla Byk MBE

Camilla was made a Fellow of the Radio Academy in 2021 and has a background in languages and media. podium.me is also an affiliate patron of the Radio Academy. She lives in Wandsworth with her husband Robert and three teenage daughters.

About podium.me

Podium.me is a media platform for young people under the age of 25. It has won an ARIA award for Innovation and Audio Drama and continues to be a force for challenging the media to represent young people accurately and fairly.

Libsyn Celebrates One Year Anniversary of AdvertiseCast Acquisitions

~ jen

Liberated Syndication (“Libsyn”), the leading ‘Podcasting As A Service’ platform, celebrates the one year anniversary of its acquisition of the industry’s premier podcast advertising marketplace, AdvertiseCast. Libsyn also released its May 2022 Podcast Advertising Rates, including highest CPM categories.

Libsyn acquired AdvertiseCast on June 4, 2021. Since the acquisition, AdvertiseCast has accelerated Libsyn’s advertising growth trajectory. The AdvertiseCast tech stack has enabled the business to grow both rapidly and profitably. With the addition of Podcast Ad Reps (PAR) earlier this year, advertising now represents a significant revenue stream for the business. AdvertiseCast reported $12 million in revenue in calendar year 2020 and exceeded the earn-out target of $18M in revenue in calendar year 2021.

With its growing network of podcasts, the AdvertiseCast marketplace empowers creators to monetize their audio and video content and offers advertisers the unique opportunity to access highly sought-after podcast advertising inventory. As of May 2022, the marketplace includes more than 2,900 shows, with over 210 exclusive podcasts, and more than 740 active advertisers over the last 12 months. Total show count on AdvertiseCast has increased 15% in the first quarter of 2022 and the number of exclusive shows has experienced a 92% year-over-year uptick.

“Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast is celebrating a pivotal milestone – and with industry forecasts pointing to significant podcast growth ahead, we’re paving the way in rolling out new innovations and robust insights – and with greater transparency for our advertisers,” said Dave Hanley, Chief Revenue Officer at Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast. “New capabilities in podcast advertising makes the medium even more compelling for brands of all sizes to harness the power of podcasting in connecting with diverse listeners and driving measurable outcomes.”

Per the PwC / IAB U.S. Podcasting Advertising Revenue Report, podcast advertising revenues is forecasted to exceed $2B in 2022 and almost triple by 2024 to over $4B. To meet the growing advertiser demand, Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast is continually investing in its platform and tools to empower brands to effectively target and reach a burgeoning and coveted podcast audience.

The AdvertiseCast April 2022 Podcast Advertising Rates

The following rates, which are denoted as cost per thousand or CPM, are published monthly by Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast, the industry’s premier podcast advertising marketplace that connects advertisers with podcasters. The Company released the figured to empower the two communities to readily monitor market pricing and provide greater insight into podcasting advertising as a monetization vehicle. The data is derived from actual sales data across AdvertiseCast’s network of more than 2,900-plus shows, including over 210 exclusive podcasts.

For May 2022, the average CPM rate was $23.77 for a 60-second ad spot.

The three highest CPM categories in May based on delivered advertising were:

Business: $28
Technology: $26
Kids and Family: $26

Blubrry Offers Annual Billing For Podcast Hosting

~ jen

Blubrry notes that you are making an impact with your podcast. You’ve already decided that you’re sticking to your show and want to ensure you’ve made it as easy as possible to maintain the momentum. To make it even easier for podcasters to stay on track, Blubrry has introduced annual billing for hosting customers. Forget monthly payments and pay upfront to ensure there’s no interruption to your podcast hosting.

Save Money

Blubrry’s Standard and Advanced hosting plans are included in the annual option. On average, you’ll save about 10% a year, no matter the hosting plan, for choosing an annual subscription versus the monthly subscription. Save yourself some money, and a little bit of hassle too.

Annual Hosting Costs

  • Standard Hosting 125MB of storage: $120 billed annually ($10 month), save $24
  • Advanced Hosting 400MB of storage: $204 billed annually ($17 month), save $36
  • Check out additional hosting plan options on Blubrry’s website.

Make the commitment whenever it makes sense for you. You can sign up at any time.

Great Use Cases

Blubrry worked directly with many customers over the years to provide this on an individual basis, and have experienced a vast number of reasons why podcasters find it useful. Below are some examples of who would benefit from a one-time payment subscription.

  • Government organizations
  • Nonprofits
  • Educational organizations
  • Those with a strict budget
  • Churches
  • Teams with an annual budget
  • Company cards and finance teams that don’t want to manage monthly payments
  • Podcast season! I.e. you’re going to be releasing episodes for only one year or two
  • Retired shows. Bluberry’s standard hosting plan is the least expensive option for those that aren’t actively publishing, but want to keep their show online.

Annual billing is available to people just signing up for a podcast hosting plan or those adjusting the play they are currently relying on. New plans can sign up on the blubrry.com homepage; and adjusting your current hosting level can be done in the Billing section of the Blubrry dashboard while logged into your new account. At the end of your subscription, you’ll be able to automatically renew.