Podchaser Integrates With Sprinklr Insights To Introduce Podcast Listening Data To Platform

Podchaser, the leading podcast database, launched an integration with Sprinklr – the leading unified customer experience management (Unified-CXM)- to enhance Sprinklr’s AI-powered social – powered social listening and monitoring product suite – Sprinklr Insights – with Podchaser API’s robust podcast metadata.

Podcast are crucial for brand through leadership as they offer powerful platform to engage audience with in-depth discussions, share expert insights, and establish a brand’s authority in a convenient and accessible format. This partnership allows Sprinklr customers to understand brand-relevant conversations happening on podcasts as well as measure the impact of editorial podcast content. Specifically, the Podchaser integration will arm Sprinklr customers with powerful data on podcast reach as well as audience demographic insights that enable them to make informed decisions for their campaigns.

“As the medium continues to grow, it’s becoming increasingly important for companies to understand how their brand and products are being discussed on podcasts,” said Bradley Davis, CEO of Podchaser. “Through Podchaser’s data integration, Sprinklr customers are gaining unparalleled insight into their podcast presence and its impact.”

“The digital world generates oceans of valuable information. Brands need onmichannel listening strategies to filter signal from noise on an enterprise scale, and transform it into actionable insights that drive better strategies and customer experiences,” said Sprinklr Chief Technology Officer, Pavitar Singh. “The integration with Podchaser provides Sprinklr customers the ability to listen to and measure conversations happening on podcasts alongside the 30+ digital platforms already supported by Sprinklr.”

The integration of Podchaser’s global metadata on over 4.5 million podcasts and 170 million episodes enables Sprinklr to offer an industry-leading social listening podcast platform to its customers. The integration will be generally available to all Sprinklr Insights customers at the end of June as part of Sprinklr’s 18.5 product release.

Storyglass’ Steve Carsey Becomes Chair Of Audiotrain Podcasting, Radio And Audiobook Skills Program

Steve Carsey has taken over as Chair of Audiotrain, the training and skills initiative run by producers’ trade body AudioUK which increases skills and knowledge for audio production professionals making podcasts, radio and audiobooks.

Steve is the Managing Director of Bertelsmann’s Audio Alliance UK and their international podcast studio/label Storyglass. He will be Chair of Audiotrain in addition to this role. Previously he was a Senior Director at Audible for nearly seven years. Before that he held various roles, including in television for ITN Productions, Steadfast TV, Endemol Shine Group and Mentorn. 

He replaces David Priest, MD of Wistledown, who founded and was Chair of the programme since 2014.

Audiotrain has so far provided a large number of one-off training days, lasting from an hour and a half to a full day, across practical production skills through entrepreneurship and company management skills. It estimated that it has so far provided skills through to entrepreneurship and company management skills. It estimated that it has so far provided around 4,500 learner days to a wide range of people around the UK and globally. Course presenters have included George the Poet and Benbrick, Sangeeta Pillar, Shivani Dave, Steve Austins, Cliff Fluet, Bernard Achampong, Mel Harris, Katharine Kerr.

Originally set up with funding from Government and Creative Skillset, it is now funded by a mixture of sponsorship fees and subsidy from AudioUK. The scheme is currently part-sponsored by insurance brokers Tysers and the advisory and accounting firm Prager Metis – more sponsorships are available.

Audiotrain webinars and training are open to all, with free tickets and discounts for Audio UK members and those who could not afford to otherwise attend. Audiotrain works with a wide range of hosts and trainers from across the audio industry and beyond, to ensure that they represent a diverse range of lived experiences and ideas. Audiotrain also supports external organizations, including Multitrack.

Steve Carsey said: 

“I’m delighted to have been asked to support the work of Audiotrain at this time. In a fast growing and constantly evolving sector, Audiotrain needs to fully meet the needs of all audio professionals from entry level creators to experienced executives. Raising standards and activating ambition is vitally important for the health of our industry and the constitution it makes to the UK economy. Working with partners, we will ensure the training, resources and services provided by Audiotrain are world-class in their scope and effectiveness. We need to empower, enable and drive excellence.”

Chloe Straw, Managing Director of AudioUK, said: 

“We’re really pleased to have Steve on board to help guide us through the next phase of Audiotrain. With audio production seeing a real boom, it is crucial that there are enough people to take up the increase in demand. Steve’s strategic thinking, knowledge and contacts will be a key factor in ensuring Audiotrain is effective, including exploring whether renewed government funding is possible. We’d also like to thank David Prest for all his years of hard work getting the programme to where it is today.” 

Ausha Launches A New Sub-Brand Dedicated To Branded Podcasts – Ausha PRO

Over the past two years, the number of branded podcasts hosted on Ausha has increased tenfold. This list includes both large organizations and smaller ones: Metlife, EDF, Bouygues Telecom, Dior, Decathlon, UNESCO, and more.

The podcast hosting and marketing platform, Ausha, has unveiled a new sub-brand specifically designed for professional creators of branded podcasts: Ausha PRO. The objective of this new offering is to meet the specific needs of professionals by providing dedicated features and services.

“Brands have very different needs compared to independent podcast creators. That’s why we created Ausha PRO, offering exclusive features and services that effectively address the challenges faced by branded podcasts. We are dealing with features that effectively address the challenges faced by branded podcasts. We are dealing with expert and demanding Marketing and Communication teams who are looking for cutting-edge marketing technologies and require a higher level of responsiveness. However, they often need guidance in the realm of podcasting, which they may be less familiar with. This is where our expertise in Podcast Marketing comes into play and proves particularly valuable.” – Jennifer Han, Chief Marketing Officer at Ausha.

Ausha PRO includes all of Aisha’s essential features (unlimited hosting, streamlined distribution, promotional materials, social media management, Al etc.), as well as new services specifically created to empower brands:

  • Enhanced support from experts who provide training, audits, advice, and guidance through video, phone, or email.
  • Reinforced branding through advanced customization of all promotional materials offered by the Ausha platform.
  • Collaborative management of the platform with multi-user access.
  • Platfom configuration and episode distribution completed in-house by Ausha staff.

In addition to these new services, Ausha PRO also offers new technical tools specifically designed for business: a channel page, SSO integration, simplified payment methods and more.

“Ausha is THE hosting platform. It is super user-friendly and comprehensive, offering tools for managing social networks and monitoring statistics. Additionally, the entire team is friendly, available, and highly professional.” – Emmanuel Rudowski, Communication & Public Engagement at UNESCO.

To learn more about the Ausha Pro plan, contact their team of experts or visit the website ausha.co/pro.

Triton Digital Announces Acquisition Of Manadge

Triton Digital, the global technology and services provider to the digital audio, podcast, and broadcast radio industries, announced that it has acquired Manadge, an advertising intelligence platform that specialized in programmatic advertising, Manadge will enable Triton Digital publishers and demand partners to see advertising-related data and analyze performance in real-time via an intuitive analytics platform.

With this acquisition, Triton Digital is diversifying its portfolio as Manadge offers analysis and comparison dashboards and KPIs for programmatic market participants as well as direct orders. Integrated with over 60 Supply Side Platforms (SSPs) and ad servers, Manadge offers real-time philosophy, Manadge provides agnostic and unbiased reporting the simplifies the recording and tracking of advertising revenues, leveraging an elegant UI, with expansive graphics and change alert notifications.

“Through this acquisition, we further demonstrate our commitment to providing robust tools to enable growth in the global audio industry,” says John Rosso, President and CEO, Triton Digital. “The Manadge platform will enable Triton’s publisher, sales house, and demand partners to better analyze advertising data and use Manadge’s powerful UI to make data driven decisions for their business.”

“At Manadge we give companies the ability to increase resources and support, expand into new markets, and innovate faster than they could before,” says Nathan Venezia, Founder and CEO, Manadge. “We are excited to be joining a team that truly understands our vision and to be providing Triton Digital a better way to analyze and track advertising revenue for all audio types.”

As part of the acquisition, the Manadge team will join Triton Digital’s team, bringing a high level of talent and expertise to Triton’s product and engineering efforts.

Acast Introduces Acast+ Access

Acast,  the world’s most valuable podcast marketplace, is announcing is announcing the launch of Acast+ Access. This technology gives any company with an existing paid subscription offering the ability to add exclusive podcast benefits. 

New research shows that there is a significant, lucrative opportunity for publishers and other companies to integrate podcasts into their current subscriptions. According to a recent Acast survey, more than a quarter of consumers (27%) would be more likely to sign up for a subscription if they also received podcast benefits as part of that subscription. More than a fifth of consumers (21%) would be willing to pay even more to get the added podcast benefits.

With the launch of Acast+ Access, companies with existing membership offerings – including news publishers, media organizations, streaming services, and more – can now integrate podcast benefits into the paywall they already use for their subscribers. 

Ross Adams, CEO at Acast, said: “Acast+ Access is a game-changer for companies that want to increase their overall subscription revenue and make their offering even more attractive to consumers. As more and more audiences seek premium podcast content, our technology allows providers to easily meet that need and deepen their relationship with their customers. And for companies not already incorporating podcasts into their subscription strategy, this is one of the easiest ways to rally new subscribers immediately.”

Yasmin Bassi, Senior Product Manager at Acast, said: “With Acast+ Access is a game-changer for companies the most powerful, centralized solution for all their podcast needs – allowing them to manage podcast advertising, distribution, and and subscriptions seamlessly in one single, easy-to-use platform. It isn’t only a great thing for publishers, but for the audiences, who can sign up to a company’s subscription effortlessly and immediately access subscriber-only podcasts on their app of choice.”

Acast+ Access allows companies to upgrade their current content (e.g. paywalled episodes, extended episodes, full series), personalized intros and outs, archived content, early access to content, and more. Subscriber can then access those benefits on their podcast app in listening platform of choice, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, the web, and any other platform that supports private RSS feeds.

Steve Lanham – Head of Podcasts at History Hit said: “History Hit has always aimed to make history more accessible in the digital age, and podcasts are a huge part of the mission. Through Acast+ Access, we can offer listeners more of the audio they love, giving them additional access to fascinating stories and interviews from the world’s leading historians and experts.”

Acast+ Access is based on an earlier iteration of the company’s technology of a similar name (“Acast Access”). It has been rebuilt to now allow clients to offer even more podcast benefits developed through the Acast+ technology, such as ad-free listening and early access to content, and access to bolstered analytics. Acast earns a fee for each private podcast feed activated by the client’s paying subscribers.

Acast+ Access is available now. Companies looking to learn more or use the technology can sign up by visiting https://go.acast.com/access.

 

Branded Podcast Agency 18Sixty Appoints David Maher Roberts As Board Advisor

Bristol-based branded podcast production company 18Sixty is pleased to announce that senior marketing business leader, agency founder an podcaster David Maher Roberts has been appointed as Board Advisor. This announcement comes off the back of three years of solid growth for 18Sixty where they’ve established themselves as a renowned player in the branded podcast space, working with big name brands, talent, and picking up major award wins and nominations for their premium quality podcasts. 

Founder and CEO Gareth Evans, who launched the business in early 2020 and after a decades-long career in commercial radio (Virgin Radio, Absolute Radio) has his sights set on further growth over the next two years. Evans says, “I’ve been aware of David’s reputation in the marketing agency and digital content spaces for some time, having over 20 years experience in board-level roles within PE and VC-backed companies and, impressively taken digital marketing agency Dialect Inc. from a $4m to $30m business in five years.”

He goes on to say, “having worked closely with David professionally over the last few months, I’m really excited by the prospect of having him on board to help take 18Sixty into the next stage of our growth. Our mission continues to be helping world-renowned brands reach new audiences with podcasts they love listening to whilst having a positive impact on people and planet, pushing the creative boundaries where brand meets audio and to further establish our place as one of the world’s most creative branded podcast producers.”

In addition to his marketing agency expertise, Maher Roberts also has a deep passion for the podcast space, having produced and co-hosted Podworld (a podcast that celebrates the craft of great podcast-making) with journalist and BBC podcaster Louise Blain. Maher Roberts says “I really believe in the unique power of podcasts to engage audiences and provoke thoughtful conversation. 18Sixty has already made a significant impact in the industry and I can’t wait to help further the exciting work Gareth and the team are doing.”

The appetite for quality branded podcasts continues to grow (hosting platform Ausha reported a 17% audience increase for the category in 2022), with the data showing that podcasts can result in much higher engagement levels for brands than other forms of media, such as video.

Arkansas Podcast Festival Announces Podcast Pitch Contest

Do you have an idea for a podcast? We’d love to hear it! ARKAST, the annual podcast festival in Arkansas, is announcing a podcast pitch competition. ARKAST is now in its second year and has grown from a one-day event to a week-long festival.

To kick off the week, a podcast pitch competition will be held on Sept. 1 at Ron Robinson Theater in Little Rock from 6-9 p.m. This Shark Tank style competition gives Arkansans an opportunity to have help creating their podcast. The winning pitch will receive a podcast launch package with podcasting equipment and help with getting the podcast set up on all major platforms.

Contestants will take the stage to present their ideas to a panel of judges made up of industry professionals. The judges will provide valuable feedback on all pitches. Entering the contest is free but those wanting to enter must fill out a pitch form and be approved. The form can be found at arkansaspodcasters.org. 

Tickets to be in the audience are free and also available at arkansaspodcasters.org. The website has the lineup of all ARKAST events taking place from Sept. 1 – 7.

ARKAST is organized by the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative, a nonprofit dedicated to growing and diversifying Arkansas’s podcasting community.

Festival sponsors include Power of Pod, American Business Engine, the Central Arkansas Library System, and the North Little Rock Library System.

Widecom Launches Zeeko – Podcast Creative Agency

Widecom officially launched a new business unit specialized in the creation of podcasts. Zeeko – Podcast Creative Agency’s mission is to produce professional podcasts for experts, brands and institutions, thus taking advantage of one of the most effective, efficient and fastest growing worldwide.

The investment in this area, “follows our propensity for content production, given our experience and long history in the media sector,” says Jorge Souto, Head of Management of Widecom. 

Zeeko – Podcast Creative Agency come to occupy a space that is not exhausted in production. Jorge Souto adds that “training will be one of the areas that Zeeko intends to develop in a more consistent manner” in the preparation of future professionals. The podcast is one of he media that best reflects the trend adopted at the level of Content Marketing, not only by the ease it offers to those who listen, but also by the versatility it proposes at the level of personal communication, brand or corporate.

Currently, Zeeko already has a portfolio of thematic podcasts, including Planeta do Futebol by journalist and commentator Luís Freitas Lobo, O sue fica do tempo que passa by Paulo Pisco, Member of the Portuguese Parliament, or A Faca de 3 Gumes by journalist António Rolão, among others. – https://zeeko.co

Founded in 2010, Widecom is a consulting and advisory company in communication, marketing, and media, which provides a range of integrated services, from the definition of strategy to the development of median instrumental means for its implementation.

With a background in journalism, marketing and business management, Jorge Souto began his career in radio, having spent over 20 years linked to the media – Lusomundo Media and Media Capital – where he preformed functions at the management level.

The Independent Podcast Awards Partners With The Podcasting, Seriously Fund

The Independent Podcast Awards are media partners for the Podcasting, Seriously Fund which offers reimbursement for award entrants, supporting 200+ independent audio producers every year.

The Fund aims to make audio awards and competitions more inclusive, elevate the work of creators who may not have yet achieved the recognition they deserve, and help create opportunities for underrepresented communities, independent producers and early-career aspirants.

LWC Studios, the Fund’s pro bono operator in the US, alongside AIR, Pacific Content, Acast and Triton Digital as fund partners, launched The Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund to support independent BIPOC, Queer and Trans audio professionals in submitting their work to key media and journalism awards. The Find covers submission fees for producers, editors, and others.

The Fund covers entry fees for high-quality work to podcast/media/journalism awards, accepting application on a rolling, year-round basis. The Fund has also been extended to cover enrollment/registration fees for audio production training courses.

The Independent Podcast Awards were set up by whynow and Verbal Diorama, who seek to celebrate the truly independent talent of UK and Ireland based podcasters that don’t have the financial backing of brands to support them. There are 18 categories, including True Crime, Sport, Music and Film & TV, and an Overall Podcast of the Year will be chosen from the winners of each category.

Juleyka Lantigua of the Podcasting, Seriously Fund says: “Media partners like the Independent Podcast Awards, go a long way in extending the work of the Fund and the door-opening effect it can have on our beloved podcast industry. It is a pleasure to welcome them to the Fund.”

Those interested in applying can submit their information here.

Those interested in contributing to the Fund can donate via Patreon, AIR, and Buy Me a Coffee.

Nina Robinson UK Fund Ambassador and CEO of Soundtruism which is also a Fund media partner says, “The Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund continues to go from strength to strength in the UK, and it’s great to have the Independent Podcast Awards on board. For too long, accolades in the British audio industry have been selected and judged by people from largely similar, privileged, white backgrounds and unconscious bias and favouritism have played their part. This Fund is an important step in opening up the industry to allow greater recognition of talent, for those from underrepresented backgrounds.”

Emma Turner, Head of Events and Publicity at whynow said: “We’re delighted to be working with Juleyka and Nina to help those from underrepresented areas of the podcasting community to enter these awards. One of the major reasons for launching the Independent Podcast Awards was to shine a light on all the amazing talent out there that often doesn’t get recognition at other awards. By working together we’re moving closer to this goal, and making the awards more accessible to more people.”

To find out more about The Podcasting, Seriously Fund including eligibility criteria and how to apply go to: https://www.podcastingseriously.com/fund.

The winners of the Independent Podcast Awards will be announced at an event in London in October and are open for entry now at: independentpodcastawards.com

Logitech’s Streamlabs Adds To Powerful Streamlabs Ultra Product Suite With New Podcast Editor

Streamlabs, a leading provider of live streaming tools and brand of Logitech, expands its Streamlabs Ultra subscription offering with podcast editing capabilities through Podcast Editor. This new tool will add to the popular streaming platform’s already robust suite of offerings, elevating the creator experience and providing a new stream of revenue and engagement.

With the ease of text-based editing, Podcast Editor helps creators record and edit their video and audio content fast with easy text-based editing, auto-generated transcripts, and resizing tools so they can promote and share content across different platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and more. It will also allow creators to customize clips, create subtitles, add images, and perform real-time translations of their video content.

Plus, with the AI-assisted tools, it is possible to easily find clip highlights, cut unnecessary filler words like “oohs” and “ums”, and even remove awkward pauses within seconds, trimming off hours of total edit time.

As the world of podcasting continues to explode, with as many as 464.7 million listeners tuning in globally, Streamlabs’ Podcast Editor comes to creators at a time when more people than ever are listening to their favorite content and more streamers are favoring talk-show-like formats. In fact, according to Stream Hatchet data, Just Chatting has been the most popular Twitch category racking up over 826 million hours watched in Q1 2023 alone. This new tool is a game changer for live streamers who rely on the ability to seamlessly upload and distribute content to entertain, educate, and connect with their communities while monetizing a hobby they love.

Content creators can edit up to one hour of content per month at no cost. Through Streamlabs Ultra, 40 hours of content can be managed through the software, and users receive access to the Podcast Editor along with premium features available for Streamlabs Desktop, the Streamlabs Web Suite, Streamlabs Mobile, Talk Studio Pro, Video Editor Pro, and Cross Clip Pro, providing a holistic suite of products under one service to help streamers with streaming, recording, branding, editing and sharing short and long-form content.

“Logitech is committed to serving the needs of gamers and creators by delivering breakthrough product experiences to unlock their potential. Streamlabs has been an extension of this philosophy toward the booming gaming community since the creator economy took off during the pandemic,” says Vincent Borel, Head of PC Gaming & Creators at Logitech G. “Podcast Editor now enables Streamlabs to provide the most robust suite of offerings for creators to reach their audiences wherever they are while focusing on the elements of content creation they love the most – streaming and engaging with their audience.”

With Streamlabs’ experience in monetization, brand building, and audience engagement tools, the company is eager to give users a robust suite of tools to expand their reach, build and engage their audience across platforms. 

Users can subscribe to Streamlabs Ultra to start using the premium benefits of Podcast Editor or access the free version here. https://streamlabs.com/