Libsyn Welcomes Chuck Cargile As New Chief Financial Officer

~ jen

Liberated Syndication Inc. (“Libsyn”), the leading all-in-one podcasting platform for creators and advertisers, announced the appointment of Charles F. (“Chuck”) Cargile as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Chuck brings a wealth of financial expertise and leadership to Libsyn, further solidifying the Company’s commitment to driving financial and operational excellence.

Mr. Cargile joins Libsyn with a distinguished career spanning more than 25 years in executive leadership roles within publicly traded companies. His expertise includes enhancing internal controls, procedures, and processes and partnering with business leaders. His financial stewardship has consistently contributed to the profitable growth and success of companies across various industries.

“We are thrilled to welcome Chuck to the Libsyn team as our new Chief Financial Officer,” said John W. Gibbons, Interim CEO and Chief Product Officer of Libsyn. “Chuck’s extensive, global financial leadership experience and proven track record of growing companies, accessing capital markets, and creating value for shareholders will undoubtedly make him an invaluable addition in bolstering Libsyn’s financial strategy for our next chapter of growth – as we continue to innovate and lead in the dynamic podcasting and advertising industries.”

Most recently, Mr. Cargile served as the CFO of BlueWind Medical, an innovative early-stage medical device company, demonstrating his diverse experience in the technology sector. Before that, he guided Tattooed Chef, a prominent plant-based foods provider, though its public offering as CFO in 2021.

Previously, Mr Cargile assumed the positions of CEO and Chairman of the Board at Sunworks, Inc., a NASDAQ-listed solar technology company. Over his four-year tenure, he played a pivotal role in leading Sunworks’ transformative phase, including its merger with Solciis, a solar solutions provider empowering homeowners to manage their energy consumption.

Prior to this, he held the position of CFO at Newport Corporation (NASDAQ: NEWP), where he effectively managed the financial operations of the Photonics Solutions company for 16 years. How tenure culminated in the successful sale of Newport Corporation to MKS Instruments in 2016. Mr. Cargile has also served on the Board of Directors of four public companies with experience as Chair of the Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Governance Committee, and Special Committee to evaluate strategic transactions. 

Mr. Cargile earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Oklahoma State University and holds an M.B.A. from the prestigious University of Southern Calfornia Marshall School of Business.

About Liberated Syndication

Founded in 2004, Liberated Syndication Inc. (“Libsyn”) is the leading all-in-one podcasting platform for creators to host, distribute, monetize, amplify, and measure their audio content. In 2022, the Company hosted over 75,000 shows and delivered over 8 billion downloads to listeners globally.

Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast marketplace combines an industry-leading ad buying and management platform with full-service capabilities on over 3,000 shows. 

Based in Munich, Germany, Libsyn’s Julep Media platform is the leading podcasting hosting platform and advertising marketplace in Europe. Libsyn also powers podcast membership platform Glow, and web hosting platform, Pair Networks. Visit libsyn.com or investor.libsyn.com for more Company information.

SpokenLayer Signs Exclusive Deal With Airwave

~ jen

Airwave podcast Network has signed a distribution deal with SpokenLayer including marketing and programmatic monetization of 24 podcasts from major media brands like The History Channel, WIRED, Fast Company, IGN, TechCrunch, and more.

Airwave has quickly built a reputation as the go-to network for smart podcasts and the “constantly curious” listener and has had success with shows in the business, science, history, kids, and entertainment categories. The deal with SpokenLayer expands Airwave’s existing footprint in these categories and gives the network a significant new presence in tech and news.

The deal includes SpokenLayer productions This Day in History, What’s New with WIRED, TechCrunch Daily Crunch, WIRED Science, Yahoo! Finance, AccuWeather Daily, WIRED Business, WIRED Security, IGN Daily Briefing, TechCrunch Industry News, Engadget News, TechCrunch Startups News, Real Simple, The Dallas Morning News, Engadget Morning Edition, SoFi Daily Podcast, Transport Topics, Work Smarter by Fast Company, New York Daily News, Inc., IGN Game Reviews, IGN Game & Entertainment News, IGN Movie Reviews, and Shadow Realm.

Ben Mathis, Head of Content and Partnership for Airwave Media says, “Both listeners and advertisers have been gravitating toward shorter, more frequent content since the pandemic, and SpokenLayer produces a remarkable roster of quality, daily podcasts with some of the best names in the business. We are very proud to work with such talented producers and some of the most trusted media brands in the world.”

“We’re excited to partner with Airwave, a collaborator that really understands the curious, informed consumer and knows how to build an audience with a listening habit. We’re so excited to bring our portfolio of great content to their network of smart educational podcasts. They’ve worked with some of the best brands, and we’re delighted to bring our great portfolio of content to Airwave and to their audience.” Said Lauren Angel, SpokenLayer’s CEO and Chief Creative Officer.

 

CoHost Debuts Advanced Audience Demographics For In-Depth Podcast Listening Analysis

~ jen

CoHost, a podcast analytics and audience insights platform, has announced the launch of Advanced Audience Demographics. This transformative feature is poised to redefine how brands and podcast agencies measure their podcast audience, ensuring alignment with target markets.

Advanced Audience Demographics provide a deep understanding of who your listeners are, offering data on audience age, gender, household income, interests & hobbies, family members, and social media consumption & habits.

The feature was developed with a vision to help brands and agencies:

Verify if podcasts are reaching their desired target audience

Tailor their content to audience preferences for improved engagement 

Enhance sponsorship sales with comprehensive listener profiles

“Understanding your audience is crucial in delivering content that engages, excites, and informs. With Advanced Audience Demographics, we’re giving brands the ability to do just that, but at a whole new level,” said Fatima Zaidi, CEO and Founder of CoHost and Quill Podcast Agency. “Our new feature delves deep into listener details like age, gender, household income, interests, hobbies and online habits. Our aim is to arm brands and agencies with the right tools to reach the right people.”

Advanced Audience Demographics is split into two primary dashboards:

Audience Overview: The Audience Overview section provides a custom listener persona that includes your audience’s gender and age chart, household income, family, and pets.

Interests & Habits: The Interests & Habits section provides details about listeners’ most used social media channels, how they use these channels, their general and sub-interests, and their lifestyles.

“We’re really excited about CoHost’s new Advanced Audience Demographics! Our clients are hungry for his kind of insight into their audience’s demographic makeup and interests,” comments Liz Hames, the Director of Audience Growth at JAR Audio and CoHost user, “More detailed data will help us ensure that the podcast is reaching our client’s target audience and we’ll be able to use it to tailor our content and marketing efforts more effectively. We’re always looking to engage listeners on a deeper level, and this is one more tool to help us do that.”

With the introduction of Advanced Audience Demographics, CoHost continues to push the boundaries of innovation in podcast analytics. We remain steadfast in our commitment to delivering solutions that drive deeper understanding, foster greater engagement, and fuel-data driven content decisions for agencies and brands alike.

About CoHost

CoHost is a leading provider of podcast analytics and audience insights. Brands and agencies like Content Allies, JAR Audio, Expedia Group, and PwC use CoHost to measure, grow, and manage their podcasts.

CoHost was created by Quill, the award-winning podcast agency responsible for creating and growing podcasts for notable Fortune 500 brands. CoHost has been featured in major publications including Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, and Business Insider.

Acast Enables Real-Time Podcaster And Advertiser Collaboration with “AdCollab”

~ jen

Acast, the world’s largest independent podcast platform, announced the launch of AdCollab, which enables podcast hosts and potential advertisers to collaborate in real-time to create host-read sponsorships. The new product simplifies the podcast host-read sponsorship buying process for podcasters, advertisers, and sales teams alike, while driving scale and efficiency in host-read advertising.

Advertisers can use AdCollab to easily work with multiple podcasters from around the Acast Creator Network simultaneously, maximizing their reach and impact. This enables advertisers to directly connect with the biggest titles in podcasting globally, including WTF with Marc Maron; Shagged, Married, Annoyed; The Higher Ground Network, and more.

For podcasters, AdCollab greatly reduces the amount of back and forth with sales teams and advertisers, allowing them to focus their time on creating great content that grows their listenership, and revenue.

“Empowering podcasters to create, and to earn money from that craft is a laser focus for us at Acast” said Richard Jenkins, Product Manager at Acast. “However, the process of crafting sponsorship reads has often been time-consuming and limited in scalability. We’ve developed a product to streamline the collaboration between podcasters and advertisers, while ensuring we maintain authentic and engaging ad experiences for listeners. It’s increasing efficiency, creativity, and ultimately revenue potential for content creators and brands alike.”

Since April, Acast has been beta testing AdCollab with podcasters and advertisers throughout the US, UK, and Sweden. Early results of this testing showed improved efficiency in booking campaigns and a simplified podcast sponsorship buying process. In fact, these initial tests, time to book a host-read campaign was reduced by more than 85%.

“Host-read ads have been a part of Pantsuit Politics since the very beginning and it’s become a fixture of the content that the audience expects as a way to learn more about the products and services that hosts Sarah Holland and Beth Silvers recommend. But the admin for one sponsorship previously took away valuable time from actually making the podcast,” said Maggie Penton, Community Manager for the Pantsuit Politics podcast.

“Now, with AdCollab’s streamlined process, we not only have more time to focus on Pantsuit Politics, but we also have the ability to work with more brands that listeners will love and that will increase the show’s monetization potential – which we also love.”

The news of AdCollab comes on the heels of Acast’s recent launch of sponsorships on its self-serve advertising platform. As macro economic challenges persist and media buyers are under greater pressure than ever before to deliver efficient, scaleable buys that deliver the highest possible returns, Acast continues to innovate and develop products that address these needs and creates seamless buying routes.

In parallel, as Goldman Sachs anticipates that the global creator community is poised to near half a trillion dollars in value by 2027, Acast’s innovations create more opportunities for more podcasters to earn money from their craft. In fact, since launching in 2024, Acast has paid more than a quarter of a billion dollars directly into the pockets of its creators.

“The podcast industry was built on host-read sponsorships and at Acast, we have spent the past decade creating tools that simultaneously enable podcasters to profit from their craft and brands to increase their ROI through this advertising format, all while providing a seamless experience for listeners. AdCollab is indicative of that evolution and Acast’s vision for the long tail of podcast monetization and campaign performance,” said Acast Chief Product Officer Matt Macdonald.

 

Fast Growing Global Sports Podcast Network Signs US and Australian Partnerships

~ jen

Sport Social Podcast Network (Sport Social), one of the UK’s leading podcast networks, has bolstered its advertising offer in US and Australian markets through two new global partnerships.

This includes a partnership with US-based sports podcast network company Blue Wire, which features podcasts on its network from creators across a range of sports including baseball, basketball and football, with works with world class athletes to grow their audio platforms. The other partnership is with ARN, a leading Australian broadcast and on-demand audio company, which is home to several award-winning podcasts in every genre.

Blue Wire and ARN will be able to offer their clients the opportunity to advertise through Sport Social’s popular sports podcasts, getting access to a growing listener base.

This partnership with Blue Wire also means that Sport Social can offer the brands it works with advertising space on podcasts hosted through Blue Wire.

Since launching in 2021, Sport Social has developed a strong network of sports content creators and podcasts, now generating 7.5 million downloads a month. This includes the official podcasts of Manchester City and West Ham, and popular shows Seaman Says and the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club.

Sophie Hind, managing director at Sport Social, said: “It’s a huge milestone moment for us to be working with Blue Wire and ARN, both leaders in their markets who share our passion for audio and sport-focussed content.

“All parties can give advertisers wider access to global audiences and offer greater value for the podcast creators we work with, helping them access more potential sponsorship options from new brands.”

Henry Ettinger, director of network growth at Blue Wire, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Sport Social. For us, this partnership is a no-brainer; not only will it maximize revenue for both networks, it will also maximize revenue for all our podcasters too.

“The team at Sport Social are innovative and hungry, and this partnership is another example of how we can work together to propel our companies and the industry forward.”

Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast Signs Exclusive Ad Partnerships With Two Leading Podcast Networks

~ jen

Liberated Syndication Inc. (“Libsyn”), the leading all-in-one podcasting platform for creators and advertisers, announced an exclusive advertising marketplace that connects advertisers with podcasters, and leading podcast network partners: Multitude and Upfire Digital.

The duo of podcast networks have recognized the power of Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast as a valuable platform for delivering impactful advertising solutions to monetize their shows’ content and effectively reach their desired listeners. The advertising marketplace offers a range of innovative features that cater to advertisers’ needs.

AdvertiseCast’s suite of solutions includes host-read and Automatic Ads, which allows podcasts to enhance their host-read programs by incorporating programmatic ad revenues. Moreover, AdvertiseCast’s Dynamic Ad Insertion feature has proven to be a game-changer for effectively monetizing unsold audio inventory. 

Additionally, these networks have the opportunity to leverage Libsyn Subscriptions, which enables them to cultivate listener membership for subscription-based, ad-free content. This offering not only provides an alternative revenue stream but also enhances the listening experience for subscribers by offering them an uninterrupted and premium content experience.

Trevr Smithlin, Head of Publisher Relations at Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast, said, “Through AdvertiseCast’s premium suite of solutions, Multitude and Upfire Digital are now successfully tapping into the potential of Libsyn to deliver impactful advertising, maximize monetization, and build a loyal listener base. We look forward to forging a meaningful connection between advertisers and these two leading podcast networks to reach a highly engaged audience and achieve effective results.”

AdvertiseCast’s exclusive ad partners include:

Multitude: Multitude is a podcast company made up of passionate people creating shows you can count on, working out of Brooklyn, New York. Since 2017, their shows have gathered more than tens of millions of downloads, hundreds of thousands of people who love them, and more than a few logo tattoos. The podcast collective – including Join the Party and Spirits – as well as the shows Multitude provides ad services for – such as The Allusionist – is excited to leverage AdvertiseCast’s Automatic Ads solutions to augment its host-read programs with programmatic ad revenues.

Upfire Digital: Upfire Digital is a mass communications agency and one of the most prolific podcasting agencies in the world, with more than 400 million downloads/views in 2022. The company was founded in 2018 by a team of experienced digital marketers who recognized the growing demand for high-quality digital media services, with a focus on podcasting. Among the many podcasts in Upfire’s network is The Wright Report, a morning news podcast by former CIA Officer Bryan Dean Wright and the Dr. John Vervaeke Podcast, a twice weekly show by world-renowned cognitive scientist Dr. John Vervaeke. This new exclusive ad partner will harness AdvertiseCast’s host-read and Automatic Ads offerings to augment its host-read programs with programmatic ad revenues.

Libsyn’s AdvertiseCast empowers brands to effectively target and reach a fast growing and coveted podcast audience and helps creators to monetize their audio and video content. The marketplace combines an industry-leading ad buying and management platform with full-service capabilities that makes it easy for podcast advertisers to initiate and manage highly targeted and measurable campaigns, while providing maximum returns for creators.

For more information or to advertise on these leading podcast networks, please reach out to sale@advertisecast.com.

Sounder And Urban One Release Research On AI/ML Driven Brand Safety For Podcasting

~ jen

Sounder, a leading AI-powered brand safety solution in podcasting, and Urban One, the largest diversified Black-owned media organization in the United States, released the findings of a groundbreaking research project on AI/ML-driven brand safety and suitability for podcasting.

The research, which was conducted in partnership with Radio One & Reach Media, Urban One’s audio divisions, as well as the new Urban One Podcast Network, found that AI/ML-driven tools can accurately classify diverse content, leading to greater inclusivity, representation, and advertising opportunities for underrepresented voices.

“This research is a significant step forward in ensuring equal monetization opportunities for diverse creators in podcasting,” said Kal-Amin, co-founder and CEO of Sounder. “By addressing concerns about AI/ML-driven brand safety and suitability models, Sounder’s AI-based technology supports authentic and inclusive content representation.”

In contrast, Sounder’s AI-based technology is able to understand the context of a podcast episode and accurately assess its suitability for advertising. This means that Black content creators who share their unique stories and perspectives can be confident that their content has the ability to be appropriately classified and monetized.

Additional findings include:

  • When applying a standard keyword blocklist solution to Urban One’s podcast content, an overwhelming 92% of all episodes are removed from available inventory.
  • When applying a semantically and contextually focused AI/ML-based model to classify brand safety and suitability, only 10% of episodes are potentially unavailable for monetization.
  • Transcription quality is important for accurately classifying content. If Black English (AAVE) is transcribed correctly, this can lead to misclassifications and further marginalization of Black creators.

“At Urban One, we are passionate about having real, authentic dialogue with our audience around topics that matter to them, while also creating equitable conversations with brands and agencies, ensuring that they can invest confidently in brand safe, relevant environments,” said Josh Rahmani, CRO, Urban One, Audio Division. “This research is a step in the right direction to help advertisers see the bias that exists in legacy brand safety solutions which disproportionately impact Black-owned and Black-targeted media.”

The research findings have implications for the entire podcasting industry. As podcasting continues to grow in popularity, it is essential that the industry finds ways to ensure that all voices are represented. By using AI/ML-driven tools that are designed without bias, the podcasting industry can create a more inclusive and equitable space for all creators.

BBC Studios Enters Licensing Agreement With Podster

~ jen

Podster has licensed one of BBC Studios’ original podcasts Killing Victoria. The miniseries will be adapted into new languages and marks the first of its kind licensing agreement for BBC Studios on translating their own podcasts.

Killing Victoria is a historical miniseries consisting of seven episodes. The show is based on the stories of the seven men who each made an attempt on Queen Victoria’s life during her reign. The podcast series brings the listener closer to the perpetrators, unpicks what might have driven them to take up arms, and brings a fresh perspective to the realities of life in Victorian England.

The show was commissioned and produced by BBC Studios Productions. It was published in the spring of 2023 on BBC Sounds and other podcast platforms globally. Following the podcast’s recent global publication in English, BBC Studios and Podster will now make this show available in new markets and languages.

The Danish startup Podster specializes in adapting local podcasts into new formats to reach a larger audience and bring in more revenue for publishers. Podster will focus on territories such as the Nordics, the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain.

“To be the first to enter this title arrangement with BBC Studios makes me feel humble and happy. BBC Studios is known for high content quality, and this is a great opportunity for both parties to reach new audiences,” says Henriette Høj Gharib, Co-founder and CEO of Podster.

Dr Bob Nicholson (Edge Hill University), historian and presenter of Killing Victoria, adds, “tracing the lives of the Queen’s seven assailants took me on a fascinating journey through Victorian history – from palaces to prisons, and onwards through asylums, pubs, parks, theaters, newspapers, convict ships, and eventually to Australia.”

Nicholson continues, “Back in the nineteenth century, these attacks made headlines around the world. Language was no barrier to the spread of such sensational news, and readers followed the cases in French, German, Italian, and Spanish newspapers. Now, the transaction of Killing Victoria means that new international audiences will be able to follow in their footsteps. I can’t wait to see what they make of it.”

Erica Cobb Makes History As Inaugural Lead Judge For Black Podcasting Awards

~ jen

Black Podcasting Awards (BPAwards), the largest global awards program for Black podcasters, proudly announces Erica Cobb, co-host of TEGNA’s popular show ‘Daily Blast Live’ and the acclaimed host of the 2023 NAACP Image Awards-nominated podcast Comeback with Erica Cobb, as its trailblazing inaugural lead judge.

Joining Erica Cobb at the judges’ table are a diverse and distinguished array of media makers and communication professionals, including veteran online broadcaster Dr. Vibe, Nigerian podcaster Osakpolor Aiguobasinmwin, Podcasters Unlimited CEO Denese Duran Longsworth, influential content creator Lloyd George, and award-winning podcasters Krystal Hill and Dominic Lawson.

Since its 2020 founding, the organization has bestowed awards on nearly 50 podcasts. Its biggest winners to date include Cassandre Dunbar’s inspiring Be Well, Sis, A’Shanti Gholar’s pioneering Brown Girls Guide to Politics, and Anna DeShawn’s groundbreaking Queer News.

2023 winners will be unveiled at its much anticipated fourth annual ceremony, a livestream event on BPAwards’ YouTube channel Sunday, September 24, 2 pm Eastern.

Stay up to date with BPAwards by following them @BlackPodAwards on social media.

 

ALIVE Podcast Network and RIVERSIDE.FM Launch Networking Platform For Black Creators

~ jen

The ALIVE Podcast Network, the groundbreaking podcast platform dedicated to amplifying Black Voices and empowering content creators, is thrilled to announce a strategic partnership with RIVERSIDE.FM, a leading audio and video recording platform known for its cutting-edge technology, to launch “Riverside Black Creative Hub – Powered by ALIVE Podcast Network”.

This collaboration marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the audio streaming industry as it connects creatives in an intimate networking space for Black creatives.

By joining forces, the ALIVE Podcast Network and RIVERSIDE.FM will advance the way content creators connect through the RIVERSIDE Black Creative HUB Powered by Alive. This platform harnesses the strengths of both entities to create the ultimate mastermind community allowing creators to innovate their respective platforms.

“Providing Black podcasters a safe space to share, test, and generate new ideas is what the Riverside Black Creators HUB powered by ALIVE Podcast Network is all about,” said Angel N. Livas, Founder & CEO of the ALIVE Podcast Network. “We’re beyond excited to maintain the daily facilitation of the group that we truly believe will spark innovative outcomes for black creators looking to advance their podcasting footprint.”

ALIVE Podcast Network, known for its commitment to showcasing diverse perspectives and protecting the content of Black creatives, aims to expand its reach an empower even more content creators by providing them with a platform to share their stories, while generating new ideas.

RIVERSIDE.FM with its state-of-the-art technology and robust user base, will provide Riverside subscribers a unique opportunity to join the Facebook group that went live on Monday, July 24, 2023.

“We believe that the creative landscape needs to better reflect the diverse voices in our society and spaces should be created to amplify those voices to empower more people to share their stories,” said Kendall Breitman, Community Manager for Riverside.fm. “That is why we at riverside.fm are committed to cultivating an empowering community for Black creators and creators of color to share information, spark inspiration, and foster their personal growth. We hope that this community can help create a space for Black creators in the industry to connect, collaborate, innovate, grow, and thrive together.”

Both the ALIVE Podcast Network and Riverside are excited about the potential of this collaboration to drive innovation and shape the future of Black content creators. The combined expertise and resources of these two industry leaders will enable them to create groundbreaking opportunities for content creators, while delivering unparalleled value to listeners.