Well, now we know where Obama is headed after his split with Spotify. I had a whole fancy intro before I got the news, but it’s just as hot hot pod Well, so let’s get into it.
Obama moves his podcast to Audible after leaving Spotify
Amazon’s Audible and the Obamas’ production company Higher Ground on Tuesday announced a multi-year first-look deal, ending speculation that the former first couple will be getting their podcasts after their deal with Spotify expires in several months. will take.
That’s a huge advantage for Audible, which is better known for audiobooks than podcasts, even as it racks up development deals. It’s also a curious choice for Obama, who was reported to be disappointed with the limitations that came with making the show. Michelle Obama Podcast And Renegades: Born in the USA For Spotify that had a months-long exclusivity window. The split was apparently mutual, as Spotify did not offer to extend his contract.
“At Higher Ground, we have always tried to raise voices that deserve to be heard – and Audible is invested in realizing that vision with us,” President Obama said in a statement.
“I look forward to partnering with them to tell stories that not only entertain but inspire as well.”
If accessibility is a priority for Obama, the Audible deal could be a tricky arrangement. Audible makes many podcasts, even originals, available for free. But it is best known for its premium programming, which is on the back of a $7.95 per month subscription. (Even Spotify’s special shows are still available for free.) Today’s announcement didn’t give any details about whether the shows would be behind a paywall or what kind of programming Obama would give, but Audible spokeswoman Kerry Disney did. told hot pod That “Audio and Higher Ground plans to make Audible originals available to the widest possible audience.”
Spotify tests new feature that lets you record, post podcasts in the app
Anchor co-founder Michael Mignano, who has led Spotify’s podcasting tech stack since 2019, left the company last week, but not earlier Starting a Potentially Game-Changing New feature. Spotify is trying out a new tool that will allow users to record and distribute podcasts directly in the app. It may not make for the best-looking podcast, but it potentially lowers the barrier of entry for the millions of creators Spotify is eager to attract.
According to Spotify spokeswoman Laura Pezini, the feature is available to users in New Zealand and a small number of users in the US. It also comes with several editing tools that allow creators to cut audio and add background music to their podcasts. This makes podcasts a step (or two) more accessible than Spotify-owned Anchor, which still requires a separate app.
Spotify didn’t provide more details about how the testing is going, but the new feature is key to the company’s goal of recruiting new creators by the millions. Music streaming is still the company’s bread and butter, but it requires paying expensive royalties. In the company’s investor presentation earlier this month, executives argued that profit margins on podcasts and, soon, audiobooks could potentially be much higher. However, podcasts are still unprofitable for Spotify.
Specific: Inherited from Will return for second season with new partnership with YR Media
Climate change-focused studio will bring back critical frequency Inherited from, a show about the youth climate movement, debuted in 2020 for a second season. This time around, it will partner with YR Media, an incubator for young journalists, to showcase young people’s stories about how climate change is affecting their future.
first season of Inherited from Chart dominance ended in the fall of 2020 with if not significant validation. But Critical Frequency has had success partnering with other studios on environmental programming. It partnered with Crooked Media for the second season of this land with and scene on the radio for season five repair or reinstall, It also sold talk shows hot take Earlier this year for crooked media.
YouTube Offers Friendly Podcasting Tips That Definitely Don’t Indicate a Hostile Takeover
As part of its Creator Insider series, YouTube posted a video last week explaining why podcasters should post their shows on the platform and best practices for doing so. first reported by podnewsIn this tutorial, led by a YouTube strategic partner manager, she highlights the reasons why YouTube is great for podcasters (money, reach, yada yada). But as the lines between podcast and video become blurred and YouTube increasingly dominates the space, podcasters don’t have much choice.
For top (or even medium) podcasts, video is becoming an essential part of the process. Fans have begun to expect recording sessions to be recorded on video, and from a sports podcaster. lock is The network recently reported hot pod That one fifth of their audience comes from YouTube. This aligns with the findings of a recent study by Cumulus and Signal Hill that found that YouTube took the top spot on Spotify and Apple when podcasters were more than just listeners.
The tutorial gave creators tips, such as how to enhance SEO and user experience when it comes to creating playlists and title of episodes. The video follows a company blog post that also touts YouTube for podcasters. It’s a new approach from the streamer, who has been mostly passive when it comes to podcasts (presumably because it has bigger fish to fry). Looks like that is likely to change. “We will keep you posted as we develop more tools for podcasters on YouTube,” said partner manager (Dun Dun Dunnon) at the end of the video.
that’s it for today. I’ll be back this weekend for insiders with fresh podcast industry juices.