Industry News 📰
Sounder Raises Another $2.15 Million
Podcast platform Sounder has raised another $2.15 million for a total of approximately $4M of seed financing raised in the past 14 months. The $2.15M raise was led by Ulu Ventures, and joined by new and existing investors including Newark Venture Partners and Xoogler.co, a community of Google alumni and current Google employee investors, and individual Spotify and Google executive angel investors.
The Podcast Academy Announces “Ambies” Awards Nominees
The Podcast Academy has announced nominees for its inaugural Awards for Excellence in Audio — nicknamed The Ambies. Check out the full list HERE
Evergreen Podcasts Launches Sports Podcast Lineup That Moves Beyond ‘Hot Takes.’
Evergreen Podcasts, the Cleveland-based podcast studio, is creating a content vertical dedicated to sports. The company says its Evergreen Podcasts Sports Channel will feature a lineup for shows that go beyond a host’s “hot take” or “mindless” sports talk.
PodcastOne CEO Peter Morris Exits Company
After a two-year stint as chief executive of Podcast One, Peter Morris has exited the company. PodcastOne, the podcast network created in 2013 by longtime network radio executive Norm Pattiz, was acquired by LiveXLive Media in May 2020.
Glickmania Partners With iHeartMedia To Develop Music-Driven Podcasts
Veteran film producer Jonathan Glickman's Glickmania Media and iHeartMedia have announced a joint venture that will include a two-year podcast co-production deal, focusing on a slate of original music-driven podcasts across many genres. As part of the deal, Glickmania and iHeartMedia will aim to release a minimum of two new podcasts per year together, which will be available on iHeartRadio and all major podcast platforms.
PodLog
Podcast App Bullhorn Puts Its Focus On Live
Bullhorn, a podcast-listening application from FreeConferenceCall.com, has released Bullhorn Live, an interactive way that podcasters can engage with listeners in real time and earn support directly from their audience.
New Backtracks Feature Will Allow Listeners To Control Content With A Head Nod.
Backtracks is adding new features to their technology stack, most notably the ability for listeners to interact with podcast and audio content simply through head movement or head gestures.
Communities We Love ❤️🧑🏿🤝🧑🏽
Business Podcasts & Radio Hosts (FB Group)
This is a group for hosts, producers, managers of established or future podcast and radio shows devoted to business and corporate topics related to leadership, growth, sales, finance, operations, marketing and other critical areas of focus for the C-Suite, entrepreneurs, corporate officers, company owners and other business leaders.
This Remote Life - Powered by SquadCast (FB Group)
This Remote Life is powered by SquadCast! Join a community of podcasters at various stages of the production process. Whether you’re yet-to-launch, in the ideas stage, a seasoned podcaster, or thinking of starting another show, this is the group for you.
Gear 🎙️
Testing USB Podcast Mics Under $150
Griffin Hammond tests the latest and most popular USB mics under $150.
Bingeworthy 📺📚
📚 Podcasting Is Booming. Will Hollywood Help or Hurt Its Future?
Indie podcasters, used to an open and decentralized distribution system, fear being marginalized if the tech giants push through pay walls and exclusive deals. And as podcasting becomes big business, there is unease that the diversity of voices in our earbuds — never a strong suit of the industry — could be put at risk too.
Check out this great article by Ben Sisario for The New York Times.
🎧 Pod People’s Podcast (for People Who Make Podcasts)
Pod People’s Podcast (for People Who Make Podcasts) is a new podcast by Pod People for audio creators! Pod People is a community of the world’s best audio professionals and this podcast is a weekly bite-sized interview show featuring chats with remarkable community members about their winding journeys in audio, practical tips for making a killer podcast and dish on the latest audio trends.
Pods We Love ❤️🎧
10ish Podcast
Comedy and edutainment podcast discussing and breaking down a Top 10ish List every week in real time, including: Highest grossing films ever, worst U.S. presidents, deadliest animals, best-selling video games, most visited websites, deadliest cults, and much more. Plus: fun facts, trivia, hot takes, and hot dogs.
WokeNFree
WokeNFree is a podcast brought to you by Kahlil and Natasha Nurse, who are interested in being honest and real with each other and the world. Get a glimpse into the minds of a couple with a different take on hot topics.
The Cabinet of Dr Mystery
The Cabinet of Dr. Mystery explores the horrors of the world, real and fictional. From conspiracy theories, unexplained disappearances, and alien abductions to satanism and the occult, our cabinet holds the mysteries of the universe.
True Crime P.I.
Introducing True Crime P.I., an investigative, biweekly Podcast that explores Missing and Unidentified cold cases from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Spotlight 🔦
Stoopkid Stories
Stoopkid Stories is a children's storybook podcast with original stories written and narrated by Melly Victor, featuring 7 young Black kids at the center. Stoopkid Stories was created in January 2020, right before the pandemic, when Melly was in between theatre gigs and was looking for a creative outlet and turned to creating this podcast as her passion project.
There aren't that many children's story podcasts out there that feature Black kids, living in an inner city, exploring the ins and outs of being a kid and Melly wanted to create a world where kids who looked like her could see (or in this case hear) themselves represented in this medium.
Stoopkid Stories is being played in households, cars and schools all over the world. Black kids are able to connect with characters who look like them as well as non-Black kids are able to get a peek into the world through a different lens. Each episode ends with a question that is used to spark discussions between grownups and the stoopkids that are listening. These stories touch on topics about but not limited to bullying, family issues, puberty, community engagement, activism and just over all friendship.
Melly has taken her love of storytelling and the arts, her creativity and her knack for teaching the youth of tomorrow and have merged them together to create this awesome and exciting world. Parents have written in and said “Thank you for creating this exciting podcast and for helping start conversations with my [kid] about big issues in the world from a child's perspective”. Teachers have also brought Stoopkid Stories into their classrooms as way to help with theatre and writing assignments as well as another way to have story time with students.
Everyone is welcomed on the stoop and if you would like to join the Stoopkid Crew, be sure to find the podcast on your favorite podcast app. Stoopkid Stories is a proud member of Kids Listen and has partnered with some amazing children's podcasters for fun cross-over episodes. '
Visit www.stoopkidstories.com and follow along on all social media platforms at @StoopkidStories.
Apps & Tools 🧰
CastCloud.fm - Podcast Hosting, Distribution, Analytics, and Monetization
CastCloud provides you with the hosting, distribution, analytics, and tools to grow and monetize your podcast.
Zendstation - Simple Podcast Hosting
There's no reason managing your show should be complicated, which is why Zendstation was built from the ground up with simplicity in mind. No fluff, no spin, just pure podcast hosting and management.
Podely - Transform your Youtube Channel into a Podcast
Podely allows you to convert your Youtube channel into a podcast. Automagically.
Sponsored
As UnFake As It Gets
As UnFake As It Gets is a new podcast on trending topics, celebrity news, current events, pop culture, new music & more told while being intellectually witty & hilarious! What separates the podcast from all other podcasts of that nature is "As UnFake As It Gets" has a more unique broader spectrum of diversity.
The hosts Ladarius "Muff" Gale gives his opinions on matters through the eyes of an African American & the co-host Nick "Nicky Podcast" gives his opinions through the eyes of a Native American Indian of the Choctaw Tribe!
As UnFake As It Gets is available on all major podcast apps or you can visit the website.
The Pod Process Course
Hi! 👋 I’m Suzy Chase. I’m your pod partner and new best friend. I’m here to support your podcasting dreams with real advice and inspiration from someone who’s been there. And as an OG female podcaster since 2005 who made my mark when podcasting wasn’t even a thing, I’ve been through it all.
The Pod Process Course is a practical framework that will walk you through podcasting from inspiration to launch.
In the course I’ve included my truth bombs, hacks and my #1 podcast growth tool.
☑️ Unlimited access to course.
☑️ Go at your own pace.
☑️ Four modules.
☑️ The Pod Process Course Workbook
☑️ My #1 Podcast Growth Tool
☑️ Launch Your Podcast in 2021
☑️ $7 Limited Time Offer
The Pod Process Course is my lived experience and tested process broken down into four easy and digestible modules. It’s 16 years of wins, losses and pivots, backed by podcasters all over the world. It’s a lift-you-up, help-you-out roadmap based on real challenges and real solutions. It’s the lifeline I wish I had. Head on over to ThePodProcess.com to snag the $7 course.
Nuggets 🤓
What’s in a Podcast Advertising Contract?
If you're looking to monetise your show with advertisement then you might want to have a contract in place. Check out this article from Heather Osgood on why a podcast advertising contract should be an essential part of the exchange between advertisers and podcasters.
Events 🎫
Women in podcasting #ChoosingToChallenge - 8 March (Virtual)
To celebrate International Women’s Day, join Mel DG and Amruta Nargundkar to talk about all the great ways women in podcasting are #ChoosingToChallenge
Let's Get Connected 🔗
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