Blog: Audio - Page 5

Read our latest daily deep dives, hot takes, and exciting updates about the entertainment world. Check out the latest insight from your favourite analyst, or search by coverage areas - music, entertainment and fandom, creator economy and social.

Spotify’s Q2 podcast financials: Things may get worse before they get better

Cover image for Spotify’s Q2 podcast financials: Things may get worse before they get better

Annie Langston

2 Aug 2023

Spotify’s Q2 earnings are a mixed bag for its podcast business. On one hand, monthly active users (MAUs) grew to 551 million, with 10 million new premium subscribers (bringing that total to 220 million), while podcast advertising revenue rose by 30% year-over-year.

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BBC Radio 1’s Giant DJ Hunt shows what radio does right

Cover image for BBC Radio 1’s Giant DJ Hunt shows what radio does right

Annie Langston

26 Jul 2023

What would happen if one of the biggest radio stations in the world shut down? BBC Radio 1 turned off midday last Friday because Radio 1 host Greg James failed Radio 1’s Giant DJ Hunt. In this scavenger hunt, James had one week to find all the missing radio DJs that were hidden in various locations across England and Europe before the Friday deadline.

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Spotify’s Call Her Daddy boosts streams for music superstars — but can podcasts do the same for smaller artists?

Cover image for Spotify’s Call Her Daddy boosts streams for music superstars — but can podcasts do the same for smaller artists?

Annie Langston

19 Jul 2023

Marketing Strategy

As streaming platforms become even more saturated with music and podcasts, thus fragmenting consumption, creating a hit single or superstar artist is not as simple as just dropping a new track. Artists are using every tool, including podcasts, to build engaged audiences and amplify their discoverability.

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We asked, you answered: Will Spotify renew Joe Rogan’s contract?

Cover image for We asked, you answered: Will Spotify renew Joe Rogan’s contract?

Annie Langston

12 Jul 2023

Last week, MIDiA polled readers on their predictionsfor the future of Joe Rogan’s Spotify contract. Signed to Spotify in 2020 for reportedly over $200 million, Rogan helped cement the platform’s audio shift.

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Stitcher’s app closure asks – who will build the premium podcast experience?

Cover image for Stitcher’s app closure asks – who will build the premium podcast experience?

Annie Langston

6 Jul 2023

In August, SiriusXM plans to close its podcast platform, Stitcher. Launched in 2008 and acquired by SiriusXM in 2020 for $325 million, Stitcher offered both free podcast listening and a subscription for ad-free podcast listening.

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AI voice generation is a huge opportunity for podcasting — and a big risk

Cover image for AI voice generation is a huge opportunity for podcasting — and a big risk

Annie Langston

28 Jun 2023

artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is revolutionising entertainment, including podcasts. Perhaps the most contentious part of this revolution is AI voice generation, which is stoking legitimate fears from creators that their voices will be used without permission.

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How Meghan’s Spotify departure signifies the platform’s strategic shift

Cover image for How Meghan’s Spotify departure signifies the platform’s strategic shift

Annie Langston

21 Jun 2023

In late 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ’s Archewell Studios signed a multi-year exclusive podcast deal with Spotify, reportedly worth over $20 million. Now, after one season of Markle’s podcast Archetypes , they are parting ways.

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How Apple’s podcast updates edge out the competition

Cover image for How Apple’s podcast updates edge out the competition

Annie Langston

14 Jun 2023

As the podcast investment boom slows down, it is time for platforms to shift their focus to innovation — both in the listener experience and the format as a whole. Currently, Apple Podcasts is the third most-used podcast listening platform, behind Spotify and YouTube.

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As Spotify layoffs continue, the next phase for podcasting is quality over quantity

Cover image for As Spotify layoffs continue, the next phase for podcasting is quality over quantity

Annie Langston

7 Jun 2023

In the past six months, many major platforms made cuts to their audio departments. Spotify has announced a new round of layoffs in its podcast division, eliminating 200 jobs from Gimlet and Parcast Studios.

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BBC signals radio’s shift to the podcast market

Cover image for BBC signals radio’s shift to the podcast market

Annie Langston

31 May 2023

The BBC has traditionally stuck to public programming for its radio arm. However, BBC Radio is now shifting some of its programming to BBC Studios, meaning it can now be offered for global distribution on major podcast platforms, like Spotify.

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The New York Times audio app is a bet on podcast exclusivity — here is why it might work

Cover image for The New York Times audio app is a bet on podcast exclusivity — here is why it might work

Annie Langston

24 May 2023

The New York Times

Last week, The New York Times (NYT) debuted their official audio app, NYT Audio . NYT produces many popular podcasts, including The Daily and This American Life , utilising multiple streaming platforms to grow their audiences.

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YouTube’s podcast push raises the question: what actually is a podcast?

Cover image for YouTube’s podcast push raises the question: what actually is a podcast?

Annie Langston

18 May 2023

Podcast videos have been all the rage as of late, with YouTube officially launching its podcast vertical — although Bloomberg reports that NPR, Slate, and The New York Times have struggled to kickstart their YouTube presence.

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How gamers are levelling up the podcast market

Cover image for How gamers are levelling up the podcast market

Annie Langston

10 May 2023

Games-inspired content is proving to create film and television hits. With TV shows like The Last of Us, and feature films like Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves , gaming fans are a key entertainment audience that podcasts can also attract.

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Spotify podcast earnings: Moving beyond the investment phase

Cover image for Spotify podcast earnings: Moving beyond the investment phase

Annie Langston

3 May 2023

Spotify’s Q1 2023 earnings revealed its growing userbase — now at 515 million monthly active users (MAUs) — and some key insights into its podcast vertical. First quarter revenue fell short of expectations, although podcast ad revenue, mostly driven by originals and exclusives, grew 20% year-over-year (YoY).

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By backpedalling its exclusive strategy, Spotify puts its content to the test

Cover image for By backpedalling its exclusive strategy, Spotify puts its content to the test

Annie Langston

26 Apr 2023

Since Spotify began its audio investments in 2019, it has spearheaded the exclusive podcast strategy to attract users to the platform. Now, Spotify is giving some of its Gimlet shows, such as Science Vs.

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Spotify is radio’s middleman to podcasts – but will this guarantee new listeners?

Cover image for Spotify is radio’s middleman to podcasts – but will this guarantee new listeners?

Annie Langston

19 Apr 2023

Although radio set the stage for podcasts, its transition into the digital space has been challenging. Now, Spotify is simplifying this process. With its 2021 acquisition of podcast tech company Whooshkaa, Spotify is rolling out its “broadcast-to-podcast” technology, which allows broadcasters to turn their live broadcast into an on-demand podcast — further taking the live out of audio .

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As Spotify joins the live audio shutdown, can Amp and Spaces get it right?

Cover image for As Spotify joins the live audio shutdown, can Amp and Spaces get it right?

Annie Langston

12 Apr 2023

On the heels of cancelling several live audio shows, Spotify is now entirely shutting down its live audio app Spotify Live . Spotify was one of many major platforms to invest in live audio after Clubhouse kickstarted the craze during the Covid-19 pandemic, and it is not the only company now struggling to resuscitate the format.

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The future of podcasts is growing beyond the screen

Cover image for The future of podcasts is growing beyond the screen

Annie Langston

5 Apr 2023

artificial intelligence

Podcasts are breaking out of isolated, digital consumption and into real-life experiences. At this year’s On Air Fest, the Pod Loft hosted a series of podcast activations for a variety of shows, including My Favorite Murder, where fans – known as Muderinos – gathered to see fan art and tributes to the show.

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How YouTube’s format fluidity is ushering in a new era for entertainment

Cover image for How YouTube’s format fluidity is ushering in a new era for entertainment

Annie Langston

29 Mar 2023

As part of its official podcast rollout, YouTube has launched new podcast features and metrics in its YouTube Studio, although these features do not appear to be available for audio podcasts on YouTube Music.

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Audible’s new podcast singing competition asks: is audio-only enough?

Cover image for Audible’s new podcast singing competition asks: is audio-only enough?

Annie Langston

22 Mar 2023

singing competition

The rise of podcast videos are breathing new life into the audio market. Since 20% (Q4 2022 MIDiA Research) of all consumers are watching podcast videos, and content must often exist in multiple formats to attract attention today, both listeners and platforms, like Spotify , are shifting their focus to visual podcasts.

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