US/UK audio drama podcast research published

• The BBC have published research undertaken about audio drama podcasts in the US and UK by consultant Ella Watts. The 36-page report includes a detailed list of the top 10 audio podcast dramas.

• The CBC have published a set of trends, surprises and must-hears from 2018, from 13 podcast experts (including our Editor).

• Røde have launched their new PodMic, a “broadcast-grade dynamic microphone designed for podcast applications” (with an XLR connection).

  
  Aug 8 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• The Indian Express posts a story highlighting Indian podcasters. “In the west, podcasts came as a substitute for the talk radio, but in India, we are trying to build a new industry altogether, and that will take some time.” Meanwhile, Livemint reports that audiobooks may do better than podcasting in India: “there could be an inherent demand for a book but may or may not be for a podcast,” says Rajesh Tahil, co-founder of One By Two Media, which runs the Indian podcast brand Audiomatic.

• Voxnest/Spreaker has confirmed, as has Megaphone, that they are working on IAB Certification.

Get the free Podnews newsletter for more like this

Get it free

• Job: The Los Angeles Times is looking for an Executive Producer, Podcasts and Audio. “This is a chance to get in on the ground floor of a 137-year-old startup.”

• Now read the book of the podcast: Bustle lists twelve books inspired by podcasts.

• The 15-second skip button is the best invention for podcasts, claims Mashable. “The revolutionary ability to jump forward and backward in short intervals, featured prominently in every podcast app I’ve used, has a single profound effect, making your listening virtually ad-free.”

• The BBC cover podcasts from a business perspective - why are they so popular, and can you make a living from them - and end by saying: “Audio has never been all about the money. It’s a medium for enthusiasts produced by enthusiasts. And podcasts may have secured its future.”

Data and stats

• Comedy was listened-to twice as much as true crime podcasts on the Stitcher platform - from Stitcher’s 2018 year in review.
• Podcasts generate up to 4.4x better brand recall than display ads, claim Nielsen in an ad-effectiveness study.

Aug 8 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

Podcasts

Audioboom have signed And That’s Why We Drink as their latest addition to the Audioboom Originals Podcast Network. The company says that the podcast has accrued over 28 million listens with an average of two million listens per month.

Thank you to Lisa Orkin for becoming our latest personal supporter. Thanks to her, we’re publishing next week as usual.