Buzzsprout Magic Mastering adds more magic

• Buzzsprout has, ah, added some sort of new tools to, er, its Magic Mastering tool. The tool now has “filler killer”, a tool that “cautiously detects and removes filler words”, and “power clean”, a tool you can manually turn on when required that can remove complex noises like chatter, wind, traffic, or reverb.

  • We gave it a copy of the Podnews Weekly Review, which Buzzsprout sponsor, and turned on “filler killer”. It turns out that it shaved more than three minutes thirty seconds of “ums” and “ahs” from our original hour-long show; and the ums it removed weren’t audible. (There’s are a few examples in our daily podcast today). We’ll, um, you know, turn it on, then, tomorrow.

• Podscribe released its industry rankings for July 2025. Crime Junkie is still the #1 podcast, it says, with 8.1 million listeners; Toyota is the new #2 podcast advertiser, behind BetterHelp.

• Higher Ed PodCon, a higher education podcasters’ conference this weekend in Chicago IL, USA, has more than 150 registrations, representing over a hundred universities. “It’s shaping up to be an inspiring day of conversation and connection that reflects just how much momentum there is around podcasting in higher education,” we’re told.

• Exclusives may be something Spotify backed away from, but for SiriusXM, they’re still a thing - and Alex Cooper’s Gen Z-focused Unwell Network has announced Big Sister, a show which will be heard on-air on Fridays, then in the SiriusXM app.

• There are new video-enabled podcast studios open in East London, from The Factory London Studios. The studios sit within a building that’s been in the same family for three generations.

• Podcasting is booming in India according to new research, which claims that India is now the third-largest podcast market, behind China and the US.

• In Australia, NOVA Entertainment has announced a partnership with Mentored Studios, the podcast platform founded by Australian entrepreneur Mark Bouris AM.

• A clarification on our story about The Podcast Exchange (TPX), which we reported was “to file for bankruptcy”. We’re not alone in using this phrase to describe, in short-hand, the Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection process (or, in this case, the equivalent in Canada), and we reproduced the email in full explaining this. But for clarity - just like Kast Media or Audacy did, TPX continues to operate under supervision, while it submits plans to restructure. We’ve covered TPX since it launched in Feb 2018, and we wish them the best.

Tips and tricks - with Podcast Movement

• Miserable, grumbly feedback on podcast apps. We’ve all had them (and with Apple Podcasts they stay there forever, much though we don’t much want them to). However, here’s how to navigate that negative feedback, and what to do if you get one.

Podcast News

Panic World is expanding to (Spotify) video, the podcast has announced. The show’s video launch kicks off with an episode featuring rapper/comedian/podcaster Open Mike Eagle, breaking down the internet phenomenon of review bombing movies.

Late Great Classics has just launched, telling stories, restoration tips, and bringing nostalgia to life from the heart of the vintage car community. It’s hosted by Jon Ruhff, who’s owner of Southeast Chevy - one of the largest vintage Chevy parts suppliers.

The first episode of the new The Resilient Retail Game Plan podcast launches today, after having a makeover by Podknows Podcasting. The practical podcast for independent product-based retailers is hosted by Catherine Erdly; and in this first episode of the new format, you’ll hear reflections on what she’s learned about the retail industry in the past five years of podcasting - and a look ahead to the next five years.

I’m Feeling Queer Today! centers queer youth voices through personal storytelling, interviews, original music, and joyful (often irreverent) conversation. In season 3, they embark on a road trip to five U.S. cities to capture a holistic view of the queer youth experience in America. From Spartanburg, South Carolina to Provincetown, Massachusetts, each story is uniquely personal and nuanced.

On March 15 2019 a gunman opened fire on two mosques in Christchurch, killing 51 people. Officially, he acted alone. But what if that wasn’t the full story? In Secrets We Keep: Lone Actor which launched today, journalist Joey Watson digs into the digital underworld that shaped Brenton Tarrant — a 28-year-old Australian radicalised online and armed with a global ideology. Joey retraces the steps of the terrorist and asks: Was he really acting alone?

Veteran BBC DJ Steve Lamacq is back – joined by analyst Stuart Dredge – for a refreshed, remixed, and re-focused second season of The Price of Music, with Music Ally. It’s your essential weekly music biz explainer – ideal for music fans interested in how this complex, confusing business works. Steve and Stuart explain the week’s biggest music business stories and answer your questions to help you get to grips with the music industry.

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