More enhancements for Google Podcasts

• More visibility for podcasts from Google - Google Podcasts now appears in the app-switcher that’s on every Google website. And, there’s more improvements for Google Podcasts for Web, reports 9to5Google. However, Android 11's final beta, which will be the next version of Android, still does not have Google Podcasts as a default app, although Google Play Music has been removed. Apple iPhones have Apple Podcasts pre-installed, of course.

  
  Aug 26 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• A competing app for Google Podcasts is Podcast Addict: an update has been rejected by the Google Play store, because “of a policy violation”, though no details have been given of what the policy violation actually is. The app has been removed multiple times by Google in the past: if you’d like to help, here are all 18,112 words of the Developer Programme Policy.

• AdsWizz has launched AudioGO, a self-serve ad buying service to connect smaller advertisers with large audio publishers. It’s now out of beta, and available here.

• The IAB have announced their final schedule to IAB Podcast Upfront, including speakers from the New York Times and ViacomCBS. The event, which will be virtual, is designed for publishers to preview their latest podcast programming to advertisers: attendance is up by 400%, they say.

  
  Aug 26 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• SCA’s PodcastOne Australia grew its revenue in the year ending June 30 by 96%. The division is now cashflow positive, according to the company, and brought in $4.6m (US $3.3m). That’s less than 1% of total revenues for the broadcaster, however, which fell by 18.2% to $540.8m (US $388.4m).

• The BBC is launching a a new topical comedy podcast - Comedians vs.The News will be hosted by two New York comedians. The show, which will also be carried on BBC World Service Radio, launches at the end of August.

• A new service, Camflare, has been launched. Calling itself “the easiest way to record & receive video”, it uses a web browser and webcam to get anyone to record video and audio for you: it connects to Dropbox as well. It’s free for 2020.

• Echoverse has been launched by Whalerock Industries - the company describes itself as “a next-generation content studio that creates premium sci-fi, supernatural and fantasy audio dramas,” Mark Stern, formerly at US television network SyFy, will serve as president of the company.

• In India, podcast producer Suno India has received funding from Tollywood movie producer Shobu Yarlagadda.

  
  Aug 26 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.

• Podcast Movement Virtual has unveiled the platform they will be using for their event in October.

• If you don’t like graphics, Shellcaster is a terminal-based podcast manager, written in Rust.

Thank you to Transistor, who became our latest supporter earlier this week. Transistor is a podcast publishing platform with detailed analytics and unlimited shows on the same account - and their support helped us fix a bug for our free podcasting jobs website Podjobs. You can support us too.

Tips and tricks - with Spotify for Podcasters

• 5 things that derail podcast success (Steven Goldstein)

Aug 26 2023: This broken link now points to the Internet Archive.
• How I Made A Kick-Ass Professional Fiction Podcast For Just $20 (David Vienna)

Podcast News

Hospitality Forward is a new podcast, talking to journalists to discover how they generate story ideas and how hospitality and travel experts can get on their radar by sharing their own newsworthy stories in a compelling way.