Looking for an expert? Meet your PodHeroes

• PodHeroes, the “world’s first podcast expert marketplace”, has launched. The tool aims to help creators access expert guidance throughout their podcasting journey, and offers knowledgeable mentors who have built their own successful shows.

• The Podcast Show London has revealed the programme for the stages and speakers. Our Editor, James Cridland, will be doing the opening keynote at 9.15am on day one. You can buy tickets now; code PODNEWS10 saves on selected passes.

• More financial reports were released:

  • Broadcaster and podcast producer SiriusXM’s financials showed revenue for “Pandora and off-platform”, which is where podcasts live, was $487mn - down 2% year-on-year.
  • Podcast publisher and broadcaster Cumulus Media’s financial report said that, like-for-like, podcast revenue increased by 39% if you ignore The Daily Wire, which moved away from Cumulus at the end of 2024; overall, though, the unit was down 13%.
  • Phone and computer manufacturer Apple’s latest financial report was released. The financial call mentioned podcasts once; Apple Services, the division that Apple Podcasts is part of, saw an all-time revenue record of $26.6bn.

• Digital marketing agency Orange 142 has released a “Digital Audio Best Practices Guide” for marketers.

• In Nov 2021, Spotify acquired Findaway, an audiobook distributor. The company will close in August; Spotify distribution will be done by Spotify for Authors, while a new company, called INaudio will take over its non-Spotify distribution business.

• Headliner has integrated its Podcast Promo product with a number of attribution services - Cohost, Magellan AI, Podscribe, Podtrac, Swap.fm and Megaphone’s internal Chartable product - to bring tracking and transparency to podcast advertising.

• Transistor has joined the list of companies who regularly publish monthly podcast app statistics. Transistor’s stats say that Apple Podcasts is #1 for downloads at 40.5%. It’s a similar number to Buzzsprout’s monthly stats (at 37.7%). Libsyn’s stats, released in a podcast but reported here, show a higher number at 47.6%; Blubrry’s stats are even higher, at 52.5%. The Podnews Weekly Review has 31.2% downloads from Apple.

• Triton Digital’s Omny Studio has “got it goin’ on”, with a new benchmarking report. The “larger than life” data shows the differences between a hit podcast in Australia, the US and the UK - “anywhere for you” - and if you’re curious to “get down” with the data, then this post is “the one” to take a look at. (We don’t recognise half these Backstreet Boys tracks either).

People News

• Chris Corcoran, the founding partner and former Chief Content Officer at Cadence13, has launched In the Arena Studios, a multimedia podcast content studio. “I’m so excited to collaborate with incredible talent on these franchise brands and to build a studio that has a real emotional and influential connection to its audience”, Corcoran says.

• Alex Gatenby and Maddie Hickish have joined documentary production company Blanchard House as producers. The company is set to release five new shows this year in partnership with major distribution platforms.

Tips and tricks - with The Podcast Show London

• We mentioned this a few days ago, but it’s so worth your while, we’re mentioning it again… What are simple tricks you can use to make your podcast even better? The Sound Off Podcast this week has Valerie Geller as guest, the author of Beyond Powerful Radio - and every minute of the podcast contains tips on how to improve your show. Tell the truth, make it matter, and never be boring - as Valerie will tell you, there are no boring stories: only boring storytellers.

Podcast News - with Airwave

With Airwave: Dressed: The History of Fashion returns for a new season today. With over 8 billion people in the world, we all have one thing in common: every day we all get dressed. Join Dressed as they explore the social and cultural histories behind the who, what, when of why we wear.

Based on 'Around the world in 80 years’, a book by Julie Woods and Ron Esplin, The World in 360 Minutes will take you across the globe in 36 ten-minute podcasts.The hosts explore what they see when they travel - Julie, who is blind, through her four senses; and Ron, who’s an artist, with his paintbrush. They start in the Panama Canal in the 1940s.

From cancer treatments that save lives to energy solutions dividing the nation, In Nuclear Matters explores Australia’s nuclear past, present, and future with the help of experts actively working on these issues. Nuclear Matters is a production of the Australian National University (ANU) College of Systems and Society.

The history of radio crackles to life with Audio Maverick - a nine-part documentary about one of the most visionary figures in radio, Himan Brown. Explore the golden age of radio through Brown’s life, and travel from the birth of audio drama to the programs that brought millions of families into their living rooms every night.

Worth It is new today from The Minnesota Star Tribune and Lemonada Media - an every-Friday podcast that delivers news you can use: reviews, tips, laughs and unexpected local insight as a go-to source for what to know, where to go, and what to skip. “Minnesota is the land of 10,000 possibilities, and we’re here to tell you which ones are worth it,” says co-host Nicole Norfleet.

Start your day smarter with Fun Facts Daily. Every episode explores a different topic giving you a quick and easy way to enjoy learning something new every weekday! Expect positive, uplifting, and fascinating trivia about art, biographies, geography, history, pop culture, science and anything else that might pique your curiosity. It’s new on Airwave.