Rogan: most popular podcast in the US

• Edison Research has revealed its US podcast ranker top 10. Unlike Podtrac or Triton Digital, who only measure downloads from selected publishers, the Edison Research data is calculated from 2,013 online interviews with podcast listeners about all the podcasts they listen to, which is then weighted to be nationally representative, and calculates reach ('people’), rather than total downloads. Joe Rogan is at #1; The Daily at #2; This American Life at #3.

  • Opinion: It’s tempting to assume that a survey of 2,000 people is unlikely to be an accurate way of measuring how many listeners a podcast has. However, Edison’s ranker is remarkably similar to Triton Digital’s report if you amend the participating podcast download numbers to take into account the number of episodes published. Assuming that each additional episode adds 50% additional audience (since some only listen to one, while others listen to every show), Podnews works out that Triton’s ranker shows, in order: My Favorite Murder, Office Ladies, Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, Planet Money, and then Pod Save America: the same order as Edison Research reports them. At least with podcasts this big, the sample size seems to give accurate data (though we can’t see further than the top ten).

• Writing in his personal newsletter, Tom Webster says the #2 isn’t anywhere near the popularity of Rogan’s show - and highlights the discoverability benefits of YouTube, one of the reasons he says Rogan is so large. “It’s easy to get hung up on definitions about what is and isn’t a podcast, but my interest here is on your show, and I’m here to tell you that the most straightforward way to grow your show is to get it on YouTube.”

• The BBC has a new boss. Tim Davie has been confirmed as the new Director-General, taking over from Lord Tony Hall who retires later this month. After being Director of Audio & Music for the corporation (which included their work in podcasting), Davie was in charge of BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the organisation. On his personal radio newsletter, our Editor explains why this is good news.

  
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  • Meanwhile, The Times reports that the BBC wants a British Joe Rogan.

• Of all the reasons to stop recording your podcast, helping your neighbour out of their garden shed is one of the more unusual.

• A company called Buderflys are testing some earbuds especially for podcasts.

• Manscaped, a company that sells trimming kits for the hair down there, tells Podnews that the company is looking for new podcasters to work with. They’re now present in the US, UK, Australia and Canada, so if you’re popular in those countries and good at talking up their product, you can email them at podcasts(at)manscaped.com

• Podcasts have real value in an era of screen fatigue, says Shira Atkins of Wonder Media Network.

• Podpage have added a set of design templates to help you build a website for your podcast.

• Transcripts: What are your thoughts on automated transcripts being visible in podcast directories and searches? We’re writing a piece about the use of transcripts: and would be keen to hear your views. editor@podnews.net will find us.

Thank you to Podimo for becoming our latest gold supporter. Podimo is an open podcast platform that offers personally curated recommendations to users, while supporting creators through a brand new revenue share model.

Tips and tricks

• John Wilkerson helps you add your podcast to IMDB. (We’re not entirely sure it’s ready yet).

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Shaping Opinion's new episode today interviews Paul Kondo, the writer of Podcast Gumbo, about why people listen to podcasts and how the medium has resonated with millions.