Wondery seeks a buyer

Are publishers OK with ignoring up to 120 million English speaking Indian listeners, just to maintain IABv2 certification? — from today’s Sounds Profitable with Podsights, our ad-tech newsletter with Bryan Barletta. Subscribe today

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• Podcast publisher Wondery is up for sale, says Bloomberg. The company’s revenue is to surpass $40m this year, says the report; and that the company is looking for more than $200m.

• Apple secretly bought Scout FM earlier this year, and promptly shut the Android and iOS app down. Scout FM, which we covered in June 2018, created podcast “stations” on various topics, basing its recommendations on listening habits, much like early Stitcher’s non-stop streams. (We’d suggest its technology is being used in iOS 14's enhanced personal recommendations).

• Bauer Media Audio, a broadcaster in the Nordic countries in Europe and the UK, has launched Podplay, a podcast aggregator including its own exclusive shows. We appear to be there, too. The service is run out of Sweden.

• In Australia, Rupert Murdoch’s NewsCorp has launched AirTime, a programmatic buying platform for the company’s podcast network, which it brands as NewsCast.

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• Midroll’s Q3 2020 slate has been published.

• Podfriend is “the world’s friendliest podcast app”. Out for Windows 10, with more platforms on the way, it’s powered by the Podcast Index. We’re an especial fan of the podcast they’re listening to on desktop on the site’s front page.

• The Dutch Podcast Awards had 27,000 entries this year. Voting is now open; and the awards will be on November 6.

• Podcast Guests is celebrating hitting 25,000 users. It was launched in 2016 as a way to help podcasters connect with guests for their shows.

• Our thanks to Chant for becoming our latest gold supporter. Chant work with a lot of top podcasts and brands and look for progressive, unique, and bold voices that promote equality. You can be like them.

The Tech Stuff - with RSS․com

• Podlove v3.1beta, a podcast publishing plugin for Wordpress, is now using the OPAWG audio useragent list in its analytics module.
• There are quite a few RSS namespaces that extend podcasts. Christopher Isene posted a list on the Podcast Index social network. Anyone for working out how we might focus this list a little more?

Tips and tricks - with Podcastfestival 2020's listen back

• The steps involved in launching a podcast (Rachel Corbett)
• The podcast script that will work best for your podcast - Justin Phillips talks about show structure

Podcast News - with cabana

In Aaru, a land torn apart by a fear of magic, and ruled by brutal mercenaries, two young friends leave the only home they’ve ever known to find the one who could save them all. Carcerem is an original audio fantasy series from Shane Salk Productions. Listen to season 1 now. (ad)

People Movers, a show about escalators, is just one of the niche shows celebrated by The Guardian.