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• The UK’s Goalhanger has launched its first multichannel ad campaign, in partnership with Spotify. The video ads, which will be shown across social media, show Spotify users switching between individual podcasts (though the “p” word isn’t used) - is it the best ad for a podcast company yet? You can watch it here.


• Lower Street has announced speakers for its Brand Podcast Virtual Summit 2025 - including brand new research from Signal Hill Insights, the Branded Podcast Benchmark Report. Other speakers include experts from the New York Times, Morgan Stanley, and Jay Acunzo. The event is free.


• Yesterday, we reported on Licensync, an Italian company charging for linking to podcasts. While ASSIPOD, the Italian Podcasting Association is listed as a partner on Licensync’s website, ASSIPOD have told us that they are not a partner; that their logo is used on the website without authorisation; and they have already requested its removal. We’ve asked Licensync for comment; and added ASSIPOD’s statement to the article.

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Kick off your show in 2025 — Launch a podcast your audience loves. The Brand Podcast Summit (Jan 14-15) is what you need to nail your podcast strategy. Featuring Jay Acunzo and experts from Lower Street, Red Hat, Atlassian & more

• Data: Podimo has released the 2024 Global Trend Report, which looks into differences in podcast consumption across the world. True crime shows have quadrupled in popularity in Spain in the last year, especially with women; but in Norway, men are increasingly keen on history podcasts. In Denmark, 27% of listeners have spent more than three hours straight during a single day consuming podcasts or audiobooks.


• Users of the Castbox podcast app, one of the most popular apps in the world, will now see new monthly podcast recommendations within the app from Tink Media.


• YouTube released a look at how the video website is consumed on TV sets. The company says: “Podcast watching is growing rapidly on TVs. Viewers watched over 400mn hours of podcasts monthly on living room devices. They’ve been tuning into podcasts similarly to how one would tune into a late-night talk show.”


• DeepCast, which makes the DeepCast podcast discovery platform and DeepCast Pro, a podcast creator suite, has secured additional investment from a set of companies and venture firms, including Automattic, the owner of WordPress and Pocket Casts.


• Magellan AI released the top podcast advertisers for November 2024. BetterHelp once again hit #1 spot, with $8.6mn spent; Amazon was at #2, and T-Mobile at #3. The biggest mover was Bartesian, a cocktail maker that, just like a Nespresso, <strike>takes all the joy and fun out of crafting a drink</strike> makes a drink at the touch of a button.


• Podtrac released its Top Podcasts By Country lists for November 2024. The data is part-estimated.


• Help wanted: The BEA (Broadcast Education Association) has had more entries than ever for the annual BEA Festival of Media Arts. That means they need more reviewers and judges than first thought. If you have spare time over the next month and would like to be a reviewer (it’s a voluntary thing, but you’ll hear lots of great audio), please email help@BEAweb.org


• Further reading: Amanda McLoughlin from Multitude writes everything you need to know about Spotify’s pivot to video: “Avoid platform dependence at all costs.”

Thank you to Cameron Stack at PodLabs, the epicenter for podcast experimentation and projects, for becoming our latest supporter. Supporters pay for everyone’s access to Podnews - you can support us here.

Tips and tricks

• You can install Apple Podcasts on Android now. No, really - and it looks and works just like an app.

Podcast News

• Netflix is to tap into The Nat Coombs Show, one of the most popular National Football League (NFL) podcasts, to promote its exclusive NFL Christmas Day games. The campaign, running throughout December, includes host-read and announcer-read ads, as well as activity across Sport Social Podcast Network’s NFL and football verticals.


• In two Texas prisons, inmate DJs will air Scrooge: A Christmas Carol on prison radio stations on Christmas Eve, we learn. Additionally, the podcast will be uploaded to all TDCJ inmate tablets across the state, which will, we're told, allow inmates to listen to the podcast while their family simultaneously listens to it on radio stations in their communities. The podcast is written by Paul Cuschieri and produced by Mark Ramsey.


• Audio newspaper for a visual world, the satirical comedy show The Bugle started way back in 2007. With current host Andy Zaltzman, it was originally co-hosted by John Oliver, who spoilt everything by turning into a late night TV celebrity in the US instead. Excitingly, this week, John Oliver returns to the podcast after eight years. They cover Assad, FIFA and Trump - it's like he never left.


• TED Health has just announced its plans for season four, for anyone seeking captivating insights in health and wellness. Dr Shoshana Ungerleider will bring her expertise and warmth to a new slate of 20 extended episodes, diving even deeper into pressing health topics and answering questions listeners didn’t even know they had.

Gold supporters: Sounds Profitable, Buzzsprout, Mowpod, Mamamia, The $100 MBA, The Podglomerate, Simplecast, Podscribe, SALT, Steve Lack: Audio, RedCircle,