Editor’s note: No video this week due to me breaking my foot and my studio not being super accessible. More on that later.
The big news in podcasting this week was the launch of Facebook’s new podcasting feature. Problem is, it’s only available in the US, and by invite only. So to learn more about this new Facebook feature, I went to – you guessed it- Twitter. Buzzsprout’s Head of Marketing, Alban Brooke, has a great Twitter thread about the features of Facebook Podcasts.
https://twitter.com/AlbanBrooke/status/1407066754476646405?s=20
But don’t worry if you haven’t seen it yet. I just gotta remember to check the old AOL email I use for Facebook notifications.
Last week I mentioned hating the new Apple Podcasts app, and this week I finally made the switch. I’m now listening to shows on Spotify. I’m on the free plan, it’s much easier to find episodes of my favorite shows, and I have more control over playback speed. It’s a much better user experience. And I wouldn’t have known about it – had Apple not driven me away with a truly hard to navigate app.
More Spotify news this week – they’ve acquired Podz, a podcast discovery platform. Spotify also launched Greenroom, an audio service that’s their answer to Clubhouse.
Remote recording app Squadcast has a new update – it allows Dolby surround sound, one-click mastering, video recording, and up to 10 participants. The plans seem a little pricey though. For me, it makes more sense to stay grandfathered in to the 4 people, audio only, unlimited recording time package, and supplement with a small plan on Riverside for when I need video or have more than 4 people.
Stitcher is now the number one listened to podcast network, according to new metrics from Triton Digital. They are owned by Sirius/XM and now have a bigger weekly audience than NPR and Audacy (formerly Entercom).
According to the Podcast Index, there are now FOUR MILLION podcasts. But don’t be overwhelmed if you’re getting into the space. Only 10% of them, have put out a show in the last month. Podfading is real. https://tritondigitalv3.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/PodcastReports/USA_Podcast_Ranker%20May%202021-2.pdf
Finally, as I mentioned, I broke my foot Saturday. Long story short, I was walking the dog – she zigged, and I zagged. Landed funny and broke the fifth metatarsal, right below my pinky toe. Fortunately it should heal with a walking boot, and not cast or surgery. Also, not my driving foot. So for now, I’ll be recording in my office, not my studio down a scary flight of stairs. The podcasting moral of the story – if this sounds OK to you – you don’t need a fancy studio to record in. An office without background noise or echo should do just fine.
Until next time, stay healthy and stay safe. Lata!
