Welcome to Ponte lands the last word in podcasting news. It's Thursday, the 14th of April, 2022. I am James Cridland, the editor of pod news.net. And I am
Sam Sethi, the end of river radio. Hi,
my name is Lauren Paso and I'm the founder of tank media. And I'm going to be on later to talk about the promo swap database that I just launched.
She will Podland is sponsored by Buzzsprout podcast. Hosting made easy last week, 3,686. People started a podcast with Buzzsprout and you can [email protected]. And if you can use chapters in your podcast app, then Buzzsprout supports those. And so do we, and we
support transcripts as well.
Oh yes. And transcripts too. And they look very smart on the Buzzsprout website, uh, that, uh, you get given. If you are hosting with them, you can see that, uh, portland.news.
Now, first story up, James. I'm cur it seems have done a shameless rip-off and anchor podcast called soldier of misfortune has been accused of being a shameless rip-off by Brendan kroner, a journalist for the Atlantic who wrote the story. His piece took him nine years to report. He says, and he accuses the podcaster, Jess Rappaport of knowing. Stealing his work and even pronouncing the name of the main character wrong throughout James. What's the story.
And I should say, I'm pronouncing the name of the main character wrong throughout is quite hilarious. Although frankly, I have no idea, Brendan, how you pronounce your surname. Is it Kona? Kerner? I frankly haven't any idea. And so of course I was there on the pod news podcast yesterday going oh, w um, I'm probably pronouncing this wrong too, but yes, it's one of those things where someone, uh, read a article and thought, wow, this is a great story.
I'd like to turn this into a podcast, uh, roads to Brendan, and said, I'm going to turn this into a podcast. I'll give you a mention. So that's okay. It's not really how it works. And, uh, has, um, banged it up on, uh, on an anchor. And, uh, yeah, it's not a good look. Brendan Kerner is, um, quite irritated by it. I think because this is the fourth, I think podcasts that, um, he's basically had his work stolen for. Um, so I don't think that that's particularly, uh, good.
Uh, and so he is there asking, uh, on Twitter, perhaps we can start a Frank discussion about what constitutes fair use for podcasters. I think, uh, it's called copyright law and I think Brendan, if you, or the Atlantic world. Talk to, um, a lawyer then you'd have quite a good case, um, for taking action against, uh, this particular person. Um, but, uh, yeah, it's not the first time that we've seen plagiarism and I don't think it will be the last time
as well. So realistically, let's be clear. This isn't really ankus fault. Is it? No, I mean, anchor is just a free hosting platform. I mean, It's not up to there, my guest check every podcast in this sense. I mean, but, um,
no, I don't, I don't think it's anchor's fault at all. I think it's, it's notable that this podcast is on anchor because quite a few pirated podcasts in the past have been on anchor. And I think that's what you get. If you run a free podcast, host, the blame is pretty firmly at the door of Jesse Rappaport. Uh, who I comment, I contacted for comment, although obviously, uh, he, uh, nor, uh, Brendan have, uh, come back, uh, to me.
Um, but, uh, yeah, it's just, it's just, um, you know, not a, not a great look for anybody to just basically pinch somebody else's work and, uh, make some audio out of it.
Now, a few months back, we talked about a wreckage surveys, podcasts that was being plagiarized as well. Did anything come up?
No, I'm sure it's probably still there. And I think that that's probably one of the things that, uh, the podcast industry isn't very good at doing is actually pulling this sort of stuff down. Um, I have spent the last three or four days, um, because pod news is a registered trademark. I have. By law, um, go through all podcasts called pod news and, um, and, uh, issue, take down notices about them. It's a bit tedious. It's a bit boring.
I don't much like doing it, but I kind of have to do it cause otherwise I don't have a registered trademark anymore. Um, and what's been interesting about doing that is that, um, anchor now has a rather better copyright infringement process. I notice if you're on Spotify or that podcast is on Spotify that you're complaining about, then it goes to Spotify as people now nots to anchors people, uh, which is interesting. Um, so, uh, I'm looking forward to seeing quite what they do.
The two claims that I've given against, um, anchor podcasters there. Um, also by the way, um, had a go at, um, taking a podcast down from a cast as well. So it'll be interesting seeing how fast that happens as well. I've only ever had, um, one podcast hosting company come back to me and say, no, there's nothing wrong with this. And, um, and we're not going to take this stuff down.
Um, and then I actually explained to them how the, how, how trademark law works and then they take it down rather fast. So, you know, so, uh, it's still, there we go. But no it's been, it's been one of those interesting, you know, interesting things going, going through that DMCA take down process. Um, even though it's not actually, DMTA, that's the take down process that they push you through and actually seeing how all of that works.
Well, let us know next week there, any of those have been taken down or actioned now, moving on. Uh, the Spotify says that they will continue losing money from their podcast acquisitions in 2022, but podcasts and should begin to make a profit at a time, not too far away. So
not too far away. Isn't it brilliant? Not too far away. I mean, 20, 29 is not too far away. When you consider, you know, the history of the world, just a wonderful, a wonderful phrase. That's from their CFO. I believe so very much pointing out the fact that Spotify aren't yet making any money on their
podcasting, but it looks like if they start to internationalize, because one of the things. They did, was they announced that they're now available or anchor is now available in 35 different languages. Do you think internationalization is the way they're going to get to profitization? Well, I think,
uh, oh, good, good word. Profitization um, I think in terms of, uh, in terms of what anchor is doing, yeah, it's all about, um, making sure that the user interface is available in 35 different languages and all of the languages where podcasting is growing. Um, I went to have a quick peak. Um, I had to look at the top five podcast hosts, but sprout is only in English. Libsyn is only in English, Omni studios in six languages.
And speaker is available in four YouTube by the way, 82 different languages. Um, I have to say it's not necessarily very clear that. Port is actually available in all of those languages. Maybe support is only available in English, uh, who knows. Um, but, uh, you know, clearly when you have a look at places like India, Indonesia, um, uh, Brazil, Portugal, um, there's an awful lot of growth in podcasting, which isn't in the English language.
And I think a clever podcast host should be out there making sure that their podcast hosting platform. Is internationalized and is translated into other languages so that they can, um, get more users from those particular languages.
Right. All right. Well, let's see if that profitization, that occurs this year or in sometime in the future. There's that word again? Now, one thing that launched this week, uh, Laura Purcell, who is the CEO of tink media, launched something called the swap database. And I thought it sounded like a great little idea for people, certainly independent podcasts as to work together to promo swap between each other, to try and help grow each other's audiences.
As they say, a rising tide raises all boats. So I caught up with Lauren and had a quick chat about who or what is the swap database
is a place where people can enter their information about their show. Just some general things. The name, approximately how big it is and ways they like to partner with other shows and some tags about their show. And once they enter on the forum, they're part of this big database that people can browse so they can find good podcast partners to work with. Whether that be a promo swap or a feed swap, or a newsletter social media. I don't know. I want these people to become friends.
I'm trying to set up podcast, friendships and podcasts, playdates. I want these people to connect. That's why I made the database.
Okay. Apart from what? In connect, what's the business value for people connecting and what's the business value for you?
It's funny because I started it as part of a newsletter called podcast marketing magic, and I just wrote email me if you want to be partnered with. And people would email me and I would do my own mixing and matching. And I'll tell you that is zero business strategy for me because that's tons of time. And I just wanted these people working together. I wanted it. And eventually I was like, there's too many. I'm going to put them on my website and they can do this themselves.
So then I just said, Hey, if you want to swap, here's a webpage with everyone who wants to swap and you can go through it yourself. And then I was like, there's too many people. So then I was like, duh, there needs to be an easy way to do this where people can search. So the idea has never been. A strategy for tank.
It's always really just been, because I want podcasters Indi, especially to, you know, I think there's a big education gap about how to work with people and I want it to be free so that there isn't a monetary gap or a monetary issue for people not being able to pay for marketing or something like that. So the reason I'm doing it was never something that I thought would be part of tank. It was really because I think that promo SOPs work, I think that feed swaps work.
I think that you could buy an ad and you can do a lot of things that will give you a spike. But I think long-term partnerships will give you the correct growth that will get you the best listeners that will come back every time and become your biggest advocates and tell you all their friends, all of their friends about your show and in order to get those perfect. Listeners, you need to work with other podcasts. So I want to get podcasters the tool to work with other podcasters.
Okay. So I'm pretty sure I know the answer to the question, but what does a win look like for you then? When will you know that it's succeeded?
I'll know it's succeeded. When, what I'm hearing about it, working and people are telling me, I hope people let me know. Someone already told me on Twitter. I saw yesterday that somebody had already set one up. And that is yes. And that is what I want to see. Also. I just want to see it continued to grow. I don't ever want it to stay the same. I want it to grow. How many podcasts are there out there? The more people that enter the database, the better the database will be.
We've seen similar services like matchmaker, which is about swapping, to find hosts and guests matching those two together. Is there anyone else doing the matching of the promos and feed? I don't
think so. Actually, this wasn't something where I put a lot of thought into. I just wanted it and I wanted it now and I don't plan on charging people for it. It wasn't like a business thing. Do I have to plan for, to pay for this? It was just so actually I'm not sure, but I do know what you're talking about. I have seen those services and that isn't really what this is. This is really just about growing with swaps and per my
opportunities. Okay. You mentioned tink media. Tell us more about tink media. When did it start? What is it?
Well, it's funny because I came from book publishing and I thought I would do that my whole life. I loved working in book publishing. I worked on the acquisition board and I was their director of social media at the publishing house. And. I also loved podcasts. And I actually had a podcast at the time called podcast about podcasts. Didn't do very well and you probably won't be able to find it.
It's not Google-able but the PR team would come to me and say, Hey, can you pitch our authors to podcasts? Because you seem to know a lot about podcasts. And I was like, yes, please. It was so much fun. But I realized that PR teams don't know how to work with podcasts in general. It's not their fault. It's just, it was this whole new world of that. They didn't understand. They didn't know who to talk to.
They didn't know how to talk to podcasters or even how they podcasts has worked or what podcasters want it. I left that job. I was very sad and I worked at a podcast company for a year, but then I left to start tank and initially it was to help authors get on podcasts. I thought that would just be it. But the more I started talking to. Podcasters for my client. They were like, I saw her, they needed help and everybody needed marketing help and nobody was doing it.
So the company has evolved from an PR company for base, for authors to basically a growth company for podcasts, because, and the way it's developed is I just keep on answering people's questions when they need help. They say, I need help with this. Can you do this? And I'm like, yes, because the industry is so new and exciting, we're inventing a lot, a bit. So we are helping people with any problem that pops up, and that is changing all the time.
So we have full campaigns where we basically, if a fearful time client of ours, you're the first person we think of when we wake up in the morning and the last person we think about where we go to bed at night and we're getting you on other shows as a guest, we are trying to get you featured in. We are trying to get the media to cover you. We're setting up promo swaps, we're setting up feed drops. We are doing really out of the box.
Thinking one example I give is we had a pallets on podcast and they wanted Snooki on their podcast. Cause I guess she's a Peloton and we got them Snooki and there was a Peloton recall and we got them in the morning brew newsletter because they repelled Pelton experts. So it really is being really integrated with the podcast and thinking about all sorts of ways we can help them.
And then I work with Ari on this and Blatt and we do something called a podcast therapy, which is like consulting, but really fun. And the only negative feedback we've gotten is that we're talking too fast. We interrupt each other and it's because we're too excited talking about podcasts. I don't think so. You can't be too excited talking about podcasts.
So what can podcasters do to make themselves better prepared to work with PR companies? Is there something that they should be doing or is it just a case of somebody like you in the intermediary educating both sides of the fence saying look, PR people here's some great podcasts. People here's the PR people you should be talking to, or is that something that people should be producing, getting ready, helping market themselves better?
PR people it's a big ass. Could they cause they understand media spaces like nobody else, but they don't understand the podcast space. And in my book publishing background, it's the, those budgets are getting tightened at publishing houses and the PR people there's fewer and fewer PR resources and in-house anyway. I know this isn't a book publishing conversation, but I hear from more and more authors that they are hiring their own PR agencies and not working in house.
So I think it's just the resources aren't there. So I would love to do I'm sure Erica and I could do a podcast therapy for people in book publishing and help them understand how to work with these podcasters because it's totally different
cost as though Lauren should podcast is in that same vein, employ their own PR people. Would that be a good step for that's
that question? Totally depends. I think, first of all, I think I always say this and it scares people and they don't want to hear it, but there should be like 50% of the time spent on marketing because you can make a great show, but you need people to hear it. And I think you can hire tank or someone. There are a few, there's a small group of people doing this. They're great people, but really you are your best PR person. You understand everything.
But I also understand that everybody in podcasting is wearing 10 hats and they don't care about marketing and they don't, it's not the right side of their brains, but I do think marketing is fun and it's a secret. No one knows. And I've had people say to me, what, why don't you do something more creative? And I'm like, this is such creative work.
So what I always want to impart on people when they talk to me about marketing is I want to, first of all, give them a few ideas so that like, when they leave me, they know exactly what they want to do first to get started and that they get excited about marketing their podcasts, because really it's all about people. And I really do think it's a natural thing for a podcast or to be able to do it themselves. But I also understand not having the time or. A little boost from somebody else.
Now you've also got a wonderful newsletter that people can subscribe to remind us what it's called again.
Thank you. It's called podcast, the newsletter and it's podcasts, the newsletter.stuck.com. And that is one of those things where I'm like, why do I spend so much time on this? But it's a ton of recommendations and interviews with podcasters. It's really, if you like me, you'll like the newsletter. If you don't like me, you won't like the newsletter. So I have two newsletters and podcast marketing magic is the other one. And that comes out every other week.
And yes, that is lots of podcast marketing tips. It is why partnerships work. There's also a lot of case studies, like when I've seen people do really interesting things, I'll interview them. There's different issues on social media. There's one with 100 marketing tips in it. So really like I'm creating mini guides for people because what I was talking about before, and this is goes back to the database. I think there's an education gap. And I want to close that.
I want people to understand how these things work so they can do them by themselves. Because honestly, for me to be a podcast, mark, I need everyone to be educated in order for me to work with them, because I can't tell you how many times I've emailed someone from my client and said, Hey, do you want to do a promo swap 50% of the time they say, yep, let's do it. Bing, bam, boom. We do it the other 50% of the time they go. That sounds interesting. Can we zoom about it?
And I'm like, ah, you have no idea what I'm talking about. So then we zoom and I'm like dancing around my apartment, singing about promo slops and teaching them what to do. So I need people to understand how to do this, even just like an work with them.
So highly recommend the silent to both of those. And also where's the best website to get ahold of
you on. You can go to tink media.co or I'm on Twitter too much. And that's at L U R E N P a S E L L
Lauren. Thank you so much and good luck with the swab database.
Thank you. And thank you for giving the database attention. Because I also need people to enter the database, but also I want them to use it. You can't just put your name in and then run away. You have to go check it often. So reminder to people that have signed up to go to. Every once in a while, but thanks
for everything Lauren per sale. I saw her for about 30 seconds at podcast movement evolutions in LA and, uh, it was sort of, oh, look, there's Lauren. Hello, Lauren. Hello. Uh, I, I, you know, I'd love to chat, but I've got a, I've got a run and that was literally, it was, it was as much as I saw just slightly embarrassing, but still there we are. Um, great to hear her.
And it's such a good idea, um, for a simple, straightforward swap database so that you can get promo swamps on other like-minded shows a really clever idea.
Yes. Well done Lauren now, uh, moving on. We talked about it. Well, a few weeks back, uh, apple podcasts, uh, we're adding metrics to apple connect seems like apple podcasts now added follow metrics to, for all shows. Uh, and you can now look at follower trends. Uh, what's this all about James?
Yeah, it's pretty cool. Actually. Um, I've posted, um, a few pieces of data from, uh, pod news, um, where you can actually see where people joined, you know, and started following your podcast or subscribing as it was, was once known. Um, and you can also see when people stopped subscribing to your podcast, so you can actually see, oh, probably shouldn't have focused on that then. Um, has lots of people, uh, hit the, hit the unsubscribe button or the unfollow button or whatever it is.
Um, so, uh, yeah, some really handy information. Um, it's not necessarily going to be particularly useful in terms of. You know, you're a follower. And if you basically start following a show and then you don't listen to that show for two years, you're still a follower according to apple. So I'm not quite sure entirely how useful that is, but there again, you know, those are the figures that you'll see from other places as well.
So, um, you know, more data is always useful and more information that can help us make better audio and better content, uh, is always a good thing. So, um, so harass for apple for, uh, ending up doing that.
Brian Barletta friend of the show is very excited by all of this. Uh, but James, you popped his bubble a little bit. When you went wild. Spotify has an API for data, apple doesn't and neither Spotify nor apple measure the same thing. And you ended up with, we have a long way to go sadly for this data to be meaningful. James. So. Come on, is it
that bad? Well, I think Brian was saying, you know, um, uh, clever podcast hosts should be pulling in the data from apple podcasts and from, uh, Spotify. Um, and I was saying, yeah, you know, I mean, a, it'd be brilliant if you could pull in the data from apple, cause they don't have an API to get into that data. Yes. You can download the Excel, you know, Excel sheets or something and then play around with those or numbers or whatever apple wants to call them.
Um, but, uh, there's no automated, uh, way of doing that, which is a bit frustrating. Um, but also, you know, it was interesting. I was helping a few people in a Facebook group, um, trying to try to understand why their Spotify figures were saying very different things to their figures on. I think it was on the bus pro pro platform actually. Um, and I was pointing out that, uh, Spotify measures one thing and Buzzsprout measures another thing and Buzzsprout follows the IRB guidelines.
Um, always you don't have to pay extra for. Whereas Spotify is, is measuring something else. Apple is measuring something else to, to get a play in apple. You have to listen to precisely, uh, one millisecond or more of your show that counts as a play. Whereas IB, you have to wait for 60 seconds or so. And so you've got all of this stuff. And so unfortunately we've got a lot of data, but the data isn't necessarily saying the same sort of thing all the way through, which is a bit of a shame
who knows how that's coming up. But, uh, moving swiftly on talking of Brian Barletta is still there. Mind you, I'm a friend of the friend of the show. He wrote a lovely piece this week in sounds profitable. Why podcast appetizers should demand transcripts. Now we've been talking about the need for having transcripts in 2022, hint, hint, apple. Um, and it seems. Brian's saying that advertisers should move money away from podcasts that don't provide transcripts.
It's why I said at the beginning we do provide transcripts and soda Buzzsprout um, what did you think of the article, James?
Yeah, I liked it. I mean, you know, it was, um, I think that, uh, any way for advertisers to put their money where their mouth is, and actually campaign for accessibility campaign for better opportunities in terms of allowing podcasts to reach everyone, uh, is a very important thing. And of course it comes with great opportunity for the advertisers as well.
You know, he said a very interesting thing in the sound's profitable newsletter sounds profitable.com uh, about just think how a third party competitive intelligence platform might classify a show. If the transcripts refers to a minor, like a. Child when the host really meant a minor, like somebody who is, um, digging gold out of, uh, out of the side of a hill.
Um, and you can very clearly see that they are very different things and it would probably change what advertising was actually going around it. So, um, so he makes a good argument, I think there in terms of both accessibility, but also in terms of making advertising work better. Um, I think the one thing that, uh, I would have liked to have seen in the article was actually a little bit more of, of how transcripts should be done.
He's talking about putting transcripts into the ID three tag or something, but there isn't a podcast player out there that deals with that sort of thing. Um, So I'm rather wish that, um, you know, he was focusing a little bit more on the available podcast transcript tag in the podcast, namespace, and does have a few issues with dynamic ad insertion. And that's, um, one of the problems there in terms of closed captions, but it doesn't in terms of transcripts.
And I think our transcripts should probably be delivered using the standard, uh, namespace. And this is, uh, you know, it's just, again, it's something that I, I keep on pointing out like a boring, a stuck record. Um, and there's a phrase that, that won't make any sense to anybody under the age of 30, isn't it a stuck record.
But anyway, uh, I keep on banging on about closed captions are not the same as transcripts and transcripts are not the same as closed captions, closed captions are the things that you can see scrolling along the bottom of the screen as you're listening to something. Whereas a transcript is something that you can flip through and read, and a transcript is what you will see on pod land, stock news. Um, uh, The Buzzsprout website that we've got there. Um, that is not the same as a closed caption.
And I think it's very easy for us to confuse the two. Um, and, uh, and I don't think it really helps matter as much. So I think we should be cautious about the language that we use here, but transcripts, I think are a really, really useful thing. Yeah. I
mean, a couple of weeks back, I spoke to Kevin and Alban on their podcast podcast about this, and they're very keen to maybe get a third party auto traffic. Service the problem being, of course, as you said, if, if they automatically do it and it's badly worded because the transcript service badly words, it who's the liable person in it, but also it's a very expensive service they said, and again, is they use a demand for it.
That's the problem in their opinion, it's the chicken and egg scenario. Isn't it. They could provide a service, they could offer it at a fee, you know, a bus cost pro, but will people want it, you know, do they go to that? And nobody
actually takes up. Yeah. And, you know, I'm, I'm sympathetic to that, but I think on the other side, there are accessibility conversations here. There are benefits in terms of, uh, in terms of SEO as well. And those boring things like that. There are benefits as Brian has gone into in terms of, um, uh, advertisers, knowing what is actually being talked about in a show.
And I think all of those benefits are, um, more than, you know, will Joe Schmo and the two brains podcast, you know, be interested in paying a little bit extra. Um, I think there is a public, um, you know, a public good in this as well. Um, so we should just bear, bear that sort of side in mind, but, uh, yeah, I CA I can completely get where they're going. The podcast
academy board was announced last week. A couple of people of note that we know Daniel J. Lewis was on there. Um, I don't really know many of the other people on this board. You may well do James, but I don't
know. Yeah. I know quite a few of them, which is good. Um, uh, cheer ag, Desiree. I've probably pronounced, cheering his name wrong, but he is the founder of AMA AR media, which is an Arab, um, and middle Eastern, uh, podcast, uh, network. Um, and I think it's great to see, um, some more international focus into the podcast academy. So that's a really good thing. Steve Wilson used to work for apple now works for Q code as chief strategy, uh, and as the owner of a very exciting beard.
Um, so, um, Big hitter and Q coder, a big, big company doing a lot of interesting things, particularly around fiction podcasting. Um, so again, really helpful to see that in there, Valentina, Calla, Dina once gave me a radio, you know, cause I think I did something for Castbox where she works. Um, and she ended up giving me a very fancy, uh, radio when I saw her in London. Uh, I believe that she's now living in the, in the U S somewhere.
Um, but working for a cast box, uh, and she was at podcast movement evolutions, which was good to see here. Um, and then there's a bunch of people who I don't recognize and who, I don't know. Uh, Amy FACA, who is a host of a podcast called tuck it out, Ilana source now who works for podcast one great big company, which is nice, Martha Little, um, who works for. And Becky sestina who works for a cast, um, on content partnerships.
Uh, what I think is really good here is that there are some very big companies here. There are some very small companies here. Uh, it's not all based in the U S um, and you know, certainly somebody like. Valentina used to live in China and various other places. Very, very internationally. But, uh, yeah, so, you know, I think one of the criticisms, you know, if you can have a, you know, a bit of a, a bit of a whinge about the podcast academy is that it's been very us focused.
And I think with these new board of governors, it's much less. So, um, so I think that's good as well as having quite a few indie people on there. So, um, harass for them. Uh, if you're a member you can meet the board next Tuesday. Um, just go to the podcast academy website, uh, and have a quick look at the events section and you can find out more live.
Audio comes to Spotify is main app, uh, sadly us only. Couple of weeks back. I spoke with Christmas, seen a friend of the show about this and the renaming of Spotify greener and Spotify live. It seems it went live this week. Have you had a little shifty around it? I mean, you were in Australia, so you probably don't get it
only through. Yes. I'm not sure that they've given it to people like us. Um, and uh, I let my Spotify subscription lapse. Um, so therefore, you know, just to save myself a bit of money. Um, so I don't actually have Spotify on my phone at the moment. Uh, so there's a thing. I know the re the very curious thing. So they've basically they've, um, changed its name to Spotify live. They've integrated bits of it into the main Spotify app, but not all of it.
So live listening in the main Spotify app doesn't support any of the interactive features. So you can't do polls, you can't do questions and answers, uh, any of that sort of thing. So that seems a bit of a misstep. It will only also include select programming as well into the main Spotify app. So if you want to hear no people wittering on about cryptocurrency, then that's fine, but you'll still need to download the Spotify live app to do that.
Whereas they're being very careful who they allow into the main Spotify app. And that seems a bit of a misstep too. Um, but, uh, yeah, I mean, uh, I guess they've got to do something to keep it being used. Otherwise it will be another clubhouse, I suppose I
actually have high hopes for this. I think, um, as I said, I think music artists releasing new albums. Running a Spotify live robe with their fans, maybe charging them, having super follows a Q and a, um, I, yeah, I can see this working really well. Um, whether it will transfer over into podcasting. I don't know. I doubt it. Um, but I think it's, you know, again, some of that came out of a sports background and I know sports fans on YouTube love to just talk to people about sport.
So. Um, I do have high hopes for this one, actually. So let's see what else. And so, I mean,
I, I can see it working for a particular type of, of event. Um, but it, to me, it's, it seems like a feature and not like an app, so that's probably why they've pulled it into the main Spotify, um, uh, app itself. Um, but, uh, yeah, you know, it'll be interesting to see how people end up using it, but it does seem to be a very select thing and yes, you know, um, uh, you know, Brittany Spears might be in it, but there certainly won't be any James and Sam showing them. No,
no, no, no, not for awhile. Um, and I'm so looking forward to all those clubhouse gurus who told me in January, how amazing they were and what clubhouse was going to do for the world, coming over to Spotify, live for him to tell me exactly the same. Surely
anyway, well, a clubhouse has a clubhouse is still being worked on. Um, it's got another, uh, feature it's now got dark mode. So if you want to, you can talk on clubhouse, uh, uh, into the middle of the night and not get your retinas burnt out by the, uh, very, very bright colors on there because it now has dark mode. Woo exciting. Actually, I do like the way that the company actually, uh, Uh, announced it, uh, clearly somebody has got a sense of humor.
Cause they're, they're basically saying, um, while it may have taken us longer than what would be considered fast or reasonable or at all acceptable by human standards, the wait is finally over, uh, good for them clubhouse. So, uh, yeah, I think that's a fun thing to see. Okay.
Uh, any, any news of fireside, your favorite chapter?
Um, well, no, no, not particularly. Um, I believe that fan on for Tommy was, um, at podcast movement evolutions. I didn't see her speak. Um, and from what I can work out Pharcyde is, is basically pivoting into a video app. Um, just so that it can, you know, burn light Cribby did, I don't know, but, um, perhaps that that's, what's going on, uh, who knows and talking about burning, like, uh, have you seen about CNN, CNN plus? Oh
yes. Yes. One of my favorite podcast is, is as professor Scott Galloway, who's on there, but it is not looking good. It says while CNN is available on basic cable in the U S fewer than 10,000 people are using the new paid CNN plus subscription service. Yeah. They made a big song and dance about launching this, but it seems to have been a damp score. Uh, as a
result, indeed. Um, uh, and, uh, yes, apparently cuts are coming. It's only been launched for two weeks, but what they've done. And I think that there's something that we can learn from, um, for podcasting here. What they did is when they launched, they didn't make a CNN plus available everywhere. It wasn't on Android TV. Uh, it wasn't on Roku when they launched. They've only launched Roku on Monday and Roku is very, very big in the U S it's not particularly large.
I mean, it's not even available here, but it's not particularly large in, in much of Europe, but very large in the U S um, And CNN plus wasn't there at launch. And so what they've basically, um, you know, what's, what's pretty clear is if you launch and you're not available on all of the platforms, then it's not really going to work very well. Um, and there's something to be said there.
I think to have a look at podcasting and go, if you've got a free podcast, which is available, you need a really good reason why people should be spending money to pay, to get what's essentially the same product. Um, but a, but a paid version of that. Um, and so worthwhile just taking a peek at what's going on with CNN, plus it doesn't, um, it's not helping the fact that, of course it's. Um, now, uh, the, uh, owning a company of CNN has merged with another. I think, uh, I can't quite remember.
I think it's now Warner has merged with the Warner media has merged with discovery and the Warner CEO has gone, uh, and discovery of basically basically looking at it and going, why on earth are we spending all of this money? Stop it and stop it now. So that's not probably, probably not helping things, but, uh, yeah, there's a, there's a sad, old thing.
So I did want to ask you a little bit more about Wondery and luminary. Cause I mean, clearly Wondery is trying to get subscription services going. They're the number one on apple podcast channels. Um, luminary is still to hear long. They have that new CEO joined recently. Um, The TV world. Right? For example, um, if you look at prime and you look at, um, uh, Netflix, our apple TV Disney, plus we all, as consumers seem to have adopted or accepted that we have to pay to view content.
And in fact, um, really good program come out called slow horses on apple TV. And I really hate going back on to apple TV, but I did it pay for it because that was the only place the content was available. Yeah. Are we going to ever get to the point to you think where we go, you know, advertising and the struggle we have with finding sponsors and the struggle with advertising and Dai? Oh, let's just park all that. Let's just charge for the content. Do you think that's the model we will
get. I mean, I think there's definitely something in offering audiences, the choice to pay for something and to, you know, do that sort of thing. I think that there's definitely something there. I think the difference between where we are in video and I, you, you you're speaking to somebody, Sam who was just set up. Android TV box again.
Um, because of a change that I made to my main Google account meant that I, um, I finally got around to setting up a home Google account for everything that I don't need to be logged into.
And so of course, having to set up every single app on there and everything else, and you realize what a complete nightmare it is to go and log into Netflix and download the Netflix app and then download the Amazon prime app and then download the binge app that we've got here in Australia, and then download, you know, um, the Disney plus app and then download, you know, and you're just downloading all of these apps and it drives you a bit crazy.
I think what, what we've got in podcasting is we've actually got a really good, easy, as long as you're on apple, a really good, easy system where it's the one app, it's the apple podcast app. You're paying a certain amount of money. Um, for the content creators who you really like. And so yes, you can download a wandering plus app. Yes. You can download a luminary app, but actually you can get all of the content from both Wondery and luminary inside the apple podcasts app.
And that just makes it an awful lot easier. So I think we've, we've got probably a good thing that, um, But I think it's going to be interesting seeing exactly how many people are, you know, um, are actually doing that. I was looking after a session at podcast movement, evolutions talking about premium subscriptions, and I was asking people, is it paying its own way yet? Um, and the wasn't really a very equivocal answer of, yes, it is.
Um, quite a few people were pointing out and Donald Albright from, uh, Tenderfoot TV was pointing out that actually part of the real benefit of offering a paid subscription in apple podcasts is the apple podcasts promotes the heck out of your content because it knows that it can earn money out of it. So actually it's really beneficial just for the additional promotion that you get from apple podcasts. Um, so, and, and I can kind of see that sort of side of it as well.
So roll on the day when apple podcast is available on Android. Because they're going to have to do that. They're not, then they're not stupid. Um, James,
James, don't keep bringing you that thought you got away with it. That's a RO
role on the day when they're doing that. But I think that's the difference between where we are in terms of TV and where we are in terms of podcasting. Um, it's probably not great for the individual content creator, but actually it's, it's pretty good for the audience. I think. So that's not a bad
thing. Well, um, I've just noticed that Lumina. Brought out a music app on your favorite artists, the hip hop geo Blackstar. I mean, why a luminary venturing into music? I mean, is that just going out of their lane into Spotify is Laden, isn't it? Well,
I wonder whether it's just another way of getting a bunch more subscriptions. Um, and, uh, whether that's just a, uh, a, um, an interesting, you know, thing for them to end up trying Dave Jones send us a booster Graham or sent the pod news podcast to booster growing saying, is the luminary music album release a subscription only thing? Or is it open it's subscription only Dave, that's the reason why they're doing it.
Um, apparently hip hop Epiduo Blackstar are really, really big, and this is their first album in 24 years. And it's going to be amazing. And the only way that you can listen to it for possibly a couple of weeks is on luminary. Um, and so therefore clearly that is going to sell a bunch of luminary, you know, subs. Um, I mean, it's why it's 5 99, 6 99 a month, something like that. So it's cheaper than going out and buying a CD. Um, you know, why not?
But, um, yeah, it, maybe it's just luminary trying to see whether they can be more than just a podcast company and be a subscription audio company. And maybe this is just a, an interesting plan or maybe they're just best buddies with Blackstar, the hip hop duo.
I just got to remind you, change your cart. Talk about records and CDs. You'll lose the audience, honestly.
Yes. Well, there we go. Uh, I should really find out what black stars biggest. Uh, hint was, but, uh, I searched for Blackstar and Blackstar gives me Blackstar coffee roasters, which are a very good coffee roasters here in Brisbane. Uh, so that's no help. And of course, Blackstar in terms of music gives me a track from radio head and, uh, of course, uh, attract from David Bowie. So none of that is helpful at all. Thank you, Google. There you go.
Now, one more thing, cause it just really did, uh, make my eyes roll this one, cause I just don't get it a bit like luminary doing music. I, heart media is making an NFT based podcast network and I went along and I thought I better read this story before I taught them and poopoo it. I've read it. And I still I'm tutting and poopy, because it ends with the lovely statement. I heart's commitment to bringing web three to the mass market and I'm like, oh my God, what are I heart media doing,
James? I wish I could tell you more about what I army are doing. Cause I, frankly, what, what is, seems to what it seems to be is iHeart media has bought some NFTs. So some, you know, crappy cartoons as a JPEG, they bought these things, right? And so they own, they own the, the rights to, you know, a particular drawing of a mutant eight yacht club or a particular drawing of a crypto. Uh, NFT. Right?
And so, because they own the rights to those and crypto codes and all of these things, because they own the rights to those. Then they will, um, make podcasts featuring those products that they own the rights for. And, uh, yeah, I mean, you know, it, it seems to be, it seems basically that, uh, Connell burn, what w w wants to buy some NFTs to look cool and to make a few funky press releases about it. Um, I'm kind of looking at it and thinking, I don't frankly really understand an awful lot.
Um, I heart did, uh, publish a, um, a press release all about the actual, um, uh, characters that they have, uh, purchased, uh, as well, which, um, you know, it's on their investors website as well, which is like, kind of really, but for example, um, uh, iHeart own mutant, Abe number 1 0 1 4 for their own crypto punk, number 2 8 2, 1, and world of women, number 7 1 4 7 and 7 7 3. I have no idea what, I mean, maybe, maybe I'm turning into the old person that doesn't
understand technology that used to really annoy me when I was listening to the radio when I was, when I was about 20,
that inter web will never catch
up. Exactly, exactly. Uh, www dot. Um, but, uh, you know, so maybe I'm just turning into that, but I, I just look at all of this nonsense and I'm just there thinking none of this makes any sense, none of this. And it's called the non-funded squad. I just don't. I, I don't get it. I don't get it.
If you do understand it, then please, um, uh, send us a message comments at Podland dot news or indeed, um, hit that boost button, uh, and, uh, send us a boost, a gram and, uh, tell us how wrong we are and how we should really get with the program. Um, but, um, uh, I don't really understand it. No,
let's move on to more sensible news. Now, a major new podcast investment company has launched in Sweden called potlucks group. They will invest in international podcast, IP rights and offer financing and business development, internationalization, and commercialization to emerging podcast, producers and creators. Sounds like a good idea. Does it?
Yeah, it sounds pretty good. Uh, it's being run by a. Big media people in Sweden, uh, there's an X radio person in there. There's an X, um, uh, you know, a big media type, uh, in there from TV as well, uh, who understand a few things or two about IP and how to get the best out of that. So I think that that's really interesting. I wonder if products group will be in Malmo in Sweden in a, in a four weeks time when I'm there.
Uh, it might be interesting to find out more, um, the stuff going on in Africa as well. Um, this is a company which I don't fully understand called semi box, which is a podcast incubator. They basically help podcasters, uh, in Kenya. Um, and they have, um, over the last 18 months, they've earned more than 5.5 million Kenyan shillings, which so. It turns out to be about 48,000 us dollars.
Um, uh, but they've, um, you know, pumped that money into the podcasting industry there, um, which looks good. And there's a new podcast awards for Africa as well. The APV awards, which are open for nominations, guess how much it costs you to get your podcast into the AP VA awards. Uh, Sam, normally these, these, these things are, you know, hundreds of hundreds of dollars. Aren't they to enter,
I'd go a hundred Kenyan shillings, then no
idea. Well, it's, it's, it's even lower than that. Uh, it's full free. So if you are, yes, if you are a qualifying podcast, then you should be entering the AP VA awards in Africa. I should also, uh, say hello to everybody in Ireland, you should be entering the Irish podcast awards, uh, which are brand new and available for you. Now you can subs, you can, um, uh, submit your podcast in there. Now that will cost you slightly more than nothing but not that much more than nothing.
Uh, so you should, uh, enter that to,
and the British podcast awards closed this weekend. So you're too late.
Breaking news did warn you.
Uh, you wrote about that grabbed me. I just, there are company that stay off my radar. I never really know what they do. Audio boom release their Q1 figures. Um, they look very healthy. Revenue was $19.7 million more than double year on year. Um, it said they've contracted revenues of 60.5 million this year already more than it brought in the whole of 2021. I thought audio boom was on the, uh, slab for being bought and it was on his knees. It looks like it's. And what's it doing? Yeah.
Audio, boom has actually had a very strange sort of past actually of, um, some things working very well for them. And some things, you know, uh, I mean, at one point they were trying to buy Triton digital, and then that didn't work. And then at one point they were desperately trying to sell themselves to other people and then that didn't work. Um, but they seem to be doing tremendously.
Well. I mean, any company that, you know, we're in April and they have already contracted more money in terms of advertising for this calendar year than they achieved through the whole of 2021. That's a pretty amazing, uh, thing. So many congratulations, um, to them.
And, uh, Stewart last who's been the CEO for the last couple of years, although only officially for the last six months or so, you know, he must be doing, you know, he must be thinking, um, uh, tremendously, you know, He must be doing tremendously well. Uh, but yeah, it's a really interesting company. They don't have too many podcasts, um, uh, in terms of their whole slate.
And I think probably that's one of their, um, things that are S uh, quite, um, uh, you know, clever about them is that they have very much picked and chosen. Um, some of the podcasts that they look after, rather than just going out and, um, you know, emailing as many people as they possibly can to join their network. Not that anybody would do that. Um, so I think, you know, that has meant that they can keep their cost per thousands higher.
That has meant that they can, you know, focus on, um, getting, uh, doing some very good bespoke, you know, advertising. Um, so I think that they're doing a really good, good job and a UK company.
Now let's move on to tech tech corner. James G did something. I thought, I thought it was quite cool. This week. You have taken pod news podcast pages. They will now always show a trailer in the player if one exists. And if it's marked up in the RSS feed, I think that's really clever. Why did you go and do it? Well done.
Well, thank you very much. Uh, yes. Cause I thought, um, because, uh, you know, the pod news podcast pages are really there to give you a little bit more information about the podcast, learn where to subscribe to it, where to listen to it. And it did have a player in there, but it was just showing the latest episode. And I thought, well, what's the point of showing the latest episode? Really?
Actually, if you're going to find out more information about a podcast that's been written about in the pod news website, and why would you not want to have a listen to the trailer to understand what this podcast is about? And of course the benefit of apple allowing you to mark up a trailers in the RSS feed means that that is relatively easy to end up doing. So, yeah. So if there's a trailer, it will automatically exist. I'm not sure we've got a trailer for this show.
Um, but if we have a trailer. We did, we did. That was a long time ago. Wasn't it? Um, so, uh, yeah, so that will always show up otherwise, um, if it's a episodic show, it will show the, the newest episode, if it's a, you know, a serial show like, uh, but you know, like a fiction, uh, show, it will show the first episode so that we don't, um, you know, break anything.
Um, but, uh, yeah, I just, I just suddenly thought, why am I not doing that rather than just, um, playing around what is essentially a random episode? Um, so, um, yeah, so
that's what I've done, but what's, what's really interesting for me is that you're using the iTunes podcast trailer tag, but there's also a pod cast index
trailer tag. Uh, yes. I believe that the podcast index trailer tank is being worked on. Um, and this is where I grumpily go. I don't understand why they're reinventing. Um, so I'm sure that there are good reasons for it.
And I haven't looked properly at the, uh, the replacement tag, but I'm using the one that everybody is using, because I'm not sure that there's really any benefit in using anything else, but obviously if people are starting to use, um, the new podcast, um, the new podcast, uh, uh, namespace version, then I will obviously have a look at that. One thing that I have noticed is that. Um, I'm actually playing the latest trailer, which is available.
So the newest trailer, which is available, there are quite a few podcasts out there that have two, three or four different trailers for different, um, for different series, for example, for different seasons. Um, and so I'm showing you the latest trailer, um, but, uh, perhaps the, perhaps there's a better way of actually, you know, showing that up in the, um, uh, in the RSS feed. I don't know.
Now, moving on pod chaser has launched an API for sponsors and ad spends simply search prod, chase of one of the top 5,000 podcasts or their episodes to find what brands have sponsored that show in the past. James, will you be integrating this into pod pages? But news is pod pages.
I won't because, uh, it's part of their paid API and, uh, I'm not going to end up doing that.
And it's also actually only the top 5,000 podcasts, which I know sounds like a lot, but given that there are at least 2.4 million in apple podcasts alone, um, you know, I'm not sure to be honest that it will be something that will be that visible in most of the shows that I'm promoting, but, you know, um, uh, it's an, it's another interesting piece of data that pod chaser has, um, got in there in their API. And I can, well, see it being useful for advertisers. Um,
I'm not sure many more than 5,000 podcasts have sponsors all ad spends mean. I wonder what that percentage is of the 4.3 million.
Oh, that would be, that would be interesting. I wonder, I wonder if, uh, pod tracer even know that that figure indeed, that would be very interesting to
find out new platform launched called rent. Rent-free. It's a free software platform, not unlike Patreon or sub-state buy me a coffee or similar services integrated with Stripe. The code is open on get hub. It's in use on a podcast called on
GBS pod. Yeah, it looks pretty cool. So many congratulations to the person. That's put that together. Uh, you can build, um, a Patrion alike or a binomial coffee alike quite easily just using a Stripe. Um, and, uh, I did that for a while. Uh, pod news actually. Um, so it seems to work quite nicely, so good to see them doing that and making that available for other people. And also blueberry has added something that actually to be fair, quite a few other podcast hosts have account sharing.
So it allows for additional users and permissions for shows. Uh, so where there are, you know, two people working on a podcast, you don't need to share somebody username and password. You can both log in and you both have a certain access and permissions and stuff like that. So, um, more, uh, good work from the blueberry team who seems to be working incredibly hard at the moment. So, um, yeah, so that's, uh, that's all pretty good
safe. Uh, on with the movers and shakers of the industry, Courtney Holt, Spotfire global head of podcasts and new initiatives is leaving the company. Uh, he worked there for four years. It's now going to be split between Julie McNamara and max Cutler, who will have Holtz responsibilities. Do you know any of these people? Uh, neither
Julie or max has a beard, whereas Courtney is a very much a beard owner. Um, so max was the person who was a co-founder of Parcast. Uh, I think I'm right in saying. Um, Courtney has basically been, um, the boss of, or one of the many bosses at Spotify, um, of, uh, podcasts, um, and has essentially seen some tremendous changes in the last four years. I've met him on, on a couple of occasions.
Um, he always seems to be a very serious chap, um, and I'm sure that, um, he will, um, be, uh, you know, very much missed in that company. Um, but, uh, you know, certainly he's, um, uh, absolutely made of. Big change in how that company has seen podcasting over the last four years or so, so many congratulations to him. It will be interesting to see what he ends up doing because nobody knows yet not the only person to leave from Spotify as well.
Uh, Spotify has lost their managing director for Gimlet, Lydia Polgreen, who is to join the New York times as an opinion economist. Um, so, um, she is moving back to her journalism roots. Uh, she used to, um, be, I think, editor in chief or something for HuffPost, something. So, um, she's very much moving back to her journalism roots, um, and, uh, you know, Gimlet hasn't necessarily had a fantastic time over the last couple of years. Um, so, uh, I wish her all the best as well.
Yeah. Uh, get a Ben Zula is to join Deezer as COO. She says, I couldn't be more thrilled about joining the amazing Deezer team and being part of the company's future success. She joined from spark networks, eight
dating company. Bizarre name she's German. She joins from a us dating company and she'll be working in Paris. Uh, good for Gita. Um, aria Brachey, uh, is, uh, leaving her position as writer for hot hotspot, a podcast newsletter. Uh, she will be, uh, focusing on her own podcast. Um, so, uh, aria, uh, many congratulations on focusing on your own podcast, which is a good thing.
Uh, hotpot has a new lead writer called Ariel Shapiro, um, who was writing about showbiz and podcasting and various other things in Forbes, and then working on a cartoon for Viacom, CBS, um, which is interesting. Uh, so, uh, she will be, um, joining, uh, hot pod, which I gather is a podcast industry newsletter, um, uh, tell, uh, sold to me by, by Vox media that owns the company as the preeminent podcast industry newsletter, to which I replied.
I'll get this news into the preeminent podcast industry. Useless. And, uh, to give, to give awed awed her, do she, um, she emailed me back and said, you can't have more than one preeminent newsletter. Absolutely. You can. So anyway, it will be interesting seeing how, uh, how Hotpod, uh, goes. It will be, um, just speaking very selfishly. It would be really good to have something which is a little bit more. A little bit more settled for hot pod.
It's had, I think something like five new lead reporters in the last six months or so, uh, ever since Nick left, uh, it would be really good to have one person who we can actually, you know, see and can make a name for themselves and who can break some of the bigger stories. So that'd be good. Now,
your favorite time of the week, James it's booster Graham corner booster Graham
corner. Oh yes, it is. It's Postagram corner. And what is so exciting actually this week in Boostgram corners? Yes. We've got a boost from Dave Jones, but we've also got posts from other people who haven't boosted us before, which is really good, exciting. So that's a good thing. And that shows, I think a, um, Uh, that shows some quite welcomed change for boosts, which, um, have always, I don't know, seemed to me over the last couple of months as being something which has had stagnated a bit.
So it's great to see some more names on there. Dave Jones though, starting with a big rush boost, um, saying, well, one or both of you be in Dallas, in August for podcast movement. I'm trying to figure out my beer budget. Um, obviously Sam, you don't drink beer, but, um, you had some fancy, uh, some fancy wine or something when I saw you in, uh, in, uh, LA. But are you, are you coming to podcast movement in
Dallas? No. It looks like you and I, James will be in London. Um, so yeah, the beer budget there, or J Dave, if you will coming over would be well-spent. But sadly now neither of us will be in Dallas.
I will be in Dallas, but you will, you. Yes, but you will, you, you will not. Ah, so they're kind of got to be in Dallas. Dallas weirdly is a local flight for me. It's a straight it's direct from S from Sydney to Dallas. It's only a 17 hour flights. Um, but, uh, yes, looking forward to, um, going to that, but, uh, yes. So Dave, don't, don't worry about Sethi.
Um, it wouldn't have drunk the beer anyway, um, but I will, I will definitely be there and looking forward to something which is quite nice and hoppy. So thank you for that. George Dom from fail better media,
just as you're talking about localized audio and maps.fm, maybe you could have the founders of low Podio dot D E on there doing something with localized podcasting, and you'll take on. That would be interesting. Well, we're very happy to invite them if they're a re
yes, lo Podio dot D E I will go and take a peek at that. I'm an advisor for maps.fm. So if the Podio dot D is doing something interesting, it's always good to find out. Thank you very much or Georg, I should say. Thank you very much for your, uh, for your tip. That's a, that's a super good. And for the 2000 sets and, uh, Scott from talking beard. Www.talkingbeards.com, uh, 8,008 sites using fountain. Thank you.
Love the interview with Harry again, you've got a French, so much great content and information. I will have to relisten to that again. Thank you both for all that you do while at Scott, don't forget that there's also transcripts of course, on the, uh, on the Buzzsprout, uh, website for us, uh, at pod land.news,
moving swiftly on then, uh, event corner. So we just talked about you go to Dallas. I wasn't going no. Um, haven't got a shotgun. Um, I need a license to go there now. Uh, event quarter, yes, podcast London, uh, that's fast coming out wrong round our May 25th, 26th. We will be
there at that one. It is. And in two weeks time, we'll be talking to Tom Billington who has been putting together the program for the, um, the big, uh, day events, uh, if you would like to be there, uh, and you would like to grab a day pass, then you can do use the pod news promo code, which is pod news, surprisingly enough. And you can save 20% off, a limited number of day passes. Um, so if they haven't all gone yet, um, then that's a good.
Um, and yeah, looking forward to it, looking forward to perhaps taking in some shows as well. I noticed that, um, uh, Mayo and Kermode, or is it Kermode and Mayo? I can never remember. It's like add some deck, isn't it? Um, uh, I know that they're doing a live show the previous nights. So looking forward to, um, perhaps, um, uh, going in and seeing that that should be fun. Um, but, uh, yes, uh, very much looking forward to the podcast show London.
It is a two day conference and a week's worth of live shows on may the 25th and 26 is when the two day conference, uh, is on. And if you're going, then that will be lovely. In fact, if you're going, please, could you email us, uh, comments at Podland. Uh, because we would like to know who is going and we'd like to perhaps, uh, organize, um, some, uh, hoppy substance or indeed, um, some, uh, grape, um, grape derive drink, uh, for, for the Seth is of this world.
Um, uh, while we're there, uh, it will be really good to meet a bunch of people. So if you are going to do let us know [email protected], uh, and we'd love to know.
And for all other events, if you'd like to know more, go to pod.events on pod news, and you'll find all of the other event listings there.
How has your week been? Uh, uh, Sam? Have you done anything exciting?
We had a crazy week again, James. Uh, we're starting up all the, uh, local outdoor festivals for the summer, which has been great fun. Uh, the latest one we've signed up is Newbury race course who will be doing something called party in the paddock. So it's racing in the day and then a party at night. And some reason they've asked little old me to the warmup act for Craig David to 20,000 people. Wow. Oh my God.
Craig Davis. Well, there's a thing. Wow. Wait, uh, well, that'll be cool. That'll be cool. So when is that?
That's the 16th of July, Saturday, the 16th of July. And it looks like as well. I'm also going to be doing the warm-up act for madness at Windsor race course as well. So gosh, oh gosh.
What, what, uh, what, what, what is entailed in your warmup act it's playing on that? Will you, will you be, will you be going out and telling them what's happens in the podcasting world?
Yeah,
no. Everybody is time for your favorite bit. It's boosted.
No, no. See that might not come up, but you never know if I run out of records to play, I might have to go back to podcasting. Um, yeah. I had no idea why I even said yes to these things, but, uh, I have now, so move on. Wow. Yeah, that was the one thing that happened
this week. For me, Sam Sethi and his wheels of steel. Uh, well, this week I was. I interviewed for a German advertising conference, um, at the end of the month. So they interviewed me on video just in case the live link doesn't work. It's one of those. Um, but, uh, so that was fun weirdly they've they asked me lots of questions and then they're going to ask me only a few on the day. Um, so I think, I think it was a test to see if I knew what I was talking about. Uh, so that's fun.
Uh, and also I I'm apparently judging the New Zealand radio awards. I have no idea why I didn't say no to those. Cause I normally say no to judging things because it takes so much time cause I like to do it properly. Um, but, um, I must've said yes. Um, so looking forward to having a, listen to a bit of Kiwi radio, uh, over the next couple of weeks. Um, and um, no idea what, um, what category I'm judging yet. And even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you, uh, but, uh, that should be fun.
So that should be good. Good fun too, to have a go with, I think how's your radio station going, Sam? Well, what was your first record that you play? So the
first record was, uh, I think it was an ELO track. No, it wasn't an Elektra now you've caught me out, James. My brain can't think that's awful. Isn't it? Yeah, it's just been a blur, James, but it's been really good. Um, we've, we've been picked up further than we thought we'd be picked up on the audience. Growth has been really good cause we can track it cause it's purely digital. Um, and yeah, you know, we're starting to put in place our marketing, so yeah.
Give us, give us a few months and the numbers should look really healthy.
Oh, good. Well, if you want to hear, uh, Sam's spinning his, uh, his wheels of steel, then river.radio is the place to go. And that's it for this week. If you liked Portland, tell others to visit, tell your friends on Twitter on LinkedIn or Facebook or wherever you like. You
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