PodMov Daily: Wednesday, March 10

Episode 387: Your Midweek Update

Apple Podcasts Switching from ‘Subscribe’ to ‘Follow’

Apple Podcasts will replace the word ‘subscribe’ with ‘follow,’ according to a Podnews exclusive. This small change may have dramatic impact: It clarifies to non-podcast listeners that (most) shows cost nothing. Look at subscriptions from news to wine clubs, and the misinterpretation makes perfect sense.

“Today, Apple, Spotify, and YouTube are the three most widely used services to play podcasts, and now the word Subscribe means ‘automatically download for free’ in exactly none of them,” Edison Research SVP Tom Webster tells Podnews. In (clear) Webster vernacular, he expands on this “Very Good Thing.”

Podnews editor James Cridland agrees that the adaptation is long past due: “The word ‘subscribe’ has been confusing potential listeners for more than fifteen years. It’s time for every podcast app to copy Spotify, Stitcher, Apple and Amazon by using ‘follow’ — and for every podcaster to follow their lead.”

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Rumble Strip: Podcast Interview Editing is Sculpture

Named the best podcast of 2020 by The Atlantic, Rumble Strip by Erica Heilman is renowned for its depth of conversation. Jesse Staniforth for Timber.fm spoke with Heilman about her blunt, poignant approach to interviewing. The independent show’s tagline is “Good conversation that takes its time.”

“There’s all of this learning from another person that you can actually hear in an interview — it impacts the sound of an interview,” Heilman says. “So if you’re only paying attention to the questions and the answers, you’re missing half the fun.” The stories she’s collected across Vermont don’t miss a drop.

Heilman’s podcast sounds like no one else’s because she’s “inevitably ready to push for deeper and truer statements,” Staniforth writes. Next, Heilman digs into the “sculpture” of editing Rumble Strip and her famously disarming talks with artists and criminals, taxidermists and soccer moms, lawyers and waitresses.

Ramsey Call of the Day: 10 Minutes with Money Experts

For nearly 30 years, money expert and national radio host Dave Ramsey has delivered life-changing advice to listeners. With the new podcast Ramsey Call of the Day, 10 minutes is all you need to get quality, common-sense guidance when you need it the most.  

Starting Monday, July 20, you’ll hear from experts like Dave Ramsey, Ken Coleman, Rachel Cruze, Chris Hogan, Anthony ONeal and Dr. John Delony every weekday. Callers from The Dave Ramsey Show have challenges just like yours — tune in for timely solutions you can trust.

Whether it’s knocking out debt or dealing with loss of income, Dave’s team inspires real people to overcome real concerns. Ready to build a more confident future in 10 minutes a day? Subscribe to Ramsey Call of the Day wherever you get your podcasts.

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Here's what else is going on:

• Hard proof: Twitter Spaces plans to eventually let users record conversations, reports Ashley Carman of The Verge. The idea of native recording “sets Spaces up to be a direct funnel to podcasting.” However, Carman observes that the company doesn’t appear interested in close alignment.

• Trophy case: Lantigua Williams & Co. has launched the Podcasting, Seriously Awards Fund to help cover submission fees for QTBIPOC independent audio producers. The Fund is “committed to supporting 200+ producer award submissions each year, disbursing at least $20,000 annually.” 

• Moon shoes: Enjoy drifting off to sleep with headphones on? As medical experts tell Allyson Chiu of the Washington Post, podcasts and pillows can get along: “Here are their recommendations for addressing your relaxation needs while protecting your hearing and your quality of sleep.”

• Slow roll: Writing for audio takes some adjustments if you’re used to print, says documentary podcaster Wil Treasure. His writing tips focus on simplicity, narration, and the power of the pause. “Listeners and readers might be the same people, but they interact with your work differently.”