PodMov Daily: Friday, October 23

Episode 313: Week Download Complete

How Hard Conversations Became a Thriving Podcast Network

When Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs met last year, they found themselves “members of the sh–iest club.” Both had tragically lost brothers to the opioid epidemic. They spoke with Tim Greiving of The LA Times about Lemonada Media, the podcast network they built in response.  

Last Day, their first podcast, explores opioids and heroin in its first season. It continues to resonate with millions. “If our goal is to talk about hard things, and they keep happening, we have to be able to meet the moment,” says Wachs. Lemonada is closing in on 1 million downloads/listens per month.

With podcasts like The Untold Story: Policing and In Recovery, Lemonada takes on complex issues in a cathartic way. The approach is popular and promising: The network raised $1.38 million in seed funding this year. Kramer and Wachs will join PM Virtual as keynote panelists next Thursday.

Duolingo's New Podcast Blends True Crime and Spanish Learning

The language learning app Duolingo has launched “the world’s first bilingual true crime podcast designed for people learning Spanish,” reports Kim Lyons of The Verge. El Gran Robo Argentino tells the story of a $20 million bank heist in Buenos Aires. Podcast host and journalist Martina Castro narrates.

“For the Spanish podcast episodes, native speakers tell stories in easy-to-understand Spanish alongside English narration by Castro,” Lyons explains. “The bilingual structure, which alternates between Spanish and English, lets English speakers follow along with the story without getting lost.”

The 6-episode series is the ninth season of Duolingo’s Spanish podcast. Since its launch in 2017, it’s been downloaded over 39 million times. The El Gran Robo Argentino model could be a great fit for independent creators as well. Intense storytelling and language learning are a blend of endless possibility.

The Contract Vault: Expert Legal Protection for Podcasters

For podcasters with growing shows and networks, legal contracts are a part of doing business. The Contract Vault specializes in reliable, affordable contracts that give you security — not stress. With unlimited access to attorney-drafted, industry specific contracts, you can focus with peace of mind.

Podcasters need specific legal protection, especially hobby and independent creators. You’ll be fully covered from co-host and producer agreements to guest consents. These contracts leave zero chance of copyright infringement, and loopholes are closed to ensure you get paid every single time, on time. 

Every contract in The Contract Vault is authored by Andrea Sager, the go-to attorney for hobby and independent podcasters. Plan benefits include live Q&A group calls each month, so you can build your business worry-free. Ready to experience contract bliss? Visit on IG and come say hi.

Here's what else is going on:

• Group chat: Spotify’s first daily morning show, The Get Up, combines radio-style talk with personalized music. (Selections are based on recent listening.) The prerecorded ‘podcast’ focuses on news, pop culture, and entertainment, though only one of three hosts is a journalist.

• Shine on: “Have you ever let one negative review ruin your day?” asks Yilei Yang, the developer of dA 5Star. The app reminds you of your podcast’s most positive reviews by displaying them on your iOS 14 Home screen. dA 5Star was made for developers, who know the struggle.

• Genius bar: Applications are now open for Transom’s Winter 2021 Story Mentorship. Six experienced audio producers will be selected for the 6-week online training, featuring guest instructors like Sruthi Pinnamaneni of Gimlet’s Reply All. Applications are due December 4th.

• Easy now: “Descript doesn’t want to replace your DAW,” the company tells podcasters. Descript’s guide to pro-level production explains how its tools are used for “organizing tape, creating rough cuts, and collaboration, before switching over to your DAW for mixing and mastering.”