See you soon! The Daily will be on summer break next week, returning after the July 4 holiday. Stay safe, stay kind.

PodMov Daily: Friday, June 24

Episode 673: Week Download Complete

Special Issue: A Pre-Break Podcasting Variety Pack

In advance of the break next week, this Friday issue is a podcasting snack pack. A variety show. A charcuterie board, if you’re fancy. Beneath the mini features there’s a mega-list of upcoming events, including a treat for our Australian friends and an exciting free festival coming to Virginia in October.

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Apple Podcasts Connect (briefly) goes dark tomorrow. Due to scheduled maintenance, the service will be unavailable for up to three hours starting at 6:00 am PT. This is your reminder to complete any critical deliveries or changes ahead of time.

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Julie Shapiro is leaving Radiotopia and PRX. After six years of leadership at the independent network, she’ll be joining British podcast studio Novel. Shapiro wrote an essay last fall that every podcaster should read. Like all good things, it begins with Snoop Dogg’s comments on dressage in the Olympics.

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Need an excuse to not listen to someone’s podcast? To help you “decline politely,” Mark Suroviec (WorkPlay Solutions) has come up with 29 ready-made cop outs. Keep it simple with “I don’t have ears,” or dig a little deeper: “It’s against my religion. A religion with very strict rules that I made up 2 minutes before I got your text message.”

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Give us your questions for podcast listeners. PM is planning a study involving thousands of them, and research will be based on creators’ responses to this survey. Please share your thoughts! It will take five minutes tops, even if you overthink every question. (I would know.) Results will be presented at PM22 in August.

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Reply All has ended. Next stop? In the show’s final episode, founding co-host Alex Goldman spun a dream for his next project: A TV drama following the iconic Crypt Keeper after “Tales From the Crypt” gets canceled. That’s right: A cackling animatronic puppet, dealing with life as a single dad trying to make ends meet in Hollywood. 

There’s so much more I want to write, but will leave it at this. Thanks to Alex Goldman, thousands of us know a.) how to track down a spam call kingpin and b.) that it’s perfectly normal to sit down in the shower sometimes. The end of Reply All will lead to something special, and we’ll be ready to listen.

Who Are America’s Podcast Creators? Find Out on June 28.

On June 28, The Creators will change our understanding of the podcast industry. From Sounds Profitable, this is the first credible study of podcast creators in America. Based on four quarters of data from Edison Podcast Metrics, these demographics have been impractical to observe until now.

The report will also look at social media behaviors, platforms, preferred genres, and even paid subscription behaviors. This valuable data will highlight key opportunities to improve industry diversity and identify areas that need more investment and outreach that can inform a better path forward.

The study is supported by Edison Research and nine sponsors who care about the space and those whose voices power it. Stay curious, podcasters – Bryan Barletta and Tom Webster will present a free, 30-minute webinar on Tuesday, June 28 at 1:00 pm ET. After the webinar, the presentation will be made available to all.

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Here's what else is going on (in order):

• Mind’s eye: “How to Tell Visual Stories in Sound” from Radio Boot Camp is this Sunday, June 26. 99% Invisible producer Chris Berube will discuss the challenges of podcasting about architecture, the keys to his writing process, and solutions for helping listeners see what you see. $100 registration.

• Warp speed: “The Future of Audio Monetization” from SquadCast is Tuesday, June 28. Community Manager Arielle Nissenblatt and Dan Daugherty of Sounder will discuss the latest adtech that can unlock the value of episode archives, drive higher CPMs, and clarify results. Free registration.

• Group chat: “Stories of Pride” from Podbean is on Tuesday, June 28 at 3:00 pm ET. Motzie Dapul (Hi Nay) will host a live storytelling event with a multi-genre panel of LGBTQIA+ podcasters. Guests include Anna DeShawn (The Qube) and Nicholas McInerny (Rainbow Dads). Free registration.

• Pitch perfect: “What CAN We Podcast?” from Pod People is Wednesday, June 29. A professional podcast pitcher will discuss what makes a standout pitch and how to get it in front of the right eyes. Next, attendee groups will create their own pitches and vote on the best to win an expert 1:1 session.

• Real talk: “Finding Your Voice as a Narrative Series Host” is Wednesday, June 29 at 4:00 pm ET. Journalist Jenna Spinelle, host of Democracy Works and founder of The Democracy Group, will share her wisdom in this week’s Twitter Spaces from Podcasting, Seriously. No account needed.

• Fan favorite: “How to Make Your Podcast Recommendable” is Thursday, June 30. BIPOC Podcast Creators will host Evo Terra (Podcast Pontifications) for a live talk on the power of word-of-mouth recommendations, what makes a show shareable, and key steps to get there. $35 registration.

• Cruise director: “How to Be a Better Host” from Radio Boot Camp is Thursday, June 30. NPR host Christina Shockley will lead a workshop on hooking the listener’s ear, including tips for speaking authentically, capturing the show’s tone, and displaying your personality. $100 registration.

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• The Allusionist is coming to Australia. Between July 7 and 27, Helen Zaltzman and ‘house band’ Martin Zaltz Austwick will perform a new live show in four cities. Your Name Here is “all about eponyms, full of facts and fun, and with some probably regrettable musical numbers.” If you’ve never heard this ‘podcast about language,’ go anyway. 

• Going east: Resonate: A Richmond Podcast Festival is coming up October 14-15 in Virginia. All workshops, performances, and exhibitions are free. Sessions cover all aspects of production, and AIR Media pros will be on hand to answer questions. We’ll let you know when tickets are available.