Thursday, September 26, 2019

PodMov Daily: Thursday, September 26

Episode 52: Your Thursday Podthoughts

Talking Local Podcasts and Growing Worldwide: 2019 Radio Show in Dallas

This Thursday the 2019 Radio Show wraps up in Dallas, Texas. The audio and media conference, known as a “gathering of the most creative minds in broadcasting, podcasting and streaming,” has been packed with innovative programming. Our own Dan Franks, President of Podcast Movement, moderated an insightful and entertaining discussion, “Earning Listeners and Advertisers via Local Podcasts.”

The panelists were Sheryl Worsley of Bonneville’s KSL Podcasts (Cold), Amelia Robinson of Cox Media Group Dayton (What Had Happened Was), Rob Walch, VP of Podcaster Relations at Libsyn, and Colby Colb Tyner of Radio One (BackStory with Colby Colb). The onstage experts covered monetizing local podcasts, identifying expectations, connecting with audiences, sponsorship solutions, and more.

Passion Projects: 99% of All Podcasts Make $0

A question many of us have considered or been asked: How much money do podcasters make? “Podcasting is creative work, so flip this question over to other creative work,” writes Jack Rhysider, creator of Darknet Diaries. “You can probably guess that most painters, actors, and musicians make $0. The same is for podcasting.”

The piece presents detailed projections of “big network” revenues, those of individuals like Tim Ferriss and Joe Rogan, and data from Patreon’s top podcast accounts. Income reports and advertising rates aside, Rhysider’s main takeaway is that the original question doesn’t matter: “Getting into podcasts just because you want to make money is the wrong approach to this.”

THE FULL FEATURE

Questlove Partners with iHeart to Release Supreme Episodes

As Fast Company’s Melissa Locker put it, Questlove’s partnership with the iHeartPodcast Network is “good news for people who like good news.” The prolific record producer, drummer, DJ, musical director and author has been podcasting since 2016.

His show Questlove Supreme, “mandatory listening for music fans,” was previously available on Pandora but has been on hiatus. New episodes will be released through iHeart beginning November 6. “On each episode, Questlove gathers five of his closest friends together, as well as a guest […] to talk about their lives, passions, and projects,” Locker writes.

Maya Rudolph, Spike Lee, Common, and John Oliver are just a few of Supreme’s featured visitors. Beyond the podcast, “Questlove will also curate and produce a new slate of iHeartRadio Original content, which will go beyond just music, early next year.”

Here's what else is going on:

Winding road: “You’re working on a story that starts to fall apart.” Reply All’s executive producer, Tim Howard, explains why, if “you can just keep from panicking, your story might follow a path you could never have even imagined.” Transom has his down-to-earth and inspiring manifesto.
Megamedia meld: The New York Times reports that Vox Media, owner of Vox, The Verge, and a strong podcast network, has acquired New York Media — which owns the biweekly print magazine, along with the websites The Cut, Grub Street, Intelligencer, The Strategist and Vulture.
Cult classic: Sydney-based filmmaker and writer Sarah Steel’s award-winning podcast is about the psychology of cults. The “meticulously researched” Lets Talk About Sects explores “charismatic leaders” that throw followers’ “basic morals and ethics” to the wind.
Figure 8: The Digiday Podcast reports that podcasting made up 28% of Slate’s “overall business” in 2018 and will be 50% of revenue this year — “eight figures.” Beyond advertising, 60,000 Slate Plus customers generate subscription revenue for “members-only episodes.”

Brennan Tapp

Brennan is the Managing Editor of Podcast Movement. As the PodMov Daily newsletter czar, she is probably reading or writing at this very moment. Her career has spanned scientific research, academia, and fashion, with clients including The Neiman Marcus Group, Belo + Company, Baylor Scott & White, and Thomson Reuters. She’s glad to have found her home in podcasting and highly recommends "The Memory Palace," which is best listened to on a night drive. She lives in Dallas with her cats, Sushi and Simon.