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PodMov Daily: Thursday, June 11

Episode 224: Your Thursday Podthoughts

Wired: How Podhero Plans to Change Podcast Advertising

The new service Podhero, which launched last week, intends to make waves. Boone Ashworth of Wired spoke with founder and CEO Pete Curley, who is determined to carve out a financial alternative to advertising. How? By charging listeners a $5.99 monthly subscription fee, divided among the creators they support.

Podhero aggregates through Apple’s podcast API, and therefore works with over 1 million shows from around the world, Ashworth explains. Though “for Podhero’s charitable business model to work, it relies on two very big asks from listeners: to sign up for another subscription service, in order to pay for something they could get for free elsewhere.”

Curley isn’t a fan of Spotify’s data collection or monopolizing practices, and makes a strong argument for his model over Patreon and Luminary. He tells Ashworth, “I do believe that the company that figures out how to monetize podcasts in whatever form, whether it’s Spotify or us, that’s at least a $30 billion company.”

The Irish Times: Why is Podcast Monetization Lagging?

Where is the monetization of Ireland’s exploding podcast market? Mike Sheridan of The Irish Times looks into the lag with industry professionals and podcasters. There are several reasons “why Irish brands – at least bigger ones – are hesitant to jump on the podcasting train.” For now, creators are largely self- or fan-funded.

“Despite Acast […] setting up shop in Ireland last year it seems to be a slow process, with brands cautious about aligning themselves with such a loose format where control and approval are difficult to obtain,” Sheridan writes. The country’s biggest media agency cites “the lack of data around performance – it is very hard to prove the value and therefore effectiveness for a sponsor.”

Blindboy, creator of the wildly popular Blindboy Podcast, has another angle: “I see a culture in Irish advertising which is motivated by a fear of risk. This attitude then stifles creative thinking, which results in solutions that are neither risky or creative but safe. And safe usually means something which was exciting four years ago.”

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Here's what else is going on:

• New friends: On Wednesday, June 17 Acast will host Aclass: Queer Voices, a workshop for queer creators looking to break into podcasting. The two-section virtual event includes a panel and presentation with special guests. RSVP required; check in here.

• Tuned in: According to James Cridland, “Podcasting is growing in South Africa, and growing fast.” Despite relatively low listenership, major growth can be expected based on consumption data from 2019 and global factors like standard measurement.

• Always tip: Is hiring freelance help for podcasting realistic? According to Lindsay Harris Friel of The Podcast Host, the web-based directory Fiverr may be a solid resource to find out. Professional services include editing, production, show notes, and cover art.

• Voting booth: On July 1, nominations will open for the 15th Annual People’s Choice Podcast Awards. Shows must be registered by July 31 to be eligible. Participants are encouraged to review the 2020 rules, which were updated to create more opportunities.