Jacobs
CHOICE HOTELS Sr. Dir./Marketing and Distribution Strategy and Operations BETH JACOBS is joining the CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING as VP/Digital Strategies, effective MARCH 25th. JACOBS, who previously oversaw mobile development at THE WASHINGTON POST and AOL and held marketing and business executive positions at COX ENTERPRISES, THE WEATHER CAHNNEL, AT&T, and other firms, will work with CPB Chief Content and Innovation Officer MAJA MRKOCI on the organization's development of digital media strategies for public radio and TV operations. more »
Dietl
CUMULUS News-Talk WABC-A/NEW YORK’s OG PODCAST NETWORK has added a podcast hosted by former NEW YORK detective and private investigator BO DIETL. “ONE TOUGH PODCAST” debuted YESTERDAY (3/18) with SEAN HANNITY as the opening guest, to be followed on MARCH 25th by an episode with WABC host and GUARDIAN ANGELS founder CURTIS SLIWA as the guest.
DIETL said, " I am extremely excited to bring my podcast to the OG network and am thrilled about all the opportunities this platform will provide the show and our audience. I want to thank SEAN HANNITY and CURTIS SLIWA very much for being my first guests. I couldn't wish for better premiere guests. I hope our audience has as much fun enjoying the podcast episodes as we did recording them!" more »
The third year of JACOBS MEDIA's "Broadcasters Meet Podcasters" track at PODCAST MOVEMENT will see the schedule of radio-centric sessions expand to two-and-a-half days.
“Three years ago when we hosted our first ‘Broadcasters Meet Podcasters’ event, attendance was nice but the broadcasters were there just to see what it was all about,” said JACOBS MEDIA Pres. FRED JACOBS. “The past year was a watershed year as broadcasters have gotten serious about podcasting. Major acquisitions, partnerships, mergers, new content, and emerging stars are part of the conversation. So, JACOBS MEDIA’s ‘Broadcasters Meet Podcasters’ is expanding to keep pace.” more »
New Podcast
The LADYGANG ON PODCASTONE NETWORK is debuting a new podcast, "SHOWMANCE," on MARCH 28th. The show, looking at "best friend-duos born from some of the biggest TV shows and movies," is hosted by former "GLEE" actors KEVIN MCHALE and JENNA USHKOWITZ.
In a press release, the hosts are quoted as saying, “We’re always being asked about doing a GLEE reunion, so we decided to do the GLEE reunion nobody asked for. We met working together over a decade ago and have been best friends ever since. We decided to do the podcast because we wanted to talk to other people who have formed life-long relationships through work and hear their experience. Also, we just like hearing ourselves talk.”
LADYGANG hosts KELTiE KNIGHT, BECCA TOBIN, and JAC VANEK, also quoted as a group in the release, said, "JENNA and KEVIN are good friends of ours and have been some of our favorite guests on our podcast and TV show. Adding SHOWMANCE to the LADYGANG ON PODCASTONE NETWORK is so organic and lets us relive the pop culture moment when the world thought these two were a couple. We get to dive into the innerworkings of a dynamic friendship and we just love them.”
Another Le Batard Friend
Another ESPN AUDIO podcast has moved under the network's LE BATARD AND FRIENDS PODCAST NETWORK banner with the move of "MARTY SMITH'S AMERICA: THE PODCAST" under DAN LE BATARD's umbrella. SMITH's show becomes the fifth podcast in LE BATARD's network, along with LE BATARD's own "SOUTH BEACH SESSIONS," JON "STUGOTZ" WEINER's "STUPODITY," "THE MINA KIMES SHOW FEATURING LENNY," and "THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID WITH SARAH SPAIN."
SMITH, the colorful ESPN commentator who began with the network as a NASCAR correspondent in 2006, started the podcast in MARCH 2018; he co-hosts the SATURDAY morning "MARTY AND MCGEE" on ESPN RADIO.
New
CADENCE13's newest podcast is a weekly show offering advice to career women, hosted by best-selling author DIANA KANDER. "PROFESSIONAL AF" posted the first episode in a 10-episode run TODAY (3/18), a conversation with JACKIE HUBA, author of "Fiercely You: Be Fabulous and Confident by Thinking Like a Drag Queen."
“’PROFESSIONAL AF’ is for anyone who has ever felt stuck, in a rut, or just not having the kind of impact they feel they’re capable of,” said KANDER. “I want to help listeners harness the power of curiosity and learn the science and habits that can unleash their best selves, and I’m thrilled to partner with CADENCE13 to have the opportunity to do this.”
“DIANA KANDER will deliver a weekly dose of truth, humor, life lessons and valuable advice that will resonate with listeners across the country,” said CADENCE13 Chief Content Officer CHRIS CORCORAN. “’PROFESSIONAL AF’ is an exciting addition to our powerful lineup of original and compelling programming for women.”
PRX and GOOGLE is now accepting applications for round two of the GOOGLE PODCASTS creator program. The podcast accelerator program received thousands of applications from over 100 countries in round one, with six accepted into the program; teams selected in round two will receive training, mentorship, and up to $40,000 in seed funding.
Applications are being accepted through 11:59p (ET) on APRIL 14th; find out more and apply by clicking here.
New Sessions
The 2019 NAB SHOW is adding an "Influencer Series: Sports and Entertainment" to its agenda. The sessions will take place APRIL 8th-9th in the LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER's North Hall.
Among the sessions will be NPR Pres./CEO JARL MOHN in conversation with AMPLIFI MEDIA's STEVE GOLDSTEIN; UNIVISION CEO VINCENT SADUSKY discussing his company's brand and expansion into new platforms; TICKETMASTER Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Sports GREG ECONOMOU on the effect of research and data on the perceived value of sports content to distributors and advertisers; and ENTERTAINMENT STUDIOS Founder/Chairman/CEO BYRON ALLEN on the growth of his company and the launch of his new LOCAL NOW platform.
February
PODTRAC has released its FEBRUARY 2018 ranking of the Top 20 podcasts.
iHEARTRADIO's "THE RON BURGUNDY PODCAST" with WILL FERRELL made its debut in 6th place, and BARSTOOL SPORTS' "CALL HER DADDY" with ALEXANDRA COOPER and SOFIA FRANKLYN made it into the top 20 as well; SERIAL and DAN CARLIN'S HARDCORE HISTORY dropped out of the top 20 this month.
The rankings, which, once again, only include shows opting in for PODTRAC's Podcast Measurement System for the full month (and missing some of the largest shows): more »
The Knowledge You Need To Win
JACOBS MEDIA's TECHSURVEY 2019 will have its debut at the upcoming WORLDWIDE RADIO SUMMIT 2019 at 11a THURSDAY, MARCH 28th. It consists of more than 50,000 respondents, representing well more than 500 radio stations across NORTH AMERICA.
The surveys were completed in JANUARY and FEBRUARY. THE JACOBS MEDIA team has been busily compiling the data and searching for new insights.
Podcasting continues to be a hot topic. In recent years, researchers and analysts have learned a lot about podcast consumption and how people are using on-demand audio. more »
The METROPOLITAN NEW YORK LIBRARY COUNCIL (METRO) has launched a new podcast, "PRESERVE THIS PODCAST," focused on the issue of archiving podcasts as the medium matures. The podcast will highlight best practices and follow several podcast producers as they deal with the threat of digital decay and closing or sale of production entities, networks, and hosting platforms. The first episode will premiere MARCH 21st and subsequent episodes will post every other THURSDAY.
“We've seen how changes in the industry -- from the monetization of hosting and distribution services to the acquisition or dissolution of content production departments -- can affect the availability and continued existence of podcast content,” said host and producer MOLLY SCHWARTZ, who also hosts and produces another podcast for METRO, "LIBRARY BYTEGEIST." “And with the launch of our podcast and workshops we hope to empower podcast producers and address what is an increasingly urgent issue.”
Shows highlighted on the podcast include "HISTORICALLY QUEER," "AN ARM AND A LEG," "SPIRITS," and "THE OLDEST PROFESSION." METRO will also hold workshops on podcast preservation, with the first on MARCH 22nd.
Find out more on preservethispodcast.org.
Unionizing
Hot on the heels of the company's acquisition by SPOTIFY, podcast producer GIMLET MEDIA's staff has voted to unionize under the WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA, EAST. The union said that a "clear majority of the 83-member creative staff has signed union cards and called on management to voluntarily recognize the GUILD as its collective bargaining representative."
WGAE Exec. Dir. LOWELL PETERSON said, “Podcasting is one of the most exciting new media platforms for storytelling and GIMLET is at the forefront of creating compelling content. We welcome the people in this field into our GUILD, where we will work to ensure they are afforded rights and protections like those won by other content creators working in film, television, news and new media.” more »
Go West
Podcast and public radio show FREAKONOMICS RADIO has scheduled its first WEST COAST live tapings for MAY 16th at the SYDNEY GOLDSTEIN THEATER in SAN FRANCISCO and MAY 18th at the THEATER AT THE ACE HOTEL in LOS ANGELES. The appearances are being sponsored by KQED INC. News-Talk KQED/SAN FRANCISCO and SANTA MONICA COLLEGE Triple A-News-Talk KCRW/SANTA MONICA-LOS ANGELES, respectively.
Host STEPHEN J. DUBNER and co-host ANGELA DUCKWORTH will be joined at the LOS ANGELES event by Mayor ERIC GARCETTI; more special guests will be announced before the tapings. Composer LUIS GUERRA, debuting the "FREAKONOMICS RADIO Orchestra," and fact-checker MIKE MAUGHAN of QUALTRICS will also appear at the tapings.
Schiller (Photo: LinkedIn)
The INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING BUREAU has named its former Chairman and COMCAST NBCUNIVERSAL VP/GM SCOTT SCHILLER as its latest Executive-in-Residence. SCHILLER's role will be to provide the IAB with strategic guidance.
"SCOTT is a visionary in this business and an educator, and we are thrilled to have him dedicating his perspective, proficiency, and time to our initiatives, especially during this period of great change for the industry," said IAB CEO RANDALL ROTHENBERG. "He has long been a friend and supporter of the IAB, and this position brings him closer than ever to our efforts to help all businesses adapt to the new demands driven by the direct-to-consumer revolution." more »
PODCAST MOVEMENT has made its first keynote speaker announcement for the 2019 edition of the conference, with "EAR HUSTLE" hosts EARLONNE WOODS and NIGEL POOR as the initial keynoters.
WOODS was recently released from SAN QUENTIN after his sentence was commuted by then-Gov. JERRY BROWN last year, but continues on "EAR HUSTLE," the podcast looking at life behind bars at the notorious CALIFORNIA prison, which will soon enter its fourth season. WOODS, fellow inmate ANTWAN WILLIAMS, and artist POOR created the show in 2016; While in prison, WOODS earned a GED and attended COASTLINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
Find out more about the convention and register here.
