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We’ve bought a bunch of stories in podcast world, however first, an announcement: Sizzling Pod Summit is BACK, child! We now have some actually nice stuff cooking that I can’t wait to share.
I’m excited to announce that Sizzling Pod Summit is returning to Brooklyn on February twenty eighth, 2024, as a part of On Air Fest for a day of in-depth talks, intimate conversations, and business networking. The invite-only summit is our method of kicking off the yr in podcasting and speaking about what’s on everybody’s minds — I’m desirous to see you all, catch up, and listen to what everybody’s considering.
We’ll have extra to share about programming within the new yr. For now, tell us when you’re excited by attending proper right here. We’ll be sending out our first invites early subsequent yr.
The summit will kick off On Air Fest Brooklyn and is hosted along side our buddies at work x work. Each occasions will probably be held on the Wythe Lodge, with On Air Fest operating from February twenty eighth by means of March 1st. (It’s a bissextile year!)
On Air Fest has a implausible lineup deliberate, together with a stay story from Twenty Thousand Hertz creator Dallas Taylor, The Allusionist with Helen Zaltzman, Design Issues Reside with Debbie Millman, Talkhouse Reside, Sing for Science, and appearances from a bunch of different acquainted faces. The competition can also be planning sonic artwork installations, networking moments, and events — you’ll be able to see the complete lineup and purchase tickets right here.
There will probably be extra particulars on each Sizzling Pod Summit and On Air Fest quickly. Wanting ahead to seeing you all subsequent yr!
SiriusXM is simplifying its inventory construction as a part of its firm makeover
Extra adjustments are coming to SiriusXM as firm leaders try to pull it into the longer term. SiriusXM is merging with its largest shareholder, Liberty Media’s SiriusXM monitoring inventory group, to kind a brand new public firm with one class of inventory and no majority shareholder.
Wall Avenue seems to approve, with the refill about 4 % on the information. “We view the conclusion as constructive to SIRI due to benefits from higher liquidity, lower complexity and potentially future index inclusion,” Wells Fargo analyst Steve Cahall wrote in a word. There may be not a lot occurring in a method that immediately impacts shoppers, however the transfer hopefully makes it simpler for buyers by giving SiriusXM a traditional, simple construction versus the weirdo setup it has now.
It seems to be one other try by the corporate to modernize. Final month, SiriusXM previewed a revamped, consolidated app that appears and acts rather more like different streaming apps in the marketplace. Having hemorrhaged subscribers this previous yr, the stress is on for the corporate to draw youthful, paying clients.
Spotify cuts advert and distribution cope with Warner Bros. Discovery
Excellent news is difficult to return by at Spotify proper now, however Megaphone simply bought a giant new consumer. The podcast host lower a cope with Warner Bros. Discovery, which incorporates TV manufacturers like CNN and HBO which have produced common podcasts lately like All There Is with Anderson Cooper and The Official Sport of Thrones Podcast: Home of the Dragon.
WBD may also use Spotify Viewers Community as one in every of its advert gross sales companions. The deal contains exhibits from the WB a part of the WBD portfolio, together with Turner Traditional Motion pictures’ The Plot Thickens and WBD Sports activities’ The Steam Room. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, this announcement comes shortly after WBD lower a cope with Acast to host and monetize exhibits from the manufacturers previously of Discovery, like Meals Community, Journey Channel, and HGTV.
Layoffs at TWiT, buyouts at KCRW
The business’s robust yr isn’t over but. Podnews experiences that This Week in Tech (TWiT), one of many earliest podcast networks, introduced that it had laid off longtime hosts Jason Howell and Ant Pruitt and editor Victor Bognot. TWiT founder and host Leo Laporte stated the community has suffered from a downturn in promoting and had an ominous message for listeners: “Radio got about 100 years, podcasting got a decade. That’s about it.”
In the meantime, NPR member station KCRW in Santa Monica is dealing with a $3 million shortfall, in line with the Los Angeles Instances, and is trying to stave off layoffs with voluntary buyouts. Staffers have till December 18th to resolve whether or not to take the deal.
As we method the top of this bleak yr for podcasting, I might be shocked if this have been the final of the layoffs.
I’ll be again Thursday for Insiders with an interview with Laporte how we bought right here and what comes subsequent.