Hit podcast SmartLess leaving Amazon for SiriusXM. And taking its 4 other shows.

It is a time of shaking loose from original network partnerships. Just as Joe Rogan and Alex Cooper are changing their exclusive relationships with Spotify, the hit podcast SmartLess is leaving its parent network Amazon Music and will be exclusively tied to SiriusXM for distribution and ad sales. Click for more. Continue Reading

Dr. Seuss enters podcasting with Wondery

Dr. Seuss Enterprises, owner of the epochal children’s books, is partnering with Wondery to enter podcasting. Rather than make literal audio dramas of the books, the approach of this partnership appears to create original content in audio. It drops September 18 and is an exclusive presentation; only Wondery+ users will gain access. Lots more details here. Continue Reading

Ex-NPR star launches “Your Mama’s Kitchen” via Acast/Higher Ground alliance

Acast announces a new podcast called Your Mama’s Kitchen, spawned from the company’s partnership with Higher Ground, the podcast company launched by Michelle and Barack Obama. Acast announced its sales and distribution deal with Higher Ground in April. This new show is the first result of that alliance. Click for details and a link to listen. Continue Reading

Audacy splits from American Public Media partnership in costly separation

Audacy has separated from an ad-sales agreement with American Public Media, clarifying a remark made by Audacy CEO David Field in a recently published quarterly earning statement. No reason or explanation has yet emerged. But in Audacy’s Q2 earning statement, David Field referred to an unnamed break-up which he called “onerous.” Click for details. Continue Reading

Alex Cooper (“Call Her Daddy”) launches Gen Z podcast network

Leading podcast entrepreneur and Spotify star Alex Cooper, creator of Call Her Daddy, is forming a podcast company with her fiancee Matt Kaplan (Founder/CEO of ACE Entertainment). The company is called The Unwell Network. This enterprise does not change Cooper’s exclusive licensing of Call Her Daddy on Spotify. Continue Reading

Podcast company Realm acquires Pinna and Lipstick & Vinyl; leaps into new categories

In an eye-opening double acquisition, scripted podcast company Realm has acquired kids podcast network Pinna and podcast-plus-representation company Lipstick & Vinyl. In this grab, Realm instantly expands into unscripted shows with both companies, and gains more in-house podcast ad representation. Continue Reading

iHeartMedia forges partnership with LinkedIn for launching, resourcing, and promoting podcasts

iHeartMedia is breaking news about the audio behemoth’s new partnership with business-oriented social media platform LinkedIn. Broadly, the agreement intends to support creators produce, launch, and scale podcasts. From iHeart’s perspective, the goal is to pair its infrastructure and distribution… Continue Reading

Legendary pod network TWiT signs with LibSyn/AdvertiseCast for DAI and programmatic

In a notable piece of dealmaking, LibSyn has acquired the podcast ad-monetization business for This Week in Tech (TWiT), one of the most venerable podcast networks. TWiT was founded by tech/podcast celebrity Leo Laporte in 2005, and was one of the world’s first all-tech podcast networks. AdvertiseCast will use its Automatic Ads solution to dynamically fill TWiT’s unsold inventory. Click for more detail.
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