Supporting Cast: Slate’s bid to help publishers build membership programs
As the Swedish dust from last week’s Spotify acquisition-palooza continues to settle, there’s no time to wait. Slate, the veteran digital media company and purveyor of fine podcasts, announced this morning that it’s beginning to roll out something called Supporting Cast, a new technology service meant to help podcast publishers set up paid subscription layers […]
Tracking: February 12, 2019
Quick Flashback. From the May 10, 2016 issue: … the tension between the two communities with very separate needs and beliefs that share the same infrastructure is very real. It’s podcasts-as-blogs versus podcasts-as-future of radio, it’s the independents versus the corporate. But whatever happens with Apple, we’re going to have to confront this question. The […]
A Subscription Platform Expands into Audio
Substack, a subscription platform startup founded by Hamish McKenzie and Christopher Best that so far has focused on helping writers develop paid newsletter programs, announced this week that it’s beginning to provide support for paid podcast initiatives.
A New Podcast Company, Himalaya, Raises $100 Million
We’re in the silly season now.
Follow-ups to Spotify-Gimlet
I need a break from spilling out my brain juice on this subject, if only because I require some time to process and get a clearer view on the bigger picture. In the meantime, some details to clock that didn’t make the emergency newsletter bonanza…
Breaking: Spotify closes Gimlet deal, also acquires Anchor
Told you Spotify wasn’t done shopping. This morning, the Swedish streaming company announced that it has closed the Gimlet acquisition, and that it had additionally acquired another podcast company: Anchor, the podcast hosting-and-monetization platform founded by Michael Mignano and Nir Zicherman. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed Here’s the press release, and here’s the […]
Gimlet/Spotify, or The End (of an Era)
Quiet weekend, huh? In case you missed it, Spotify is reported to be in “advanced talks” to acquire Gimlet Media. Recode and the Wall Street Journal both broke the news late Friday. And let me tell ya: my inbox hasn’t seen as much action as it did over the past seventy-two hours or so than […]
Switched On Pop joins Vox Media Podcast Network
Vox Media has added Switched On Pop, a popular independent music podcast by Charlie Harding and Nate Sloan, to its podcast network. The show will officially re-launch next month as Vox’s first music-centered podcast, and will publish on a weekly basis. This is Vox Media’s first external podcast signing, though Harding and Sloan will retain […]