Sheffield’s brand new podcast festival, Crossed Wires, has had an excellent inaugural outing. Sheffield’s strong track record with events like DocFest, the Children’s Media Conference, and Tramlines made me hopeful for a weekend that combined great shows, industry conversations, and a laid-back vibe… and that’s exactly what I got. I look forward to its growth in the coming years.

Disclaimer, I’m a frequent podcast guest and radio interviewee when someone needs a period education expert (which is not never!). I’m also an avid podcast listener, with my particular tastes leaning toward the nerdy and topical (current faves: Lateral with Tom Scott, The Allusionist with Helen Austwick-Zaltman and No Such Thing as a Fish with the QI team, and, due to my Brooklyn beginnings, I’m a long-time fan of NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!)

I was initially unsure whether my adopted hometown had space for another festival in general or could draw audiences for podcasts specifically. Like many locals, I studied here and loved it so much I stayed, and we are fiercely loyal. Was this truly a homegrown festival? I agreed to come along, attend a few shows and give it a review for Pod Bible. An offer to pay my train fare up to Sheffield was slightly alarming – even the PR team thought I was from The South and needed remuneration to convince me to visit The North. I reassured them that I was so local I would be cycling over, but wouldn’t say no to an invite to the launch party.

Festival posters in the Bethel Chapel space – Photograph: Chella Quint

The opening speeches at the brand new city centre food hall, the Cambridge Street Collective, quickly allayed my fears. It turned out I actually knew several members of the wider team. I recognised some former BBC Sheffield broadcasters and bumped into the Lord Mayor, the Chief Exec of the council, and the South Yorkshire Mayor. Turns out the South Yorkshire Combined Mayoral Authority (SYMCA) and Sheffield City Council have both pledged three years of funding to help the festival get off the ground. I headed to my first show.

Off Air with Jane and Fi at the Crucible Theatre attracted an audience of primarily older women (although Jane and Fi praised the mum who’d brought her daughter and thanked the husband who’d been brought along by his wife for his patience) and included attendees who’d travelled from as far as Wales and South Africa. Jane and Fi’s relaxed performance, with lights up in the room, felt intimate and welcoming. They answered audience questions, chatted, and discussed their transition from the BBC to Times Radio with refreshing honesty, touching on the challenges of accepting advertising but standing firm against gambling and credit ads. The chance to hear these familiar voices in a more candid setting would become a consistent theme of the festival.

Off Air with Jane and Fi at the Crucible Theatre – Photograph: Chella Quint

I headed back to the opening night party which featured outstanding local choir Neighbourhood Voices and a guest DJ set by local legend Self Esteem. (Serious props to Rebecca Lucy Taylor, who consistently lent her time and talents to the festival all weekend long, starting with the opening party and concluding with her session on Sunday with Adam Buxton.)

The next afternoon, I went along to Talk Art at Sheffield City Hall. Held in the smaller basement ballroom, Talk Art featured an engaging interview with local-artist-gone-London Corbin Shaw. Hosts Russell Tovey and Robert Diament asked the questions, and despite not being familiar with the podcast, I found their approach enjoyable and informative. Shaw’s work, which explores themes of toxic masculinity in football fandom and his sense of place and family, was super resonant. I left with a newfound appreciation for his art and the podcast itself. I even got to meet Russell Tovey, whose television work I’ve always loved.

Talk Art with hosts Robert Diament and Russell Tovey plus guest Corbin Shaw – Photograph: Chella Quint

After a brief visit to Kelham Pride, I came back to the city centre to catch Brown Girls Do It Too at the newly renovated Bethel Chapel (all the fringe events were held in a pop-up black box theatre space here). Hosts Poppy Jay and Rubina Pabani captivated the full house with their humour and astute advice about sex and relationships. Their ability to blend serious topics with knowing observational nods to their families’ reactions to talking about (or catching them at) various intimate encounters was appreciated by the most diverse audience I’d seen yet. Their show concluded – as some of their previous live appearances have – with a sharp and triumphant musical number addressing the exoticisation of Asian women, earning them a standing ovation. The atmosphere was electric, and the energy was infectious.

Brown Girls Do It Too – on stage & surrounded by fans – Photograph: Chella Quint

The next day I headed over to The Naked Podcast, another free fringe show in Bethel Chapel, a former homegrown BBC Radio Sheffield production which came back for one night only as an independent outing. For a Naked Podcast, it was all very chaste. Starting in glamorous dressing gowns and then posing coyly in front of some strategically placed foliage, hosts Kat Harbourne and Jenny Elles interviewed Doncaster-born, Burmese-British actress, model and reality TV star Chrissie Wunna in a playful yet empowering session. Their usual openness and Wunna’s frank stories took everyone from giggles to guffaws. The session ended on a particularly heartwarming note, with a shout-out to former Naked Podcast guests in the audience – and a special thanks and birthday singalong to disability activist, former broadcaster (and, full disclosure, good friend of mine) Sam Cleasby. The warmth in the room was real and not just because of the lights keeping the ferns from wilting and revealing and the audience had a lot of affection for this show. I hope it will come back in another incarnation again one day soon.

Kat and Jenny of the Naked Podcast, clothed then hidden by ferns and foliage – Photograph: Chella Quint

Most of the audience went straight from there to The Adam Buxton Podcast at a sold-out Sheffield City Hall. I am on the periphery of Adam and Joe fandom, I caught them on Channel 4 on a visit to the UK as a teen and didn’t quite know what I was watching, but enjoyed it. Although I’m not a regular listener to his podcast, every time I do hear it or see something he’s done I enjoy it, and I’ll be adding it into my rotation. I wasn’t surprised it was sold out: a combination of him and Self Esteem (Rebecca Lucy Taylor) who’s also a fan, were a huge crowd draw, and it was an absolutely amazing show. Wild juxtapositions abounded. After some Buxton-style scathing silliness with AI and a quality interview with Self Esteem, the show ended with her singing a heart-wrenching acapella arrangement of I Do This All The Time with her backup singers… leaving much of the audience of us ‘good sturdy girls’ openly crying… followed immediately by all four women on stage doing a conga line into the wings with not even a wave to the audience, and Adam Buxton shouting goodbye and thanks, and playing a looped video outro sequence where a screenful of cartoon likenesses repeatedly dive into his bottom and are regurgitated to some wacky music. It was all perplexingly wonderful. We were all invited back to Bethel Chapel for a breather.

Adam Buxton on stage and Self Esteem and her singers – Photograph: Ellie Eagle-Skinner

The final show, Katherine Ryan Telling Everybody Everything back at the City Hall, began with her short comedy set followed by an ‘in conversation’ with author and broadcaster Emily Dean. I did actually ask for a plus one for this one to get the full experience of being able to share Katherine Ryan’s ‘can’t unhear that’ moments with a friend, but although we had an extra chuckle over Emily Dean’s obsession with Henry VIII, really the whole room felt like one big hangout, complete with Katherine Ryan herself reminding folks when to get the last train home (even though the show was going longer), and Emily Dean’s adorable dog Raymond roaming the stage (apparently Sheffielders left a good impression on Emily Dean – we are more dog-friendly than Londoners).

Katherine Ryan and Emily Dean (and her dog) thanking the audience – Photograph: Chella Quint

And then, for those who didn’t have to worry about the last train, the festival ended. The verdict? Sceptical at first, but completely won over. Crossed Wires had Big DocFest Energy for me, and that is an excellent thing. The three-year commitment from both the council and SYMCA means there’s a plan for the future. The curation ticked a lot of boxes for me, and clearly even more for everyone else – there were a bunch of sold-out events in both the paid and fringe programmes.

My only critique would be the costs of the paid shows. My experience of having comps for the shows I wanted was unique, and I might not have spent that cash otherwise, but the ‘feel’ of being welcome everywhere was too good not to share with other festival goers in future. I hope next year it’s possible to offer a festival pass, allowing access to all shows for one price (perhaps supplemented by external sales to big draws). Actually, here is my full wishlist as the festival grows: more indie and emerging podcasts, offering an even bigger platform for local voices, improving access by including live captions, and programming in more themed strands, such as my own nerdy faves, plus other popular categories like true crime and politics.

My weekend was filled with laughter, learning, and a strong sense of community, leaving me eager for next year’s event. The festival’s organisation, venues, and overall execution were commendable, and the staff were attentive and ensured accessibility throughout. It has the potential to become a staple in both the podcasting calendar and the Sheffield festival diary. Roll on, Crossed Wires 2025!

Were you at Crossed Wires Festival 2024? What did you enjoy? What would you like to see more of? Let us know in the comments or on social media!

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The Podcast Show 2023 took place at The Business Design Centre, London from the 24th to 25th of May. This was my first Podcast Show and I managed to attend the last day coming down from the Midlands. When you walk into the venue, you’re greeted with a massive purple wall with the names, locations and time of panels and talks. Even though there was a handy app to help you plan your day, this wall did help as I have to admit I did feel overwhelmed with the choices, almost cautious that if you blinked you missed everything.

Nevertheless the app and wall were both a great opportunity to feed your curiosity, as well as filter out and focus on your aims. In between talks I visited some stalls and had some really insightful conversations with independent companies about their goals for the audio industry – each sharing their unique perspective for content. I loved hearing about Whistledown Productions and their process of making a documentary and making my way to Curly Media to discuss their reality TV approach to podcast production. Lastly, I finally met the Pod Bible team in person and attended their “Creating A Community” panel led by Francesca Turauskis. This panel highlighted the importance of collaboration and listening to your audience – Tom Dark (Monkey Tennis – The Alan Partridge Podcast) mentioned getting a Whatsapp number so the audience could send in voicenotes as an example of this.

The “Interviewing The Interviewer” panel on The Rise Up Stage was actually the first talk attended. Hosted by Sali Huges from the Guardian and the panel were Oloni (Laid Bare), Chian Reynolds (from YouTube podcast Grilling) and Char Ellesse (Founder & Director of Girls Will Be Boys). The main aim was to have a conversation regarding the interviewing process – all the way from the research, to the interview and post production. Members of the panel were adamant to point out their platforms were about championing marginalised voices – Char said on her podcast Say It With Your Chest her main concern is not necessarily about the biggest names, “It’s less about profile and more about who’s got something to say.” Oloni agrees that the profile of a guest is not important on Laid Bare. “What I truly wanted was someone who has a story to tell, I don’t care about visibility.”

These approaches can truly be admired considering the current state of the audio industry. Though at surface level it is truly a joy to see numerous independent companies push to welcome something different. And there is a plethora of freelancers connecting and showing a genuine curiosity regarding audio. However we cannot ignore the evidence showing how the diverse output is not matching the numbers.

Takudzwa Mudiwa – the writer – at the Podcast Show

At a session called “UKAN State of the Audio Industry 2023 – Time to give up on DE&I”, Content is Queen Founder Imriel Morgan launched an Open Letter calling on the audio industry to “Say Less Do More” before Head of UKAN (UK Audio Network), Laura Blake, announced findings of the UKAN State Of The Audio Industry Survey 2023, which included the average salaries of people working in audio. The conclusion was “If you are not white and not a man, you are earning less than you were in 2020.”

This is an even more disappointing finding if you note the promises that numerous companies made during the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd – to put diversity at the forefront of their decision making. As Content is Queen is no longer able to do the International Women’s Podcast Festival due to a lack of funding and support – you have to ask yourself where is the action? The Podcast Show showed the range of women hosting, producing and editing, so the issue is not a lack of talent. So as we reflect on these exciting two days and celebrate the moving and shaking of the podcast industry it will be redundant to not acknowledge its shortcomings – to echo Content Is Queen “Let’s value these voices for what they indeed are – not just diverse but essential contributors to the richness and growth of our shared audio landscape.”

Were you at The Podcast Show 2023? What did you enjoy? What would you like to see more of? Let us know in the comments!

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Festival organiser Nina Robinson sent us over a few words on her own Festival experience:

“I’m genuinely overwhelmed at the response to the Podcast Festival, so many people who I don’t know have been emailing and contacting me to say how useful they found the day and that it was really valuable and inspiring. For me there were so many highlights, you can watch the opener recorded by Hamza Syed of the Trojan Horse Affair Podcast here and the keynote speech by Sangeeta Pillai here.

Hamza Syed from the Serial Productions show The Trojan Horse Affair phoned in from New York

The decolonising podcasting conversation was a real eye-opener and I think it’s a conversation that is ground-breaking and important as the panellists gathered, brought their own unique and immensely insightful observations about what is going on in terms of power structures and dynamics which fit the same old colonial models designed to keep large sections of people OUT. Marcus Ryder MBE, Jade Benn from Stormzy’s Merky Books and Shelina Janmohamed whose news & current affairs podcast The Shelina Show on GlobalPlayer is brilliant.

Thanks to all those who took part – special mention to workshop leads Lisa Hack, Roifield Brown and Ninna Makrinov and the crew – the video team, Dylan Hayward, the PodFest ambassadors and our brilliant audio wizard who ensured everything ran super smooth, Pete Crowther. Hopefully see you all next year!”

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“Festivals like this are great for discovering new shows, and finding people to collaborate with. Audio still has a male bias as an industry – but that is changing, and many of the changemakers will be at the Women’s Podcast Festival!”
– Me!

The day was filled with talks, panels and workshops for and by female innovators and leaders in podcasting, audio and radio. Subjects included turning your podcast into a book with Rosie Wilby, podcasting to combat climate change, valuing and pitching your podcast, accessibility, creator burnout, marketing and much more.

Content is Queen, Women’s podcast festival @ King’s Place

I was able to attend three of the sessions myself:

This Just In – this panel featured Gemma Ware, Jude Kelly, Ellie Clifford and Nosheen Iqbal talking about how and what news is covered in podcasts. It was the perfect start for me personally wanting to get more into this area.

Is It Legal? workshop – Sandhiya Sophie Argent, a media content lawyer who works with Paper & Chain, shared useful legal advice for podcasters (I think half the people listening breathed a sigh of relief and the rest were left in a panic about contempt of court!)

Interview Techniques –  Mai Davies, Roshan Roberts, Lucia Scazzocchio, and Jo Youle gave me great techniques to elevate interviews beyond basic conversations. Mai Davies in particular blew my mind with some super specific tips for being a good interviewer!

Press Panel, Content is Queen, Women’s podcast festival @ King’s Place

The other session I witnessed was the Press Panel, with Angelica Malin, Miranda Sawyer, Clare Wright and me! I actually pitched this idea to the Content Is Queen team because I know how nice it is to get press coverage for your podcast. I get very excited whenever I see my own podcasts in newsletters and blogs (and yes, Pod Bible included!). But I also know that from the outside, many people don’t know where to start when it comes to pitching your podcast.

“I think everyone who loves podcasts or has an interest in audio needs to be at this festival, it’s a great opportunity to connect and celebrate with women who come from different backgrounds. It’s not your average podcast event.”
– Roshan Roberts

Alongside the practical advice, there was a chance to celebrate some amazing women in podcasting with a number of live shows. Masala Podcast, Baggage Reclaim Sessions and Beyond The Self.

And the Festival was truly international – as well as the event at Kings Place, there was a Global Voices stage online. It featured Global Keynote Speakers from India, Argentina, Kenya, Nigeria, USA and Taiwan.

Leanne Alie, Content is Queen, Women’s podcast festival @ King’s Place

The last session I saw before heading home was the keynote from Leanne Alie. It was great to hear how she got to be a Commissioning Producer for BBC Sounds Audio Lab, and she was transparent about the details behind creating her passion project, Coiled. But more than anything else, her talk was a affirmation to be true to yourself, and to build each other up.

“Amazing things can happen when you’re able to connect with like minded creative individuals and the best place for that for female podcasters is the International Women’s Podcast Festival. A safe space where we can connect, collaborate and work together to build the inclusive audio industry that we want to see.”
– Leanne Alie

And as a cherry on the cake, it was great to see some issues of the new Pod Bible floating around – with the perfect cover stars for this festival!

Now excuse whilst I run away to watch the things I missed…

Content is Queen, Women’s podcast festival @ King’s Place

All photography is by Will Ireland.

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To coincide with Black History Month, The Smarter 7 series released its third episode called BLM on Friday 29th October! This episode features activist Imarn Ayton, who rose to fame when she spearheaded the BLM protest in London alongside Madonna, John Boyega and Kehinde Andrews; Professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University. The episode was written and hosted by Smart 7 producer Olivia Davies.

Former instalments of the Smarter 7 series are 9/11 and The Budget both of which were hugely successful in their own right. With three more episodes already in the works for 2021, the Smarter 7 podcast has you covered and up to date with the most important topics of our generation.

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New York — October 22, 2021 — Acast, the world’s leading independent podcast company, is launching Acast Audio Fiction Week from October 25-30 to celebrate the vibrant world of fiction podcasts. With roots in radio dramas, fiction podcasts have been around as long as podcasting itself. They make up a small but growing genre in the podcast space and are increasingly popular among audiences. Audio dramas offer varied possibilities for creators and provide a rich, immersive format for storytelling.

During Acast Audio Fiction Week, Acast will showcase the works of fiction podcasters, provide an array of resources for up-and-coming creators, launch new scripted programming from series that are part of the Acast Creator Network, and raise awareness for the numerous sub-genres that audio dramas span — all in a lead-up to World Audio Drama Day on October 30.“Acast Audio Fiction Week is a love letter to the time, expense, and passion that fiction podcasters dedicate to creating truly cinematic experiences for listeners. Made in partnership with audio fiction creators, the week recognizes their groundbreaking work in pushing the boundaries of the podcasting medium and crafting stories that transport us to a different world – all via our earbuds,” said Becky Celestina, Partner Manager at Acast. “Join us in centering the talented storytellers who all too often are forgotten in mainstream discourse about podcasting.”

Creators and fans can stay up-to-date on all the week’s happenings at acast.com/audiofictionweek.

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Podcasting on the platform has seen a drastic increase throughout 2021 reaching nearly 3 million titles globally. In response to this rapid growth Spotify are acting accordingly making their intentions very clear on the future of podcasting.

The festivities are not over just yet! An additional feature called “Find The One” is a brand new digital experience introducing listeners to their most compatible podcasts. By simply heading to FindTheOne.byspotify.com and filling out a quick quiz you will receive a fully personalised recommendation along with a share button for your socials.

So, Spotify are making their podcasting platform more interactive with three new features.Q&A, Polls and “Find The One”. No need to promote your instagram page or use any other apps to garner engagement. The platform aims to create increased functionality in order to reel in potential podcasters looking to build a community. Feedback and value offer is essential for any creator. Spotify have made their intentions clear on the podcast space. Stay tuned.

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Happy Place has just started it’s 11th series – listen now on Acast.

Read the full Press Release:

Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast signs with Acast

The UK’s most-listened-to wellness podcast — and its Podcast Champion host — joins the Acast Creator Network

London, 9 August 2021: Acast, the creator-first podcast company, has signed Fearne Cotton’s much-loved and hugely popular podcast, Happy Place, to the Acast Creator Network. Acast will host, distribute and monetise the celebrated broadcaster and best-selling author’s chart-topping podcast, which heads into its 11th series today.

Acast’s partnership with Happy Place will amplify the reach of the podcast globally, with a key focus on the US market, and diversify the podcast’s revenue through premium ad products available through the Acast Marketplace — such as Sponsored Stories and branded content.

The exclusive partnership deal with Acast was delivered by YMU, the world’s leading integrated representation and management company.

Happy Place will also unlock fan-supported revenue with Acast’s podcast subscriptions service Acast+, creating deeper listener engagement and building on the devoted community Fearne has built.

Fearne’s Happy Place is the most-listened-to wellness podcast in the UK, and one of the country’s biggest independent shows — consistently topping the podcast charts with more than 40 million total listens to date.

In recognition of her contribution to podcasting and efforts in opening up conversations around mental health, Fearne was crowned Podcast Champion — one of the highest accolades in podcasting — at the 2021 British Podcast Awards.

In the podcast, Fearne sits down with incredible guests to converse about life, love, loss, and everything in-between, delving into what happiness means to them. Dawn French, Ian Wright, Hilary Clinton and Tom Daley are just a few of the inspiring individuals who have so far appeared on the show.

A leader for a new generation of wellness-conscious women, Fearne takes a relaxed and open-minded approach to health of both the body and mind. She is also a flagbearer for women-led podcasting, attracting the ears and loyalty of millions of listeners across the UK and around the world.

Fearne Cotton, host of Happy Place, said: “Our commitment to growing the Happy Place podcast and reaching more people has never been more important, as so many people face loneliness and mental health problems. And we chose Acast for this exact reason — we want to reach as many people as we can, all around the world.

“Acast’s position at the heart of the open podcasting ecosystem, and its global footprint, will help us continue to grow the Happy Place brand worldwide, giving us the potential to engage with millions of brand new listeners.”

Clarissa Pabi, Acast’s Senior Content Development Manager, UK, said: “We are long-time fans of Happy Place, and of Fearne’s ability to make people feel seen and heard. Fearne is a true trailblazer in podcasting, and Happy Place perfectly illustrates the potential of podcasting to create a brand that adds real value to people’s lives.

“In partnership with YMU — with whom we have an aligned mission to discover and amplify new and established voices in podcasting — we’re looking forward to supercharging the show’s growth globally, and monetising the brand on Fearne’s terms.”

Holly Bott, Managing Director, YMU Entertainment, said: “Working with Acast signals the next evolution of the Happy Place podcast. Our mission, from day one, has been to connect with as wide an audience as possible and include them in enlightening, challenging and hopefully positive conversations.

“Acast’s ability to authentically connect with a global audience will only help us to achieve that goal quicker and more effectively, and so we look forward to welcoming new listeners.”

Acast hosts 28,000 podcasts worldwide, offering growth support and monetisation for global smash hits including Sh*gged Married Annoyed, Katherine Ryan Telling Everybody Everything, and Doctor’s Kitchen with Dr Rupy — as well as podcasts from leading publishers including Today In Focus, Stories Of Our Times and FT News Briefing.

A pioneer in the open podcast ecosystem, Acast allows advertisers to target an engaged audience of listeners across any and every podcast listening platform — including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and Spotify — through dynamic ad insertion. Acast also gives podcasters access to a range of monetisation opportunities and the necessary tools to expand their listener base.

For brands and advertisers looking to work with Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast and beyond, opportunities are available exclusively through the Acast Marketplace.

—ENDS—

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“After more than a year of remote recordings, we couldn’t be more excited to get back on stage with a live audience!” said Hannah George, who is one of the podcast’s three creator hosts along with Catie Wilkins and Taylor Glenn.

“At nearly 150 episodes and millions of downloads, we’ve managed to keep going without a break during lockdown. But there’s no substitute for the energy of a live show,” said Wilkins. “From Edinburgh to Manchester and London, and even the Isle of Wight, they’ve become the heart of the podcast.”

“We have amazing audiences, the sort of people whose ‘heckles’ are historical facts about the case we’re doing. From the darkness we’ll hear someone shout “statute of limitations!’” added Glenn. “We usually thank them before we politely tell them to be quiet.”

With an impressive roster of past guests including Ricki Lake, London Hughes, Fortune Feimster, Shappi Khorsandi and Katherine Ryan, as well as their annual Men’s Month episodes featuring James Acaster, Richard Osman, and Romesh Ranganathan, Drunk Women Solving Crime look forward to welcoming the best of the UK’s comedy circuit to the double-header shows, the first of which will be Tuesday July 20th
from 7PM.

“There’s an incredible wealth of talent in comedy right now,” said George. “And with the rest of the performance world opening back up for socially-distanced shows, you can expect some exciting names on the bill.”

Amanda Redman, a veteran producer of radio who now oversees a slate of successful podcasts including Drunk Women Solving Crime, added “We have sold out shows from the Edinburgh Fringe to Leicester Square Theatre, and we’re looking forward to recording at the more intimate Museum of Comedy, where the panel will get tipsy on a Tuesday and tackle all things crime-related.”

Show Dates/Tickets: 20th July, 31st August, 28th September, 26th October, and 23rd November at 7PM and 8:30PM.

Tickets can be purchased from www.drunkwomensolvingcrime.com

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People in the UK are using podcasts for what’s been dubbed ‘revenge bedtime procrastination’. It seems people are putting off their sleep with some late night podcast listening.

The late-night hours are classed as between mignight-6am. The biggest increase in late-night podcast streaming was by women aged 25-44 (a rise of 32% over the past few months).  Content about religion and spirituality has seen the biggest bump in that overnight period.

It seems listeners are keen to get their podcast fixes in, even if that means turning into night owls. But there has also been a reported rise in insomnia in the January to April lockdown. Perhaps people are tuning to podcasts to help them drop off to sleep, with bedtime podcasts for both children and adults, such as Your Floating Bed, Wake Up/Wind Down and Nothing Much Happens.

Spotify monitored listening from January 2021 to April 2021, taking into account the third lockdown period in the UK.

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Currently in beta, some founding partners have seen an uplift in monthly revenue of more than 20% while first trialling the new product suite and offering Acast+ memberships to fans. Partners so far have included Talking Politics in the UK, Somna Med Henrik in Sweden, and others globally.

Henrik Ståhl, host of Somna Med Henrik, said:

“When Acast+ was first presented to me I jumped at the chance to trial it. Apart from the obvious ability it creates for me to earn more money per listen to my podcast, it also lets me be closer to my listeners by offering private content specifically for them.

“I’ve been able to shake up my content based on their wants and needs, which has been invaluable. To date, I’ve experienced both a new way to generate income and giving the podcast fans more of what they want.”

Catherine Carr, producer of Talking Politics, said:

“Talking Politics was originally conceived of as an educational resource — a way to try and make sense of the world through an easy-to-access, digestible podcast — and it’s wonderful to know that lots of students and teachers do listen. In the last few years we’ve built a highly engaged, loyal audience and have recently passed the twenty million listens mark.

“We initially thought our Acast+ subscribers would be most interested in listening without adverts, and some are, but others are simply looking for a way to give back and support us, which is so encouraging.

“Crucially for us, this enables other people to access further learning for free. Our other podcast, History of Ideas, is ad-free and generates no income, but takes resources, time and effort to produce. Acast+, with the support of our community, means we’re able to bring this valuable educational resource to so many people’s ears – something which has been even more important during lockdowns.”

Acast+ follows Acast’s recent partnership with Patreon, which lets podcasters seamlessly and securely distribute patron-only content to audiences across any listening platform. Acast’s mission is to provide creators with monetization options that best fit their needs, giving them more ways to make money, in more places — across platforms that are open and accessible to all.

Johan Billgren, co-founder of Acast, said:

“We’re developing the podcast industry with — and for — the creators. We firmly believe creators should always be fairly reimbursed for their craft, and it’s important to us that they own the relationship with their listeners, in whichever ways suit their individual show best.

“With the introduction of Acast+ we’re giving our creators even more ways to connect with listeners, and to grow and monetize their shows, wherever those listeners are — supporting the open podcasting ecosystem and helping the whole industry continue to thrive.”

Matt MacDonald, Acast’s VP of Product, added:

“We know monetization will never be a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, so we’ve launched Acast+ to offer podcasters of all sizes a suite of tools that can be mixed and matched however they like.

“As Henrik, host of Somna Med Henrik, said, direct support from listeners helps podcasters to deepen their relationships — and relationships power podcasts.”

Upon the wider rollout of Acast+, Acast will detail further capabilities including membership tiers, dynamic promo messages, insights dashboards, and more. To be the first to know when Acast+ goes live, register your interest here.

—

About Acast

Acast is the power source of podcasting, a global platform that offers everything creators and advertisers need to find and reach millions of listeners. Acast provides a creator-first, open ecosystem for podcasts that is profitable, fair and sustainable for any creator — from bedroom podcasters to celebrity shows or emerging influencers. Acast connects podcasters and advertisers through the world’s biggest podcast marketplace, offering reach to millions of immersed podcast listeners with host-front advertising campaigns, audio ads and branded content. Founded in 2014 by Johan Billgren, Acast now hosts 20,000 podcasts — reaching more than 300 million listeners every month and working with thousands of brands.

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RISE & SHINE is raising money for new audio makers and podcasters, as part of the project’s second birthday celebrations. The money will support people new to the audio industry to create original work with production companies. 

The crowdfunding campaign aims to raise £2200 in total to pay a least 5 makers suitable day rates for their work. Once the project is funded, new podcasters will be able to submit their ideas for a short audio piece (30 second to 1 minute 30 seconds long). The submissions will be judged by audio professionals from across the industry. RISE & SHINE will then pay the winning podcasters to work with approved production companies for 1-2 days (in total).

This project will help new and underrepresented audio makers break into the podcast and radio industries by making the production process clear and taking away financial barriers. The final pieces will reflect the person behind them, from the style of production to the content. Once finished, established podcasters from across the industry can share and uplift the pieces in their own show as pre, mid or post-roll inserts.

Several production companies are already signed up to the project, and it is currently at 61% of its target. If you want to support open access to the audio industry, head to RISE & SHINE’s Second Birthday Celebration donation page. There are 12 days left of the campaign and you can donate as much as you are able to.

About RISE & SHINE

RISE & SHINE was started in 2019 after podcast producer Sarah Myles sent a simple Tweet offering free audio advice to those that wanted it. She had a big uptake and saw the need for such open conversation about audio as an industry. Since then, RISE & SHINE has been helping new audio makers access the podcast and radio industries regardless of income. Sarah has organised more than 20 free to attend sessions both in person, at King’s Place London, and remotely. Subjects for talks have included Sound Design 101, Podcasting for Kids, and Making Audio Content accessible.

Most recently, she launched the RISE & SHINE How I Got Here podcast to make it clearer how professionals got into the podcast industry in the first place.

Sarah Myles says:

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“What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction,” The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a joint statement. “With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are.”

Take a listen to their first trailer here…

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On February 4th 2019, the Pod Bible team were finally able to unveil Issue #001 after months of hard graft and a lot of podcast listening.

Pod Bible creators Scroobius Pip, Stu Whiffen and Adam Richardson were up bright and early to hand copies to busy London commuters at a number of tube and train stations. Throughout the day they dropped copies at shops, venues and bars before hitting the tube stations again during the evening rush hour.

As well as handing out issues the team also popped into sponsors Acast, dropped copies at the BBC and filmed interviews with podcast fans across London. Finally they popped up the the Leicester Square Theatre to hand copies to podcast fans on their way in to see Richard Herring record his show.

What a day!

If you came out especially to grab a copy, found one on the tube or dropped into one of the many locations we stocked – THANK YOU!

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