Sports media personality Stephen A. Smith made his return to audio two years ago when he launched a podcast with Audacy’s Cadence13. Smith today said he will jump to the iHeartPodcasts network with his The Stephen A. Smith Show, effective immediately. The podcast drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Smith is currently a featured commentator on ESPN, but he has a long history in audio.  Sports Personality Stephen A. Smith Jumps To iHeart From Audacy ..read more

Charlamagne Tha God and iHeartMedia have announced an Atlanta return for The Black Effect Podcast Festival. The partners in the three-year old podcast network say the April event aims to celebrate, uplift and amplify Black voices in the podcast industry. “We are inviting everyone to experience the power of The Black Effect and the many ways Black creators are driving the culture forward,” says Charlamagne, co-host of “ ,” based at “Power 105.1” WWPR-FM New York. Black Effect Podcast Network Will Celebrate Black Voices In Atlanta Festival This April ..read more

The podcast hosting company Fusebox says changes are coming with the free version of its service being discontinued…Audacy will bolster the content on its streaming music and podcast app with a content distribution partnership with Live365…The audio-centric ad agency Ad Results Media has developed a new tool that it says will help brands better localize and engage with their target audiences…In celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, Audible will share podcast listening recommendations to users that will reflect on women's achievements. Podcast News Bites: Fusebox, Audacy, Live365 ..read more

Coming off a year in which Cumulus Media saw its podcast business shrink, the company says it is seeing an improving national ad market while its multiyear effort to grow a local podcast business is taking root. “This area of emphasis is starting to pay off,” CEO Mary Berner said. Cumulus podcast revenue was down in the first half of 2023, but up in the second half creating what Berner calls a “positive trajectory” despite an eight percent drop in total podcast sales last year. Cumulus Says Its Local Podcast Focus Is Beginning To Pay Off In ‘Choppy’ Ad Market ..read more

The flood of actors running to podcasts may not be at the same pace as during the pandemic or Hollywood strike shutdown, but there remains a steady flow, especially at studios like Wondery that has formed strong ties with the entertainment industry. Wondery has signed five actors known for their on-screen work to star in a new sci-fi limited series called The Last City. The series has been mixed in Dolby Atmos to create an immersive effect for listeners. Futuristic ‘Cli-Fi’ Series Brings Actors To New Wondery Podcast ..read more

As some podcast companies that have been throwing big offers at talent during the past several years have pulled back, it is opening an opportunity for others. Lemonada Media is among those taking advantage of the changing market. After inking deals with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Meghan Markle, it is adding actor and author David Duchovny to its roster. Duchovny will launch his first podcast called Fail Better this spring. David Duchovny Will Look For Success In A New Lemonada Podcast About Failure ..read more

Audience size and demographics may be how most radio ads are bought and sold today, but Audacy has begun working with the measurement firm Claritas to explore several options that could offer marketers new ways to approach the medium. That includes taking a holistic measurement method across audio platforms, and the development of new tools that rely on AI, and data-informed automated optimizations. Audacy Teams Up With Claritas To Develop New Ways To Size Up Audio ..read more

Listen to one of the popular business or tech podcasts, and a commercial targeting a business owner is sure to come up. While most podcast ads are intended for consumers, Magellan AI data shows between Jan. 2023 and Feb. 2024, business-to-business brands have spent $182 million on podcast advertising. Pierre Bouvard, Chief Insights Officer at the Cumulus Media/Westwood One Audio Active Group, says that embrace of podcasting by B2B brands comes as research shows more of their intended audience are listening to on-demand audio. Podcasts Becoming A Go-To Advertising Channel For B2B Brands ..read more