Podcasting is essentially the only remaining platform not controlled by media giants, and Spotify is participating in their demise by putting certain shows behind a paywall. are taking podcasts in a direction that I don't like. For example, I have listened to an extra 18 hours of content due to the silence trimming in my podcast app of choice (Overcast). These may not be on the casual listener's radar, but I really enjoy them. For example: trim silence (remove gaps in speech while maintaining a normal overall pace), volume normalization, more granular speed controls. Spotify lacks many of the "smart" features that other podcast players have. It is not trivial to arrange episodes in the order that a user wishes to listen to them, especially if the use follows a lot of different shows. In other words, it does not feel like it was built for podcast listening. Spotify's podcast organization system feels like a copy-paste of the music one. Despite being a longtime Spotify subscriber for music, I do not listen to podcasts in Spotify – I listen in an app called Overcast, which has only one developer behind it. Today’s announcement falls on the eve of Spotify’s financial results for the first quarter, with the expectation that subscriber growth will moderate following a pandemic-related surge.īig tech is enthusiastically embracing the medium of podcasts, with only YouTube seemingly ambivalent to the format – with top podcasters ending up on the format largely by default and only some stock or cam footage to differentiate from dedicated platforms.I love podcasts and listen to a ton of them. The new arrangement offers listeners the opportunity to dip into their pockets within Spotify in exchange for early access, additional content and behind-the-scenes recordings. With its latest initiative, Spotify is opening up additional revenue streams for itself and creators, who have previously relied on third-party services such as Patreon to offer exclusive content in return for a monthly fee. The rush of activity follows on from the launch of Spotify Audience Network, an advertising marketplace where brands can reach the ears of listeners across ad-supported music and premium podcasts. Sensing an opportunity, Amazon has financed a series of originals and exclusives for Amazon Music and Audible, while Facebook harbors ambitions of its own to embrace audio content.Īway from the big fish, smaller deals have been taking place to solidify the emerging sector, such as a collaboration between the NFL and iHeartMedia and the acquisition of Pocket Casts by a public radio group. Such success contributed to a 24% year-on-year increase in paying subscribers with the audio subscription service boasting 155 million paying customers, bringing its total monthly userbase up to 345 million when those on its free ad-supported tier are included – a 27% increase year-on-year. This pivot has seen Spotify double its podcast listening hours in the fourth quarter of 2020 as listeners flocked to hear what the likes of Michelle Obama and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have to say. The music streaming provider has led a podcast renaissance on the back of quality, exclusive content to command the attention of listeners who are unable or unwilling to use a screen. On the user end listeners will be able to search for premium paid podcasts in the same manner as they would regular content, with a prominent lock symbol differentiating what content languishes behind a paywall and what can be accessed for free. Spotify’s latest salvo comes mere days after Apple confirmed it was spearheading a global ad-free podcast subscription service in 170 nations, where creators enjoy the freedom to set rates for premium content in return for a £17.99 annual fee.īy contrast, Spotify’s equivalent venture is far smaller in scope, focused entirely on the US market with only a vague aspiration to roll out to additional territories.Ĭrucially Spotify has set a two-year grace period where it will not charge a commission for any subscriber revenue, tempting 12 different podcasters to take the plunge.Īmong these is NPR Radio, which will have five shows available from May 4.
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