Amazon’s audio dominance continues unabated

Welcome to Hot Pod, The Verge’s newsletter focused on podcasting and the audio industry. For more content like this, feel free to sign up here. I hope everyone is keeping cool this summer! In today’s edition, we’ll delve into the appointment of Audible’s new chief content officer and how it will impact Amazon’s overall audio strategy. Additionally, we have an exclusive interview with the creators of iHeartMedia’s NextUp Initiative, a fellowship program for underrepresented podcast creators.

Tomorrow, the Chief Audio Officer Summit kicks off in Los Angeles, with Spotify and Wondery also hosting their own summits on Thursday. I’ll be attending, so stay tuned for my recap in an upcoming edition of Hot Pod.

Before we dive into our main topics, breaking news: Trisha Paytas has announced that she is cutting ties with Colleen Ballinger, her co-host on the YouTube podcast Oversharing. Ballinger, known as Miranda Sings, is facing grooming allegations from her young fans. Ballinger responded to the allegations in a tone-deaf ukulele video, which I won’t link here to avoid contributing to her YouTube revenue. The 36-year-old comedian was also slated to host a live tour this summer, but it appears to have been canceled, according to The Daily Beast.

Now, let’s shift our focus to Audible. Rachel Ghiazza has been appointed as the new chief content officer, a role she’s been preparing for since 2020 as the head of US content at Audible. With this promotion, Ghiazza will oversee all aspects of content development and production, as well as manage relationships with talent, publishers, and partners. Considering Audible’s significant market share of the audiobook industry (estimated at 63%), maintaining positive relationships with publishers is crucial, especially given past conflicts over publishing rights. Ghiazza’s previous experience at Spotify, where she led the global content experiences team, will undoubtedly be valuable as she spearheads globalized Audible originals and expands the company’s library of podcasts and audiobooks. She has already made significant contributions to Audible, supporting the launch and development of Audible Plus and working with notable productions such as Higher Ground (Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company) and James Patterson Entertainment.

Audible has been busy commissioning high-profile podcasts and audiobooks, including collaborations with UK comedians like Daisy May Cooper, Lolly Adefope, and Mo Gilligan. They have also greenlit two Audible Original podcasts from the producer of The Tinder Swindler, a Netflix documentary. In fact, Audible just announced a new scripted audio series called Yes We Cannabis in partnership with Broadway Video, which will exclusively debut on the Amazon-owned platform. The series features talented actors such as Sam Richardson, Langston Kerman, Punkie Johnson, and Method Man.

Moving on to Amazon as a whole, the e-commerce giant has been steadily expanding its audio offerings. Earlier this year, Amazon quietly acquired Snackable AI, an audio discovery platform, to enhance Amazon Music’s podcast features. In 2020, Amazon Music made headlines by securing exclusive ad and distribution rights for the wildly popular My Favorite Murder podcast, a move that paid off with the show consistently ranking among Podtrac’s top 20 podcasts.

Amazon’s audio ambitions extend across three separate divisions: Audible, Amazon Music, and Wondery (which operates under Amazon Music). Each of these divisions produces original podcasts. Given Amazon’s vast resources, podcasting and audiobooks are a small fraction of its annual spending, allowing the company to freely experiment with content. While Amazon Studios’ spending on original TV shows faces scrutiny, its audio endeavors continue to thrive.

Now, let’s turn our attention to iHeartMedia’s NextUp Initiative, which aims to amplify diverse voices in podcasting. According to the 2022 Edison Research Infinite Dial survey, podcasting is slightly more diverse than other creative fields and reflects the country’s racial breakdown. However, despite this diversity, attention and investment in diverse creators remain limited. The top podcasts on Podtrac predominantly feature white and/or male creators, highlighting the industry’s struggle for gender parity.

Podcast companies have publicly expressed their commitment to showcasing diverse creators and stories, but the concrete steps taken to achieve this goal vary. I had the opportunity to speak with Anna Hossnieh and Joelle Smith, co-founders of iHeartMedia’s NextUp Initiative, to gain insight into their efforts. The program serves as an incubator for promising podcast hosts from underrepresented backgrounds, providing them with a six-month training program to develop and produce their own podcasts.

During our conversation, we touched on the barriers to entry in the audio industry, particularly for people of color. Joelle Smith emphasized that podcasting requires a level of equipment and sound quality that may present financial obstacles. Additionally, building connections within the industry can be challenging, with many aspiring creators unsure of who to approach and how to be taken seriously. Support from established networks like iHeartMedia can significantly boost visibility and opportunities for marginalized creators.

In summary, both Audible and iHeartMedia are making strides towards enhancing diversity and expanding opportunities in the audio industry. While Audible’s appointment of Rachel Ghiazza as chief content officer strengthens their commitment to amplifying diverse voices, iHeartMedia’s NextUp Initiative directly supports underrepresented podcast hosts in launching their careers. These efforts are essential for ensuring that podcasting reflects the diverse perspectives of listeners and breaks free from the podcast bro archetype.

That’s it for this edition of Hot Pod. Don’t forget to stay tuned for my coverage of the Chief Audio Officer Summit in an upcoming newsletter.

 

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Denial of responsibility! TechCodex is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.