Sponsored by Understood, from CBC. From CBC, Understood goes deep on the current events, people, and cultural moments shaping society. Seasons span four episodes, hosted by journalists with an existing expertise on the story. Now accepting pitches.
- How big is the global podcast market? Justin Jackson’s research website has increased its estimates. It suggests that 2024 saw around $3-3.4bn in global ad-sales; that the hosting business is worth around $100-150mn, and that podcast events and conferences are worth $15-20mn. The estimates don’t include YouTube. Sources are given: and it’s open for others to contribute. The IAB estimated US podcast ad revenue at $1.95bn for 2023.
- Google has launched a new tool made to “transform your content into AI-generated audio discussions”. And, in much the same way as the company has five different messaging apps, this one is called Google Illuminate AI, which seems to be much the same as another product from the company, Google NotebookLM. Some people suggest it’s a little better; we’ve noticed the voices sound a little different. Meanwhile, in Google NotebookLM, you can now talk to the AI podcast hosts, which you can’t do with the AI podcast hosts in Illuminate AI. There’s a strategy here, if only we could see it.
- Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso is to switch from Pushkin to Lemonada Media. It will begin releasing episodes under the Lemonada banner on January 5th.
> > > Read more of today’s podcast industry news stories on the Podnews website: and get our free daily newsletter.
Classifieds - your job or ad here
- Boost Your Podcast Downloads 🚀 — Only 20% of podcasters hit 1,000+ downloads per episode. Ready to join them? Grab this FREE 3-Day Organic Podcast Growth Mini Course and start climbing toward the top 20%!
- AudienceLift: AI Podcast Growth – 12% Off Now! — AudienceLift.com: Your AI-Powered Podcast Growth Partner Trusted by industry leaders to grow audiences and build subscriber databases. Start your first campaign today with code Podnews12 for 12% off!
- 🎁 Holiday Sale: Save on Podcast Movement! — Celebrate the holidays with huge savings on Podcast Movement Evolutions 2025 tickets. Lock in your discounted rate now before prices increase. Give yourself the gift of savings today!
Gold supporters: Buzzsprout, Mowpod, Mamamia, The $100 MBA, Cloud10, The Podglomerate, Sounds Profitable, Resound, Cohost, RedCircle, Podscribe, Simplecast, SALT, Steve Lack: Audio, Audiohook, audioBoom, Riverside.fm, Jar Audio, Podchaser, Awesound, Libsyn, Disctopia, Knucklehead Media Group, Acast, We Edit Podcasts, Evergreen Podcasts, Podpage websites
Silver supporters: Audacia Audio, Gamut Podcast Network, Bumper, Goalhanger, Sounds Debatable, Magellan AI, Frequency, Storyboard, Podium , Geopolitics and Empire podcast a, Red Seat Ventures, Truefans, POW PR, Tink Media, Jonekiri, The Roost, Ask Ralph Christian Finance, Gilded Audio, The Podcast Haven, Gumball, Ausha, Voxtopica, SoundStack, Compliance Podcast Network, Huberman Lab, Castbox, ARN's iHeartPodcast Network Aust, Podcastpage, Message Heard, Health Podcast Network, matchmaker.fm, Jam Street Media, Castos, Headliner, Ossa Collective, Sonic Influencer Marketing, Rhapsody Voices, Diversion Podcasts, Heartcast Media50, Double Elvis Productions, Oxford Road, Lemonada Media, Zvook, Optimal Living Daily, Rephonic, Transistor, Podcast Taxi, Blubrry, Wondery, StreamGuys, Content10x, Podcast Partnership, Hear.Here.Singapore, Ad Results Media, Cleanfeed, She Podcasts, Podcast Movement, Podigy, Revolver Podcasts, Lower Street, Sonix, Adopter Media, School of Podcasting, Signal Hill Insights, Edison Research
Our supporters pay for Podnews, so everyone can read it. Join them today.
Image: Aaron Lefler