0:00
This is the Download from Sounds Procredible, your daily source for the central news in
0:06
the business of podcasting, I'm Gavin Gattas.
0:15
Here's what you need to know for today, Thursday, April 2.
0:20
First up, podcast launch on Beehive, newsletter and blogging platform Beehive has rolled out
0:26
audio podcast hosting and monetization services.
0:30
In a new interview with Sounds Procredible partner Brian Barletta, Beehive CEO Tyler
0:35
Denk says podcasts are natural fit as podcasts and newsletters have a lot in common.
0:40
He positions adding podcasts as a core pillar of Beehive, allowing Beehive publishers
0:45
with podcasts hosted elsewhere to bring all of their publications into one service.
0:50
Beehive's hosting has been designed to be IAB compliant with Denk saying the company
0:54
is about to begin the formal certification process.
0:59
Next up, the center cannot hold.
1:02
Sounds Procredible's latest research to the last quarter finds 25% of Americans who
1:06
have never consumed a podcast aren't politically neutral.
1:11
As article writer Tom Webster notes, a linear gradient running from one end of the political
1:16
spectrum to the other.
1:18
Those on either end of the spectrum have existing media architecture to drive them to podcasts
1:23
from MPR driving liberal listeners to podcasts in the 2010s to conservative audiences finding
1:29
podcasts through clips of creators like Ben Shapiro or Joe Rogan going viral on social
1:35
The problem is algorithmically driven platforms aren't designed to promote moderate content,
1:40
centrist and moderate conservative podcast holdouts find themselves in a dead zone.
1:45
As podcasting has no editorial layer that can curate less extreme takes that don't swing
1:50
hard in either political direction.
1:54
And for a final top story, Spotify's Add Exchange grew its programmatic base but buyers
2:00
According to Spotify internal data, the Spotify Add Exchange has seen its monthly active
2:04
advertiser count grow 222% year over year since the exchange launched in April of 2025.
2:12
Media agency Rain for Growth reports its Spotify spend increased 190% from May 2025 to March
2:19
2026 with programmatic guaranteed spending increasing 12% in private marketplace spending
2:27
The Spotify Add Exchange has made accessing Spotify inventory more streamlined for advertisers
2:32
but media buyers tell digit A buying audio remains a mix of direct and programmatic.
2:37
PMG head of programmatic Mario Brian notes buyers still favor going for direct deals when
2:43
it comes to buying host red podcast ads, a sentiment echoed by a spokesperson for factor.
2:51
As for the rest of the news, NBC Sports has chosen Triton Digital as the provider of key
2:56
components in its digital audio and podcasting infrastructure, including hosting, monetization,
3:02
audience measurement and audience insights.
3:06
The Canada Media Funds digital creators pilot program is expanding scope to now accept
3:12
applications from mid-career Canadian podcast creators looking to grow or expand their business
3:18
into original video podcast production.
3:21
TubeVilter covers the news that Alex Cooper is launching a YouTube reality competition show.
3:27
The series dubbed Unwell Winter Games debuts April 6.
3:32
ACAST has announced a multi-year partnership with popular Australian podcast It's a lot
3:37
with Abby Chatfield and the Virginia Queer Film Festival has launched Queer Ear and inaugural
3:44
audio storytelling program debuting in the 2026 edition of the festival.
3:50
The Virginia Queer Film Festival is currently taking submissions of audio only storytelling
3:54
pieces under 25 minutes in length from podcast series, anthologies and standalone projects
4:01
before the deadline of August 1st.
4:06
That'll do it for today's episode reminder, you can get links to every single thing I
4:10
just talked about by clicking the one link in your show notes.
4:13
That will take you to today's episode post on soundsprofitable.com, where you can also
4:18
subscribe to get the newsletters from Soundsprofitable and the Download.
4:23
Today's episode was written by myself and produced by myself, Molly D'Millier, Brian
4:27
Barletta and Tom Webster.
4:29
For Soundsprofitable, I'm Gavin Gattis and I'll see you tomorrow morning for the Download
