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Spotify has paid more than $100 million to podcasters to take on competitors
Economic Times
·
2m ago
Medial
Spotify has paid over $100 million to podcast creators since January to attract more to its platform, competing with YouTube’s dominance in video podcasting. Despite having about 170 million monthly podcast listeners, Spotify lags behind YouTube, which boasts 1 billion monthly podcast consumers. YouTube paid out over $70 billion to creators from 2021-2024. Spotify, profitable as of 2024, continues efforts to narrow the gap by enhancing revenue opportunities and offering video incentives to podcasters.
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Substack now allows podcasters to sync and distribute their episodes to Spotify
TechCrunch
·
1y ago
Medial
Substack has introduced new features for podcasters on its platform, including a Spotify integration that allows podcasters to sync and distribute their free and paid episodes on the streaming service. Substack also offers custom audio transcripts and captions, improved clip sharing, and mobile video enhancements. The move comes as Substack reports that podcasters are collectively earning over $100 million in annual revenue, which has doubled in the past year. The Spotify integration aims to make Substack podcasts more discoverable and help creators monetize their content. These features are now available to all users.
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Spotify tests using AI to automatically clone and translate podcast voices
Arstechnica
·
1y ago
Medial
Spotify is piloting a program that utilizes AI to translate podcasts into different languages while retaining the original speaker's voice. The feature, called Voice Translation, aims to offer a more authentic listening experience. However, automated translations may introduce language errors that are difficult for non-native speakers to detect. While some podcasters are excited about this innovation, others have reservations. Spotify is currently testing the feature with select podcasters and plans to gather feedback to improve the translation technology.
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Google says YouTube now has over 100 million subscribers
TechCrunch
·
1y ago
Medial
Google announced that YouTube Music and YouTube Premium now have over 100 million paid subscribers, a significant increase from the 80 million paid users reported in November 2022. Sundar Pichai, Google's CEO, revealed that the company's subscription business, including YouTube's paid plans, generates more than $15 billion annually. Philipp Schindler, Google's chief business officer, emphasized that Premium users are providing more value to partners, with each additional sign-up boosting earnings. YouTube has expanded its Premium subscription to over 100 countries. In Q4 2023, YouTube generated $9.2 billion in revenue for Google.
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Spotify is no longer just a streaming app, it's a social network
TechCrunch
·
1y ago
Medial
Spotify has introduced a comments feature for podcasts, a move that further positions the app as a social network for audio content. Podcasters can now engage with listeners directly within Spotify, alongside other interactive features such as Polls and Q&As. This follows the recent revamp of the app, which included a TikTok-style discovery feed and artist profiles. The addition of comments raises the question of whether Spotify will roll out a similar feature for music artists in the future, presenting an opportunity to connect with larger and more active fanbases.
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Spotify tests using AI to automatically clone and translate podcast voices
Arstechnica
·
1y ago
Medial
Spotify is piloting a program that uses AI to translate podcasts into different languages while preserving the original speaker's voice. This feature aims to provide a more authentic listening experience, although it may introduce language errors. The voice synthesis technology from OpenAI is used for this purpose. Currently, the feature is available for select podcasters and can translate English voices to Spanish, French, and German. Spotify plans to gather feedback to improve the voice translation feature.
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TikTok’s podcast boom might be a bust
The Verge
·
1y ago
Medial
The recent controversy over TikTok's potential ban in the US has caused podcasters to reconsider their reliance on the platform for audience growth. While some shows, such as Call Her Daddy and The Really Good Podcast, have found success on TikTok, most podcasters struggle to convert engagement on the app into actual listeners. However, there are exceptions, such as NPR's Planet Money, which has gained a sizable following on TikTok. Independent podcaster Gary Arndt argues that traditional marketing methods, like purchasing promos on similar shows or advertising within podcast apps, are more effective than relying solely on social media platforms. Nonetheless, for some podcasters like Cristina Lumague, TikTok has been a valuable tool for increasing discoverability and engagement with their shows. While podcasters are considering alternative platforms like Instagram's Reels, many find it lacks the casual and inclusive nature of TikTok.
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Spotify launches ad-supported podcast product
Livemint
·
1y ago
Medial
Swedish audio streaming service Spotify has introduced Spotify Audience Network in India, an advertising product that enables podcast creators to monetize their services. Advertisers will have the opportunity to target a highly engaged audience, while podcast makers can enhance the quality of their content by sharing the revenue. This move comes as podcast listenership is rapidly growing in India, making it one of the largest markets in the world for Spotify. The company plans to expand the product to different distribution channels and onboard both individual podcasters and larger organizations as advertisers.
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Apple reveals new details about Spotify's business as possible EU fine nears
TechCrunch
·
1y ago
Medial
The European Commission is expected to issue a fine of around €500 million against Apple for allegedly breaking EU law on competition in the streaming music market. In response, Apple has argued that Spotify, which filed the complaint, has not been harmed by any anti-competitive practices and is seeking to gain limitless access to Apple's tools without paying for their value. Apple also provided non-public details about Spotify's business, including the number of downloads and the assistance provided by Apple engineers. Spotify has responded by accusing Apple of favoring its own music service and placing unfair restrictions on competitors.
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Spotify Tests Removing Lyrics From Free Tier, Sparks "Controversy"
Robots
·
1y ago
Medial
Spotify is conducting a test that restricts access to lyrics for select free-tier users, displaying a message encouraging them to upgrade to Spotify Premium. This move suggests Spotify's aim to boost its paid subscriptions and address the growing disparity between free and premium users. While the test has sparked controversy, it is part of Spotify's efforts to monetize its platform and increase the conversion rate from free to paid subscribers. The company has not confirmed whether this change will become permanent.
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Spotify to increase subscription price in France to counter new music-streaming tax
TechCrunch
·
1y ago
Medial
Spotify is planning to increase subscription fees in France in response to a new tax on music-streaming services in the country. The proposed tax would impose a levy of between 1.5% and 1.75% on Spotify and its competitors, with the funds going to support the French music sector. While all the companies are opposing the law, Spotify is the most vocal due to its market dominance in France. The company has not disclosed the exact increase but said it would make French users pay the highest subscription fees in the EU.
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