This Week In The Podverse, March 3, 2023

Episode Recommendations, Into The Podverse Launch, A peek into Asia’s Podcast Landscape And More…

NEW EPISODES

On the latest episode of Loose Talk, Steve, AOT2, and Osagz delve into the hot topics dominating the news. From the contentious issue of gatekeeping in the Afrobeats music scene to the presidential elections, nothing is off-limits. Listen

In this week’s episode of Road to 30, Dolly and Isaac share their respective experiences on election day, which includes voting and the societal tendency to elevate celebrities. They also explore the concept of 5-year plans that hinge on the election outcome and touched upon various real-life issues. Listen

A new episode of Life In Brown, features Ayomide Oluseye, a researcher at a global development centre, who is determined to improve the perception of teenage pregnant girls and young mothers in Nigeria. Despite the challenges of changing societal attitudes, Ayomide shares her unwavering motivation to continue this important work. In addition, she offers valuable tips on building a career in global development research. Listen

In this episode of Lifesips with RJ, the host shares insights from a conversation with Toyin Umesiri, a life coach and serial entrepreneur. The message is that you take charge of your own success, do not sell yourself short and go all out in pursuing your goals. Listen

Chinwendu Nwangwa is a guest on The Wicked Feminist, where she discusses toxic beauty standards and offers practical advice on how to navigate societal pressures on appearance. Her insights shed light on a topic that affects many people's mental and physical well-being. Listen

AOT2 and Ugochi discuss their voting experiences, election violence, and current events in this 234 Essential episode. Listen

In the latest episode of Teens Talk with Nifemi,  Nifemi delves into the significance of staying true to one's beliefs and values, even in challenging times. She also encourages listeners to strive for faithfulness in their relationships with others and with God. Listen

Pastor Seun discusses the need for prayer and action in rebuilding Nigeria on the Seun Osigbesan Podcast. The conversation highlights the importance of righteousness, responsibility, and instilling values in children while addressing critical issues such as poverty and police brutality. Listen

NEWS

Into The Podverse Launch

My New podcast 'Into The Podverse' launches on Monday, March 6 to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the 'This Week in the Podverse' newsletter, promising to deliver the latest and most pressing topics in podcasting with a unique African perspective. Guests include Molly Jensen of Afripods and Asian Podcast Strategist Guang Jin.

Podcast Struggles & Opportunities

In the Yes Girls podcast and Surviving Eko, Akumu, Claire, and Fecko have established themselves as seasoned podcasters. But it was only sometimes smooth sailing for these hosts. In a recent chat with APVA, they delved into the struggles they faced when starting out and how they overcame them. Their conversation touched on everything from the challenges of building a following to the myriad of opportunities in the world of podcasting. They also explored the intersection between technology and podcasting, including the role of AI in this space.

The Ambies: South African Podcast Nominated

The first African podcast to be nominated for the Podcast Academy's Ambie Awards is "I Will Not Grow Old Here," produced by Radio Workshop. This gripping documentary series explores life in Alexandra township, South Africa. The team behind the podcast, including sound engineer Mike Rahfaldt, podcast editor Lesedi Mogoatlhe, senior producer Dhashen Moodley, and youth reporter Mary-Ann Nobele, will be attending the awards ceremony and the Podcast Movement Evolutions conference in Las Vegas. Join their journey by following @radioworkshop on Instagram, @radioworkshop_ on Twitter, and Radio Workshop on Facebook and LinkedIn. Shouts out to Josephine Karianjahi for the DM and email!

Ending GBV for Disabilities

Senator Crystal Asige was interviewed on the Swaiba Podcast as part of the #16daysofactivism against GBV campaign. Asige discussed the intersectionality of GBV and the experiences of persons with disabilities, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity and accessibility in ending GBV. The podcast was produced by Blueberry Africa, and the link to listen is provided.

New Podcast on African VC

Disrupt Africa has launched a new monthly podcast series called The month in VC in partnership with leading investors. Co-hosted by Gabriella Mulligan and Tom Jackson, the podcast aims to provide listeners with a better understanding of the venture capital space in the African tech startup ecosystem. Each episode will cover the latest news in African VC, profile a leading investor, and explore a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The podcast series is produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Grindstone Ventures, and Kalon Venture Partners and aims to demystify the venture capital process for startup founders, aspiring entrepreneurs, and angel investors.

Growing podcast trend in Ghana

Podcasting is on the rise in Ghana, observes Joseph-Albert Kuuire for Labari Magazine, with approximately 100 podcasts covering various topics such as politics, culture, business, sports, health, and lifestyle available on platforms like Apple, Google, Spotify, Soundcloud, and Anchor. However, podcasters face challenges such as unreliable internet access, high studio costs, and limited monetization options. Despite these obstacles, there is potential for growth, with opportunities such as Spotify's creator fund and free hosting platform Anchor. Live podcast shows are also gaining popularity, and businesses could use podcasts as a means of advertising to a loyal audience. Ghana's podcasting future looks bright for both brands and aspiring podcasters.

Asian Podcast Landscape Analysis

My new friend Guang Jin (Grehg) YEO, announces the release of a detailed analysis of the Asian podcast landscape, covering six different markets, including Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. The analysis will include deep dives into each market, but he has already shared some surprising findings, such as the potential popularity of the "God-Life" trend among Gen MZ, the role of "Chismis" in reducing the number of serial killers in the Philippines, and the Indonesian podcast "Rintik Sedu" being equivalent to "Serial."

Asian Business Podcast Launch

A new podcast called "Empires - An Asian Business Podcast" has launched. It promises to explore the history of Asia's greatest businesses with a new episode every Monday. The first episode focuses on Tencent, the Chinese tech company that created the popular instant messaging platform, QQ. With engaging storytelling and analysis, Empires is set to be a must-listen for business enthusiasts and anyone who enjoys a good story.

K-Pop Dreaming Podcast

"K-Pop Dreaming" is a new podcast from LAist Studios that explores the rise of K-pop to the global stage and how it intersects with personal identity and family history. Host Vivian Yoon, a Korean American who grew up in LA's Koreatown, shares her own experiences as a passionate K-pop fan during a time when it wasn't as widely accepted as it is today. The podcast also delves into the distinct sound of K-pop, including the influence of the century-old Korean genre of trot, and features interviews with K-pop experts, reporters, and academics.

YouTube Prioritizes Podcasting 2023

YouTube is making podcasting one of its top priorities for 2023, with plans to offer new features that will help creators usher in a new era of digital media creation. As the second most popular podcasting platform, YouTube aims to boost its podcast segment by providing U.S.-based YouTube Music users access to video-first podcasts, free background listening, and enabling hosts to use RSS feeds to upload podcasts. With over 2.1 billion unique monthly visitors and over 80 million users on YouTube Music, YouTube is poised to become a major player in the podcasting industry.

New Brand Safety Technology: iHeartMedia x Sounder

iHeartMedia launches a cutting-edge brand safety technology for podcast advertising, powered by Sounder's audio intelligence platform. The technology uses AI and machine learning to provide episode-specific safety assurance for brands, giving them the ability to opt out of content they deem unsafe or inappropriate. This tool is designed to provide objective, third-party brand safety verification, ensuring that marketers can leverage the full power of human connection and contextual relevance of podcasts without the fear and risk of unsafe inventory. According to iHeartMedia's Chief Data Officer Brian Kaminsky, this new tool changes the future and sets a new benchmark for transparency in audio advertising.

Spreaker x Musixmatch Partnership

Spreaker, the popular podcast platform, has partnered with Musixmatch, the world's largest lyrics database, to integrate cutting-edge transcription technology into their platform. This partnership aims to improve accessibility and discoverability for podcasters and listeners alike, enabling automatic transcription of podcasts and increasing accuracy in search.

FEATURES

Top South African Podcasts 2023

These top South African podcasts feature a range of personalities and topics. From DJ Sbu's The Hustlers Corner, where he interviews inspiring and controversial figures, to Mpoomy Ledwaba's Wisdom & Wellness, which explores motherhood, forgiveness, entrepreneurship, and womanhood. Other noteworthy podcasts include Bahumi Mhlongo's Open Book, Khaya Dlanga's Leave A Message, Thato Rampedi's Malome's Mic, Gugulethu Nyatsumba's After School Is After School, and The Makhs' Here's A Thought.

Podcast Growth Strategies

In this week's episode of AudioDive, the guest is Tomer Dean, CEO of Audiolabs. Dean shares his expertise on podcast growth strategies, offering insights into how podcasters can effectively market their content to the public. He discusses the importance of spending more time on marketing than on recording episodes and explores the benefits and challenges of starting a podcast. Dean also sheds light on the impact of short-form video on the world's attention and its potential to address the issues of discoverability and monetization in podcasting.

Podcasts Need RSS Feeds

Dave Jackson from the School of Podcasting debunks the idea that a podcast can be solely a video show. He emphasizes that for a show to be truly considered a podcast, it must have an RSS feed, which allows it to be distributed on various platforms. While video podcasts have been around since 2005, Jackson advises content creators to embrace their YouTube channel and avoid confusing their audience by calling it a podcast. He also notes that audio podcasts often outperform video versions, as they offer more flexibility for listeners.

Burna Boy's Rise

In a recent Trapital podcast episode, Denisha Kuhlor noted that Burna Boy has a habit of collaborating with emerging African artists who can benefit from his exposure. She cited examples such as the “Lenu” Remix with Bnxn and Asake's "Sungba" remix.

TIPS

Switching Podcast Hosts

In this article, Rachel Corbett explores the process of changing podcast hosts and offers valuable advice on what to consider if you're thinking of making the switch. From importing existing episodes to redirecting your old feed and exporting metrics, she covers everything you need to know to ensure a smooth transition. 

TOOLS 

PodFast is a tool that condenses podcasts into audio/visual summaries, helps content creators market their work, and converts online videos into concise summaries. Its AI extension optimizes learning by combining watching, listening, and reading. PodFast aims to save time for busy individuals who want to stay informed and learn efficiently. Check out the Pitch Deck.

EVENTS

French Institute hosts Podcast

The French Institute Nigeria, in partnership with The Young God, is set to host a special event in Abuja, Nigeria. The event aims to provide a platform for individuals to talk, share, and inspire, amidst the many interesting things happening in the country. The event will feature Bluetooth headphones provided by Loud and Silence, creating a unique environment for attendees to listen to the podcast. The event is scheduled to take place on Friday, 3 March, at the Institut français du Nigéria / Mambaah Bistro in Abuja and is free to attend. 

Pod Fest Cairo 2023 Conference

Pod Fest Cairo 2023, a podcasting conference in Cairo, is set to host a panel on "Designing Your Digital Footprint: The Audio Edition," discussing ways to optimize the online presence of audio content. The panel includes renowned podcast consultant Rasha Aldeeb and industry experts from Iqraaly, RADUC Podcast, and PodU. The conference aims to bring together podcast enthusiasts and professionals to learn, network and explore new trends in the podcasting industry. The event promises to be a major milestone in the podcasting landscape of Egypt and the broader Middle East region.

Africa X Podcasting Industry

Kevin Y. Brown, Chief Content Officer & Head of Strategy at Afripods, will be at Podcast Movement Evolutions on March 9, 2023, to discuss an insightful breakout session titled "Africa X Podcasting: The Emergence of Industry." Participants will get to discover the latest statistics on African podcast listener and creator behaviour, gain customer development and user insights, and understand the African podcast ecosystem. They’ll also learn strategic pivots and opportunities to penetrate the African audio creator economy, and capitalize on the creator economies in key African markets. This is a data-driven experience that will provide valuable knowledge and insights into the African podcast industry! Check out the schedule

Black Effect Podcast Festival

Charlamagne Tha God and iHeartMedia are hosting the 2023 Black Effect Podcast Festival in Atlanta on April 22, 2023, to celebrate Black voices in the podcast industry. The festival will feature live podcast recordings by popular Black Effect personalities and aims to inspire aspiring podcasters within the Black community. Tickets go on sale on March 1, 2023, and more information can be found on the festival's website.