I hope you reaped the advantages of the Zoom shutdown. I work largely in Google Docs and Mailchimp (and WordPress, woof), so no day without work for me.
On the docket at this time: Podimo will get a plum funding, iHeart forges forward within the metaverse, and Spotify steals SXM’s crown.
Audio subscription service Podimo raises $58.6 million
Danish podcast and audiobook subscription service Podimo is bringing within the sort of cash we’ve hardly ever seen because the economic system faltered within the spring. Its newest fundraising spherical introduced in €58.6 million (about $58.6 million USD, thanks, simple alternate charges), which can go towards content material, product, and increasing into new markets.
Podimo features sort of like Luminary however has not but expanded into the US. It’s accessible in Denmark, Germany, Spain, Norway, the Netherlands, Finland, and throughout Latin America.
“Our worldwide enlargement is progressing past expectations, and we proceed to see our development and content material technique scale effectively,” mentioned Podimo CEO and founder Morten Strunge in an announcement. “This funding spherical sends a transparent message that our mannequin is working. As we proceed to concentrate on rising our current markets and opening new ones, we’re additionally constructing on our in depth catalog of content material.”
The corporate wouldn’t disclose its present valuation however did say it has raised €162 million in complete. Collaborating buyers on this spherical included 83North, Highland Europe, Saban Ventures, Chr. Augustinus Fabrikker, Heartcore, and Headline.
Spotify snags high spot from SXM in Edison’s newest podcast community rating
Spotify had the biggest attain of any podcast community between April and July, in accordance with Edison. It grabbed the highest spot from SiriusXM, which was the runner-up. The analysis word mentions that Spotify solely beat SXM by “a tiny margin.” The rating is predicated on how a lot market share every community has amongst podcast listeners every week.
The remainder of the rating is crammed out by the same old suspects. iHeartMedia got here in third, like final quarter, whereas Audioboom jumped from sixth to fourth, shifting down NPR and The New York Occasions. Audacy, Wondery, Cumulus, and PRX made up the final 4.
iHeart expands into Roblox
Metaverse audio content material is occurring whether or not we prefer it or not! As I reported a number of weeks in the past, iHeart launched an leisure venue inside Fortnite, which can maintain dwell podcast performances along with concert events. Now, iHeart is increasing into kid-friendly gaming platform Roblox.
iHeartLand in Roblox will host performances from Lauv and Charlie Puth, and in contrast to with Fortnite, no podcast performances have been included within the launch. Nevertheless, it could possibly be a helpful avenue for iHeart to advertise a few of its kid-oriented programming. Plus, as my colleague Mia Sato reported, Roblox can be attempting to broaden its enchantment to older customers and is at present seeing large development in gamers aged between 17 and 24.
Adnan Syed of Serial fame might get a brand new trial
Eight years after Serial debuted, Baltimore prosecutors are looking for to vacate Adnan Syed’s homicide conviction chronicled by the present. In response to a launch from State’s Lawyer for Baltimore Metropolis Marilyn Mosby, new proof has been uncovered that factors to 2 different suspects.
“The movement filed at this time helps a brand new trial for Syed based mostly on an almost year-long investigation that exposed undisclosed and newly-developed data concerning two different suspects, in addition to unreliable cellphone tower information,” Mosby mentioned.
Syed, who has maintained his innocence within the 1999 killing of his then-girlfriend Hae Min Lee, has already served twenty years behind bars. Serial’s Twitter account shared the most recent authorized growth.
As a lot as I hate on true-crime pods, it’s reminder that at their greatest, rigorous investigations like Serial’s can shine a lightweight on tales that will in any other case stay buried and have actual impression.
That’s all for at this time. Jake might be taking up for me tomorrow as I am going into ~deep work mode.
