What happened at Stitcher

I advised you I used to be gonna sob over that new MUNA tune. I didn’t lie.

Now, extra non-lies! Aka information!

However first, right here’s Jake with one thing to flag for you all:

What occurred at Stitcher

Hello everybody, I’m excited to share with you yet one more story from Ashley Carman — a chunk she spent months reporting out and wrapped up proper earlier than she left.

The story is a deep dive into SiriusXM’s acquisition of Stitcher — the way it went, the place it went awry, and the way it speaks to the broader podcasting panorama’s transfer towards consolidation and scale.

Former staff at Stitcher say SiriusXM lacked a podcast technique once they have been introduced onboard, felt like the corporate didn’t empower them to behave on their experience, and clashed over basic items like cross-promotion and… even mentioning the title “Spotify.” The technique shift has been notably evident on the comedy community Earwolf, the place followers have observed a trickle of departing exhibits and hosts in latest months. Lots of the smaller titles that made Earwolf referred to as a vibrant house for comedy have since left the community, whereas the studio has prioritized titles with mainstream hit potential, like Workplace Girls and Storytime with Seth Rogen.

Greater than 1 / 4 of Stitcher’s staff on the time of the acquisition have since left, together with its CEO, CTO, and others from the C-suite, The Verge discovered. As Ashley writes, “Mixed with the x-factors of a pandemic, a brand new company surroundings, and rising methods for exhibits to make it on their very own with out community help, the second was proper for a expertise reckoning.”

There’s much more within the piece itself, together with particulars on how a few of this stress began earlier than the acquisition. You possibly can learn the total story proper right here.

OK, again to Aria!

Radiolab’s large dedication to accessibility

Earlier this month, I clued Insiders in on a brand new Radiolab episode — a narrative advised by the author Elsa Sjunneson about how her life pertains to Helen Keller’s — which was being produced in a method that Deaf-blind audiences might entry in its entirety.

Radiolab has now put out an accompanying ASL video for the episode, and it’s additionally printed a transcript specifically formatted to load into digital Braille readers. I talked to the workforce about how and why this got here collectively.

Creating these belongings occurred in phases and concerned lots of people from each inside and past WNYC, however as soon as shared, the method turns into replicable. To make a appropriate transcript, for instance, they employed an exterior Braille coordinator, Sharon von See, to transform the copy into an official “Braille Prepared File” utilizing a pc program. The ASL video, produced by WNYC social media producer Kim Nowacki, took many extra steps, together with two rounds of translation with outdoors interpreters April Jackson-Woodard and Eboni Gaytan.

Right here’s that course of, as defined to me by Radiolab sound designer Jeremy Bloom: he and Gaytan, who isn’t Deaf, listened by to the episode in 10-minute chunks; as she listened, Gaytan created a signed interpretation of what she heard, passing it alongside to Jackson-Woodard, who’s Deaf; Jackson-Woodard then re-interpreted what she’d acquired from Gaytan, and it’s Jackson-Woodard and her translation that you simply see within the last video.

As Bloom says, Jackson-Woodard “can interpret the work in a method that’s extra linguistically and culturally fluent than if we have been to make use of a single listening to interpreter alone.” A 3rd interpreter, Annie Dieckman, was additionally current to translate between Jackson-Woodard and himself since Bloom doesn’t know ASL. The ensuing video was then adjusted to convey the signing into time with the audio, and to convey the true essence of Radiolab, it was additionally outfitted with particular written descriptions of the music and sound design, courtesy of the artist Shannon Finnegan (whose descriptions may also be learn within the transcript).

These parts are an enormous enchancment from the present supply of this present’s content material, however that supply was really fairly strong already. Importing visible counterparts to audio, for instance, has been an lively follow for the workforce, who’ve printed each closed-captioned movies of episodes and extra experimental content material, like a recording of a cassette (for an episode about cassettes) that exhibits you the spools spinning should you select to look at it (however is okay to reduce into the background should you select to not).

Taking inspiration from present creators is one a part of Radiolab’s new method, which I’m advised is broadly a results of suggestions from the present’s viewers; many followers depend on accessibility lodging, and their expertise of the present shouldn’t come on the expense of that. Extra not too long ago, the workforce has collaborated straight with numerous individuals with disabilities as each paid contributors and knowledgeable sources. Wanting forward, I’m advised that extra ASL movies are on the best way and that transcripts will all the time be accessible — sure, even when the bigger audio business hasn’t yet caught up.

“Final 12 months, I noticed Christine Solar Kim’s unbelievable Pop-Up Journal video, and it helped me perceive how a lot lusher sound descriptions in transcripts could possibly be,” says ​​Lulu Miller, considered one of Radiolab’s co-hosts. On this video, Solar Kim reimagines the best way closed captions could possibly be learn by writing them herself, combining literal descriptions of ft “slapping” in opposition to flooring tiles with extra summary descriptions, like “the sound of shampoo scent floating among the many fog.”

“Ever since then,” Miller says, “we’ve all been hungry to discover a solution to step up our recreation in that space.”

EXCLUSIVE: PRX and Google’s new coaching program for less-than-new podcasters

Final convening in 2021, the Google Podcasts creator program is starting its third iteration, with some notable modifications.

This worldwide coaching, co-facilitated by Google and PRX, has beforehand targeted on new podcast producers, at occasions providing funding to as much as 20 recipients without delay. This time, solely six small groups or people can be chosen for this system, which is targeted on producers who’re a minimum of three years into their audio-making journey and whom this system may also help monetize and develop what they’ve began.

With this purpose in thoughts, meaning one other large change for this system: the funding that every might doubtlessly obtain has elevated by over 60 p.c for the reason that final time it was up for grabs. Stephanie Kuo, director of coaching at PRX, says a rise in funding was in response to suggestions from program alumni.

“This system this 12 months is meant for these trying to take a present podcast and rework it from what might have been a ardour challenge or aspect hustle right into a enterprise with income potential, whereas additionally persevering with to refine artistic growth expertise,” says Kuo. “With a purpose to see extra profitable unbiased exhibits within the ecosystem, we need to assist each podcasts and podcasters evolve on this method.”

Yow will discover particulars about submission and eligibility on this system web site, or tune into the informational webinar that PRX is internet hosting immediately at 2PM ET.

Extra toys for Apple podcasters

At present, Apple Podcasts introduced new capabilities for creators who provide subscription channels whereas additionally teasing forthcoming listener metrics for normal ol’ podcasters.

Those that run premium channels can now do issues like customise banners from present to point out to promote completely different paywalled perks. And beginning in April, all podcasters’ listening metrics will begin to differentiate between the exercise of followers and non-followers, that means those that choose in to be notified about new episodes versus those that don’t. With the latter, the purpose is to assist determine what number of listeners are actually invested in a present (and may then be eager about turning into paying subscribers down the road).

Apple Podcasts Join, the dashboard during which podcasters can see all these metrics, was revamped final spring; this spring, it appears to be blooming once more.

Twitter Areas growing shareability (and asynchronous-ity)

Some Apple customers now have the power to share audio snippets from Twitter Areas, a function just like what Clubhouse customers gained this previous September. With Clubhouse’s model, if clips are captured and posted shortly sufficient, they’ll spur individuals to becoming a member of a dialog because it’s occurring; Twitter, however, is limiting the clipping function to Areas which have already been recorded, in line with the official “Twitter Spaces” Twitter account (why). In that method, this newer function appeals to individuals with waning curiosity in dwell audio.

The Verge has extra particulars on the announcement, although I’m a fan of this News9 write-up since there’s a typo that swaps “clip” for “clop,” and now I can’t cease eager about horses.

Anna Sorokin joins podcast from jail

Final week, Anna Sorokin (the swindler and topic of the latest Netflix collection Inventing Anna who’s at present in ICE custody) appeared as a visitor on the podcast Name Her Daddy, which I’m mentioning for 2 causes, along with that simply being a completely unhinged sentence.

First, it’s intentionally produced and marketed as a video episode, chatting with Spotify’s ongoing efforts to make video occur for its podcasts. The spectacle of getting Sorokin beam in from a holding cell can’t precisely be ignored.

And second, that is now a minimum of the second time that Name Her Daddy has produced sound-byte-friendly audio — final month, a quote from Julia Fox’s look on the present turned viral TikTok audio. I don’t have equally excessive expectations for the potential of Sorokin’s look, principally as a result of the audio high quality isn’t nice, however host Alex Cooper did have a minimum of one good line. In response to her visitor disagreeing with the concept, in being a con artist, she’s like a performer, Cooper interjects, “You might be. You’re very complicated.” The silence that follows will get me each. single. time.

Hope anybody who’s stepping into individual to Podcast Motion enjoys it! I’m on the East Coast, and I’m freezing.