Tag: Podcasting

Spotify’s AI Voice Translation Pilot Means Your Favorite Podcasters Might Be Heard in Your Native Language

September 25, 2023

Across cultures, countries, and communities, the stories we share bring us together. And more often than not, it is the voices of the speakers that lend as much weight to the stories as the narratives themselves. For more than 15 years, Spotify’s global platform has empowered creators of all walks to share their work with audiences around the world. At its core, this has been made possible through technology that’s leveraged the power of audio to overcome barriers to access, borders, and distance. But with recent advancements, we’ve been wondering: Are there more ways we can bridge the language gap so that these voices can be heard worldwide?

Today, we’re excited to pilot Voice Translation for podcasts, a groundbreaking feature powered by AI that translates podcasts into additional languages—all in the podcaster’s voice.

This Spotify-developed tool leverages the latest innovations—one of which is OpenAI’s newly released voice generation technology—to match the original speaker’s style, making for a more authentic listening experience that sounds more personal and natural than traditional dubbing. A podcast episode originally recorded in English can now be available in other languages while keeping the speaker’s distinctive speech characteristics.

As part of the pilot, we’ve worked closely with podcasters Dax Shepard, Monica Padman, Lex Fridman, Bill Simmons, and Steven Bartlett to generate AI-powered voice translations in other languages—including Spanish, French, and German—for a select number of catalog episodes and future episode releases. We’re also looking forward to including other shows, such as Dax Shepard’s eff won with DRS, The Rewatchables from The Ringer, and Trevor Noah’s new original podcast, which launches later this year.

“By matching the creator’s own voice, Voice Translation gives listeners around the world the power to discover and be inspired by new podcasters in a more authentic way than ever before,” says Ziad Sultan, VP of Personalization. “We believe that a thoughtful approach to AI can help build deeper connections between listeners and creators, a key component of Spotify’s mission to unlock the potential of human creativity.”

Voice-translated episodes from pilot creators will be available worldwide to Premium and Free users. We’re starting by releasing an initial bundle of translated episodes in Spanish, with French and German rolling out in the coming days and weeks:

Lex Fridman Podcast – “Interview with Yuval Noah Harari”
Armchair Expert – “Kristen Bell, by the grace of god, returns”
The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett – “Interview with Dr. Mindy Pelz”

We’ll start rolling these out to users on the Now Playing View of supported episodes starting today. Can’t wait and want to hear the episodes right away? Head to the dedicated Voice Translations Hub, which we’ll update with even more voice-translated episodes over the coming weeks and months.

Today is just the beginning. We’re excited to empower creators to bring their storytelling to more listeners across the world. The creator and audience feedback from the pilot will provide important insights for future expansion, iterations, and innovations. As the number of people (100M+) regularly listening to podcasts on Spotify continues to grow, we’ll continue exploring new ways to overcome barriers to storytelling.

Stay tuned to Spotify for Podcasters as we aim to expand access for more creators and languages.

Trevor Noah on Podcasting, Spotify’s Global Platform, and Telling Your Own Story

June 20, 2023

Earlier today while in conversation with Spotify co-founder and CEO Daniel Ek, comedian, author, and former Daily Show host Trevor Noah revealed that he’ll be moving into the world of podcasting with a new Spotify Original podcast, launching later this year.

“My passion and my joy has always been connecting people and connecting ideas,” Trevor explained to Daniel. “I think we live in a world where as we become more connected, ironically, we become a little disconnected. And so, what I’ve always liked to do is try to connect and draw those threads between ideas, between people. That’s what I’ll continue to do with the podcast.”

From the stage at Spotify Beach at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, he went on to explain that his new podcast won’t focus specifically on any one type of person—or on breaking news. “I’m going to be finding a story, person, and world, and then trying to thread those things together,” he said. “Not in a way that’s reactive, not in a way that’s specifically tied to what people think of as news, but rather cultural moments, ideas, that give us a better understanding of the world we live in. Some of them might be funny; some of them might be deep; some of them might be intense stories. But they’ll all be stories that we want to talk about and ideas that we want to share.”

In addition to the announcement, Trevor and Daniel discussed navigating different mediums to forge a deeper connection with audiences, and how creators can effectively leverage new technologies in an ever-evolving media landscape. Read on for highlights from their conversation.

Daniel: What is it about the format of podcasting that really intrigues you?

Trevor: Every format, if you’re a storyteller, presents you with an opportunity to tell a story differently. So, television obviously occupies certain senses: You watch it and listen. When you’re on stage, it’s a live experience. And so, everything that is communicated is happening instantly, and then it’s gone.

What happens with the podcast, that I love, is it’s akin to radio, which I did many, many years ago in South Africa. And it’s intimate. It is everywhere. And it connects you in a way that not many mediums can. I don’t know about you, but I listen to podcasts in some of my most private settings—when I’m driving, commuting, taking a walk—and it feels like it’s just for you. It becomes your own journey, at your own time, in your own way. It doesn’t have the “you missed it” feeling that some other media has, and it also doesn’t have the en mass feeling either.

Daniel: How do you think this format will be different than something like The Daily Show?

Trevor: The Daily Show was fast, reactive, fun. It’s happening and you’re responding. I think what I’m aiming to do with this podcast is enjoy taking a little more time processing, synthesizing—you know, finding the ties between and not focusing on one particular area. It’s a lot broader. I mean, you know, your platform: 500 million people all over the globe—that gives you an opportunity to expand the purview of what you’re talking about.

Daniel: You have a lot of ideas both on that and around perhaps how brands can interact with you on the show. Care to share with the audience a little bit of those thoughts?

Trevor: I think podcasting presents a unique opportunity to brands—one that hasn’t been fully realized. I find there’s always a clash in that a brand is trying to achieve its objectives by trying to get to consumers, trying to get its message out, and then the show or the product or the artist are also trying to do their thing. And then you find there’s a clash of creative; there’s a clash of ideas; there’s a clash of authenticity. And what I’ve always struggled to understand is why that connection isn’t more organic. I think everyone can connect to a brand that they like, that they enjoy, that they want to be a part of. And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I think finding that connection is key.

And so, I’ve always wondered why in podcasts, for instance, instead of brands trying to be associated with the entire podcast, why don’t they focus on sections in a podcast? Why don’t they look at moments and say, “Hey, this is what I want to be a part of—so I don’t have to cosign everything else that happens on this podcast. I just want to have fun in the section. This tech section or politics section or pop culture section is what our brand stands for.” And so, I think there’s a segmentation that can occur that can provide a brand and creative with more opportunities for flexibility and authenticity.

Daniel: What does being “global” mean to you? What strategies have you pursued in order to bring a global lens to your work?

Trevor: I’m very intentional in trying to create something as many people as possible can enjoy. I hope that you will share my sense of humor. I hope that I can interest you with what I find interesting, and I hope that I can learn from you as well. I learn from my audiences, which I think is a wonderful space to exist as a creator. I don’t claim to be the know-it-all who discovers everything. I’m lucky enough to be able to listen to my fans because we have an age of technology where we can do that. So that’s something that definitely was intentional.

And then, on the other hand, I’ve always loved that I come from a very mixed and international family. You know, my dad is Swiss and my mother is Xhosa, from South Africa. So I always knew that the world existed as more than one group of people. We’ve always been connected across the globe. I don’t think I’ve ever thought of any world or any story as being isolated to the place that it happens in.

Daniel: What podcasts are you listening to and loving?

Trevor: Alex Cooper’s podcast, Call Her Daddy, is amazing. She’s phenomenal in how she’s grown and expanded. She’s another example of someone who had one niche, and she’s grown and shown the multifaceted woman that she is, like all women. Podcasts afford everybody the opportunity to share something.

Daniel: What advice would you give someone who is just starting out on social media?

Trevor: Social media has been amazing in connecting people. But what it has been terrible at is providing the context for that connection. And without context, every interaction can go the wrong way. There was a time when social media was you speaking to people whom you knew or were connected to. And so the context was maintained. Everyone understood every joke or every point of view you had because of how insular it started. Now you don’t know—your message, your tweet, your post, your whatever can go to people hundreds of thousands of miles across the globe who don’t get the full context. Context defines everything.

My job is to try and provide you the most context possible. That’s all I’m trying to do—give you the most. But there will never be all the context unless I’m speaking specifically to every single person individually. And so, as a society, I think that’s what we need to work on.

Catch all the conversations happening on the ground at Cannes on Newsroom.Spotify.com/SpotifyBeach2023 and listen to Daniel and Trevor’s full conversation on Spotify.

The Ringer Founder Bill Simmons Reveals the Secret Behind the Successful Brand Partnerships of ‘The Rewatchables’

June 16, 2023

Bill Simmons is a man who wears many hats at Spotify. In addition to being the founder and Managing Director of The Ringer—which includes a website and podcast network dedicated to sports and pop culture—he’s also Head of Podcast Innovation and Monetization at Spotify, where he’s leveraging his experience at The Ringer building a high-revenue business through innovation and strong partnerships and applying it across the rest of the company. On top of that, Bill also hosts multiple podcasts, including The Rewatchables.

Featuring a rotating cast of writers and editors each week, the show explores classic films that people will never forget—mostly because they can’t seem to stop watching them. As one of The Ringer’s most popular podcasts, The Rewatchables is a shining example of the podcast network’s creative use of integrated brand partnerships.

Bill Simmons

This month, The Rewatchables is partnering with Disney to help promote the new film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. In addition to giving the movie prime placement through custom cover art and the show’s pre-roll ad, as part of this month’s programming, The Ringer is also dropping a special Indiana Jones episode, which will feature branded segments promoting the new movie.

Beyond working with The Ringer, Disney+ recently launched a new campaign with Spotify that drives awareness of Disney’s audio content in a delightful and immersive Spotify experience. Listeners across Germany, the U.K., Ireland, Italy, and Spain can now explore personalized in-app recommendations—as well as new genres and titles from the Disney+ soundtrack catalog—based on their listening habits. Plus, Spotify Free listeners receive audio, display, and video ads with a call to action to visit a branded in-app experience. Between these two brands, the connection runs deep.

For the Record sat down with Bill to dig deeper into the relationship between content and advertising, what makes a good advertising partnership, and how The Ringer makes these sponsorships sing.

We’ve heard you’re a big fan of the Indiana Jones franchise and are revisiting The Last Crusade in an upcoming Rewatchables episode. What excites you most about revisiting the franchise?

Raiders of the Lost Ark was the first great modern action movie I ever saw. It changed everything. I even remember where I saw it—the Cleveland Circle theater in Brookline, MA!

We waited and waited to do it on The Rewatchables for years because it’s one of the 10 most important movies of my lifetime. Indiana Jones is one of the best heroes ever, who fights the worst villains possible. And you’re talking about one of the biggest stars ever in Harrison Ford, who was working with two of the biggest behind-the-scenes creators ever in Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, soundtracked by one of the best composers ever in John Williams.

So Indiana Jones lives forever after that. If it’s an Indiana Jones movie, I’m going. The difference between him and, say, Jason Bourne or Ethan Hunt is that he always feels like a real guy with a little hero in him . . . not a hero pretending to be a real guy.

The Ringer is known for long-term deals with brand partners, like this month’s sponsorship with Disney. How do you approach these? What is the value in more integrated partnerships?

It may sound simple, but the most important thing is understanding what brands want to get out of the partnership. The brands that always succeed with us are the ones that tell us what their priorities are ahead of time.

One of The Ringer’s secret sauces is that we have multiple avenues to raise awareness for something—podcasts, the network itself, the website, our social handles, and our individual talent. But we also have a good creative team and we understand how to make things a little more special and unique.

In 2018, State Farm was blowing out a campaign around the state of the NBA season, so we turned it into a special event. We did a two-day Previewpalooza with a bunch of live video talk content, pre-taped shows, and upward of a dozen podcast episodes. State Farm is still a valuable partner all these years later, and I think that week is a big reason why.

Brands don’t want to just fork over money; they want to feel like you elevated their product and put some thought into what they value.

Are there any films you’re still dying to cover?

We are closing in on 300 episodes—which just seems like a crazy-high number—but I have a surprisingly meaty master list of the best Rewatchable movies we haven’t covered yet, which includes classics like Almost Famous. Pulp Fiction, Star Wars, Road House, Anchorman, and most of the Marvel movies.

There are so many times when I’ll get inspiration for an episode when I’m flipping channels, or I’m on an airplane, or I’m surfing around Netflix. It’s then that I realize, “Wait, I love this movie!” That happened with Casino Royale recently. So, I feel like we can get to 500 episodes pretty easily. From our first episode on the 20th anniversary of the noir film Heat to now, I’m so glad people still like listening to it because we love doing it.

Discover The Ringer’s impactful brand partnerships for yourself by streaming the latest episode of The Rewatchables.

Immediate Media Partners With Spotify’s Megaphone To Bring Its Popular U.K. Podcasts to the World

February 16, 2023

When it comes to U.K. podcast producers, Immediate Media stands out. In 2022, the studio published more than 750 podcast episodes and averaged more than 5 million downloads per month across its 12 ongoing series. One of its most popular podcasts, HistoryExtra, also just celebrated a major milestone by hitting 200 million downloads. And now, we’re excited to announce our new partnership with Immediate Media that will help the company take its content to the next level.

Starting in March, Immediate Media’s podcasts will be hosted and monetized through Spotify’s enterprise podcasting platform, Megaphone. With its portfolio—including the Radio Times Podcast, The olive magazine podcast, and the aforementioned HistoryExtra, along with BBC’s Top Gear Magazine Podcast, BBC Good Food Podcast, and BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine—Immediate Media offers content from premium brands that advertisers love.

With Megaphone’s comprehensive set of industry-leading tools, Immediate Media can more effectively publish and grow its podcast business, by creating podcast ads for use on Spotify and other listening platforms.

2022 Saw Even More Advancements, Acquisitions, and Excitement at Spotify

December 27, 2022

Earlier this month, we all had a chance to revisit what we listened to most in 2022 with Wrapped. From the year’s top artist (congrats on the three-peat, Bad Bunny) to identifying our listening personalities (where the “Deep Divers” at?), fans worldwide shared their listening habits. But that’s only the icing on the cake. The year also saw new content offerings such as audiobooks and more programs to support diverse and underrepresented voices, all designed to bring the best experience to listeners and creators.

Ring in 2023 by reliving Spotify’s highlights from 2022.

Commitment to platform safety

At the start of the year, we shared several actions we’re taking to balance creator expression with safety, including publishing our Platform Rules and taking steps to ensure creators and users alike understand what’s permitted on Spotify. This summer, we unveiled the Spotify Safety Advisory Council, an interdisciplinary group of experts that are providing our teams with an outside-in view of the safety landscape and helping us ensure that our products and policies address the needs and concerns of our users, creators, and artists around the world.

Acquisitions expand our offerings

Early in the year, we acquired two podcast technology companies: Podsights, a podcast advertising measurement service, and Chartable, a podcast analytics platform. This move helped us uplevel measurement for podcast advertising and give publishers a new way to grow their business through insights and promotions tools.

Over the summer, we closed on the acquisition of Findaway, a global leader in digital audiobook distribution. Findaway works across the audiobook ecosystem with a platform and offerings that serve authors, publishers, and consumers. Their technology and know-how helped accelerate Spotify’s entry into audiobooks earlier this fall.

As the world’s leading audio streaming platform, it made perfect sense to bring Heardle, the beloved interactive music game to Spotify. It has provided a fun and innovative way to help fans discover new songs and artists.

We also acquired Kinzen, a global leader in protecting online communities from harmful content. Our partnership with the Dublin-based company, which began in 2020, has been critical to enhancing our approach to platform safety. The company’s technology and unique approach helps Spotify better understand, prepare for, and prevent abuse trends from emerging on our platform.

Frequency carves out a spot for Black creators

We expanded Frequency, our global initiative and holistic destination for celebrating Black art, entertainment, creativity, culture, and community both on- and off-platform, with even more opportunities for Black creators. In addition to on-platform hubs and playlists, we hosted The Free Studio, a four-day residency that brought together nine Black musicians and creators. Spotify’s popular playlist Ripple Effect continued the Frequency Sunday Dinner series in Houston, as well as cities across California.

Helping diversify the voices of podcasting

Programs like Sound Up, the Creator Equity Fund, and RADAR for Podcasters help underrepresented voices and emerging talent in the audio space. From education and workshops to on-platform amplification, these initiatives give creators the tools they need to tell their story. In October, we introduced the Africa Podcast Fund, a first-of-its-kind initiative to support burgeoning podcasters through financial grants, workshops, and networking opportunities. In December, we launched Elevate for Podcasters in partnership with the Inevitable Foundation. The program empowers professional podcasters with disabilities, providing the funding, mentorship, equipment, and accommodations they need to level up their careers.

Introducing User Choice Billing with Google

Our multi-year agreement with Google represents a first-of-its-kind option in payment choice with opportunities for both consumers and developers. Users who’ve downloaded Spotify from the Google Play Store are presented with the choice to pay with either Spotify’s payment system or Google Play Billing. These two options living side-by-side in the app give users the freedom to subscribe and make purchases, using the payment option of their choice. With this announcement and our partnership, Google is allowing more choice and competition—decisive steps that demonstrate how platforms should work.

Blend it up

Blend combines the best of Spotify’s personalization capabilities and collaborative playlist functionality into a single shared playlist. In 2022, we took Blend to a whole new level. Users can now Blend with up to 10 people or they can Blend with artists like Lizzo, Post Malone, and Charli XCX. Fans also have the opportunity to shop artist merch from the Blend experience. Blend represents another way we can give artists a new oportunity to interact with fans, and to bring added personalization to a listener’s music experience.

Playing with video

In 2022 we expanded video podcasting to Anchor creators in over 180 global markets. Podcasters love having the option to accompany their audio with visual components, and fans get the opportunity to deeply connect with the content. We also introduced Spotify Podcast Subscriptions for video podcasts, an integration with Riverside (the go-to platform for remote recording), embeddable video, video bulk-replace, video-specific analytics, and interactive podcast features, such as polls and Q&A.

Celebrating EQUAL’s first anniversary

Since its launch, EQUAL has spotlighted women artists through global partnerships, activations, new content experiences, and on- and off-platform support. April marked the program’s one year anniversary. Among EQUAL’s major accomplishments: listeners streamed more than 13 million hours of program artists in the first month of joining.

Reimagining with Roblox

We entered the virtual universe Roblox to create Spotify Island, an audio paradise where fans and artists from all over the world can connect and explore exclusive sounds, quests, and merch. We enhanced the experience during the year with K-Park and Planet Hip-Hop.

Spotify and FC Barcelona team up on the field

In July, we kicked off a partnership with FC Barcelona, becoming the Main Partner of the Club as well as the Official Audio Streaming Partner. We joined the team in Miami during the club’s preseason tour and brought artists like Ovy on the Drums, Piso 21, and Mau y Ricky along for the fun. Through the in-stadium LEDs and our other marketing channels, we promoted artists of all sizes from around the world including BLACKPINK, Fireboy DML, Megan Thee Stallion, Aitch, Pomme, Feid, and Rigoberta Bandini. For FC Barcelona’s October El Clásico showdown—one of the most iconic events in all of sport—we celebrated Drake’s 50 billion streams by creating a limited-edition kit. Get more details on this multiyear partnership on our Spotify: For the Record podcast.

Upping the ante with audiobooks

This fall, we introduced audiobooks to listeners in the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. With more than 300,000 titles on the platform, we are giving book lovers a new way to enjoy storytelling on Spotify.

Time to play fair

We believe everyone benefits when competition is fair. Unfortunately, Apple does not, and they’ve consistently abused their dominant position to favor their own services, stifle innovation and hurt consumers. This year, we continued to urge policymakers to take significant action to protect competition and consumers from Apple’s anticompetitive behavior. For more on this fight, listen to Spotify: For the Record, where entrepreneurs, U.S. senators, and Spotify CEO Daniel Ek discuss the importance of consumer choice.

Spotify’s LA Recording Studio is a Creative Hub for Artists and Podcasters

December 22, 2022

Studio photos by Brad Devins and Sean Michon

When we talk about making Spotify the preferred destination for artists, we sometimes mean it figuratively—alluding to the reach of our platform, the programs we have for up-and-coming creators, and beyond. But when it comes to our LA office, At Mateo, we also mean it literally. Our hub in Los Angeles is a state-of-the-art music- and podcast-recording facility with doors opened wide to creators for audio innovation and celebration—and there’s something for every creator at every stage of their career.

Chris D’Angelo, Spotify’s Head of Production & Studio Facilities, and William Garrett, Senior Music Producer/Studio Development Lead—two of the space’s biggest champions—have been thinking about how to best use the space since its inception. And now that it’s open, they’re realizing even more ways to make it attractive and accessible to creators well into the future.

“When we first sat down to design the offices, we wanted to enable music, video, and audio production to happen right here at the Spotify offices in a really great environment,” Chris told For the Record. “And so we really talked a lot about who would be coming in and what type of artists, what type of creators, what the employees would need to do, and what the community that we were building in would want, need, or expect from us. We spent a lot of time thinking about how each constituent would need to use it.”

Read on to see how Chris, William, and the team’s thoughtfulness has come to create a space where creators feel at home.

Let’s make music

Podcaster Wrapped Celebrates Podcast Creators and Their Fans in 2022

December 2, 2022

Earlier this week we revealed 2022 Wrapped, our annual campaign that brings creators and fans together around a shared love of all things audio. And to accompany it, we launched Podcaster Wrapped for creators.

Podcaster Wrapped is our way to recognize achievements across our podcast creator ecosystem and offer a unique peek into user behavior and listening trends from the past year. And what a year it was! We were blown away by the amount of podcast content created: It would take you over 1,500 years to listen to every minute of the 25 million+ podcast episodes published in 2022.

As we look back at all the meaningful moments that made up 2022—the milestones, big wins, and one-of-a-kind connection that brings creators and fans together—it’s clear there’s a lot to celebrate.

More for listeners and creators to love

This year, we saw a more than 50% increase in podcast consumption. Over half of the billions of hours of content played in 2022 was newly published since January.

Meanwhile, we continued to build innovative tools that enable podcasters to create, grow, and monetize their content in new ways. We brought video podcasts to creators in over 180 markets so that listeners can enjoy a visual complement to content and creators have a new way to reach and connect with their fans. We also made it easier for creators to sound better with a new audio enhancement feature, and we expanded our interactivity capabilities by making Q&A and Polls available to creators around the world.

Getting to know you

We launched our first-ever Fan Study for podcasters, giving creators insights into fan behavior so they can make more informed decisions about how to grow their show. Through Fan Study, we learned things like fans who follow your podcast will listen to four times the number of episodes, and Gen Z’s podcast discovery is growing at twice the rate of other generations.

We elevated dozens of emerging podcasters from around the world with programs like RADAR Podcasters and Sound Up, which both aim to spotlight up-and-coming creators and provide them with support to grow their audiences.

Near and far

And we continued to see that podcasts are truly global. Podcaster Wrapped showed us that the majority of podcasts published are listened to in more than one country, and we’re seeing impressive creation growth in Central and South America, specifically Colombia, Argentina, Guatemala, Ecuador, and Costa Rica. These countries saw a more than 50% increase in new shows created between 2021 and 2022. The top markets in terms of shows published are the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, and India.

We love seeing creators grow and hit their strides, and we’ll continue to build programs and tools to help podcasters of all kinds find success in 2023 and beyond.

Spotify Partners With Inevitable Foundation To Support and Empower Podcasters with Disabilities

December 1, 2022

Across the TV and film industries, writers with disabilities are heavily underrepresented. While an estimated 15% of the global population is disabled, these individuals only make up 1% of the creative workforce. When it comes to podcasting, though, there’s a huge opportunity to shift the balance on representation. Thanks to a lower barrier to entry, podcasting has offered an alternate route for creators with disabilities to make their mark. But the rapidly growing and evolving nature of the podcasting industry means there’s still a lot of need to invest in underrepresented artists. Until now, there haven’t been any programs that support podcasters with disabilities who are working to break through.

Spotify is partnering with the Inevitable Foundation to launch Elevate for Podcasters, a program that empowers professional podcasters with disabilities with the funding, mentorship, equipment, and accommodations they need to level up their careers.

“We want to create a world where disabled storytellers are able to create projects about anything they want, regardless of whether their stories contemplate disability, which is only one part of their complex identities,” Richie Siegel and Marisa Torelli-Pedevska, the cofounders of Inevitable Foundation, told For the Record in a statement. “For a community that has been shut out of so many creative industries for so long, the lower barriers of entry for podcasting create a fruitful starting point to make sizable gains when it comes to fostering the next generation of disabled podcasters and storytellers.”

Those who are accepted into the program will receive a $10,000 grant, which can be used for:

Professional Development: Content-based professional development such as script consulting, and education and workshops on broader storytelling; technical professional development such as education on editing and mixing.
Accommodations: Expenses to make podcasts more accessible, including transcripts and other forms of access.
Equipment: Essential equipment for podcasting, editing, or work.
Show Marketing: Essential marketing expenses for a show, which includes ads, creative, and festival fees.
Living Expenses: To support the ongoing careers of disabled podcasters.
IP Licensing: To license IP to adapt into a fiction podcast.

Participants will also receive ongoing support through quarterly check-ins with the Inevitable Foundation team, as well as community-building events where members can expand their professional networks and meet other creatives with disabilities in podcasting, film, and television.

“At Spotify, we’re constantly looking for ways to amplify diverse and underestimated voices through the power of audio,” says Dina Gabriel, Head of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at Spotify. “This partnership with the Inevitable Foundation offers a unique opportunity for us to utilize our platform to create pathways for creators with disabilities and provide them with tools and resources that will help them hone their craft and build their professional careers.”

How to apply

So who is eligible for the Elevate for Podcasters program? For starters, applicants must meet the following requirements:

They self-identify as disabled.
They are 18 years of age or older.
They are currently pursuing a career in podcasting.
They are not enrolled in an accredited degree program.

In addition, applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:

They have an agent/manager for podcasting.
They have writing, directing, or producing credits on a fiction-genre audio project completely funded by a major audio platform or production company.
One of their audio projects has been acquired by a major studio, production company, or podcast network.
They’ve successfully crowdfunded $10,000 or more for one of their audio projects.
They’ve created their own fiction podcast that has received over 10,000 listens per episode on average over a 30-day period.
They’ve created and produced at least 30 fiction podcast episodes (can be across multiple shows).
They’ve had their show recognized by a mainstream or independent outlet (that has multiple writers) for news or criticism.

We’re thrilled to launch this first-of-its-kind program as a way to raise the visibility of this talented group of artists. Those interested in Elevate for Podcasters can click this link and apply starting today. Winners will be selected starting in early 2023.

For more information, please visit https://inevitable.foundation/podcasters.

10 Tips for Gen Z Podcast Creators

May 27, 2022

Cam Kirkham, Chloe Vardy, Rhyanna Coleman, and Jonny Mounsor speaking at the podcast show

Making a podcast isn’t as daunting as it used to be. With easy-to-use editing tools like Anchor and 120 million podcast listeners in the U.S. alone, there’s never been a better time for passionate creators of any age to start a podcast.

Cam Kirkham and Chloe Vardy, the hosts of the Spotify Original podcast TMI with Cam and Chloe, are the experts when it comes to creating a podcast that captivates younger audiences. On their show, the couple weighs in on the conversations and questions Gen Zers have but are too embarrassed to ask their friends. So May 26 at The Podcast Show in London, the duo joined Spotify Executive Producer Rhyanna Coleman and Spotify Creator Partnerships Manager Jonny Mounsor for a conversation about their experience building a hit podcast and the podcasting trends that resonate with young audiences.

Following that talk, For the Record had the chance to pick the brains of the four podcast experts on ways Gen Z creators can build a successful podcast. Below are their top-10 tips to help your show stand out from the crowd.

Be your authentic self.

Lots of people might be able to host a show or format, but your unique selling point is that you are unique. Being honest and presenting your truest self will help your audience connect with you.

Don’t be afraid to stray from the norm.

Just because someone’s format, style, or duration works for them, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best fit for you. Experiment with some new and different ways of doing things to find what suits you best. Not every podcast has to be an hour long!

Consider adding video to your podcast using Anchor.

People are consuming podcasts in lots of different ways now, and young audiences have become accustomed to watching podcasts—so why not cater to that audience? Allow people to connect with your show however they love to listen.

Utilize your existing channels to build your podcast brand.

Podcasting is way more than just an audio file. You should be building around the podcast with other great ways for your audience to get involved. That could be Instagram, Reddit, bonus content—whatever it is for you, make sure you’re thinking about the whole brand.

Look for the gaps in the market.

With millions of podcasts now available on Spotify, it’s really important to stand out and have a niche in order to increase your discoverability.

Be consistent with releases (whether always-on or seasonal).

Building listener habits is so critical in podcasting. You want your audience to know which days your episodes are released and be waiting for that content to drop!

Make sure you prep and research ahead of recording.

Preparing topics, doing research for guest interviews, and planning special features and segments in advance will have positive results on your output.

Focus on the best-quality audio and recording equipment available to you.

You don’t necessarily need to have the most expensive equipment to achieve good audio quality. Your audio may not sound like a studio from the very start, but take the time to learn how to make it sound as good as it possibly can. Poor audio quality is one of the biggest reasons people choose not to listen to a podcast.

Define your ideal listener.

Don’t forget that the most important part of your podcast is your audience. It’s really important to know exactly who it is that you’re speaking to when you’re recording, as this will help you tailor the content to ensure it’s exactly what they want.

Be proactive in promoting your podcast.

Nobody will talk about your podcast unless you do! With word of mouth representing 25% of all discoverability in podcasting, you want to shout about your podcast at every opportunity. There are more tools than ever to help promote your shows, so don’t ignore any of them.

Now that you have some tips, you’re ready to get started. Head over to Anchor to get access to all the tools you need to create, distribute, and monetize your podcast. And in the meantime, hear more from Cam and Chloe in the latest episode of their podcast below.

Creators and Experts Talk the Future of Podcasting at Spotify’s All Ears Summit in Berlin

May 6, 2022

graphic image that says the conference name "all ears" in big font

What can we learn from podcast analytics? What’s the future of podcasts? What are podcasts doing to drive change? These are just a few of the questions addressed yesterday at Spotify’s All Ears Summit in Berlin, Germany. Creators, producers, publishers, advertisers, and more convened for a conference to talk about the local and global podcast market.

The daylong summit had something for everyone. Fans had the opportunity to hear interviews from popular podcast producers and hosts like Sarah Koenig (Serial), Ira Glass (This American Life), and Tommi Schmitt (Gemischtes Hack).

“I think for the kind of work I do, which is being a journalist, people have to believe that I am telling them what I know to the best of my knowledge. They have to trust me that I’ve done my homework as a reporter. . . . They have to trust you, that you’ve done your job well. That is huge for the kind of work I do.” – Sarah Koenig

Spotify’s Sound Up Program Continues to Bring Diverse Voices to Podcasting

February 28, 2022

Since its start in 2018, Spotify’s Sound Up has helped underrepresented creators get their feet—and mics—in the door for podcasting. The program’s aim is to diversify the voices in the audio space by providing participants with educational opportunities, resources, and access to industry experts. Sound Up graduates have released popular shows that have ranked on Spotify’s podcast charts, including Dope Labs, Search Engine Sex, You Heard Me Write, and FOGO: Fear of Going Outside.

Now, four years after its inception, Sound Up has launched in 12 markets (Japan, Italy, the U.S., U.S. LatinX, India, Mexico, Australia, Sweden, the U.K., Germany, Brazil, and Argentina) and helped hundreds of graduates find careers in podcasting.

How does Sound Up work? In each market, 10 participants are selected to be a part of the program. The creators then go through a four-week virtual or in-person immersive experience where they hone their storytelling, get more experience in audio production, and have a chance to workshop their ideas. After the session ends, the participants continue to receive year-round support from Spotify as they create professional pilots of their ideas, which have a chance to become a Spotify Original.

In 2020, as people around the world altered their lifestyles based on social distancing protocols and COVID-19 risks, Sound Up also had to adapt. “It was an incredibly difficult two years where, globally, we had to adjust the program to virtual trainings,” shared Natalie Tulloch, Sound Up Global Lead. “But we also got the chance to see wonderful stories begin to take shape, and now as we launch new podcasts, it feels incredibly gratifying.”

For the Record traveled across the globe to check in on a few of the current and recently graduated program participants to learn more about their experiences and the podcasts they are creating.

Gigi (U.K.)

Gigi just finished the program and is working on her podcast, Journeys With Grace, which is an immersive self-contained story of discovery. From storytelling to copyright details, Gigi’s Sound Up experience taught her plenty about the industry. Her favorite part of the process was developing the trailer and pilot episode. “Layering up my trailer with soundscapes and adding atmospheric audio here and there was fun to me—a stressful kinda fun,” explained the podcaster. “I’m a creative, so seeing my vision come to fruition was a super-dope moment. You can’t really replace that feeling.” Now her focus is on developing the script and finding a way to invite listeners into her show in an intimate way. “I’m looking forward to the process, the vision being out there, and the podcast finding and resonating with the people it’s supposed to.”

For U.K. and Ireland creators who are interested in the Sound Up program, applications are open now through March 14, 2022. Submit your application here.

Fatima Hellgren Camara (Sweden)

Fatima Hellgren Camara’s podcast Välkommen till Ön (Welcome to the Island) is a comedic look at annoying people and their frustrating habits. Each week she discusses these people and whether they should be sent off to a deserted island far, far away. The show just finished its second season, during which Fatima learned how to edit and produce her own episodes. Her favorite part of Sound Up? “To have been given the opportunity to learn an entirely new skill set,” shared the host. “However, my absolute favorite part was getting acquainted with technical equipment.”

Roba Kadhem (Sweden)

Currently in its third season, Lyssna Tjejer (Listen Girls) is a podcast cohosted by Roba Kadhem and Aya Said. On the show, the two discuss topics from Pink Room, Scandinavia’s largest Facebook group for women. Through Sound Up, Roba has experienced a greater sense of community from others in the industry. “It was so cozy to see these incredible people every week and get to know them so well even through a virtual meeting,” explained Roba.

Arunima Tenzin Tara (India)

In Dinner by Ear, host Arunima Tenzin Tara gives listeners tips on preparing dinner in only 30 minutes. Arunima is currently testing out new recipes, developing quick versions of dinners she loves, and reading up on as much food history as possible. Still in the middle of her Sound Up program, all this preparation will allow her to start recording episodes as soon as it’s time. Her favorite part of the experience thus far has been determining why she was making this show and who her audience was. “I think this exercise was something that I enjoyed because it forced me to critically analyze my podcast concept and narrow the audience down to a very particular kind of person,” explained Arunima. “This focus has helped me gain clarity about the kind of recipes to include in the show.” As she moves into the next phase of the program, Arunima will have the chance to record sounds in the kitchen, create original music, and spend time perfecting her voice.

Shreya Dasgupta (India)

Shreya Dasgupta’s podcast, Imagined Tomorrow, features a variety of experts who use their backgrounds in science and technology to speculate on India’s future. Shreya is using the tools she learned in phase one of her Sound Up experience to prepare for a new season; she’s currently in the outlining, researching, and reporting process for upcoming episodes. So far, she’s had two favorite parts of the program. “The first has been getting to know such incredibly creative fellow podcasters,” said Shreya. “The second has been learning from the Sound Up mentors and others on the Spotify team who not only placed their faith in my idea, but have been super committed and enthusiastic about seeing my vision through.” Shreya will soon be entering phase two of her Sound Up experience.

Maickson Serrão (Brazil)

Maickson’s Pavulagem – Contos da Floresta (Pavulagem – Tales From the Forest) is a nonfiction podcast about Amazonian folklore stories. The creator is currently working with his team to map out the storyline for all 12 of the show’s episodes. “We’ll talk about creatures like Mãe da Mata (Mother of the Forest), a really famous legend here, but also unknown tales like the bird that eats people,” shared Maickson. “I have already interviewed some traditional storytellers. These people live off the many rivers in the region and are also elders from Indigenous people from the Brazilian Amazon.” During his Sound Up experience, Maickson appreciated how hands-on the program was while still allowing plenty of opportunity for creative freedom. “I hope that all participants from Sound Up become very successful and that the program continues to impact the lives of many other young talents in our country. Many stories need to be told of Brazil’s pluralities and blooming diversity,” said Maickson.

Samara Costa (Brazil)

ZUMBIR is a podcast that highlights Afrofuturist fictional tales. The creator, Samara Costa, is currently working on ideas for episodes, and that involves a lot of traveling. She recently visited Angola as part of her research. “The Angolan stories and myths made a big impact on me, especially the sound, mysticism, and lifestyle of young Angolans,” explained Samara. “I think that the combination of both Brazilian and Angolan references will be elements that will serve as a basis for the creation of some ZUMBIR episodes.” Her favorite part of the Sound Up experience was seeing her pilot episode come to life, from an idea on paper to a polished episode. “I was able to feel the voice of the characters, how they talk, walk, how they laugh, all through audio.… It was fantastic! All of this was created with the technical and emotional support of everyone involved in Sound Up, from mentors and organizers to friends that I made during the program.”

Caio (Brazil)

Raízes is a documentary podcast that tells the stories of Brazilian families. In the first season, Caio investigates his own origins in an effort to answer one question: Where did I come from? The Sound Up participant is currently working on producing the first season and has already written two scripts. “I’m betting that a lot of people will connect with the charisma of the characters and their stories,” shared Caio. For the next phase of his journey, the podcaster is hoping to continue telling tales from the people of Northeast Brazil.

Lucas Moura (Brazil)

Lucas Moura’s Calunguinha, o cantador de histórias (Calunguinha, the Singer of Tales) is a fictional podcast that Lucas hopes will expand the imagination of Black children by sharing the history of Black people in both Brazil and around the world. Lucas is currently working on finalizing scripts and finding the right voices to make them shine. The creator’s favorite part of the Sound Up program was the artists he was able to meet with for the podcast. “We invited one artist (Lázaro Ramos) to participate in our podcast and he accepted,” explained Lucas. “There it became clear to me that Sound Up is a project that can help broaden my horizons.”

Peppa Smith (Australia)

Yaama Mama is a podcast created by Peppa Smith that focuses on parenting Indigenous kids. Through both serious themes and sarcastic commentary, the show examines and dismantles the way parents are taught to raise children in her community. Peppa is currently in research mode, working on collecting information to be used in her episodes. One of her favorite parts of Sound Up was the people she’s had a chance to meet. “There’s been meetings where I have met with some hugely clever and talented people in the industry,” said the podcaster. “I’ve also been lucky that the other members of the cohort for 2021 are a brilliant, funny, and incredibly good-looking mob.”

These creators and their stories are just a small sampling of the podcasts that are being developed through Sound Up. To learn more about the program and how it’s working to amplify underrepresented voices, visit Sound Up’s website.

En alianza con Spotify, la IBERO impartirá curso de periodismo narrativo en podcast

October 13, 2021

La escucha de podcasts ha crecido exponencialmente en años recientes y la oferta periodística es cada vez mayor. Así que no debe sorprender que más del 50% de los millennials y centennials mexicanos tienen al podcast en un rango más alto de confianza sobre medios tradicionales, incluyendo las noticias en televisión nacional, la radio y los periódicos, de acuerdo con el reporte Culture Next de Spotify.

Es un hecho que el podcasting ha cambiado al periodismo, pero la formación de los futuros reporteros y profesionales para producir podcast sigue siendo relativamente escasa. Esto motivó el acercamiento de Spotify con IBERO con el fin de reunir a expertos en periodismo y audio digital para crear un curso que aporte las bases para cualquiera que desee incursionar en el formato.

Durante décadas, los estudiantes de comunicación se especializaron en áreas como televisión, radio, o el periodismo. La IBERO fue una de las primeras universidades en México que logró consolidar un proyecto radiofónico que ha tenido una influencia indiscutible durante varias generaciones.

Ahora que las reglas cambiaron y surgieron nuevos canales de distribución, los estudiantes de comunicación y de otros campos, además de entusiastas del audio, quieren entender el lenguaje del podcast y del streaming de audio porque sólo así podrán hablarle a su generación.

Ese fue el punto de partida que reunió a Spotify y la IBERO para crear un primer curso con el objetivo de generar mayor interés en el formato y brindar mecanismos que permitan profesionalizar a esta naciente industria.

El director de Comunicación Institucional de la Universidad Iberoamericana, Carlos Valle, celebró que, gracias a esta iniciativa de vinculación con Spotify, se abra la posibilidad para que personas que conozcan, se interesen o dediquen a la grabación de productos sonoros, puedan ampliar su contexto teórico y práctico y se especialicen en este campo de generación de contenidos para medios audiovisuales y digitales.

“En los próximos años, a medida que más y más personas se conviertan en creadores de audio, Spotify buscará que los mejores de ellos puedan alcanzar a su audiencia y construir sus carreras en nuestra plataforma,” dijo Javier Piñol, director de Spotify Studios para Latinoamérica. “Queremos ser el lugar donde educadores y emprendedores, narradores y periodistas puedan transformar la forma de contar historias a través del audio.”

El curso en línea que inicia el 9 de noviembre y tendrá un mes de duración, consta de 25 horas de clases y 10 conferencias con reconocidos podcasters, periodistas, profesionales del audio como María Jesús Espinosa, directora de Audio de PRISA; Lucina Melesio, periodista y conductora de Un Poco de Contexto; Laura Ubaté, productora de Adonde Media; Gabriela Warkentin, titular de Así las Cosas de W Radio y Al Habla de El País; Paulina Chavira, conductora en El Café de la Mañana; y Catalina May, creadora de Las Raras.

“El audioperiodismo permite contar historias de largo aliento, ofreciendo foco y contexto, contando historias que identifiquen al oyente con la problemática suscitada,” dijo a For The Record, María Jesús Espinosa, Directora de Audio de PRISA. “Estoy convencida de que las grandes y mejores historias de investigación periodística se harán en formato audio.”

Lucina Melesio, quien abordará en el curso el tema de la pre-producción para realizar un pòdcast narrativo, compartió que el mayor reto es mantener un balance entre documentarse bien pero de forma rápida y sin perder coyuntura, además de encontrar una forma original de contar historias para sorprender a los oyentes.

“En este curso quiero que las personas sepan todo lo básico que siempre quisieron saber sobre podcast en español y que terminen con un abanico de referentes de narración sonora en nuestro idioma,” compartió Laura Ubaté, quien ha producido podcasts como Lado B.

Al finalizar el curso, se abrirá una convocatoria para desarrollar cinco podcasts de investigación académica de la IBERO y las piezas seleccionadas contarán con asesoría de expertos de Spotify durante la producción.

Para conocer más sobre el curso puedes visitar el sitio de la Ibero.