Latest news with #Serial
NBC News
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Marc Maron to end his 'WTF' podcast this fall, citing burnout
Marc Maron announced Monday that he would end his acclaimed podcast, "WTF With Marc Maron," after nearly 16 years. In the latest episode of the popular show, Maron said he and producer Brendan McDonald made the decision to end the podcast sometime this fall. 'It was not some kind of difficult decision, necessarily,' Maron told comedian John Mulaney, who was his guest on the episode. 'Neither me nor Brendan, who are the only people in charge of this operation on every level… we both realized together that we were done.' Maron's show, which celebrates its anniversary Sept. 1, broke ground while the medium of podcasting was still in its infancy. Since its launch in 2009, Maron has recorded more than 1,600 episodes, with guests such as former President Barack Obama, rock star Keith Richards and comedian Carol Burnett. An episode he did with Robin Williams was entered into America's National Recording Registry as the first one-on-one podcast episode. Maron's decision to end the "WTF" podcast comes as podcasts are taking over TV screens amid video formats' increasing popularity. The medium first emerged in the mid-2000s and remained a small, niche market for years before several hits, including 'Serial,' gave the medium a jolt of attention and gravitas. While 2023 was a tough year for podcasts as a whole, popular podcasts retained — and in some instances grew — their audiences in 2024. 'We're tired, we're burnt out, and we are utterly satisfied with the work we've done,' Maron said during Monday's episode. 'We've done great work.' However, Maron said that he is not necessarily retiring from podcasting. "This doesn't mean I'm never going to do something like this again," he said. "It doesn't mean I'll never, you know, have talks like I do here, or or some kind of podcast at some point in time. But for now, we're just, uh, we're wrapping things up. It's OK. It's OK to end things." "And thankfully," he said, while talking about McDonald, "we both realized together that we were done."
NBC News
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Marc Maron to end his 'WTF' podcast this fall
Marc Maron announced on Monday that he would end his acclaimed podcast, "WTF With Marc Maron," after nearly 16 years. In the latest episode of the popular show, Maron said he and producer Brendan McDonald made the decision to end the podcast sometime this fall. 'It was not some kind of difficult decision, necessarily,' Maron told comedian John Mulaney, who was his guest on the June 2 episode. 'Neither me nor Brendan, who are the only people in charge of this operation on every level… we both realized together that we were done.' Maron's show, which celebrates its anniversary on September 1, broke ground while the medium of podcasting was still in its infancy. Since its launch in 2009, Maron has recorded more than 1,600 episodes, with guests such as former President Barack Obama, rockstar Keith Richards and comedian Carol Burnett. An episode he did with Robin Williams was entered into America's National Recording Registry as the first one-on-one podcast episode. Maron's decision to end the "WTF" podcast comes as podcasts are taking over TV screens as video formats grow increasingly popular. The medium first emerged in the mid-2000s and remained a small, niche market for years before several hits, including 'Serial,' gave the medium a jolt of attention and gravitas. While 2023 was a tough year for podcasts as a whole, popular podcasts retained — and in some instances grew — their audiences in 2024. 'We're tired, we're burnt out, and we are utterly satisfied with the work we've done,' Maron said during Monday's episode. 'We've done great work.' However, Maron said that he is not necessarily retiring from podcasting. "This doesn't mean I'm never going to do something like this again," he said. "It doesn't mean I'll never, you know, have talks like I do here, or or some kind of podcast at some point in time. But for now, we're just, uh, we're wrapping things up. It's OK. It's OK to end things." "And thankfully," he said, while talking about McDonald, "we both realized together that we were done."
Campaign ME
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Mic check, market shift: why podcasting isn't just a trend
Podcasting has become the new media darling. What started in bedrooms and basements is now reshaping boardrooms and broadcast strategy. What started as a fringe audio format exploded into a full-fledged industry post-2014, with shows like Serial putting the genre on the map and platforms like Spotify and Apple Podcasts turning creators into household names. Then came COVID-19, the great accelerator of everything digital. People were stuck at home, desperate for connection, education, and distraction – and podcasting delivered all three in stereo. In the Gulf, podcasting took a little longer to catch fire, but once it did, it roared. Arabic-language podcasts began carving a niche that spoke directly to a digitally savvy, culturally rooted audience. And it's only getting louder. The power of podcasts in the Arab World According to data from the Reuters Institute and Statista, Saudi Arabia has the highest podcast listenership per capita in the world, outpacing even the U.S. and the UK. With a young, mobile-first population and aggressive investment in digital media, Saudi has created a perfect storm for podcast growth. The Mo Show, hosted by Mo Islam, stands out as a local success story – featuring high-profile guests, compelling narratives, and a unique Saudi perspective. Lebanon isn't far behind. Sarde After Dinner is one of the most celebrated Lebanese podcasts – smart, bold, and irreverent, it's built a loyal following across the Arab world by offering deep dives into culture, politics, and identity, often over a glass of wine. In Egypt, shows like Podcast Masr are tapping into a rich vein of content around entrepreneurship, lifestyle, and personal development, reflecting a massive appetite for accessible, on-demand audio content. The UAE is also making waves. Abtalks, hosted by Anas Bukhash, is a UAE-based podcast that blends emotional storytelling with high-profile interviews – one of the most-viewed and discussed shows in the region, thanks to its raw and human approach to dialogue. The platforms are paying attention Apple has doubled down on podcasting, launching premium subscriptions and editorially curating regional picks. Last month hosted a session with podcast creators in Apple Stores, Dubai Mall. Spotify continues to expand its Arabic podcast catalogue, with exclusive deals and algorithmic support. Anghami, the MENA region's homegrown streaming giant, recently updated its podcast within its playlists, positioning itself as a serious player in podcasting. So, why does podcasting matter? Because in an age of 6-second attention spans, a 45-minute podcast means someone chose to stay with you. That's gold. Podcasts are intimate, sticky, and powerful. You're not just scrolling past a brand – you're inviting it into your morning run, your school pickup line, your kitchen. For brands, the opportunity is criminally underrated: Embedded ads feel native: They sound like recommendations from a friend—not a pushy banner ad. They sound like recommendations from a friend—not a pushy banner ad. Niche audience targeting is not only possible; it's expected. You can speak directly to startup founders, single moms, real estate investors, or teenage gamers. is not only possible; it's expected. You can speak directly to startup founders, single moms, real estate investors, or teenage gamers. Direct response marketing? Yes, it works. Listeners are more likely to act on podcast ads than almost any other format. According to Edison Research, 64 per cent of podcast listeners say they've bought something they heard about on a podcast. Podcasting isn't just reshaping media – it's shifting influence What's next? The rise of podcast communities. PodClub by Poddster is one to watch – it's already pulled together over 600 members, offering real-time feedback loops, networking, and content co-creation. Even globally, figures like Andrew Huberman, Joe Rogan, and Brené Brown have transcended the 'podcaster' label. They're modern-day media empires with more influence than traditional broadcasters in some circles. The mic is no longer secondary to the camera. It might just be the smarter choice. If you're a brand still on the fence, ask yourself this: when was the last time your audience spent 40 uninterrupted minutes with you? Podcasting isn't a trend. It's a storytelling renaissance – and you've still got time to grab a mic. By Rasha Hamzeh, Executive Producer, Luca's Insight Track and Podcast Consultant & Media Strategist.
NBC News
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Some podcasters fear Spotify's new play count will crowd out smaller shows
Some podcasters raised concerns this week over a new Spotify feature that will publicly display how many plays each podcast episode gets. The streaming service on Tuesday announced the rollout of its 'Plays' metric, calling the feature 'another invaluable source of insight' for creators 'as they look to optimize their content for success.' But after the announcement, some podcasters — particularly those with smaller, niche followings — said they think the new feature could actually turn listeners away. 'It's like the social media-ification of podcasts now,' said Adrienne Cruz, a podcast manager who represents four small podcasts. Traditionally, 'podcasting has been such a good fertile ground for small creators,' said Cruz. The medium, which first emerged in the mid-2000s, was a small, niche market until the industry's first big hit, 'Serial,' helped propel it into the mainstream. In recent years, simpler, personality-driven shows have taken off, giving hosts like Joe Rogan massive success across platforms like Spotify, SiriusXM, YouTube and Apple. With Spotify's new feature, Cruz and others said they worry the already crowded podcasting space could turn into a ' popularity contest.' 'Hey!!! As one of your biggest creators — WE DONT WANT THIS! This is going to hurt so many podcasts,' 'The Psychology of your 20s' podcast, which has almost 200,000 followers on Instagram, wrote on Spotify's post announcing the news. 'Public metrics don't support the creator community — they discourage experimentation and amplify comparison. This doesn't help us grow; it makes us hesitate,' another podcaster wrote. A spokesperson for Spotify declined to comment. In its blog post unveiling the feature, Spotify said it aims to 'give creators more comprehensive insight into the scale and depth of their audience.' 'For creators, plays will be a key metric on the home dashboard, show overview, and individual episode analytics pages, offering a near-immediate snapshot of how content is performing based on active engagement,' the streaming service said. Some podcasters celebrated having more access to data. Dr. Mikhail 'Mike' Varshavski, a physician who talks about medical issues and hosts 'The Checkup with Doctor Mike,' called the news 'AWESOME.' 'I've been desperate for this feature to roll out to begin building a better understanding of what episodes are performing well,' he said in a statement sent via Spotify to NBC News. 'This has been foundational to success on YouTube, studying successful videos, and now we can do the same on Spotify.' But others responded to the news on social media by asking if Spotify would let them opt out of the new feature. They pointed out that the listens-per-episode number would only reflect the plays on Spotify, and not across platforms, possibly misleading audiences and potential brand partners. 'This is actually a disservice to a lot of smaller shows, and it won't reflect the other places people listen to or watch podcasts,' 'Gabbing with Gib' host Gibson Johns commented on Spotify's announcement. 'You should consider letting podcast creators hide this metric.' Cody Dueitt, the host of the 'Pray Before Chips' podcast, said that while he's happy with the base of core listeners he's built, he thinks the feature could have a negative toll on podcasters with smaller followings. "What about the smaller ones? ... we've been grinding and grinding and trying to make it happen, but we only have, you know, who knows how many listeners we have, truly," he said. While he's been podcasting since 2018, Dueitt estimates the most plays he's ever gotten on an episode was about 200. Janny Perez, host of the 'Latina Mom Legacy' podcast, worried her followers wouldn't see her reach across other platforms. 'I have a larger audience in the whole scheme of things, right?' said Perez. If brands are making their decision to work with creators based on the number of listens an episode gets, Perez said, 'that could potentially hurt you and prevent you from potentially earning money.' Spotify said plays will be rounded to the nearest thousandth or millionth. For the first 24 hours after publishing, episodes will display a 'new' label instead of a play count as they build up initial listens. After that period, episodes with fewer than 1,000 plays will display <1K and will refresh approximately every hour. Play counts will be reflected across the Spotify app and in the Spotify for Creators and Megaphone dashboards 'starting this week,' the platform said.
Bloomberg
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
‘The Telepathy Tapes' Creator Is ‘Just Breaking Even' Despite Viral Success
The Telepathy Tapes has captured the attention of many Americans, including Joe Rogan, but making money on limited podcast series remains difficult By Save Hello and welcome back to Soundbite. Many times over the past couple of years, I've written about the struggles that narrative podcast creators face. People often credit Serial, a limited series, with the advent of the podcast gold rush in 2019. But in recent years, companies' appetite to finance these type of operations has diminished. Could one of the buzziest podcasts in recent memory, The Telepathy Tapes, provide a glimmer of hope? More on that below. As always, reach me through email.
