Bryan Barletta

Sounds Profitable

The pace of change the podcast industry is undergoing is staggering. The implications for podcasters, hosting providers, podcast listening app developers, and advertisers and agencies are enormous. And so is the growth potential. Presented as a companion to the weekly newsletter of the same name, our podcast provides you with direct access to our narrated articles, interviews with industry experts, bleeding-edge research, and can't miss industry news recaps. That Sounds Profitable, right? Assumptions and conventional wisdom will be challenged. Easy answers with no proof of efficacy will be exp...

Author

Bryan Barletta

Category

Technology

Podcast website

art19.com

Latest episode

Jul 10, 2026

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Episodes

Podcast Listeners Receptive to Political Ads & 2 Other Stories 16.06.2023

This week's stories: Podcast listeners well disposed to political ads (Veritonic) Let’s Think about Podcast Consumers, Not Just Listeners Can A Million Ads Simplify Hyperlocal Audio Ads By Creating Even More Of Them? Partner Events: “ Demystifying Brand Lift: Measuring How Audio Ad Campaigns Resonate with Listeners. ” “ How Creative Testing Drives Success in Audio .” “The Podcast Opportunity: Buye...

Unifying Programmatic Buying 13.06.2023

Programmatic ad placement has been stuck on the waterfall for long enough. It’s time to lay the foundation for Header Bidding in podcasting. Written by Bryan Barletta Edited by Tom Webster Assembled with Spooler.fm Hosted by ART19 Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles is a production of Sounds Profitable. For more information, visit soundsprofitable.com .

Spotify Downsizes 2% of Podcast Workforce & 2 Other Stories 08.06.2023

Articles covered: Spotify to Slash Podcast Workforce, Combine Parcast and Gimlet Studios in New Round of Cuts “How Do We Pivot?”: Podcasting Turns to M&A and Cost-Cutting Why advertisers are reconsidering keyword blocklists as brand safety approaches to hard news Growing Up with Podcasts: The Gen Z Podcast Listener Report The State of Audio Technology Report Is YouTube Eating Podcasts? Cumulus...

Podcasting's Biggest Opportunity 06.06.2023

Podcasting is becoming more competitive and less collegial every year. Is that a good thing, a bad thing, or just inevitable? Tom Webster suggests there is still an important job we all need to collaborate on first. Credits: Written by Tom Webster Edited by Bryan Barletta Assembled with Spooler.fm Hosted by ART19 Sounds Profitable theme written by Tim Cameron Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles i...

Australian Podcast Ad Spend Up 13% & 3 Other Stories 01.06.2023

This week on the Download: Why podcasters are selling subscriptions through third-party vendors Future of TV Briefing: CTV continues to be a black box to programmatic marketers Publishers large and small put their resources into first-party data - Digiday Research Australian digital audio ad spend climbs to $51.9 million Quick Hits: The Podscape, a collaborative effort between Magellan AI and Soun...

The Complicated Role of AI in Podcasting 31.05.2023

There has been much concern over how podcasting will implement AI. Tom breaks down the current landscape, as well as future symbiotic relationships. Credits: Written by Tom Webster Edited by Bryan Barletta Assembled with Spooler.fm Hosted by ART19 Sounds Profitable theme written by Tim Cameron Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles is a production of Sounds Profitable. For more information, visit so...

A Rebuttal to Podcasting's "demise" & 2 Other Stories 25.05.2023

This week on The Download: Advertisers and audiences refute the idea that podcasts are on the wane.  NewsGuard: Programmatically-placed ads for major nonprofits and government orgs on dozens of misinformation websites Why Black creators say brands are ‘quiet as a mouse’ on Black History Month and Juneteenth this year.  Quick Hits: Podscribe Launches YouTube Conversation Modeling . The new dashboar...

A VAST Feature Request 23.05.2023

Like a kid taking a bite of his dessert before his meal is finished, I think it’s time we enter the next phase of podcast adtech even before we finish the last. Credits: Written by Bryan Barletta Edited by Gavin Gaddis Read by Gavin Gaddis Assembled with Spooler.fm Hosted by ART19 Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles is a production of Sounds Profitable. For more information, visit soundsprofitabl...

Reflecting on IAB Podcast Upfront, & 2 Other Stories 18.05.2023

This week: Lessons from the Podcast Upfront, the Spring 2023 MIDAS report is here, and SXM Media leaders see podcast advertising maturing.| Podcasters focus on expansion and reach despite slower ad revenue growth at upfronts Podcast Advertising Sees Slowdown in 2022, Even as Growth Rate Outpaces Other Digital Mediums Despite Layoffs and Canceled Podcasts, Podcasting Is Optimistic About AI And Firs...

How Podcast and Audio Studies are Conducted 17.05.2023

In this episode, Arielle Nissenblatt and Bryan Barletta interview Tom Webster about his recent reporting: an article he wrote for Sounds Profitable called “How To Murder a Podcast” and a YouTube video called “Research Collection Methods.” We talk about Sounds Profitable’s approach when it comes to education for the industry and how understanding research collection methods fits into our mission. W...

Growing Up in Podcasting - Literally 16.05.2023

This week, we have a special guest post from Newton Schottelkotte! Newt recently graduated from college this year, but do not let their age fool you - they’ve been in podcasting for seven years now, and seven significant years at that. We asked Newt to share some perspective on how podcasting has changed, and how it can continue to grow as a viable career. Written by Newton Schottelkotte Edited by...

DISQO Study Highlights the Power of Podcast Ads & 2 Other Stories 11.05.2023

This week's stories: DISQO: Proving the Power of Podcast Ads Elite podcasts struggle while the podcast masses thrive. Pluto TV has an ad frequency problem. Quick Hits: Newsguard Launches World’s First Journalist-Vetted Podcast Credibility Ratings . In addition to this announcement, Newsguard has also announced a partnership with Barometer to provide episode-level misinformation detection for podca...

Podcasting's Golden Ratio 09.05.2023

The Edison Research Share of Ear shows podcasting’s share of daily audio listening for Americans 13+ has doubled over the last nine years. This week, Tom highlights a related statistic that shows a promising ratio for podcasting’s core. Credits: Written by Tom Webster Edited by Bryan Barletta Assembled with Spooler.fm Hosted by ART19 Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles is a production of Sounds P...

Using CTV as a Roadmap for Programmatic Audio & 3 Other Stories 04.05.2023

This week's top stories: How to use CTV as a Roadmap for Programmatic Audio What downturn? In real terms, ad spending is doing just fine. Washington State passes sweeping health data law Research Roundup: Audacy State of Audio Cumulus Media 2023 Audioscape   iHeart State of Podcasting 2023 Podcast Advertising Benchmark Report by Podsights The Soundout Index 2023 Quick hits: Barometer and Audiohook...

Swinging for the Podcast / Audio Industry Fences 03.05.2023

In this episode, we discuss baseball! The new pitch clock, our favorites teams…just kidding. We talk about what it means to swing for the fences in the podcast and audio space and the companies who are taking big risks. Sounds Profitable is in a unique position to not only swing for the fences ourselves, but to help others who want to help grow this industry too. Listen to learn about:  The big sw...

A Key to Global Podcast Growth 02.05.2023

A recent research report from Japan highlights how podcasting can grow when it germinates from a very different seed. Tom Webster breaks down the data and how it applies to podcasting everywhere Credits: Written by Tom Webster Edited by Bryan Barletta Assembled with Spooler.fm Hosted by ART19 Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles is a production of Sounds Profitable. For more information, visit sou...

How Brands Can Lift Minority-Owned Media & 2 Other Stories 27.04.2023

This week on The Download: How Brands Can Lift the Tide of Minority-Owned Media More brands choose Boomer/GenX influencers as 'older audiences can be just as impactful' as young ones. What Marketers need to know about Generation Zennial from social media and buying habits And in Quick Hits: Barometer Secures $2.25M To Expand Brand Safety And Contextual Targeting For Podcasts by Anthony Vargas.  Ve...

Revisit: How To Approach A Podcast Industry-Wide Education Initiative 26.04.2023

In this special re-upload, Bryan speaks with U of Digital Managing Partner Shiv Gupta about what it means to create a comprehensive educational approach across an industry. Gupta comes to us by way of the digital marketing space, but has spent his career creating programming aimed at educating and serving across different sectors and levels within companies. Adtech Applied cohost Arielle Nissenbla...

Bringing More to the Table 25.04.2023

Continuing Sounds Profitable’s mission to provide more for the business of audio, Bryan Barletta announces the Partner Perks Series.  Get in touch to learn more about the Business Leaders Summit at The Podcast Show London! Written by Bryan Barletta Edited by Tom Webster Assembled with Spooler.fm Hosted by ART19 Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles is a production of Sounds Profitable. For more inf...

Blocklists Continue to Hurt News, & 3 Other Stories 20.04.2023

This week's stories: ‘They are blatantly blocking news’: Confessions of a programmatic sales lead on brand safety filters’ impact on publishers’ direct-sold ads Pew Research publishes Podcasts as a Source of News and Information Americans Spend $48 per Month on Video Streaming Services — and Half of Those Surveyed Say That’s Too Much FTC Warns Almost 700 Marketing Companies That They Could Face Ci...

April is Adopt-a-Listener Month: A Conversation with Lauren Passell 19.04.2023

Did you know that April is Adopt-a-Podcast Listener Month? Now you do! Bryan Barletta speaks with Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt about Tink Media, this new initiative to grow the podcast/audio space, barriers they’ve uncovered for potential listeners, and how you can get involved. Listen to learn about:  How to idea for this event came about Lauren and Arielle’s woman-on-the-street approac...

S&P Revises Ad Spend Prediction & 2 Other Stories 13.04.2023

Discussed this week: Ad Spend in the US will grow more than initially expected this year, per S&P.  How brands can tailor their audio ads to target “co-listeners” Why news outlets are putting their podcasts on YouTube Quick Hits: The 2023 Quill Podcast Awards nominations are now open. Public nominations will run until April 24th, with finalists announced on May 4th and winners announced on May...

Radiodays Europe Recap: Trends, Highlights, and Research 12.04.2023

In this episode, Tom, Arielle, and Bryan recap their experiences at Radiodays Europe, which took place last month in Prague. They discuss the expo hall, the presentation they attended, trends they identified, and much more.  Listen to learn about:  How Tom’s recent research was received by a primarily European audience Radio’s prevalence in Europe What podcasting can learn from radio Why Sounds Pr...

How to Murder a Podcast 11.04.2023

This week, Tom Webster spots a misapplication of podcast research that he felt strongly enough about to hopefully nip in the bud, wherever the bud may be found. Contact for information about Business Leader Summit in London. Bumper Credits: Written by Tom Webster Edited by Bryan Barletta. Assembled with Spooler.fm Hosted by ART19 Sounds Profitable: Narrated Articles is a production of Sounds Profi...

AMERICA Act Aims to Regulate Big Ad Tech & 2 Other Stories 06.04.2023

This week on The Download: AMERICA bill aims to regulate big ad tech Publishers find Q1 numbers not as bad as forecasted A deep dive into podcasting in South Korea Quick Hits: Submissions for the Digiday Media and Technology awards are approaching their regular deadline of May 11th. If you’re interested in submitting a podcast to either category, use code soundsprofitable, all one word and lowerca...

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