This is it hot podAnd the edge’A newsletter about podcasting and the audio industry. subscription here for more.

I hope everyone is at ease after the weekend. Today, I have a Q&A that two of the co-founders left behind Good bar, a new bi-annual print magazine that aims to tell the untold stories of the podcast industry. The publication hopes to showcase a mix of journalism and cultural criticism about audio storytelling – with a focus on lesser-known creators and independent styles of production. It is scheduled to be the first issue released In the fall.

There are precious few outlets that focus on the podcast industry (obviously, this is one of them), so I wanted to know what the founders were hoping for. Good bar It can add to the current discourse about sound – and why they think print is the right way to do it. I’ve reached out to the magazine’s publisher, Dane Cardiel (who’s also Gumball’s vice president of creative partnerships), and journalist Alana Hope Levinson, who forms the editorial voice of the publication. Here’s a slightly modified version of the Q&A, which was done via email.

Also, take a look at Acast’s survey of podcast ad buyers and this list of intriguing new Spotify jobs.

Can you tell me more about why you came up with the launch idea Good bar? You mention in your ad that there is no “custom cultural writing” covering the audio industry.

Dane Cardell: You know, I suspect that many creatives don’t see themselves represented in most media coverage of our industry. And more than that, there aren’t a lot of resources dedicated to writers to cover the industry from a cultural perspective. With this as a background, after attending On Air Fest in LA last year, I felt the need to explore the concept of a magazine and quickly came up with the name. Good bar – which I really like. I didn’t feel like I had any choice but to see it through.

Can you give me your theories as to why there is a lack of writing on podcasts – as well as what that coverage would look like?

Alana Hope Levinson: Vice, which built a global news empire on “cutting-edge” culture journalism, which filed for bankruptcy after being valued at $5.7 billion in 2017, says it all. The business model of mainstream media companies has failed, and that means there are fewer places for writers to write. Editors at current outlets with shrinking budgets don’t want to risk anything that doesn’t generate viral numbers—even if it’s culturally significant or interesting. I also think that culture-related journalism now has to compete with things made by influencers, which get more views because they don’t have any of the ethical concerns that our work involves. Scary stuff! Dane and I are building this very slowly (and starting small) until we can make something sustainable that is somewhat protected from these forces.

In terms of what our coverage would look like — I’d like to see podcast stories that aren’t just about the business side of things. What does a podcast success or failure look like? I think of cultural histories that analyze influences and sounds, articles that say what everyone fears the most, and profiles of people who do things differently. He thinks What did you do for men’s media in Milebut about the sound.

What is the most important story about the podcast industry that tech and entertainment media are missing out on right now?

Capital: Readers are missing out on stories that highlight the crafts, artistry, and livelihoods of the voice makers behind our favorite shows. We tend to focus on the first-rate talent involved while ignoring the writers, editors, producers, engineers, and composers who make these projects sing. Podcasts have a profound impact on people’s lives — and it’s not always positive. I want to give a platform to these stories that we don’t see represented in the mainstream media.

Why a print magazine? And what might this medium not possible with online media or podcasts capture? I’ve spoken of what readers think of a good bar as an “object of art.”

Capital: Our digital consumption habits have left the younger generations exhausted and exhausted. As digital interactions increasingly mediate our lives, something is re-engaging with physical media and analog technologies. And truthfully, typography is a differentiator for us. don’t think Good bar It can be hacked as a newsletter or a podcast – and in any way, our interest will not continue in the same way.

By publishing only twice a year, Good bar becomes more of a new resource; It is a limited edition object to covet. We print the magazine on traditional newspaper as well, which gives us plenty of room to explore our ideas in compelling and new ways while keeping our costs down.

Podcast ad buyers believe that business podcasts — more than true crime, comedy, or any other genre — generate the strongest return on ad spend, according to a recent survey of podcast ads by Acast. Nearly 38 percent of those surveyed said business podcasts offered the strongest return on assets (ROA) (return on assets), and a larger selection than movies and TV (16 percent) and sports (9 percent). Even popular genres such as true crime (4 percent) and comedy (5 percent) seemed to generate strong returns for a fraction of ad buyers.

Portfolios, not ear count, seem to be a major factor in why podcasts dominate the business in ad revenue. “When measuring return on ad spend specifically, higher performance in the business category isn’t really surprising because we know these audiences tend to be wealthier,” Gabriela Gregoris, business group director for national performance at Acast, said. Tell inside radio.

Spotify’s podcast division has seen several high-profile exits and remixes this year, arriving just as the platform is trying to cut spending. But the company is still trying to court podcast creators and market its own internal podcasting tools.

Until recently, Spotify was looking for a new employee to direct the audio and messaging behind Spotify for Podcasters, the in-platform podcasting tool. The new hire will build brand voice across all company-owned channels, including social, editorial, paid acquisitions, and creator programs. The list was the first observer by Digital Music News. According to the job posting On Linkedin, Spotify is no longer accepting applications for the position – which could mean they’ve found the right candidate.

Back in March, Spotify for Podcasters folded its podcast creation service Anchor into its platform and expanded the tools available to creators. It looks like this new employee will have the challenge of getting the message about the tools out to Spotify’s podcasting community — as well as coming up with solutions to any problems. Spotify’s podcast layoffs and several show cancellations have indicated a tightening of money constraints — but this new hire seems to indicate he’s still making an effort with podcasters.