Media Roundtable; Bloomberg’s Audio Journalist Ashley Carman Joins the Media Roundtable

This week on the Media Roundtable: Industry Edition, the agents of influence are tackling how podcasts are responding to market pressures. Let’s dig in.

Leading the charge again is Oxford Road’s very own Jennifer Laine on the host microphone, along with fellow Oxford Road luminaries Dan Granger, Neal Lucey, and Bloomberg’s expert audio reporter Ashley Carman.

“If somebody has to start by following one journalist in this field (audio advertising), it is Ashley Carmen, period.” – Dan Granger.

Join Dan, Ashley, Neal, and Jennifer as they deep dive into the world of Podcast advertising and share practical insights for marketers in the space. At the top of everyone’s mind:

• The Great Podcasting Market Correction  – Hiring freezes? Fewer blockbuster acquisitions? Ashley Carman walks us through her excellent reporting on where the podcast boom goes next.
• “If It’s Not Bolted Down, Sell it.” – From interactive events to guests paying their way. Welcome to non-traditional revenue sources for podcasting as a hedge against lower ad sales.
• Is 2023 The Year for Brand Safety – With brands focusing on their bottom lines, new brand safety tools will help lane lines.

Short on time? A recap of each topic is shared below, but for industry insights, you won’t get anywhere else, hear the full episode by clicking the link below.

Listen Here

The Classifieds

Long Ago History is Made New in Limited Series

This Monday marked Martin Luther King Jr. Day, an occasion that celebrates, recognizes, and honors the work of one of history’s most distinguished heroes. King’s life and work were arguably complex, and his death is an example of the many losses he suffered to ensure equality for all.  Premiere and Tenderfoot produced a pivotal historical limited series that examined the plot to assassinate King and the eyewitness accounts of those who observed the insidious origins. This production comes from the creators of such popular podcasts as Atlanta Monster and Monster: DC Sniper, both of which covered true crime stories by interviewing bystanders and insiders. This opportunity fits within the history, education, and true crime genres and is best suited for clients that want to reach a diverse and conscientious audience. If interested, please click below for more information.

Get The Deal

Bite-Sized Info Packs a Wallop

Though February marks the traditional start of Black History Month, it’s never too early to discover the oft-buried and unknown origins of some of America’s foremost black icons. Available through Audacy and produced by Pushback, Black History Year will be premiering its seventh season this March and recently released a special episode on Martin Luther King Jr. Other recent episodes have covered Nella Larsen, Billie Holiday, and the 13th Amendment.

Each episode only runs for 3 minutes, packing a quick punch for those looking to educate themselves on more complex issues and topics. Short-form podcasts like this, are often best aligned with brands looking to target young professionals interested in current events and self-improvement. To align with this key opportunity, please click below for additional details.

Get The Deal

In Case You Missed It

The Year of the Podcast Correction?

Our panel launches with a spirited discussion on the state of podcast and how the changing economy in 2023 will affect 2022’s media darling. The basis of this topic stems from an article written by our guest panelist, Ashley Carman, that shares how while the podcasting market has been going through an extended period of growth, it’s finally slowing down as investors become more prudent with their money and more companies offer podcasting services. This has created a ‘market correction’ where companies now have to compete on a more even playing field and begs the question, “is podcasting ever really going to be a big thing?” For advertisers, this means more of a focus on programmatic, less host engagement, but perhaps better deals.

Read More

Podcasts and NTR

In the radio world, any monetization sources not directly related to advertising sales is called NTR, or non-traditional revenue. Our panel discusses how as podcast hosts/shows grow their community, they’re beginning to explore alternative channels to grow revenue and/or engage with their audiences. We expect to see more podcast events and monetizing video simulcasts, merch, and every other possible way to connect brands with content creators.

Read More

The Year of Brand Safety?

Next, the panel focuses on brand safety. A recent article from The Brand Safety Summit discusses how the current state of digital media and advancements in brand safety technology will potentially make 2023 the “year of brand safety.” It dives into the potential benefits such a shift could bring to the digital media industry, including improved trust, better ROI, and greater transparency. Dan mentions an often-quoted line from Howard Schultz that says, “the price of admission for being a values-driven company is financial performance.” New Brand Safety tools like Barometer will act like Waze for your media campaign, helping you navigate through the congestion and bypass obstacles so you can reach your destination (profitability) faster.

Read More

This Week in Great Podcast Reads

Bad Takes, Good Causes

“Saving lives”—probably not the first words that come to mind when you think of podcast endorsement, so we’re proud to say last week’s ad read for Givewell might be a first for you. It’s all thanks to the company’s mission to empower charity donors to make informed decisions when giving to the world’s highest-impact causes. That and, of course, the great work of truth-seeking podcasts like Bad Takes. You can always count on Bad Takes’ host Matthew Yglesias, a journalist for well-known publications like Grid News, to do his homework when it comes to investigating his sponsors. As you’ll hear in his testimonial, Matthew’s been working with Givewell-recommended charities for years, which tells you everything you need to know about his commitment to his partnerships. If you’re ready to take on a podcast committed to your cause, Bad Takes might be the one for you.

Listen Here

Contact us for a Consultation