Everything You Need to Know About the New Apple Podcast App Update.

Posted on June 29, 2021July 5, 2021 by Jason Peters

Did YOU Notice the Apple Podcast App Update?

On June 15th Apple Podcasts released an update allowing for premium podcasts, paywall features, and subscription services. In a press release, Apple stated “Starting today, listeners in more than 170 countries and regions can purchase subscriptions for individual shows and groups of shows through channels.”

Along with the myriad of subscription options and modification tools, Apple also rolled out an ad-free model allowing listeners to pay extra for uninterrupted access to their favorite shows.

This is one of a number of moves Apple has made in an attempt to retain their title as the dominant podcast listening app. Apps like Patreon, Stitcher, Spotify, and Audible have bitten chunks out of Apple’s persistent market share – forcing Apple to adapt to an evolving market.

If you look closely at your Apple Podcast app, you’ll notice that you no longer subscribe to podcasts – you now “follow” them. This vernacular switch differentiates between the now available paid subscriptions and free follows.

In conjunction with these new features – Apple rolled out original premium content through deals with CNN, Pushkin Industries, and Luminary. Spotify notably has been making expensive acquisitions of popular podcasts to draw more listeners over to their platform, this move sets Apple up to compete with Spotify’s strategy.

More to know about the new Apple Podcast Subscriptions:

Apple Podcasts Subscriptions and channels are available to listeners on Apple devices running iOS 14.6, iPadOS 14.6, and macOS 11.4 or later.
Subscription content will be accessible on Apple Watch with watchOS 7.5 or later and with HomePod, HomePod mini, and CarPlay.
Pricing for each subscription is set by creators and starts at $0.49 (US) per month.
Subscriptions can be managed from Apple ID Account Settings, which is accessible from the top of the Listen Now tab in Apple Podcasts.
Apple Podcasts Subscriptions can be purchased and gifted using Apple Gift Card.
Each Apple Podcasts Subscription can be shared among six family members through Family Sharing.

It’s not a little more difficult to follow free podcasts. The button that used to say “subscribe” now defaults to “play most recent episode.” The new follow button has been move into a dropdown menu at the top of each show.

Frustratingly enough, you can no longer delete unwanted episodes from “latest played” episodes. The swipe left gesture that normally deletes files no longer does so, now it only un-downloads. On the back end of Apple podcasts, the company has deleted the beloved “refresh button.”

Before 2021, if your podcast wasn’t uploading quickly to Apple Podcasts – you simple pressed the refresh button within iTunes Connect. In a recent update, Apple has decided to take that feature away.

Keep up with the streaming wars here on Top Podcast.

What is Anchor Podcast?

Posted on July 6, 2020 by Jason Peters

Anchor Podcast touts itself as “the easiest way to make a podcast” their tagline reads “Everything you need, 100% free.” Let’s dive into what Anchor.fm is all about.

Anchor is a podcast app owned by Spotify. Anchor is attempting to be the “one stop shop” for podcasters without an extensive technical background. They follow a “vertical integration” model, meaning that you can record your podcast using Anchor, distribute your podcast through Anchor, and then monetize with Anchor. While people became comfortable “hopping on Zoom” during the COVID-19 pandemic, podcasters became accustomed to “hopping on Anchor” to record.

In years past, Anchor’s primary selling point was the ability to record podcasts on your smartphone. In 2016, when this technology was first introduced, Anchor left a lot to be desired. Over time sound quality improved, podcasts hit the mainstream, and Anchor added the bells and whistles necessary to attract podcasters to their app.

In 2020 Anchor has morphed from the “record a podcast on your phone app” to a serious podcast hosting service with a myriad of features that podcasters typically pay for through hosting services. They offer 100% free hosting, development of your shows RSS feed, total distribution, monetization opportunities, and the ability to edit a podcast straight from your phone.

Something significant that Anchor offers is unlimited free hosting. Most podcast hosting services charge monthly fees depending on the amount of content distributed through your show.

This service is great for new hosts entering the space. Broadcasters interested in hosting a show for the first time without access to microphones, editing software, or any idea how to get onto Spotify or iTunes can simply download Anchor and compete with their favorite shows. Anchor’s monetization opportunities include brand partnerships directly linked to Anchor, as well as the creation of a “donation” page for listeners to support your show.

The primary drawback with Anchor podcasts is the quality. Anchor allows hosts to produce and publish mid-level content, perfect for beginners and sustainable to podcast hobbyists. Unfortunately phone interviews are just worse than face-to-face recordings, both have their benefits; but the literal space between guest and host shines through in phone interviews.

That brief critique aside, Anchor has grown a tremendous amount in just four years. They have found their lane in the podcast space and seem to be adapting to what their users need. After personally using Anchor as a guest on a new podcast, it would be how I recommend new podcasters start their shows.

Five Insightful and Entertaining Black Produced Podcasts

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Jason Peters

As a summer of unprecedented unrest persists in major cities, a fractured country and the race divide is at the forefront of many conversations. One look at your social media feeds these days, and it’s unmistakable that we live in the most polarizing era of our lives (for most of us under 45).

In this article, we’re going to highlight podcasts hosted by people of color. It’s something that we at TopPodcast should have featured long ago, and we promise to highlight podcasts of all cultures and creeds moving forward, assuring our visitors will be introduced to a diverse plethora of relevant cultural podcasts. In this piece we will take a look at a wide variety of shows ranging from comedy to parental advice from black produced hosts and writers. You can choose to listen to any podcast right here on TopPodcast.com, and then subscribe to where you listen regularly.

This American Negro hosted by Marquise Richards.

This American Negro is a podcast that aims to dismantle the barrier between academic research and the marginalized groups they do the research on. Topics include the legacy of Malcolm X, discussing the education system, and Black Theater. This podcast will explore cultural events, personal experiences, and history to poke at a more nuanced conversation. Marquise is indignant towards the problems that the Black community faces, that energy combined with his inquisitive nature provides for an educational and interesting listen.

Mom and Dad are Fighting hosted by Jamilah Lemieux, Dan Kois, and Elizabeth Newcamp

In this podcast series Jamilah Lemieux, Dan Kois, and Elizabeth Newcamp share triumphs and failures. The hosts offer advice on parenting kids from toddler to teens. Slate has brought these three together to shine a light on the variety of hurdles that parents face. Jamilah Lemiuex is a writer, cultural critic and an extremely powerful voice as a black feminist, her perspective is valuable and one that white people could benefit from hearing. This podcast has a dash of comedy in a pot of sincerity. If you are looking for parenting advice from a multi-racial crew, this is the show for you.

The Read hosted by Kid Fury and Crissle

Like a few other podcasts, the Read was adapted for television. However, Kid Fury and Crissle still host a weekly podcast covering hip-hop and pop culture’s most trying stars. Throwing shade and spilling tea, no star is safe from Fury and Crissle. The Read gives insight into black culture that is not necessarily available in the mainstream.

Bodega Boys hosted by Desus Nice & The Kid Mero

This podcast is toxic, non-educational, and filled with context and inside jokes. I can’t stop listening. Desus & Mero sky-rocketed to stardom after their show on Viceland became a mega hit and moved to Showtime. Truth be told, the Bodega Boys Podcast is one of the filthiest and least politically correct pieces of media available, however their jokes are never hurtful. If you enjoy improv comedy, pornography, and 90’s hip-hop, this show is for you.

Code Switch hosted by Shereen Marisol Meraji, Gene Dembym, and Karen Grigsby Bates

Code switching is a term that means “switching your cadence and speech depending on who you are talking to.” In a primarily white society, black and brown people feel the need to ‘whiten-up’ their language to avoid judgement. This NPR podcast has the tagline “Race in Your Face” Hosted by journalists of color, this podcast tackles subjects of race head-on, politics, pop culture, history, sports and everything in between. This show provides tremendous insight into issues faced by people of color.

The Joe Rogan Experience is Moving To Spotify

Posted on May 19, 2020 by Jason Peters

The Joe Rogan Experience is Spotify Bound.

Joe Rogan’s podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience” is a large percentage of male podcast listeners’ introduction to podcasts. For nearly 1,500 episodes the stand-up comedian and MMA announcer has operated as an independent behemoth in the media sphere. Starting on September 1st, 2020 “the entire JRE library will become available on Spotify.”

Rogan announced that the show will stay exactly the same and assured his listeners that he is not a Spotify employee. The deal is being referred to as a “multi-year licensing agreement” by Rogan and those “in the know.”

The exact dollar amount of this deal is unknown, however the Wall Street Journal reported that the deal is worth more than $100 million.

The Joe Rogan Experience has grown to be the largest and most expansive platform for long-form interviews in media today. Presidential candidates make their pitch to the JRE listeners, MMA fighters and Veterans tell tales of war, and comedians go on to goof around. JRE is an all encompassing entertainment product with little to no limitations.

We all thought the streaming wars were over, but now podcasts have entered the arena. Most media executives would’ve called you crazy if you told them that a podcast would be worth 9-figures ten years ago. This is a huge step forward for the podcast industry and one of many interesting moves in the medium.

The transition to Spotify will be complete as of 2021.

How to Record, Edit, and Publish a Podcast for $0.00

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Jason Peters

It often surprises me when people are under the impression that podcasts are difficult or expensive to make. The following article will explain how any person with access to a phone and a laptop can produce a podcast for the low low price of $0.

Recording

The “Voice Memos” app on every iPhone is, for some reason, un-deletable – meaning that it is on your phone. It is one of Apple’s best kept secrets. On current iPhone models, the sound quality of the iPhone Voice Memos app is impressive. In a pinch, I’ve recorded segments of my podcast using an iPhone and the difference is almost unrecognizable. To effectively record two people on an iPhone, place it on a table between two people and simply press record with the charger port facing up.

Once you’ve recorded yourself or yourself and a guest, the file will be saved in the Voice Memos app. Simply email that file to yourself and then you’ll be able to edit it on any laptop.

Converting

Download the audio file from your email. The iPhone Voice Memos app saves all audio files in M4A format. For the free audio software that we are going to use, you’ll need to convert that M4A file into an MP3 or WAV file. It’s best that you convert it to an MP3 file, because it will take up less file space on your computer.

You can convert the file by using any number conversion websites, simply google “convert M4A to Mp3” and then follow standard internet protocol.

Editing

The industry standard free editing software is Audacity. I have personally been using Audacity as my primary editing software for 8 years and see no need for a more expensive program at this time. My podcast has charted on the iTunes podcast charts in 5 countries. If Audacity is good enough for me, it’s good enough for you.

You can use Audacity to add music that you have stored on your laptop. If you’re looking for copyright free music that you can use and edit into your podcast, there are tons of free resources like freesound.org or Zapsplat.org. Use audacity to edit your audio, add effects, and throw in music.

Publishing

Once you have recorded, converted, and edited your audio file – it’s time to publish! There are a few free places to publish podcasts like Soundcloud and Audiomack! Other publishers like Spotify and iTunes require you to have an RSS feed which typically costs a few dollars to acquire and maintain.

There you have it, the tools needed to create a podcast for $0.00 have been laid out in front of you.

Category: News