Radio & Podcast News – Canadaland partners with Acast on podcast promotion and sales

Media Technology Monitor (MTM) has released a report on how newcomers are consuming radio and audio. MTM found newcomers show an overall greater interest in online audio content than traditional radio. Just over three quarters of newcomers consume online audio, putting them roughly on par with those born in Canada (80%). Newcomers are less likely to listen to AM/FM radio in comparison to Canadian-born individuals (36% versus 66%). However, newcomers’ usage of traditional AM/FM radio grows as they age and with higher household income levels. In terms of most-used music streaming services, newcomers and Canadian-born individuals are both more likely to use Spotify and Apple Music than any others. SoundCloud has also found unique popularity among Newcomers, used by 12% versus 3% of Canadian-born individuals.

Canadaland has selected Acast to lead distribution and accelerate promotion and sales for the podcast network, both domestically and globally. Boasting more than 8 million listeners per year and 10,000 monthly paying supporters, through the new partnership, Acast says it will “further expand Canadaland’s impact by making its shows available to audiences across all markets and podcast platforms.” Advertisers will be able to buy ads and sponsorships on Canadaland podcasts via the Acast Marketplace. Acast Canada’s portfolio includes eOne and Apostrophe Podcast Network.

The Toronto Star and iPolitics have signed on as media partners for upcoming podcast, The Paul Wells Show, scheduled to launch in mid-September. Hosted by the veteran political journalist, the show will focus on politics and culture with the initial 20 episodes to feature politicians, public figures and commentators, including David Cohen, U.S. Ambassador to Canada, and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. Anne Marie Owens, Editor-in-Chief of the Toronto Star, said in a release that they’re hoping the partnership will help boost listenership of the newspaper’s audio offerings, which include It’s Political with Althia Raj, launched last year. The Paul Wells Show is produced by Antica Productions, in partnership with the National Arts Centre of Ottawa, and the University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. Wells will join the Munk School for the 2022-23 academic year as its inaugural journalist fellow-in-residence. Read more here.

CBC North has launched new podcast, Giant – Murder Underground, a seven-episode series revisiting the Sept. 18, 1992 labour dispute that saw nine workers cross a picket line at the Giant Gold Mine in Yellowknife. Minutes later they were killed in a horrific explosion, sparking one of the most labour-intensive murder investigations the RCMP has ever seen. Thirty years later, Giant tells the complex story through the voices of those who lived it, from police investigators and union members to victims and murder suspects – many of whom have never spoken publicly before. Hosted by CBC Yellowknife’s Rachel Zelniker and produced by Peter Sheldon, the first three episodes are available now on CBC Listen and everywhere podcasts are available. The next four episodes will be released on Sept. 21.

Corus Entertainment’s Curiouscast podcast network is adding Canadian-made history podcasts, Everything 80s and Canadian History Ehx, to its catalogue. Everything 80s is exactly that, transporting listeners to the decade of giant cell phones and VHS tapes. Hosted by Jamie Logie, the podcast dives into 1980s pop culture from movies, TV shows, and games to toys and music, in addition to historical events that took place over the decade from a Canadian perspective. Canadian History Ehx explores Canada’s history from nostalgic TV to war, historical figures, Indigenous history, and profiles on small town Canada. The podcast is created and hosted by history aficionado Craig Baird. Read more here.

Podcast Day 24, a live one-day conference for podcasters taking place in New York, London and Sydney on Oct. 4, has announced the speakers lineup for its North American event, including Bumper co-founder Dan Misener, CBC podcast hosts Tom Power and Duncan McCue, and investigative journalist and producer Martha Troian (Kuper Island). Podcast Day 24 is presented in partnership with Radiodays Europe, the British Podcast Awards, and the Australian Podcast Awards. To be held at the SVA Theatre in the heart of Chelsea, the New York event will feature podcasters, publishers, platforms, and media and tech companies operating in the space with topics to be covered spanning podcast business models, ethics, and AI to audience development, monetization, data, and storytelling. Read more here.

980 CFPL London has announced an extension of its broadcast rights deal with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for another five years. The station first acquired the rights during the 2016-17 season and will air every home and away game during the season. Host of 980 CFPL’s London Live, Mike Stubbs, will continue to serve as the London Knights play-by-play announcer. On Sept. 30, 980 CFPL celebrates a century of serving the London community and will commemorate the milestone occasion at the London Knight’s home opening game that day.

SiriusXM’s Top of the Country competition crowned SACHA from Warkworth, ON as this year’s winner. The fourth annual competition and talent search by SiriusXM Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA), saw SACHA appear at the CCMA Awards on Sept. 11, in addition to taking home the grand prize of $25,000. The three finalists, including Josh Ross and Shantaia, performed for a crowd of country music fans and listeners tuning into the live show on SiriusXM’s CBC Country (ch. 171) before a headlining set by CCMA Awards co-host and nominee Tenille Townes. 

CCMA 2022 Radio and Industry Award winners include: Paul Ferguson of CHCQ-FM Belleville, who won Country Personality of the Year; CFCW Edmonton, Radio Station of the Year (Large Market); CHCQ-FM Belleville, Radio Station of the Year (Medium or Small Market); Pure Country Top 50 of 2021, hosted by Shannon Ella with special guests Dustin Lynch & MacKenzie Porter, which won Country Music Program or Special of the Year. Ben Knechtel was named Video Director of the Year.

LISTEN: Over 600 college radio stations in more than 45 countries will celebrate World College Radio Day on Friday, Oct. 7. On this episode of Broadcast Dialogue – The Podcast, we welcome the event’s founder Dr. Rob Quicke. You’d be hard pressed to find someone more passionate about college radio or with more street cred in the space as one of the students who helped launch the UK’s first-ever FM college station at Oxford University in the ’90s, in addition to 15 years as the General Manager of campus station WPSC-FM Brave New Radio in Wayne, New Jersey. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:

LISTEN: Dervla Trainor, founder and co-owner of the V.O. North conference, returns to the Sound Off Podcast, as the event makes an in-person comeback, Sept. 16-18 at the Pantages Hotel in Toronto. Trainor talks about steering her voiceover business through the pandemic and what we can expect at Canada’s premiere voiceover event. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here: