this is hot pod, The VergeNewsletter about the podcasting and audio industry.
Hello, everyone — we're starting today with some big news. Next week will be the last event. hot pod and The Verge. Before I came here, all I wanted to do was cover the podcasting industry, and I still can't believe I was able to make a career out of it. Even when there was bad news (and it often was), I was energized by the passion and innovation of this community. It was a real honor to get to know so many people.
Before I leave, I'll be publishing a few more articles, as well as some final thoughts on the current state of the industry.My colleague Jake Kastrenakes See the notes below for more information about upcoming newsletters.
I know this is the part where I should say “I'd like to talk to you about my new job soon”, but ~perversely~ I don't have a new job! I'm taking some time at home with my 11-month-old son before moving on to the next thing. He's a good little guy, even if he's also a threat.
Hey everyone, it's Jake.I wanted to give you all the latest information. hot pod Before Ariel's last day. I've really enjoyed reading Ariel's version of this newsletter over the past two years, and I can't wait to see what she does next. I will miss her so much.
Because a new writer will not be in place by next week. hot pod Pause while you consider your next step. hot pod is an important player in the world of podcasting, and we value the community that has helped bring this space together. You'll be the first to know about our plans for the future of the newsletter.
Now, back to Ariel and the news of the day.
There is currently a debate about NPR's political leanings after an explosive essay by a former editor was published in the magazine. free press. Additionally, Spotify will team up with his Substack and SiriusXM will join its true crime roster.
NPR editor accuses network of institutional bias
This seemed tailor-made for internet outrage. NPR Business Editor Uli Berlina published an essay. free press The title is “I've been at NPR for 25 years. Here's how we lost faith in America.'' They place more emphasis on racial diversity than “diversity,” which leads to the homogenization of viewers. “The open-minded spirit no longer exists within NPR, and as expected, we now do not have an audience that reflects America,” he wrote.
Reaction to the piece was swift and furious.right wing outlet Hey there, Berliners As a “whistleblower”. Colleagues at NPR criticized him for not requesting comment before publication, impose responsibility on Regarding staff of color. Edith Chapin, NPR's chief news executive, sent a memo to staff defending the station's work and emphasizing the importance of inclusion as an important part of rigorous journalism.But some former NPR employees I came to his defense.And Berliner said in an interview with Chris Cuomo that his colleagues said: I contacted him personally. By agreement.Berliner did not respond. hot podContacted for comment, NPR spokeswoman Isabel Lara said he still works for the station.
There is much to criticize in Berliner's essay. The way he refutes race-conscious narratives.The fact that he doesn't consider what the changing relationship between the right and the media has to do with changing NPR. Viewer demographic; and how he didn't give NPR a chance to respond (Journalism 101!). But he does offer one surprising statistic. Among his editorial staff based in the Washington, D.C., office, he has 87 registered Democrats and zero (0) to zero (0) Republicans. When he presented the findings to leadership, “the reaction was not hostile; it was much worse,” he writes. “We were greeted with a very indifferent attitude.”
This is noteworthy, given that NPR has very specific obligations to its viewers (and potential viewers). It is a public institution. No matter how pitiful the amount, public funds are being poured into it. According to Gallup, Democrats make up 28% of voters, trailing only Republicans (30%) and independents (41%). I'm sure some people will get angry when I say this, but it's true that in order to reflect America, we need a staff that understands how the other three-quarters of America thinks.
But whether this is entirely NPR's fault is another story. There is a huge, popular and well-funded right-wing audio ecosystem out there. For young talent from more conservative backgrounds, this may be a more attractive option. Never mind how opposition to NPR in particular has become a special issue for the right. America's media divide is a large and complex problem, and no matter how important it is, it cannot be placed in the hands of any one agency.
lightning round
- substack Enjoy, podcast listeners!You can listen to the programs you have registered at: spotify. Similar to Patreon last year, Spotify allows users to link their Substack accounts to listen to free and paywalled podcasts on the platform.
- Former staff are Wham / DCist forming a worker-owned outlet; We are looking for name suggestions. At this time, the new publication does not appear to have an audio element. WAMU has shut down DCist last month.
- of interactive advertising bureau has announced that its annual podcast Upfront will be held on May 9th. The event will feature presentations from Wondery, iHeartMedia, WNYC and more. You can check it here.
- cast box has published a ranking of conservative hosts on the app. Unsurprisingly, Ben Shapiro took first place with over 585,000 subscribers, followed by Jordan Peterson (415,000) and Dan Bongino (119,000).
- death, sex, moneywhich was canceled by WNYC and picked up by Slate, will debut a new season on Tuesday, April 16th.
- Conan O'Brien I had an interview with hollywood reporter. He's (understandably) grateful that he was able to sign a deal with SiriusXM before the podcast market turned around.
