Compiled by Tess Connery and Grace Gollasch
Making the Move: Charlie Clausen on bringing TOFOP and FOFOP to LiSTNR
Back in March, AFL podcast 2 Guys 1 Cup hosted by Wil Anderson and Charlie Clausen joined the LiSTNR suite. Fast forward to the end of the year, and the pair’s other podcasts, TOFOP and FOFOP have also made the jump – as well as Anderson’s Wilosophy.
Podcast Week’s Tess Connery spoke to Charlie Clausen about why the pair brought the podcasts to LiSTNR and what the move means.
With TOFOP and FOFOP following 2 Guys 1 Cup across to LiSTNR, Clausen says that the precedent had been set well before the moving over of the full catalogue.
“Initially, we felt like 2 Guys 1 Cup was the best fit for LiSTNR considering the relationships they had with Austereo, and Triple M with their sports programs.
“TOFOP and FOFOP have a niche audience, and we were a bit uncertain about whether or not we wanted to make the leap all in one go. We thought it was a win-win – we’d take over one of the shows, and see how that goes. If the relationship worked out, then we could explore the other podcasts, which is what we did.”
After having been independent for 12 years, Anderson and Clausen wanted a partnership that “recognised the audience that we had created and understood the shows.”
“Although TOFOP is the flagship show, it’s probably the most niche,” says Clausen. “We started that show back when you didn’t really need a hook for a podcast, the fact that you were doing a podcast at all was the hook – LiSTNR showed that they got it.
“After a year of 2 Guys 1 Cup, we felt they’d done a really great job promoting the show and got the tone of it. We felt quite confident when they came back asking about the rest of the catalogue.”
With a library of over 400 episodes for each podcast, Clausen says that it’s easy to keep TOFOP and FOFOP fresh despite the length of the run – the secret is that the podcasts don’t have a set format.
“It’s not like we have to freshen up the breakfast team, or come up with a new secret sound or anything like that. Each show is unique. We often discuss it on the show itself, we have very meta episodes where we ask what is this show even doing?
“I think that’s part of the appeal, people can jump in whenever they want – they might be confused at first, but it’s not like they need to understand the format, it’s just two guys talking about whatever catches their fancy at that time.
“We’ve had topics that have occupied more of our thoughts than others – we have a long running discussion about the biggest horse in Norway! There are some definite threads, but I think it just stays fresh because the show changes with Wil and I.”
Looking ahead at what 2023 holds for TOFOP and FOFOP, Clausen says that the next 12 months are bright.
“I’m looking forward to it, to be honest. 2 Guys 1 Cup found a real groove this year, and having LiSTNR back us up just gave us more opportunities – we’re able to include elements that we were not able to do previously.
“I hope that that’s what’s going to happen with TOFOP and FOFOP as well. We now have the ability to say to someone, ‘Hey, can you get this soundbite from here?’ or ‘we want to talk about this, could you do some research on that?’. It will make the shows better.”
[Listen to TOFOP and FOFOP here]
DM Podcasts makes the jump from NOVA Entertainment to LiSTNR
LiSTNR has announced it will be the exclusive sales representative for DM Podcasts in Australia, bringing its stable of created and curated Australian podcasts to LiSTNR.
This comes after DM Podcasts and Nova Entertainment announced it would conclude its strategic partnership by the end of January 2023.
DM Podcasts is an independent podcast company founded by the team behind The Betoota Advocate, an Australian satirical news website and digital media company that puts a comedic spin on news topics and broader social observations.
As part of the strategic podcast partnership, DM Podcasts will be hosted and distributed by LiSTNR – Australia’s fastest growing digital audio destination.
The addition of DM Podcasts’ slate of podcasts will further accelerate LiSTNR’s audience network and monetisation potential. In addition, DM Podcasts will become a production house for LiSTNR as it expands its podcast creation capacity in-line with the growing market for branded podcasts.
In the latest Australian Podcast Ranker, DM Podcasts had a monthly audience of more than 520,000 listeners and 1.21 million downloads. Its podcasts that featured on the latest Top 100 All Australian Podcasts include The Betoota Advocate Podcast, Bloody Brilliant Beers, Ain’t That Swell, The Search, and Where’s Your Head At?.
Audible shares top listens for Aussies’ summer adventures and travels
Audible has put together a list of its top podcasts and audiobooks for users to listen to in summer.
According to research commissioned by Audible, 19% of Australians are more likely to listen to podcasts in the warmer months. Additionally, 41% of Australians choose to listen to audio content in the car, 23% of Australians enjoy audio entertainment while taking a walk, and 15% of Australians choose to listen to audio content whilst on holiday.
Top podcasts and audiobooks to listen to this Summer, according to Audible:
Origins featuring Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, King Princess, et all (Audible Original)
Origins, Audible’s new music storytelling series, features eight groundbreaking artists – Billie Eilish, Camilo, Doja Cat, Flying Lotus, King Princess, Koffee, Mickey Guyton, and Tobe Nwigwe. This series works in showing the common denominator shared between them: a burning desire—truly, a need—to create and express oneself.
Pillow Talk by Laura Nagy
Seeking shelter after a bad break-up, host Laura Nagy falls into the bizarre and beautiful online world of ASMR, where strangers murmur sweet nothings to lonely listeners. But there’s more than just comfort to be found here.
The Upside Down Christmas by Kate Forster (Audible Original)
Marlo is living her best life in sunny Sydney and avoiding thinking about her past at all costs. Avoiding thinking about the quaint village life she left behind in Britain. Avoiding thinking about that fateful Christmas Day.
Other podcasts include:
Tell Me Again by Amy Thunig/Clementine Ford (Audible Exclusive)
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts (Audible Exclusive)
The Sandman Act III by Neil Gaiman (Audible Original)
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
My Dream Time by Ash Barty
Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry
[Listen to Audible content here]
CADA’s Flex and Froomes daily podcast show cracks 1 million downloads in six months
ARN’s dedicated Hip Hop and R&B station, CADA, have announced that the Flex & Froomes show podcast has officially surpassed 1 million downloads.
Six months since its launch, the Flex & Froomes podcast has seen success, winning bronze at the Australian Podcast Awards for Best New Podcast and placing in Vogue’s “10 Best Podcasts for Women by Women.”
Hosted by Lillian Ahenkan, aka Flex Mami and Lucinda Price, aka Froomes, the show covers topics such as “Why Do Men Lie About Their Shoe Size?” and “Would You Rather Be Happy Or Famous?”.
Of the show’s success, Flex said, “The girls have really done it this time! Turns out it’s possible to reach grandiose career milestones by unpacking gruesome nipple stories, philosophy, psychology, moral dilemmas, the contradictions of modern dating and the intricacies of personal hygiene. Here’s to the next million.”
Co-host Froomes added, “What a bloody pleasure! No offence to us, but I’m always shocked when people come up to me and say they love the show and listen religiously. Good to know they aren’t lying.”
[Listen to Flex and Froomes here]
Sonia Jahshan and Simon Baggs bring Tied Up podcast to ears
Former executive producer of the Kyle and Jackie O Show, Sonia Jahshan and ex-KIIS FM presenter Simon Baggs have teamed up to launch their new culture podcast, Tied Up.
With episodes released every Tuesday, Jahshan and Baggs discuss and dissect the biggest pop culture stories that have made an impact.
The duo will tackle past and present pop culture stories and apply those moments to their real-life situations. The pair take listeners on a journey into the lives of the rich and famous, all while having a laugh.
Jahshan recently announced her departure from The Kyle & Jackie O Show, where she worked for six years and helped the show gain its highest listenership. Baggs has over 20 years of experience in the commercial radio space and has most recently joined Acast as senior content development manager.
Jonesy and Amanda go back in time in their Time Travellers podcast
Jonesy & Amanda’s ACRA Award-winning Time Travellers podcast is back this summer, reflecting on the best content the show has ever had to offer.
The WSFM Breakfast duo have been on air together now for almost 18 years, and throughout this time, Jonesy has kept a daily diary containing details on who they spoke to, what was big in the news, what content they did, amongst other things that happened on and off the air.
Publishing two episodes per week, Jonesy & Amanda’s Time Travellers season two will go back in time to the days of 2010-2012 to recount the good, the bad and the hilarious of their lives together, when the mics are on (and off).
The first episode back will see the duo transport back to 2010, where Amanda shares why she has a gripe with rock legend Phil Collins.
[Listen to Time Travellers here]
Piccolo Podcasts launches Talking IP podcast
Piccolo Podcasts has announced the launch of the Talking IP podcast.
Talking IP explores the less-known world of IP management by talking to the world’s leading Patent Attorneys. The show explores topics from personal matters to balancing work and family to advice on how to boost your career forward.
Talking IP is presented by Billtrader’s CEO and executive director Justin Simpson. Simpson is an Australian Patent Attorney and a true Intellectual Property (IP) entrepreneur.
Simpson said, “A podcast for IP professionals, featuring conversations that take you inside the professional lives and careers of global IP leaders and entrepreneurs.”
Piccolo Podcasts will produce the show, which will feature a range of international guests. The first episode featured Robert Wulff from Griffith Hack.
LiSTNR gets in the festive spirit with Santa Radio
LiSTNR will deliver a slate of premium content to fill the month of December, from 24/7 Christmas music on Santa Radio to Christmas stories told by LiSTNR’s hosts.
This festive season will see the return of Santa Radio. The 24-hour station, which was the highest-streamed music station on LiSTNR in 2021, delivers festive tunes and a 12 Days of Christmas Countdown feature hosted by some of the globe’s biggest artists.
With a direct line to the North Pole, the Santa Radio Christmas Hotline is available on 1300 223 374 for anyone wanting to leave a message for Santa before he checks the list twice.
From Thursday, December 1, Santa Radio kicks off its Santa Daily Countdown with the top Christmas tunes.
Acast makes advertising more accessible to small businesses with self-serve ad platform
Independent podcast company, Acast has developed a new self-serve advertising platform to enable brands of any size and budget to reach engaged audiences across the more than 88,000 podcasts within the Acast Marketplace.
This new platform allows advertisers to start their podcast advertising journey for as little as USD $250 (AUD $368)
Acast’s self-serve platform is available to advertisers globally. According to Deloitte’s annual holiday forecast, retail sales are expected to total nearly USD $1.5 trillion during the November to January timeframe.
Amid those projections, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are well-poised to experience higher demand this season. According to Capterra’s 2022 Holiday Retail Preparations Survey, 63% of SMBs expect to see higher holiday profits compared to 2021.
Moreover, this same survey found that 45% of SMBs expect to offer more holiday deals this year because of inflation, and 85% expect to increase holiday marketing spend across one or more channels.
