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Mark and Brendan discuss a new audio drama, some wonderful news from Podchaser and some less-than-stellar news for fans of Song Exploder. They also discuss what podcasters owe to their listeners when it comes to personal politics, and flip up the bar top for the final time. Thanks for joining our club. Links Podcast hosting by Podiant The Podcast Advocate Network First Action Bureau Song Exploder may have to remove episodes due to music licensing fees Podchaser introduces bookmarks with RSS subscription

Mark breaks out his new microphone, ponders the podcasting stack – and what parts of it can be outsourced – then discusses the problems indie podcasters are facing and potentially causing for themselves. Mark’s alone in the studio this week, so if you need more Brendan in your life – and let’s face it, who doesn’t? – he’ll be back next week. Join the club Enter your email address and we’ll get started on building our clubhouse. Links Røde Procaster The Podcast Accelerator Podcast Pontifications Podcross Podcast hosting by Podiant @jointhe5pmclub on Instagram

Mark and Brendan cover the week in podcasting, including Amazon’s backdown and some research into female podcast hosts, then propose how product placement might work in fictional podcasts. They also share some thoughts and experiences with podcast websites, and offer some advice as to how podcasters can improve theirs, to make episodes more sharable and podcasts easier to subscribe to in general. Join the club Enter your email address and we’ll get started on building our clubhouse. Links @jointhe5pmclub on Instagram Podcast hosting by Podiant Amazon have stopped asking people not to say mean things about them on their podcasts The Benjamin Dixon Show Kottke Ride Home Kottke.org Unplaced

Mark and Brendan discuss the latest goings-on with Anchor, are confused by Amazon and are admiring of the new Zoom recorder. Also, they try and solve podcasting’s discoverability problem, or at least argue against its existance. Links @jointhe5pmclub on Instagram Podcast hosting by Podiant The Podcast Advocate Network Anchor pulled a test show because it sounded like something on Libsyn Zoom PodTrak P4 Podchaser

Brendan and Mark discuss Anchor and podcaster commitment, try and solve the mystery of the missing podcast, pour one out for Google Play Music and explore the importance of social media accounts for your podcast. The pair then talk in-depth about analytics: why IAB certification is a thing, why so few of the big podcasting companies are on-board, and what hopes may lie for an open standard. Watch this space, as there’s potentially more discussion to be had. Join the club Enter your email address and we’ll get started on building our clubhouse. Links @jointhe5pmclub on Instagram Podcast hosting by Podiant The Podcast Advocate Network Hypercritical Are Anchor podcasts different? ATP 388: Riding the Autocomplete YouTube Music: Google to axe Play Music in October Do you need social media accounts for your podcast? 5pm Club episode 2: Should podcasts be decentralised? This Week in Podcasts newsletter

Guest Brendan Hutchins Brendan edits podcasts under his Podcast Advocate Network banner. Spoiler alert: Mark is joined by the original Podcast Advocate, Brendan Hutchins, to go through the week’s podcasting news and talk about what life is like as a freelance podcast editor, including things to consider when hiring one. Join the club Enter your email address and we’ll get started on building our clubhouse. Links @jointhe5pmclub on Instagram Podcast hosting by Podiant Amazon Music and Audible are getting into podcasting Descript launches Overdub “No title” is the most common podcast name, among duplicates

Mark discusses Podcast Movement’s virtual ticket, the increase in non-English podcasts, and the scourge of Hamiltonnitus. But the main event is his sharing of lessons he’s learned in the last 12 years of podcasting, launching over a dozen podcasting projects. Join the club Enter your email address and we’ll get started on building our clubhouse. Links The New York Times will acquire Serial Productions English is podcasting’s second language Podcast Movement going virtual Podiant podcast hosting Bitrate on burnout Mission to Zyxx The Beef and Dairy Network

Mark investigates Apple’s new (exclusive?) podcast, runs through Spotify’s charts and gives the Stitcher/Sirius deal the quick once-over. The main portion of the episode deals with the social responsibility he believes incumbent upon all creatives, especially those who communicate directly to an audience, asking whether we can move past wokeness in an effort to normalise progressivism. Join the club Enter your email address and we’ll get started on building our clubhouse. Links Scripps agrees to sell podcasting business to SiriusXM Apple is launching its own daily news podcast Spotify is launching podcast charts

Mark looks at Zoom’s latest handheld recorder, examines ID3 tags and how they contribute to SEO, and opens up about his last podcast, and being caught in the trap of creating content instead of adding value. Join the club Enter your email address and we’ll get started on building our clubhouse. Links @jointhe5pmclub on Instagram Podcast hosting by Podiant Zoom H8 Handy Recorder Spotify has over a million podcasts ID3 tags don’t matter for SEO The Alan Partridge shrug

Mark dives deep into decentralisation, asking whether we should embrace, or be wary of platforms that promise “free speech” without first addressing the cost. Also a roundup of the week’s podcasting news, including analysis on audience growth during the pandemic. Join the club Enter your email address and we’ll get started on building our clubhouse. Links @jointhe5pmclub on Instagram "Audio is a fad" Voxnest midyear report Is Spotify really bigger than Apple Podcasts? Will podcasts prove to be recession-proof? dFinity Blockstack

Mark sets out his stall, signs his name on the dotted line, wonders about podcasting in India and makes the case for more virtual podcasting events. Join the club Enter your email address and we’ll get started on building our clubhouse. Links Equality in Audio Pact The Podcast Academy PodLP Maonocaster Podiant