Apple Launches Podcast Subscriptions Service, No Sign Of Major Move Into Original Audio Programming

EXCLUSIVE: The life and death of Don Simpson, the producer behind American Gigolo, Flashdance, Beverly Hills Cop, and Top Gun, is the subject of a new podcast series from iHeartRadio.

EXCLUSIVE: In response to the devastating Covid wave currently ravaging India, Aditya Chopra, Chairman and MD of leading Bollywood production house Yash Raj, is launching the Yash Chopra Saathi Initiative, which aims to provide financial support to thousands of film industry workers.

Clubhouse, the buzzy audio social network, is moving into original programming.

The Tribeca Film Festival, which has expanded into music, virtual reality, TV, video games and other verticals during its two-decade run, now plans to showcase podcasts.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorTwitter is continuing down the path of looking to add new subscription services to diversify its revenue beyond ads.On Tuesday, the social network announced that it has acquired Scroll, a company that has sold a $5-per-month subscription that lets users read articles on participating news sites without ads — and shares some of that revenue with the publishers.Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorNow hear this: The 2021 Tribeca Festival announced its inaugural official podcast selections and special events, the first time a major fest is welcoming podcasts into its lineup.The first Tribeca Podcasts lineup features world premieres of 12 fiction and nonfiction podcasts from emerging creators (listed below), as well as panel discussions and other special events.The festival’s 20th anniversary celebration will take place June 9-20 across New York City — the

Gray Television took a giant leap forward Monday in a deal to acquire Meredith’s local media group of 17 stations in 12 markets for $2.7 billion in a deal Grey said will transform it into the second largest television broadcast group in the nation.

EXCLUSIVE: Apple is to launch a podcast about pop culture icons Siegfried & Roy – marking one of its first major forays into original audio series.

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Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotify wants to hook podcast creators on its newly launched paid-subscription program — by offering far more attractive economic terms and broader reach than rival Apple.On Tuesday, Spotify announced a series of new monetization options for podcast creators, starting with paid subscriptions.

The Dallas Opera is starting an online subscription streaming service.Thedallasopera.tv launched Monday with a recital by mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard and “Vanished,” a three-part art film with tenor Russell Thomas, countertenor John Holiday and music by Gluck, Monteverdi and Janácek.

EXCLUSIVE: Jon Meacham, the Pultizer Prize-winning historian, is expanding his relationship with Cadence13 with the launch of his own podcast studio.

Gallery: And the award goes too… 10 predictions for the 2021 Academy Awards (BANG Showbiz)Victory for the actress - who previously won the prize in 2018 for 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' and in 1997 for 'Fargo' - means she now joins a list of five other performers who have won five Oscars for acting, alongside Ingrid Bergman, Walter Brennan, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jack Nicholson, and Meryl Streep. Only Katherine Hepburn, with four, has won more Best Actress prizes.

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Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSpotify wants to be the industry’s No. 1 distributor of podcasts — and it’s willing to forgo some revenue in order to counter Apple’s push into podcast subscriptions.Next week, Spotify will launch its podcast subscription option for partners.

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Apple, which helped popularize the podcast format (including its name, which was in part derived from the iPod), is making another major play in the audio space, rolling out a podcast subscription service. The service, which will launch in May, will have prices set by creators, who will be able to offer perks to subscribers like ad-free episodes, early sneak peeks, and additional or exclusive content.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorApple unwrapped its latest bid to boost content revenue: The tech giant announced that it will roll out subscriptions for Apple Podcasts starting next month.It’s the “biggest change to Apple Podcasts” since the company first launched podcast support 15 years ago, CEO Tim Cook said on the livestream for Apple’s “Spring Loaded” virtual product launch event Tuesday.In addition, the company is rolling out a redesigned Apple Podcasts app which will provide a landing

HBO’s House of the Dragon has added Fabien Frankel to the cast in a major role.