The Big Business Of Podcasting: More Than A Movement

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ORLANDO — “Great sessions, puppies, yoga, and dancing are just a few memories from Day 2 at Podcast Movement.


That’s what greeted Twitter followers midday Thursday, as one of the largest audio industry gatherings in the U.S. attracted hundreds of people eager to learn, share, comprehend and conduct big business.

Among those in attendance: Mike McVay, the longtime Adult Contemporary radio programming executive who in May 2019 returned to full-time consulting following a nearly eight-year run as SVP/Programming at Cumulus Media.

This feels like what radio conventions were like 30 years ago,” he Tweeted mid-afternoon Thursday. “Excitement, energy, enthusiasm … less drugs and no hookers. #betterlife”

Among the panelists: Steve Goldstein, CEO of Amplifi Media, on a session titled “Raise Your Voice: Smart Speaker Strategy for Podcasts.”

That’s just a smattering of what attendees have access to.

Perhaps one of the biggest takeaways through Thursday morning: “The Podcasting Space is a Bit of A Mess.”

That’s the headline of Podcast Business Journal article directly quoting Edison Research SVP Tom Webster. In a keynote speech on Wednesday, Webster asserts there is no longer a clear way to define what a podcast is.

Meanwhile, the Streamline Publishing-owned daily reports that both Spotify and Google understand how important it is to be in the podcasting space. The companies have big booths set up inside the vendor hall at Podcast Movement this year and are showing off their podcast products to eager podcasters.

Furthermore, iHeartRadio, Westwood One and PodcastOne are part of the 2019 event. iHeart, inside the vendor hall, has headphones set up around its booth for people to listen to iHeart podcasts.

With the event at the Rosen Shingle Creek Orlando more popular than ever, Podcast Movement organizers announced that the 2020 Podcast Movement will be held August 5-8 in Dallas.

But that’s not all: A second event is also being launched by Podcast Movement, called “Evolutions.” That conference will be held in Los Angeles, at the Biltmore Hotel, February 12-15.