Mediagazer: Some tech CEOs are turning to friendly podcasters like Lex Fridman as a way to “go direct” and avoid traditional media, which they view as unfairly critical (Ellen Huet/Bloomberg)

7:30 PM ET, March 30, 2024

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Ellen Huet / Bloomberg:

Some tech CEOs are turning to friendly podcasters like Lex Fridman as a way to “go direct” and avoid traditional media, which they view as unfairly critical — Tech CEOs have a growing set of ways to sidestep traditional media. But first... Don't press

Discussion: @business, @balloneytony, @samidhas, @curiouslpc, @samidhas, @dannygroner, @martyswant, @technology, @thekenyeung, @dave@social.masto.land, @balloneytony, @nikitabier, @garrytan and Talking Biz News, more at Techmeme »

James Pomfret / Reuters:

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Gene Maddaus / Variety:
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Christopher Mims / Wall Street Journal:

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Frank Landymore / Futurism:

Many of Amazon's Kindles are displaying ads for blatantly AI-generated books on the lock screen, with some appearing to be flagrant copies of existing works — “I've never minded the ads on them... until they became flooded with AI-generated books.” — Amazon has been a huge staging ground …

Discussion: @laurab7, @poet_economist, @i_dont_caroline, @alex_roddie@mastodon.scot, @thomasfuchs@hachyderm.io and MediaPost, more at Techmeme »

Podnews:

Survey of Americans aged 12+: 47% of have listened to a podcast in the last month, up 12% YoY, 76% listened to online audio in the past month, and more — The portion of Americans who listen to any kind of online audio, and the portion who listen to podcasts, have both reached new record highs …

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Jerusalem Post:

Iran International says journalist Pouria Zeraati was hospitalized with multiple knife injuries after he was attacked by a group outside his London home — The Iranian regime has planned multiple attacks against Iran International. — Iran International announced on Friday that one of its journalists …

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Bill Toulas / BleepingComputer:

Google informs users in the US that Google Podcasts is shutting down April 2 and recommends exporting podcast subscriptions to YouTube Music — U.S. users have just a few more days to make the transition from Google Podcasts as the company moves forward with the process of discontinuing the service globally.

Discussion: TechCrunch, Deadline, @carnage4life@mas.to, @killedbygoogle, @killedbygoogle, @jmwilt21, @andrewmccalip, Google Help Center and @BleepingComputer …

Jackie Snow / Quartz:

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NPR:

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Ashley Carman / Bloomberg:

How MowPod, which sells podcast advertising tools, uses mobile game ads to incentivize gamers to follow shows on Apple Podcasts in order to earn in-game tokens — At least nine of the current top 50 shows on Apple Podcasts have been promoted in mobile games — Welcome back to Soundbite.

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