Podcast listening was on the rise across the globe in 2018.

Spotify has analysed its stats from last year and found the number of monthly users intentionally listening to podcasts increased by 175%.

A Spotify report on podcast usage on the platform says:
 

Triton Digital has released its monthly digital audio Top 20 Ranker figures for December 2018.

The data is dominated by American streaming listening, but also includes international streaming in the data we examined (we excluded Latin American data).

American podcast company Panoply has released data that indicates that Spotify is "growing the pie" for podcast listening in the United States.

It only took 13 years, but Spotify has finally turned a profit.

In a report released last night in New York, Spotify declared that for the first time in company history, Operating Income, Net Income, and Free Cash Flow were all positive.

Monthly active uses grew 29% year to year to 207 million with the number of Premium Subscribers reaching 96 million, up 36% Y/Y.

While ad-supported revenue increase, the growth in programmatic and self-serve (Ad Studio) channels has continued to outpace the growth in direct marketing.

Spotify has launched Sound Up Bootcamp Australia, an initiative that gives aspiring Australian based First Nations podcasters the opportunity to undergo an intensive learning program, facilitated by podcasting and radio greats, and delve into podcast creation, story development and understanding their audience.

10 participants will be invited to take part in the four-day workshop, 26-29 November 2018, at Spotify Australia’s Sydney HQ and will receive mentoring, practical experience, and networking opportunities with facilitators.

As part of today’s Interactive Advertising Bureau presentation of the latest research in interactive audio, Omny Studio’s CEO Sharon Taylor and Eardrum’s Creative Director Tristan Viney discussed creative formats for audio platforms.
 

Leaked financial results for Spotify reveal revenue growth of about 40%.  

The communications and media watchdog has issued an alert about fake emails targeting Spotify Premium account users.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority says the emails carry the subject line: 'Your Spotify Premium payment isn't working'.

ACMA says the email will ask recipients to 'update your billing', with a link taking you to a fake sign-in page almost identical to the real Spotify website.