The world’s podcasting industry is on the rise. Last year, according to Statista, worldwide podcast listenership stood at 383.7 million. This year, the number stands at 424.2 million with projections of reaching 504.9 million in 2024. While podcasting is a relatively new medium for information, it is slowly taking off; this is partly due to its flexibility in modes of consumption – the audio files can be downloaded and played later at a listener’s convenience, anytime, anywhere.
Spotify, the second-largest podcast streaming service in the world with a market share of 26.8% (trailing only Apple Podcasts which controls 37.4% of the market share), expanded into 80 new markets – including Kenya – one and a half years ago. Their expansion means that Kenyans are now capable of easily accessing international podcasts, some of which are Spotify exclusive; for example, the wildly popular The Joe Rogan Experience. This is of course in addition to the accessibility to a deep music catalog that exists on the platform (Spotify is the biggest music streaming service in the world).
On 24 October, Spotify announced that they’ll be supporting 13 independent emerging African podcasters through an initiative called Africa Podcast Fund. In a press release, Spotify shared that “[their] goal is to help platform African creators on a global scale and shift the historically restrictive view of stories about the continent.”
The 13 creators will benefit from a $100,000 fund to “[bolster] their careers through financial grants, workshops, and networking opportunities.” The fund will be administered by Africa PodFest.
The beneficiaries of the fund include Kenyan podcasts The Sandwich Podcast, The Messy Inbetween, Mantalk.ke, and Nipe Story. Other country beneficiaries include Ghana (Sincerely Accra), Cameroon (Si Maman M’avait Dit), Nigeria (I said What I said, Tea with Tay, and F&S Uncensored), and South Africa (After School Is After School with Sis G.U, The Journey Kwantu, Wisdom & Wellness with Mpoomy Ledwaba, and Convos & Cocktails with Lesego Tlhabi).
In a press release, Melissa Mbugua, Africa PodFest’s co-director said that “[they] are excited about the development of podcasting in Africa, particularly because the medium allows underrepresented African voices to tell the story of Africa.”
It’s exhilarating to see Kenya’s podcast industry get international attention and recognition, especially, when it comes from among the world’s renowned brands such as Spotify. In their press release statement, Spotify recognized Kenya as among the four African countries with the biggest podcast listenership in the continent.
Post A Comment