SiriusXM is among a handful of established radio companies who are looking to secure their footing amid the rise of new audio. An estimated 80 million Americans now listen to podcasts at least once per week, according to Edison Research, a figure that has more than doubled in the last five years. The deal is the latest in a wave of acquisitions targeting high-profile podcasters as overall listenership has surged. #99 invisible freeIn addition to a large catalog of free podcasts that are available on all platforms, Stitcher sells a premium service offering special features from podcasts it has a relationship with - including ad-free listening, early access and bonus content - for $4.99 per month. But the parties may explore exclusive partnerships for some products down the line. Under the new arrangement, “99% Invisible” will remain available at no cost on all platforms supported by ads. “We want the best creative talent that’s out there to know that we are a friendly home for them,” she said. Megan Liberman, head of talk and entertainment programming at SiriusXM (and a former editor at The New York Times), said that “99% Invisible,” which has been downloaded more than 500 million times, would become a “foundational” part of Stitcher and boost the company’s efforts to lure top podcast creators. But one of the things I liked about Sirius was they were like, ‘We already did that a decade ago and make $8 billion a year.’ They’d already figured it out.” #99 invisible how toEveryone is trying to crack this question of how to get people to pay for premium audio. “I feel at sea in this business in a way that I haven’t up to this point. “What does it mean that Facebook is getting into audio? Or that Apple is changing the ‘subscribe’ button to a ‘follow’ button? I don’t know and I don’t want to figure it out,” Mars said. And he expressed fatigue and anxiety over rapid changes to the podcast industry, which in recent years has become a battleground for tech giants like Apple, Spotify and Amazon. In an interview last week, Mars characterized the sale as an attempt to free himself from administrative duties and to secure greater resources for his staff. Mars and his team will produce new shows and other projects for the company, which is also home to the popular podcasts “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend,” “Office Ladies” and “The Sporkful.” The deal - which will be announced Monday, its terms not disclosed - will bring Mars and his 13 employees under the banner of Stitcher, the podcast platform that SiriusXM acquired last year for $325 million. #99 invisible seriesSiriusXM, the satellite radio provider, has acquired Mars’s company, 99% Invisible Inc., which is responsible for the podcast, its various spinoffs - including the limited series “Articles of Interest” and “According to Need” - and a best-selling book, “The 99% Invisible City,” released last year. Roman Mars’s “99% Invisible,” a hit podcast about the hidden influence of design and architecture that helped solidify resurgent interest in narrative audio when it premiered in 2010, has a new home.
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