Apple Podcasts Subscriptions launched yesterday with thousands of podcasts and channels. Apple calls the service “the global marketplace for premium podcast subscriptions.” It is available in 170 countries. Users can purchase subscriptions for individual shows and grounds of shows via channels. Consequently, listeners support their top creators and can unlock additional benefits. Those extras include ad-free listening and early access to new programs.
“Listeners can’t get enough of their favorite podcasts and want a simple way to support the extraordinary creators who make them possible. Now, listeners can enjoy new content and additional benefits for thousands of new and popular podcasts, alongside millions of free shows, with more arriving every week. Apple Podcasts Subscriptions will help creators grow their businesses and continue to make podcasting an important source of information, entertainment, connection, and inspiration for hundreds of millions of listeners around the world.”
Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Apple Music and Beats
Shows that users subscribe to be added to those followed by the user. Apple Podcast listeners can discover new content through search and recommendations.
Subscription Podcast Examples
One example of a new podcast is “The Handoff” with Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo. The CNN hosts have a weekly conversation “where nothing is off limits.” It is exclusive to Apple Podcasts subscribers.
FOX News is also on board with the new Apple offering. The news network announced a new subscription based content channel called FOX News Podcasts+. In addition to exclusive content, commercial-free editions of existing Fox News podcasts like The Brian Kilmeade Show are available.
FOX News Podcasts+ will cost $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. The media company ranks among the top 15 podcast publishers, according to Triton Digital. In addition, The Brian Kilmeade Show was recently named one of the top five most influential radio shows in America according to the TALKERS magazine’s Heavy Hundred list.
Other brands and creators included in Apple Podcasts Subscriptions include Luminary, NRP, The Los Angeles Times, QCODE, The Atlantic and more.
