Jun 27, 2017

Podcast trend: Finally real money (and going upscale)

Sara Fischer

Podcasts, once a curiosity, are now big business: An industry forecast says they'll draw $220 million in ads this year.

Why it matters: A new Interactive Advertising Bureau study also found that while three-quarters of podcast ads are direct-response (like ordering on Stamps.com), there's been an increase in brand awareness ads. These are the ads you typically see aligned with high-quality TV/video content.

Data: Interactive Advertising Bureau; Chart: Chris Canipe / Axios

How it happened: The growth reflects an audio streaming boom, made possible largely through mobile apps like Apple Music and Spotify.

The audience: Edison Research and Triton Digital estimates 98 million U.S. adults listen to podcasts.

For kicks: Consumers prefer host-read ads over pre-produced ads 60%-40%, according to the study.

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Sara Fischer

Facebook will make political ads optional for users

Photo: Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images

Facebook said Thursday it will give consumers the option to stop seeing political ads in their feeds moving forward.

Why it matters: Facebook has been heavily criticized for its policies around political ads, especially for its decision not to fact-check political ads.

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Mike Allen

99% of the Trump campaign's TV ads this year discussed impeachment

President Trump speaking on Dec. 21. Photo: Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images

More than 99% of the Trump campaign's TV ads this year discussed impeachment, as tallied by the nonpartisan Wesleyan Media Project. Over the past three months, the Trump campaign talked impeachment in 4,594 television ads, costing $4.4 million.

Why it matters: This is a vivid new illustration of the alacrity with which the Trump campaign is embracing the stain of impeachment to raise money, rev up the base and try to build a head of steam against whoever emerges as the Democratic nominee.

Go deeperArrowDec 22, 2019
Scott Rosenberg, Sara Fischer, Rashaan Ayesh

Facebook won't stop letting politicians lie in ads

Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Anyone who was waiting for Facebook to change its controversial political ad policies — particularly the one that allows politicians to lie with impunity — will have to keep waiting, the company made clear Thursday.

Driving the news: Facebook released a raft of small changes to its rules around political ads, including giving consumers the option to block political ads from their feeds.

Go deeperArrowJan 9, 2020