Europe’s largest operator of commercial radio, Global, has acquired podcast hosting, analytics, and monetization platform, Captivate for an undisclosed amount. The Captivate platform will be integrated into Global’s audio entertainment service, Global Player, as well as offer podcast creators the ability to ramp up monetisation opportunities via access to Global’s digital ad platform DAX.
Founded in January of 2019, Sheffield-based Captivate host over 14,000 podcasts and offers podcasters a wide range of features including distribution, first-party attribution, and podcast promotion support, with the ultimate goal of helping them grow and monetise their product.
“Our vision for Captivate has always been clear: to proactively help independent podcast creators build their audio brand and to deliver a diverse range of monetization options for them,” explains co-founder Mark Asquith. “Joining Global allows us to continue to fulfil that vision by bringing DAX and Global Player to Captivate podcasters, while also providing more opportunities for the platform to positively contribute to the future of the industry.”
With the rise in popularity of both podcasts and short-form audio, and major players like Spotify and Podimo driving strong competition for listeners’ ears, traditional airwave broadcasters have had to adapt to a changing market. Global is well aware of the direction of the prevailing winds, and the Captivate acquisition follows the company’s recent move to snap up US-based audio content generator Remixd.
Captivate offers a suite of creator tools including hosting and monetization options through their self-service platform, one that's highly regarded by the worldwide audio market. Combining Captivate technology with the soon-to-be -launched DAX Audio SSP in the US allows Global and DAX to offer a complete ad stack to creators and publishers with an array of options for automated monetization,” commented DAX CEO, North America, Les Hollander. “Podcasters both large and emerging will be able to enjoy world-class capabilities to enhance their offerings. As podcast content and advertiser demand continue to accelerate, there is a continued need for automated solutions.”
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