As Wizzard Media, the leading podcast hosting network, combines forces with America’s preeminent publisher of inspirational magazines and books, the prospects appear excellent for an boost in downloading. At least that is the hope for the partnership announced last week between Pittsburgh-based Wizzard Media and Carmel, NY-based Guideposts.
The business collaboration will move into cyberspace with initial series of audio and video podcasts known as “Mysterious Ways” a series of personal tales dealing with inexplicable, true-life experiences that are narrated by the editor-in-chief of Guideposts, Edward Grinnan. In announcing the partnership, the companies describe the series as “true personal tales of wonderment and inspiration about real people experiencing moments when God’s presence unexpectedly reveals itself in their lives.” The series can currently be accessed through the iTunes Store, Zune Marketplace, or the Guideposts’ website.
While moving Guideposts more actively into a new-media distribution channel for its well established publications, the partnership also has the look of a major source of traffic volume for Wizzard Media, the industry’s leading podcast hosting network, which handled 1.2 billion download requests last year.
Guideposts draws an audience of more than 7-million Americans each month with a very strong appeal to women. Last year, the Audit Bureau of Circulation recognized the renewal rate of Guideposts subscribers–70 percent–as one of the highest for any ABC-audited monthly consumer magazine and, among the top-20 largest circulation monthly magazines in America, it leads the “Inspirational” category of magazines.
“Guideposts’ loyal audience is ideally suited for subscription-based, downloadable media,” Chris Spencer, Wizzard Media CEO said, adding that Wizzard Media “plans to help Guideposts monetize its content.”
Source: Wizzard Media, Guideposts
Writer: Joseph Plummer
To receive Keystone Edge free every week, click here.
