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* [On Producthunt](https://www.producthunt.com/posts/adbarker), we notice a new service called [AdBarker](https://adbarker.com/): it's a dynamic ad insertion service for your podcast using your existing podcast host, and promises high CPM rates.

* We've learnt that Apple's previously-announced podcast categories were quietly altered earlier this month. Changes include a removal of `Arts>Literature`, `Society & Culture>History` and `Sports>Outdoor`; a new `Education>Language Learning`; `Health` is now `Health & Fitness`; `Sports>Fantasy` is now `Sports>Fantasy Sports`; `Religion & Spirituality>Other` was announced but has since disappeared; and a tweak from `TV & Film>Aftershows` to `TV & Film > After Shows`. We've [updated our list of the changes](https://podnews.net/article/apple-changed-podcast-categories-2019).

* It's now day three without any categories in Apple Podcasts apps. There were visible categories on show pages within the new Apple Podcasts desktop app for macOS Catalina, but these have been removed.
* The new Apple Podcast categories are also [live on Simplecast](https://blog.simplecast.com/everything-podcasters-need-to-know-about/), with some useful information for all of us; and by [micro·blog](https://www.manton.org/2019/07/25/podcast-categories-updated.html) and Fireside. Castos and Seriously Simple Podcasting support is coming early next week. Meanwhile, Spreaker has announced that [enterprise users can now exclude ad categories](https://blog.spreaker.com/spreaker-enterprise-users-can-now-exclude-ad-categories/).

* [Player FM has integrated Podchaser ratings in its app](https://twitter.com/PlayerFM/status/1152533612635365378)

* [DiscoverPods has launched the 2019 Podcast Trends Report Survey](https://discoverpods.com/announcing-2019-podcast-trends-report/). Last year, nearly 1,200 people participated - this year, they'd be keen for you to take the survey.

* [The BBC's Alexa skill has been improved](https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/internet/entries/d58dcb23-5298-4907-a914-d84c981ed789), allowing you to resume podcasts you were previously listening to on the corporation's _BBC Sounds_ app. While the BBC enhances its Alexa app, the BBC [continues to withhold its podcasts from competing Google speakers](https://podnews.net/article/bbc-blocks-google), after the corporation complained of unfair prominence of Google's own app. Speaking of which...

* Apple has been [criticised by the Wall Street Journal for unfair prominence](http://www.insideradio.com/free/report-app-searches-favor-apple-podcasts/article_ac6992ac-aeac-11e9-811c-07be9973be53.html), apparently putting their apps first on Apple's App Store searches.

* Mosaic Media, a talent agency in Los Angeles CA, USA, [has launched its own podcast company, Ninth Planet Audio](https://podnews.net/press-release/mosaic-media-expands). It's making a number of Luminary exclusive podcasts.

* [Targetspot's Dominick Milano has been promoted](https://podnews.net/press-release/milano-in-charge) to Senior Vice President of Sales & Business Development in North America. We hope he's got a big business card.

* Shares in Libsyn are cheap - it "trades at half the valuation of its peers", [says an article in Seeking Alpha](https://seekingalpha.com/article/4277457-podcast-firm-libsyn-trades-half-valuation-saas-peers?dr=1). They're trading at [near record levels](https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/LSYN); double where they were last year.

* In Portuguese, Agencia de Podcast posts [What data is relevant in a podcast?](https://medium.com/@agenciadepodcast/quais-dados-s%C3%A3o-relevantes-em-um-podcast-8d7f041ae327). Other hints and tips (in English) include: the importance of [getting your feature episode right](https://medium.com/@maayanplaut/how-to-listen