Spotify reportedly locks white noise podcasters from ad program

According to a Bloomberg report, white noise podcasters will no longer be eligible for Spotify's Ambassador's Ad program from October 1.

Spotify’s Ambassador Ads program paid podcasters to read ads for the company’s own products, aiming to get more people to make more shows for the platform. White noise podcasters would make as much as $18,000 per month by Spotify for these ads, which will no longer be the case.

Spotify was making a $38 million dent in its gross annual profit and thus, was deliberating about pulling those podcasts off entirely. According to the company's reports, Ambassador ads hadn't been effective on white noise podcasters because their listeners weren't as engaged as with other conversational or narrative podcasts.

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Though white noise podcasters will still be able to make revenue from direct support from listeners, paid memberships, and automated ads, they will no longer have access to this key program for revenue profit.

Spotify has also raised the criteria for Ambassador Ads, allowing podcasters with 1,000 unique listeners over 60 days (up from 100) to participate.