After around 15 years, Stitcher, one of the most popular podcast-listening apps, will shut down later this summer. According to a notice Tuesday, the Stitcher apps and web-streaming audio service will be discontinued on August 29, 2023. This choice is a component of a larger plan to emphasize marketing the SiriusXM app and brand.
The parent firm SiriusXM announced that it would keep providing Stitcher’s content. Podcasts may be listened to within the SiriusXM app, and later this year, a completely new listening experience will be available.
There will not be any job cuts as a result of this decision or the SiriusXM Podcast Network, which includes the content creation hubs Stitcher Studios and Earwolf. In this article, we will discuss the Stitcher app and why this popular app is going to be closed down.
What is Stitcher?
A media company called Stitcher focuses on producing, distributing, and making money from podcasts. Noah Shanok, Mike Ghaffary, and Peter deVroede founded Stitcher in 2008. The business started off with merely its “Stitcher” listening app and received venture capital funding up until 2014 when Deezer bought the business.
Through networks like Earwolf and Witness Docs, Stitcher produces original programming. More than 300 shows use Stitcher’s ad sales and distribution capabilities. One of the most popular podcast-listening apps is available on Stitcher. It was acquired by SiriusXM in July 2020.
SiriusXM West Coast HQ (Credits: Bloomberg)
According to TechCrunch, the app, which formerly referred to itself as the No. 1 podcast app in the U.S., had more than 14 million users at its height. In 2020, SiriusXM paid $325 million to E.W.
Scripps to acquire Stitcher. In addition to the podcasting software, Stitcher also used Stitcher Studios to monetize, distribute, and produce podcasts.
The SiriusXM app already offers access to many of the podcasts that are now available on Stitcher, and all of the podcasts that are available there are also available elsewhere. The fact that SiriusXM does not only offer certain podcasts should be noted.
The adjustments follow a March restructuring announcement by SiriusXM that put podcasts, along with comedy and entertainment programming, under the direction of Adam Sachs, a former Team Coco executive.
As the age of high spending and exclusive arrangements for celebrity names comes to an end, other prominent names in the podcasting industry have started consolidating.
As the economy weakens and media companies cut staff, the well-known podcast app is the most recent tech player to struggle. Podcasts are not exempt from this. Significant podcast production companies Pushkin Studios, Spotify, and Vox Media all made layoffs in January.
The next month, Spotify’s podcast division underwent a second round of layoffs. A little over 500 jobs, or 8% of SiriusXM’s staff, were lost in March.
A dozen of the streaming giant’s original podcasts were also canceled, and a high-profile podcasting agreement with Prince Harry and Meghan that had resulted in only one audio series was terminated.
What Happened To Stitcher? Is Stitcher Closing Down?
Stitcher is indeed shutting down. By the end of August, SiriusXM, a satellite radio service, will discontinue its Stitcher podcast app.
This action is a calculated strategic choice meant to support and advance the SiriusXM brand. The firm intends to offer its listeners a more cohesive and smooth experience by combining its podcast offerings with the SiriusXM app.
For a free six-month trial of its platinum SiriusXM service, SiriusXM is providing an easier transition for current Stitcher users. Music, sports, sports talk, other talk shows, and news are all available as streaming services through this premium service.
What Really Happened To Stitcher (Credit: Stitcher)
Why Is Stitcher Shutting Down?
Because SiriusXM made the intelligent decision to put its own brand first and combine all of its podcast offerings into the SiriusXM app, Stitcher is closing. The intention is to promote the SiriusXM brand while streamlining its podcast offerings.
The firm decided that shutting down Stitcher would allow them to concentrate resources and efforts on upgrading their flagship app because many of the podcasts available on Stitcher are already accessible through the SiriusXM app and other podcast providers.
The move was intended to coincide with SiriusXM’s larger ambitions for app upgrades, user experience, and price flexibility.
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