Facebook is pulling out of the podcast business and creators will no longer be able to upload new shows to the platform starting this week.
In a note to partners, the company said it will be shutting down the service altogether on 3rd June. Facebook introduced its podcast service last year alongside Live Audio Rooms. The other product that will be axed from the company’s service is Soundbite.
The audio services have been running on the platform for just a year and it is surprising that the company is shutting them down too soon. A spokesperson told online publication The Verge that the decision aims to “simplify our suite of audio tools on Facebook.” Adding that this will allow users to get “the most meaningful experiences.”
Once the three services (Soundbite, audio hub and podcasts) are removed from the platform, the only audio feature available for users will be Live Audio Rooms. This service, it is reported, will eventually be integrated into Facebook Live, which will allow users to choose an audio-only broadcast if they will.
Facebook said it will not be informing users about the exit of the said services, leaving the responsibility to publishers.
Company spokesperson Adelaide Coronado told The Verge, “After a year of learning and iterating on audio-first experiences, we’ve decided to simplify our suite of audio tools on Facebook,” Adding that the company is “constantly evaluating the features we offer so we can focus on the most meaningful experiences.”
Facebook has a tendency of jumping onto any emerging tech trend ad this is possibly what informed their decision to get into the podcast business. After seeing the success of Chinese short video app Tiktok, the tech behemoth introduced Reels on Instagram and Facebook.
Follow us on Telegram, Twitter, Facebook, or subscribe to our weekly newsletter to ensure you don’t miss out on any future updates.
