By Shyafiq Dzulkifli and Diyana Pfordten
Singapore Mediacorp’s Lead of Digital Commercial Strategy and Solutions, Lacey Ewin said that podcast listeners are highly engaged with the content, and no other medium compares to the level of engagement it drives.
Podcasts are believed to be one of the mediums that have helped sway undecided political supporters in the US during the recent presidential elections, Ewin said.
“Podcasts attention allows you to not only have the attention of your audiences, but helps you convert products for your advertisers,” she said during WAN-IFRA’s Digital Media Asia event in April.
Podcast audiences booming in Asia
Ewin said podcast consumption in Asia is growing with over 57 percent of people in Indonesia consuming over one hour of podcasts a week, while 36 percent in Malaysia and 31 percent in Singapore.
“You actively choose to put your AirPods in your ear, be with a host for 40 minutes to 60 minutes to learn, educate,” Ewin said.
She said podcasts provide a deep-dive into conversations about various topics, while providing an opportunity for monetisation for publishers as there is trust and affinity with niche audiences.
“The reality is that a one-minute TikTok video cannot do all the things that podcasts can do,” Ewin said.
Jonathan Knight, Head of Games at The New York Times, shared how the publisher’s investment in digital puzzles – from its iconic Crossword to viral phenomenon Wordle – has evolved into a core business driver, which brought tens of millions of users to NYT.
“We’re driving new standalone subscriptions, but we’re also driving bundle subscriptions from games as it’s become a powerful funnel,” Knight said.
“It’s fastest growing advertising revenue segment in the company and bringing millions of new prospects into the portfolio.”
Games key in acquiring, retaining subscribers
Knight said the games division is now instrumental in acquiring and retaining subscribers, with data showing that users who engage with both news content and games during the same week demonstrate the strongest long-term retention profile of any New York Times subscriber group.
“Subscribers who engage with both news and games in any given week, they are the best long-term retention profile of any subscriber.
“It’s because games are really creating that daily habit. The games are thoughtful, human made, crafted, edited puzzles,” he said.
Knight explained how Wordle has created a shared daily experience, encouraging users to return regularly – and to share their results.
“Bill Gates, the billionaire founder of Microsoft, plays Wordle every single day,” Knight said. “If I start Wordle today, while someone else has been playing for three years, we’re still having the same moment. It’s a great way to stay connected with people.”
VG’s affiliate division among its fastest-growing revenue streams
Christian Haneborg, Chief Commercial Officer at Schibsted Marketing Services, discussed how Verdens Gang (VG) has transformed itself into a digital powerhouse by introducing affiliate marketing as a third revenue pillar, alongside advertising and subscriptions.
“Advertisements and user subscription will continue to be essential, but we need to explore new revenue sources.”
“The affiliate division has emerged as one of VG’s fastest-growing revenue streams, surpassing US$10 million in 2024 alone,” he said.
Haneborg added that many see affiliate as a risk to existing revenue, but VG sees it as a complementary force.
“The affiliate strategy has allowed VG to be flexible, leverage its existing traffic to generate additional revenue streams, while simultaneously demonstrating return on investment (ROI) to clients,” he said.
About the authors: Shyafiq Dzulkifli and Diyana Pfordten are reporters for The Star, the largest paid circulation English-language newspaper in Malaysia, based on the Audit Bureau of Circulations.