Social media giant Facebook is planning to shut down its podcast platform less than a year after its launch.
According to a report, the audio podcast platform’s closure is confirmed and it is speculated that the closure will altogether close on June 3, 2022.
The move is part of a broader re-evaluation of Facebook’s audio products. As per the media reports, “The company is also shuttering the site’s Soundbites and Audio hubs, and integrating its live-streaming Live Audio Rooms feature (essentially a clone of once-buzzy audio app Clubhouse) into its broader Facebook Live suite.”
Meanwhile, podcast producers will no longer be able to add new podcasts to the service from this week. Live Audio Rooms will now simply be integrated into Facebook Live, with the option being given to go live with just audio or both audio and video.
Last year, Facebook launched podcasts and live audio streams in the US to keep users engaged on its platform and to compete with emerging rivals. Facing competition from established audio podcast platforms like SiriusXM, Amazon, and Clubhouse, Facebook has realized the difficulties in establishing its foothold in this highly competitive market.
Recently, Facebook announced the launch of its short video feature ‘Reels‘ to more than 150 countries, in a move to expand its fastest-growing content format. The feature enables creators to share short-form video content on Facebook or cross-post Reels from Instagram in order to reach a broader audience.
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