A year after it launched, Facebook shuts down its podcast platform

Last Updated on July 12, 2024 by teamyantragyan

In less than a year after it launched, social media giant facebook shuts down its podcast platform. The podcasting and Soundbites sections of Facebook will be gradually phased out until June 3rd when they will be removed entirely.

Facebook is seemingly re-evaluating its audio services after they haven’t proven as successful as company officials had hoped, according to a Meta spokesperson. In a statement given to The Verge, Facebook spokesperson Adelaide Coronado stated that the bold changes being made would “simplify” the platform’s audio offerings.

“After a year of learning and iterating on audio-first experiences, we’ve decided to simplify our suite of audio tools on Facebook. […] We’re constantly evaluating the features we offer so we can focus on the most meaningful experiences.”

With established audio podcast platforms like SiriusXM, Amazon, and Clubhouse along with twitter’s recent podcast feature challenging Facebook’s position, the company has realized it is very difficult to gain a foothold in such a highly competitive market. Therefore, the decision of Facebook to shut down its podcast platform should not come as a surprise given its focus on its Meta platform.

Facebook shifting its focus on short video formats

Having tried out podcasting and audio features, Facebook, which is owned by Meta, has lost interest in its podcasting plans. Instead, it prefers to pursue other initiatives in collaboration with podcast partners. As part of its efforts to deal with increasing competition from short-form video apps such as TikTok, Facebook’s parent company Meta is also said to prioritize short-video projects above other initiatives. The company has been receiving feedback from creators on what’s working well and what it can improve on.