Facebook plans to roll out podcast platform next week

Facebook is planning to roll out its podcast product next week, on June 22nd, adding a feature that will allow listeners to create clips from their favorite shows.

According to an email sent to podcast page owners, hosts can link their show’s RSS feed up to Facebook, which will then automatically generate News Feed posts for all episodes published moving forward.

These episodes will show up on a “podcasts” tab that doesn’t appear to be live yet, but that the company teased in a wider announcement about audio initiatives in April.

Facebook confirmed with The Verge that a limited number of page owners would have access. However, emails are still being sent to additional page owners, suggesting the rollout might be wider than initially anticipated.

“Facebook will be the place where people can enjoy, discuss, and share the podcasts they love with each other,” the company says in this email.

Interestingly, the terms of service for Facebook’s podcast platform ensure that the company has the rights to make “derivative works” with the content. There are no details on what exactly that means, but it’s something to keep in mind before you submit a podcast.

Facebook will also provide a feature called “Clips” to help creators promote their feature with short clips of an episode that can be shared anywhere on the social network.

Big tech companies have become increasingly interested in podcasts, as this format has become even more popular in recent years.