SiriusXM will discontinued its Stitcher website and podcast app at the end of August.
The service posted a “Stitcher Farewell” notice, stating that “SiriusXM, the owner of Stitcher, is focused on incorporating podcasts into its flagship SiriusXM subscription business. Subscribers can listen to podcasts within the SiriusXM app and will see an all-new listening experience later this year.”
The Stitcher Studios and Earwolf networks are expected to operate as normal, with no layoffs.
Those subscribed to Stitcher Premium Annual or Stitcher Premium Monthly will see their subscriptions end either by August 29, 2023, or the next monthly renewal date. Until August 29, users can access Stitcher’s free services and certain features without a paid subscription. Refunds are expected to begin to be processed August 29, with a 60-day return period.
Hosts/creators with Stitcher Premium content “will determine availability and accessibility of their shows.” The site recommends following the hosts/creators on social media or subscribing to their newsletters in order to keep up to date with where there content goes.
Ad-supported versions of Stitcher podcasts can be found on the site’s sister app, Pandora, or other platforms where these podcasts are available. The farewell notice also instructs users who to export files to other platforms. Those who pay to listen ad-free have been offered a six-month free trial offer for SiriusXM Platinum Streaming, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The podcast app was first introduced in 2008, changing ownership several times before SiriusXM acquired it in 2020. The radio network bought Stitcher from E.W. Scripps for $325 million. Scripps’ Midroll Media unit purchased the app four years earlier for $4.5 million.
SiriusXM announced a restructuring in March. Other podcast platforms like Spotify have also experienced shifts recently such as the end of Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s Archewell exclusive podcast deal that featured Markle’s “Archetype” podcasts as well as merging with Gimlet and Parcast and cutting around 200 jobs.