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Deezer buys podcast app Stitcher

Deezer has purchased the talk radio and podcast app Stitcher, giving the widely used music service access to 35,000 radio shows and podcasts. Stitcher's iOS and Android apps will continue to be supported for those who just want to listen to talk radio, but TechCrunch reports that Deezer eventually plans to make all of those shows available through its core service too.

Stitcher currently has around 1 million monthly active users, which isn't much compared to Deezer's existing audience of 16 million. But Stitcher offers Deezer valuable content — including This American Life, NPR, and BBC shows — which can help expand that. The additional content comes at a particularly important time, too: right as Deezer is attempting to move into the US, where it'll have to compete with Spotify.

Buying Stitcher may also give Deezer a new way to reach consumers. Stitcher is already integrated into more than 50 models of cars, including some from Ford, GM, and BMW, and is available through CarPlay and Android Auto. Deezer can be accessed directly through some vehicles already, but working off of Stitcher's broader partnerships could expand that.