Podnews Weekly Review
- Episodes
- 317
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 13, 2026
About the podcast
The last word in podcasting news.
Every Friday, James Cridland and Sam Sethi review the week's top stories from Podnews; and interview some of the biggest names making the news from across the podcast industry.
Winner, "Best Podcasting Podcast", 2025 Ear Worthy Awards
Support the show at https://weekly.podnews.net - or hit the boost button! Sponsored by Buzzsprout: start podcasting - keep podcasting!
Contributors
Episodes 317
iHeart - the business deal that doesn't make any sense
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailSam gets out of his sick bed and joins James for a discussion of the latest podcast industry news.• iHeartMedia sale rumours versus a financial reporting split for …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Sam gets out of his sick bed and joins James for a discussion of the latest podcast industry news.
• iHeartMedia sale rumours versus a financial reporting split for investors
• Radio’s share of listening in the UK, US, and Canada versus podcasting’s smaller base
• Duplicate podcast feeds and hosting accountability through an industry code of practice
• Meta-hosted AI podcast production at scale and the risks of unpoliced synthetic content
• Spoofed user agents, broken analytics, and Common Access Tokens as a practical signal
• Podcast ad load growth, listener tolerance, and how it compares with radio ad minutes
• AI-assisted video repackaging for YouTube and LinkedIn and what actually moves numbers
• Unified creator dashboards, why downloads persist, and the missing “plays” debate
• Membership bundles, newsletters, and using the Podcasting 2.0 funding tag for paid offers
• Webby credits registry as an IMDB-like ledger for podcast and digital work
• Industry moves including SiriusXM’s new CEO and the collapse of Message Heard
• HLS video support, “video-first” marketing confusion, and why RSS video still mattersConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
Chapters (15)
Libraries, networks and Kickstarters: podcasters growing audiences and revenue
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailOne podcast earned $311,000 in a month - using the revolutionary idea of... asking their listeners. We chat with Myke Hurley, and also learn more about the Health …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
One podcast earned $311,000 in a month - using the revolutionary idea of... asking their listeners. We chat with Myke Hurley, and also learn more about the Health Podcast Library.
• liquid content research from France and Australia and what multi-platform listening means for creators
• algorithmic recommendations and the reality behind the death of the follower
• Instagram paying for creator content and why platform promises can flip fast
• Triton’s AI-to-AI audio ad buy and how automation could change pricing and ad load
• AI for coding and operations versus AI replacing creative work
• Dan Kendall on Health Podcast Library, credibility in healthcare, playlists, and discovery beyond Apple and Spotify search
• Myke Hurley on Relay, Kickstarter as pre-sold memberships, and why Designed In California raised $311,000
• Netflix pushing into mobile clips and what it signals for media companies entering podcasting
• Flightcast workflow that ports YouTube catalogues into Spotify monetisation
• Safari blocking resolution infrastructure and the knock-on effects for ad targeting
• Spreaker piracy copies, Podcast Index look-alike feeds, lock tag limits, and PodProtect monitoringConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
Chapters (17)
Beehiv podcast ads can make money - while Spreaker steals shows
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe dig into how podcast theft actually works, why one-click importing and monetization can turn into an engine for piracy, and what hosting platforms should change right …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We dig into how podcast theft actually works, why one-click importing and monetization can turn into an engine for piracy, and what hosting platforms should change right now. We also look at where the creator economy is heading as newsletters, subscriptions, AI tools, and algorithmic discovery reshape how people find and fund audio.
• Spreaker’s import and monetisation flow enabling cloned podcasts and chart manipulation
• RSS.com handling of a hijacked show including ad revenue repayment and feed recovery
• PodProtect and the need for detection plus a hosting code of conduct
• Newsletter and membership convergence with Supercast adding newsletters
• Beehive’s monetisation suite including dynamic ad insertion, targeting, and ad-free subscriptions
• Instagram testing 90-minute horizontal video and what it means for podcasters
• Kate Cocker’s 3,000 consecutive daily episodes and how community drives content
• The business reality of ads in short-form daily podcasts and listener expectations
• The shift from followers to algorithms plus new discovery-first podcast apps
• Spotify’s AI agent questions, subscription risk, and the subscription model trend
• Progress on transcripts accessibility as SiriusXM lawsuit nears settlement
• Tooling updates including Buzzsprout’s admin app and Riverside’s AI agentsConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Podcasting is liquid content now
With Steven Goldstein
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailSam Sethi talks with Steven Goldstein about Liquid Content - and why our biggest threat is measurement that can't keep up with how the podcast world is …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Sam Sethi talks with Steven Goldstein about Liquid Content - and why our biggest threat is measurement that can't keep up with how the podcast world is changing.
Plus...
• Spotify memberships pricing tiers badges and email access for creators
• why web-based purchasing matters for app store rules and funding links
• ad skipping tools and the knock-on effect for podcast advertising
• Apple Podcasts positioning HLS ads and the coming fight over fees
• Substack and Beehive adding dynamic ad insertion for podcasts
• liquid content across audio video newsletters and social clips
• clip culture microdramas and what retention looks like now
• “the download is dead” and the need for people plays and time
• Netflix podcast hype versus what investors actually hear
• smart glasses as another listening surface and why it changes nothing without better metricsConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Adam Curry's AI Podcast Future
With Adam Curry
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailA personal “podcast robot” that knows what you care about, searches the live stream of new episodes, reads transcripts, and drops surprisingly good recommendations …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
A personal “podcast robot” that knows what you care about, searches the live stream of new episodes, reads transcripts, and drops surprisingly good recommendations straight into your favourite app sounds like science fiction until you hear Adam Curry walk through what he built. We dig into his Podcast Index Robot, why an MCP server is basically a bridge between AI agents and real podcast data, and how this could finally tackle the podcast discovery problem that pushed so many creators toward YouTube.
We're sponsored by our friends at Buzzsprout.Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Podcast ad revenue is increasing
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailJames is back from Europe; and we chat about why podcast ad spend is rising. Plus...• Libsyn RSS namespace for ad slot availability and why it feels odd in public feeds …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
James is back from Europe; and we chat about why podcast ad spend is rising. Plus...
• Libsyn RSS namespace for ad slot availability and why it feels odd in public feeds
• Goalhanger’s newsletter strategy as a membership product and audience data hub
• smart TV growth for podcast consumption and why smart speakers still fail discovery
• Canadian in car listening data plus listener resistance to AI hosts
• AI agents clipping shows, MCP servers, and how micropayments could change access
• blocking scrapers with WAF rules and the limits of user agent based controls
• Spotify audiobooks expansion and the attention competition inside major apps
• human written certification for books and the wider provenance problem
• bot driven streaming fraud as a warning for future podcast monetisation
• app and hosting updates including transcripts, video tools, and evolving person tags
Become a monthly subscriber! weekly.podnews.netConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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In full: Dave Jones from Podcast Index; and Inception Point AI's final controversy
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailSam and James talk about a new podcast interview with Inception Point AI; and Sam discusses with Dave Jones of Podcast Index about the future of podcasting.• Patreon …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Sam and James talk about a new podcast interview with Inception Point AI; and Sam discusses with Dave Jones of Podcast Index about the future of podcasting.
• Patreon removing per creation memberships and what that breaks for seasonal creators
• Reddit RSS shutdown, public API restrictions, and the economics of selling data to AI companies
• Real-world costs of AI scrapers, bot traffic, and why caching is essential
• How Podping replaces constant polling with near real-time feed update pings
• Why the new Podping peer-to-peer gossip mesh reduces single points of failure
• How podping.cloud publishing works today and why token signup must become scalable
• The origin story of the Podcast Index and the case for an open directory
• A decentralised future where the index database can be rebuilt from distributed updates
• Why the Podcasting 2.0 namespace exists and how new RSS tags get adopted
• Live tag friction, host responsibilities, and what would make live podcasting simpler
• Micropayments reality check, regulation hurdles, and why stablecoins may be next
• The risk of over-marketing features versus letting builders discover and succeed organicallyConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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After Podcast Week; and a chat with SupaPass
With Juliana Meyer and Steve Ackerman
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailSam and James look at Podcast Week, and the highs (and lows) of the week in NYC. Plus, Sam catches up with SupaPass, to learn more about the membership platform.If your …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Sam and James look at Podcast Week, and the highs (and lows) of the week in NYC. Plus, Sam catches up with SupaPass, to learn more about the membership platform.
Buzzsprout
If your podcast app supports it, we're in video this week.
Start podcasting - keep podcasting!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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From Podcast Movement NYC, 2026
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailThere's a really good reason why this show is just one minute thirty seconds long. Listen to find out!We'll catch you next week. And Happy Birthday, Sam …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
There's a really good reason why this show is just one minute thirty seconds long. Listen to find out!
We'll catch you next week. And Happy Birthday, Sam SethiConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
Everywhere Launches A New Way To Monetise Creators
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe talk with the founders of Everywhere about building a sales and monetisation layer for creators whose audiences now span podcasts, YouTube, social, and live. We also …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We talk with the founders of Everywhere about building a sales and monetisation layer for creators whose audiences now span podcasts, YouTube, social, and live. We also scan the week’s podcast industry moves, from AI production tools and shifting download trends to Apple updates, app features, awards, and upcoming events.
Buzzsprout
• Why Everywhere forms and what it tries to fix for creators and brands
• How cross-platform campaigns work without drowning audiences in sponsors
• The difference between a media agency and a creator sales house
• Revenue model basics, revenue share and incentives for creator monetisation
• Measurement problems across platforms, APIs, dashboards and “real” performance
• Spotify skip button concerns and why platform agnostic strategy matters
• Linnet AI production studio and what an end-to-end workflow could change
• Podtrac ranker drops, podcast inactivity stats and what they do and do not mean
• Hosting and ad tech moves, DAI access, contextual targeting and video ads
• Pocket Casts updates, Apple web player improvements and other tooling news
• Awards, events, and community notes including Podcast Movement plans
Start podcasting - keep podcasting!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Why Acast Bought Backyard Ventures And What Changes Next
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailJames is in Jakarta - Sam is in the UK. Below, what's in the show (courtesy of Buzzsprout's AI feature); we use chapters to let you skip to wherever you …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
James is in Jakarta - Sam is in the UK. Below, what's in the show (courtesy of Buzzsprout's AI feature); we use chapters to let you skip to wherever you want.
We talk with Acast CEO Greg Glenday and Backyard Ventures CEO Matt Cisneros about why the acquisition is about culture and building faster, not just inventory, and how Acast plans to stay focused while the industry shifts under its feet. We also unpack YouTube shopping, inflated play metrics, RSS distribution friction, and what Podcast Day Asia reveals about where monetization and video are heading globally.
• creator-first service as a growth strategy for podcasts, YouTube, newsletters and social
• why Acast says focus and stopping projects drives profitability
• video podcasting as an evolution, keeping distribution open and platform-agnostic
• creator feedback loops using research, surveys and performance data
• Spotify ad skipping backlash, what it means for creators and advertisers
• new platform entrants, MG deals and why the long tail matters
• newsletters as monetizable inventory, including the Kit partnership and Acast Austin
• AI usage lines, transparency and rejecting synthetic hosts for companionship media
• YouTube Amazon affiliate shopping, storefront links and RSS tag ideas
• YouTube play metric changes, AMP Accords tension and measurement trust
• field notes from Podcast Day Asia Jakarta, localization and payment realities
• Buzzsprout one-click directory submissions, support fallout and RSS education
• industry moves across hosting, programmatic radio ads, events and tooling
You can give us feedback using the Buzzsprout voicemail link in our show notes, or become a monthly power supporter like the 24 Power Supporters at weekly.podnews.net, which we thank them very much for. Subscribe to our newsletter at podnews.net. Tell your friends and grow the show. And support us.Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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When Algorithms Pull The Plug On Creators - the YouTube Faustian Pact
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailJames and Sam look into this week's podcasting news, including the show pulled by YouTube.• YouTube removing a top podcast with no warning, then reinstating it • …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
James and Sam look into this week's podcasting news, including the show pulled by YouTube.
• YouTube removing a top podcast with no warning, then reinstating it
• The risk of building a show on third-party platforms and automated enforcement
• Why we think a podcast needs an RSS feed to be a podcast
• YouTube reportedly paying creators to avoid Netflix and the coercion angle
• Newsletters as the best real estate in podcasting and why platforms are piling in
• Acast partnering with Kit versus all-in-one creator platforms like Beehive
• Spotify Megaphone issues affecting ad campaigns and DAI reliability
• Podbean analytics filters mistakenly wiping Apple Podcasts downloads
• The whack-a-mole problem of bots, crawlers, and imperfect measurement
• Podcast 2.0 building blocks gaining traction: person tags and location tags
• Podcast Radar as a map-based discovery tool and why rich location data matters
• Threads experimenting with transcript-synced audio posts
• Listener mail on Megaphone support and hosting fitConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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What Spotify And YouTube Changes Mean For Podcast Revenue
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailJames is joined this week by Liam Heffernan from Mercury Podcasts, while Sam gets wet walking around Ireland.We weigh how platform decisions around ads, metrics, and …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
James is joined this week by Liam Heffernan from Mercury Podcasts, while Sam gets wet walking around Ireland.
We weigh how platform decisions around ads, metrics, and video can quietly reshape podcast monetization, especially for smaller independent creators. We also zoom out to what these changes mean for trust in reporting, discoverability, and the future of open podcasting.
• Mercury Podcasts’ mission to support independent shows ready to level up
• Independent Podcasters Day and why indies need their own space
• Spotify ad skipping tests and the knock on effects for programmatic revenue
• Listener tolerance for unskippable ads and the risk of audience platform switching
• YouTube’s “views” versus “engaged views” and why measurement transparency matters
• Video podcast growth claims from Apple Podcasts and Buzzsprout plus what the numbers might miss
• Discoverability pressure on audio only creators as platforms push video
• Inception Point AI rebrand to Liquify AI and what the pivot signals
• Megaphone back end changes, ad delivery quirks, and competitive separation rules
• Podcast ad spend growth in Australia and Ireland plus notable industry job moves
• Awards, events, and why more regional podcast conferences matter
• Practical AI use in production workflows and where automation goes too farConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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RSS launches video podcasts that pay; and Acast buys Backyard Ventures
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe speak with Ben and Alberto from RSS.com on their new video podcast plan. Plus, Acast is buying Backyard Ventures: why?• RSS.com MAX plan for Apple HLS video and 70% …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We speak with Ben and Alberto from RSS.com on their new video podcast plan. Plus, Acast is buying Backyard Ventures: why?
• RSS.com MAX plan for Apple HLS video and 70% revenue share
• PAID meaning programmatic ads inserted dynamically
• Interstitial ad markers on Apple versus baked ads for other apps
• Alternate enclosure as a Podcasting 2.0 path to keep RSS open
• Apple’s ad serving fee question and the limits of contract transparency
• Why Apple may prefer an API workflow for video safety controls
• YouTube raising monetisation thresholds and what that signals to creators
• Spotify’s ad skip experiment and the risks of relying on one platform
• Acast buying Backyard Ventures as a scale and inventory play in the US
• Apple Podcasts play counts critique and why some analysts say ignore them
• Magellan AI reporting ad revenue growth alongside rising ad load
• Disney Plus, Hulu, and Twitch as new distribution surfaces for podcasts
• Overcast and iOS updates plus the expanding HLS support lists
• AI slop reporting ideas and watermarking attempts
• Browser based transcription and summary tools as cheaper hosting features
Get updated every day. Subscribe to our newsletter at podnews.net.Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
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- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
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Spotify add a "Skip Ahead" button, and recognise women podcasters
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe talk with Spotify’s first Equal Podcast Ambassador, Morgan Absher, about building Two Hot Takes into a video-first community and what real industry support for women …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We talk with Spotify’s first Equal Podcast Ambassador, Morgan Absher, about building Two Hot Takes into a video-first community and what real industry support for women creators should look like. Then we dig into Spotify’s financials and a controversial “Skip Ahead” test that could change how podcast ads are heard, measured, and trusted; and learn more about Buzzsprout's enhanced video offering
• Spotify Equal expands from music into podcasting with a focus on women creators
• Morgan Absher’s accidental start during the pandemic and how Two Hot Takes scales fast
• Why video podcasting drives connection for reaction formats and community-led shows
• The chart gap for women-led podcasts and the role of confidence and imposter syndrome
• Events and awards that increase visibility and help creators get booked and partnered
• Spotify Q2 numbers plus the push toward premium revenue per user
• Spotify’s “Skip Ahead” button and why it feels different from manual skipping
• The download metric problem versus measuring ad plays and completion
• Platform control trends across Spotify, YouTube, and Netflix style walled gardens
• Video distribution updates across Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Spotify plus hosting pricing shifts
• EU AI Act disclosure rules and why an RSS AI tag alone may not satisfy lawyers
• Transcripts becoming mainstream as the SiriusXM case nears settlementConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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EarMax Media, Cheerful Earful, and the alternateEnclosure continues to grow
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe chat with Andy Maxwell from EarMax Media about the new podcast-first ad agency, and Giles Gear from Cheerful Earful about the funniest podcast festival in the …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We chat with Andy Maxwell from EarMax Media about the new podcast-first ad agency, and Giles Gear from Cheerful Earful about the funniest podcast festival in the world.
Also: we challenge the idea that creators are being “ripped off” and dig into what actually drives revenue in podcasting: sales, relevance, and trust. We also pull apart the AMP Accords, Apple’s confusing analytics, and the rising costs and trade-offs of video podcasting.
• creator monetisation realities versus entitlement narratives
• whether apps “owe” creators for RSS consumption
• why listeners pay to remove ads and what that says about relevance
• AMP Accords goals and the practical limits of cross-platform data sharing
• Apple Podcasts analytics inconsistencies and why they erode trust
• the “video threshold” and when video pays for itself
• short-form video as a discovery strategy without full show video
• RSS.chat as a possible foundation for cross app comments
• micro.blog, POSSE syndication, and momentum for alternate enclosure
• specialist podcast media buying with Earmax and what brands actually want
• concerns about misinformation when fact checks stay on-screen onlyConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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The AMP Accords - a new era for podcast measurement?
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe speak with Dan Granger and Giles Martin from Oxford Road, about the new AMP Accords. Is this a new start for podcast measurement? And, can we get podcast apps into …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We speak with Dan Granger and Giles Martin from Oxford Road, about the new AMP Accords. Is this a new start for podcast measurement? And, can we get podcast apps into the revenue ecosystem? Plus, Edison Research on their recent reports.
Also hear:
• why downloads fail as a reliable metric for advertisers and creators
• the AMP Accord goal of standard definitions across podcast audio and video
• the shorthand test for a podcast: “If it works with your eyes closed”
• the proposed “play” standard at 30 consecutive seconds and why qualifiers get messy
• exposure metrics and the practical limits of privacy and platform cooperation
• attribution improvements through verified exposure and control groups
• why podcast apps may need revenue share to provide better consumption data
• ad-skipping apps like Podtastic and why they are hard to block
• Edison’s UK data showing YouTube overtaking Spotify for weekly podcast listeners
• smart TV adoption and what it means for podcast discovery and viewing
• AI audiobook narration research and how bias shifts after disclosure
• industry notes on Acast performance plus awards, events, and toolingConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Podcast Movement NYC; and ten years of Podmasters
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailThis week, James and Sam talk with Bryan Barletta of Podcast Movement, and Martin Bojtos of Podmasters.Plus, we look at the week's podcasting news, including:• …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
This week, James and Sam talk with Bryan Barletta of Podcast Movement, and Martin Bojtos of Podmasters.
Plus, we look at the week's podcasting news, including:
• Podcast Movement’s New York Audio Week plan, five-day structure and $199 creator ticket strategy
• Public session voting balanced by a selection committee to avoid a popularity contest
• Sounds Profitable’s role as connective tissue, partner perks, events access and comms support
• Measurement tension around downloads, 30-second plays, consumption and unified analytics
• HLS video implications for distribution, ad delivery and platform power
• Creator portals and diversified monetisation through subscriptions, merch and live events
• Podmasters at 10 years, diversification as risk control and lessons from near-failure
• Spotify video revenue upside versus Apple video cost concerns
• Research claims about AI narrators and why methodology matters
• One-off premium episode purchases and the friction problem
• Kids audio discovery and why curation still lags in major apps
• BBC podcast scale outside the UK and podcasts showing up on iPlayerConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Overcast’s Surge, Apple Podcasts’s Slide, And The Next Wave Of Podcast Tech
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailSam's back - he talks with Ryan Williams about enhanced metadata for podcasting. Buzzsprout's AI also tells us that: We dig into the stories behind this week’s …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Sam's back - he talks with Ryan Williams about enhanced metadata for podcasting.
Buzzsprout's AI also tells us that: We dig into the stories behind this week’s podcasting numbers, from Overcast’s sudden rise to the growing sense that Apple Podcasts is no longer the default starting point for new listeners. We also go deep on interactive transcripts and podcast annotations with Ryan Williams, plus what OpenUSD could mean for micropayments and the future of paying creators.
•Overcast downloads jumping year on year and the theories behind it
•Apple Podcasts losing “top app” preference despite built-in advantages
•Podcast video strategy, HLS video rollout, and what it means for distribution
•Questions about Apple and Acast’s unusually tight alignment on video
•OpenUSD stablecoins, programmable money, and why micropayments keep failing
•Spotify advertising and the Amazon DSP pipeline for programmatic podcast ads
•Bending Spoons’ IPO strategy and parallels with podcast rollups like PodX
•Podcast growth outside the US, including Dubai’s Arab Podcast Programme
•TVNZ Plus adding video podcasts and “cheap TV” dynamics
•Industry moves at Libsyn and the departure of DOAC co-founder Jack Sylvester
•British Podcast Awards longlist and the UK’s booming festival scene
•Podcast Movement session voting, the upside and the popularity contest risk
•Fifth anniversary of the first boostergram and the state of value-for-value
•RSS Cloud v4, WebSub, and whether it can complement or replace Podping
•Ryan Williams on podcast annotations, transcripts, entity extraction, and discovery
•TrueFans product updates including cross-promo requests, gifting hosting, topic suggestions, and podroll requestsConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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with Elsie Escobar - the tools podcasters need to succeed
With Elsie Escobar
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe're co-hosted by Elsie Escobar today, while Sam is away. Here's more about Elsie:* The E League Mentorship: https://elsie.link/eleague-podnews * Multimodalee …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We're co-hosted by Elsie Escobar today, while Sam is away. Here's more about Elsie:
* The E League Mentorship: https://elsie.link/eleague-podnews
* Multimodalee https://elsie.link/mm-podnews
* The Slight Spiral Dispatch: https://elsie.link/ssd-podnewsToday, we cover monetization workflows, the real trade-offs of video, and why captions and human trust still matter even as AI tooling spreads.
Buzzsprout's Co-Host AI feature tells us we spoke about:
• building sustainable systems for experienced creators and knowing when to pivot or stop
• research on audience loyalty to creators across audio, video, clips, social and newsletters
• practical realities of recording video and why audio often ships faster and cleaner
• when video helps most as promotion rather than a full video podcast
• Riverside’s rebuilt studio and the wider trend of all-in-one creator platforms
• Captivate monetization, campaign management and dynamic insertion for ads or your own promos
• YouTube’s share of TV viewing and what it signals for podcast discovery
• Podcast Show London perspectives on video-first, omnichannel distribution and walled gardens
• AI podcast ethics, audience backlash and the double standard around AI use
• captions improving YouTube performance, accessibility and mute-first consumption
• HLS video measurement questions and what stats can and cannot tell you
• podcast apps, transcripts and why better show notes and highlighting matter
• RSS feed ownership risks and why contracts should protect creatorsConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
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How podcast advertisers know more about you; and Dolby Atmos comes for podcasting
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail(This uses Buzzsprout's CoHost AI summary. Buzzsprout is our sponsor.)We question whether Netflix can make podcasts work without chasing YouTube’s time-spent game …
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Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
(This uses Buzzsprout's CoHost AI summary. Buzzsprout is our sponsor.)
We question whether Netflix can make podcasts work without chasing YouTube’s time-spent game, and we map where premium video fits in a world built on niche audio. We also dig into ad overload, new measurement fights, identity-driven targeting, and why immersive formats like Dolby Atmos could change what “good” sounds like.
• Netflix podcast strategy and why profitability beats time spent
• Why premium platforms struggle with low-cost creator content
• Late-night TV ad clutter as a warning for podcast ad loads
• New York’s stealth crawler law and what it could mean for publishers
• Plays versus downloads and the measurement standards shifting underneath
• How digital identity and mobile ad IDs can reshape podcast ad targeting
• Privacy trade-offs, probabilistic matching, and how opt-out really works
• Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision basics for podcast and app developers
• Practical guidance on episode length, editing, and avoiding fluff
• RSS feed ownership as a non-negotiable contract question
• Podcast discovery data pointing to YouTube and social media
• Why podcast promos can work and when they annoy listeners
• Product and platform updates including open source wins and CarPlay changes
You can support this show by giving us feedback using the BuzzSprout thumbnail or voicemail link in our show notes, and you can send us a boost or become a power supporter like the 24 Power Supporters at weekly.podnews.netConnect With Us:
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Metrics, Measurement and Money - for indie podcasters and not-for-profits
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailLosh Moodaley's article: https://podnews.net/article/beyond-the-cpm-podcast-advertising We test whether a 30-second threshold actually changes podcast stats, then …
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Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Losh Moodaley's article: https://podnews.net/article/beyond-the-cpm-podcast-advertising
We test whether a 30-second threshold actually changes podcast stats, then pull apart why the definition of a “play” gets slippery once streaming, caching, and platform politics enter the mix. We also challenge the idea that better measurement automatically leads to better creator income, with practical advice for independents and nonprofits trying to build trust, outcomes, and sustainable revenue.
• 30-second plays vs 60-second downloads and what hosting data shows
• Why simplifying measurement helps but does not equal engagement
• AMP definition changes, missing technical detail, and platform participation questions
• The caching problem with HLS video and why server logs can mislead
• Losh Moodley’s roadmap beyond CPMs: audience economy, exclusivity, outcome-based selling, trust over attention
• Spam podcasts selling drugs and why link tracking matters
• AI-generated podcast flooding, disclosure ethics, and search discoverability
• VoxTopica on mission-driven podcasting, nonprofit success metrics, and when subscriptions can work
• Listener trends, weekly listening hours, and why listen time is becoming the headline numberConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Locked On Podcast Network turns 10, and do podcast listeners skip the ads?
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe discover how the Locked On Podcast Network got going, and dive into more details about the new YouGov report showing how listeners consume podcast ads. Plus, plenty …
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Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We discover how the Locked On Podcast Network got going, and dive into more details about the new YouGov report showing how listeners consume podcast ads. Plus, plenty more.
Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Captivate's monetisation in the US; and the BBC gets more involved in Crossed Wires
With Brian Conlan, Dino Sofos, and Mark Asquith
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailSam and James chat with Brian Conlan and Mark Asquith about Captivate and DAX US working together to monetize more podcasts; and to Dino Sofos about this year's …
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Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Sam and James chat with Brian Conlan and Mark Asquith about Captivate and DAX US working together to monetize more podcasts; and to Dino Sofos about this year's Crossed Wires festival in Sheffield.
Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Spotify's new features; and why did BIPOC Podcast Creators close?
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe pick apart Spotify’s investor-day announcements and ask what its AI-first roadmap means for podcast creators, monetisation, and trust. We also talk to the co-founders …
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Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We pick apart Spotify’s investor-day announcements and ask what its AI-first roadmap means for podcast creators, monetisation, and trust. We also talk to the co-founders of BIPOC Podcast Creators about why the community is closing and what the industry loses when creator support dries up.
• Spotify’s “time well spent” metric and what it tries to reframe
• The “500 million video podcast” claim and why measurement matters
• Real-time podcast Q&A on Spotify and the risk of AI hallucinations
• Dynamic creator sponsorships and updating back catalogue ads
• Spotify memberships as a Patreon and Supporting Cast rival, with big unanswered details
• Verified by Spotify badges and why creators can’t control verification
• Clipping tools and the tradeoff between shareability and platform lock-in
• Why BIPOC Podcast Creators closes, after a year of exploring options
• How funding, layoffs, and politics change corporate support
• The case for protecting indie creators and the industry’s long-term health
• Apple Podcasts plus Audible subscription access and why verification matters
• YouTube’s podcasts hub, top fans, and clearer AI content labels
• Private feed security problems and why standards need to move faster
• Direct Flow Auto Discover RSS and QR code discovery for podcasts
Subscribe to our newsletter at podnews.net.We're sponsored by Buzzsprout; their CoHost summary tool made these show notes.
Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
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Live from London, at The Podcast Show 2026
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe chat with Rox Codes from Flightcast, talk about the 'cavalcade of crap' from AI, and spill all the tea on a successful show.Support the showConnect With Us …
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Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We chat with Rox Codes from Flightcast, talk about the 'cavalcade of crap' from AI, and spill all the tea on a successful show.
Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Amazon Music adds video - and the secrets of a succesful indie podcast
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailAmazon Music joins the video podcast race with HLS and RSS alternate enclosure support. Yay!Plus, we speak with PodVision about their successful indie show; and the …
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Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Amazon Music joins the video podcast race with HLS and RSS alternate enclosure support. Yay!
Plus, we speak with PodVision about their successful indie show; and the developer of the UpNext app.
• Amazon Music video podcasts rollout in the US and what “open RSS” support really implies
• Apple’s private API versus alternate enclosure and the moderation and ad tech trade-offs
• Acast’s “first to monetise” claim plus how hosts are responding to Apple’s approach
• Podvision’s 500,000-download season and the practical launch levers: concept clarity, packaging, artwork and timing
• AI disclosure labels from film and TV and why podcast platforms still do not enforce clear standards
• Inception Point AI moving to Spotify Megaphone and the lack of AI labelling in show metadata
• Video podcast consumption realities across platforms and what the data says about concentration
• Niche podcasts outperforming on relevance even when they lose on raw scale
• UK industry recognition, car dashboards and the unanswered question of who speaks for podcasting
• Up Next app: serverless design, on-device features, open source code and transcript challenges
• Pod News adds video detection on Apple Podcasts plus a new podroll atlas for recommendationsConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Three podcast hosts launch Apple Podcasts video; plus, The Podcast Show and Fountain's music via RSS
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailApple Podcasts video moves from theory to real-world distribution, and we pressure-test what HLS streaming changes for pricing, analytics, approvals, and the open RSS …
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Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Apple Podcasts video moves from theory to real-world distribution, and we pressure-test what HLS streaming changes for pricing, analytics, approvals, and the open RSS ecosystem. We also weigh platform convenience against creator freedom, from Spotify’s video lock-in warnings to a vision for open music distribution and premium RSS.
• Buzzsprout’s Apple Podcasts video rollout and why HLS matters for typical podcasters. We interview Alban Brooke.
• Captivate and Podigee also launched this week. We take a look at their data.
• Plus, Spotify video distribution risks including permanent RSS replacement and hosting-provider lock-in, according to at least one host's description
• London Podcast Show highlights with networking stages speakers and parties - we interview Jason Carter
• Fountain’s music on RSS using the medium tag publisher feeds value-for-value licensing and live item workflows - we speak with Oscar Merry.Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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Fixing podcasting’s AI slop and spam problem: Alberto Betella from RSS.com
With Alberto Betella
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailAre we sinking under a sea of AI slop? How do we fix it? Sam talks with Alberto Betella to find out.• iHeartMedia and SiriusXM merger chatter and what it could mean for …
Show notes
Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Are we sinking under a sea of AI slop? How do we fix it? Sam talks with Alberto Betella to find out.
• iHeartMedia and SiriusXM merger chatter and what it could mean for shareholders
• Directory spam stats including AI slopcasts and SEO bait shows
• Where responsibility sits across podcast hosts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and the Podcast Index
• Alberto Batella on a taxonomy for AI podcasts and why health misinformation raises the stakes
• Why RSS feed AI disclosure matters plus the “substance test” at shouldidisclose.ai
• EU AI Act implications for podcast transparency and compliance
• Apple enforcement questions and why trust is the asset at risk
• Spotify Q1 results and what declining ad revenue signals for creators
• Libsyn’s video distribution to Spotify and the practical costs of big MP4 filesConnect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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How to get your podcast promoted in Spotify. Plus - Neil from Headliner
Send James and Sam a message or voicemailSpotify’s editorial lead explains how promotion works when there is no submission form and why retention plus clarity beat cleverness. We also debate video’s role in …
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Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
Spotify’s editorial lead explains how promotion works when there is no submission form and why retention plus clarity beat cleverness. We also debate video’s role in discovery, dig into new metrics and business moves across YouTube, Netflix, and Acast, and share listener questions, boosts, and platform updates.
Connect With Us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Fediverse: @[email protected] and @[email protected]
- Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support
- Get Podnews: podnews.net
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