OpenAI TBPN Acquisition: Comms Strategy, Spotify AI Playlists & Summer House!

OpenAI recently acquired TBPN (Technology Business Programming Network). Rob and Elsie discuss the relationship between Sam Altman and TBPN’s John Coogan, the network's high production value, and what it means for OpenAI’s public-facing brand as they head toward an expected IPO.

Elsie takes a moment to celebrate Frank Racioppi’s recent Forbes piece, giving him his well-deserved flowers for his thoughtful advocacy and committed support of the independent community. While the article is titled "There's A War Of Independents In Podcasting," Elsie highlights how Frank successfully name-checks the creators and shows that mainstream media often ignores. She suggests that while the "war" framing reflects the struggle against celebrity-driven network dominance, the real story is the robustness of middle-tier creators who are building sustainable, profitable businesses on their own terms. Finally, the episode looks at Spotify’s rollout of AI-prompted playlists for podcasts and the ongoing friction of cumbersome guest intake forms.

Come to hang out with us!

⭐️ Apple Podcasts Video Q&A, with Elsie Escobar - YouTube

Links to interesting things from this episode:

People & Shows

• John Coogan & Jordi Hays: Hosts of TBPN (Technology Business Programming Network).
• Frank Racioppi: Owner of Earworthy and Forbes contributor.
• Cynthia Bemis Abrams: Host of Advanced TV History.
• Ciara Miller: Reality TV superstar highlighted in the Flattering Ram.
• Bitch Is Better
• Bravo! We're Black
• Morally Corrupt - YouTube
• Dumpster Dive
• Snark Bait
• So Bad It's Good with Ryan Bailey

Apps & Technology

• Scooter Labs RSS to CSV: scooterlabs.com/hacks/rss2csv.php
• Spotify AI Prompted Playlists: creators.spotify.com/resources/news/prompted-playlists
• Captivate WordPress Plugin Sync: wordpress.org/plugins/captivatesync-trade/

Articles & Episodes

• OpenAI acquires TBPN | OpenAI
• There’s A War Of Independents In Podcasting
• DAX Expands Into Podcasts Targeting The ‘Missing Middle’ As Ad Demand Grows. | News | podcastnewsdaily.com
• Top podcast advertisers | Magellan AI — Podcast advertising analytics
• In & Around Podcasting Episode 25: Featuring Frank Racioppi.
• Everything you need to know in the 'Summer House' scandal which exploded this week

In & Around Podcasting is a podcast industry podcast started by Mark Asquith and Danny Brown and now hosted by Elsie Escobar and Rob Walch, continuing its mission as an industry show that belongs to the whole community.

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