Podnews Weekly Review

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail Normally it's a nice quiet start to the year, but not this year! Sam and James look at the news we've already had so far this year. So much news, no tech stuff this week - that returns next week, along with your hosts being properly dressed. • iHeartRadio adds OpenRSS video and alternate enclosures • Netflix exclusivity versus open distribution t...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail We share five predictions each for 2026, from defining what a podcast is to why time spent listening will replace reach as the industry’s favorite metric. We weigh video’s upside against its risks for audio, call out AI slop, and back open RSS as the backbone of growth. We're back next week with our usual show. Please support us at weekly.podnews.net...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail James and Sam look back on our predictions for what 2025 would be like - and whether we got them right. Plus, our lowlights and highlights of the year. Support the show Connect With Us:  Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail What happens when Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon, Acast, Adobe, Pocket Casts, Triton, Bumper, Transistor, creators, and analysts all compare notes on where podcasting just landed—and where it’s headed next? You get a clear picture of a medium that’s fully mainstream, proudly hybrid, and fiercely contested. We gathered 25+ voices to unpack 2025’s biggest s...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail We track the biggest forces shaping podcasting next year: Goalhanger’s network effect, a pivot to listener-based analytics, and the tension between open RSS and closed “podcast” branding from big platforms. We dig into video hosting defaults, live streaming, and why honest metrics will decide winners. (It's a re-upload! With the intro.) • Apple’s Show...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail (This is made with AI from our sponsor, Buzzsprout) We break down the Recap Apocalypse across Spotify, YouTube, Apple, and Amazon, then dig into craft with Brad Mielke on how Start Here reached 2,000 episodes by prioritising clarity, titles that pull, and audio-first production. Data meets discipline and the result is steady growth without burnout. • Spoti...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail (This description is produced by our sponsor Buzzsprout's CoHost AI tool). We cut through the download delusion and show how people, playback, and time spent reveal true growth. Dan Misener explains loyalty metrics, we test platform tactics, and we share simple ways to turn spikes into steady listeners. • people numbers, playback intent, and time spen...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail Support the show Connect With Us:  Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail We break down TikTok’s podcast network with iHeart, Netflix’s audio push, and whether video is worth the cost, then dig into research on clips, companion podcasts, and the ad shift between radio and on‑demand. Sari Azut joins to show how a screenshot becomes a shareable clip and useful attention data. • TikTok’s entry into podcasting and censorship concern...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail (This is an AI description from Buzzsprout's Cohost) We test Netflix’s “video podcast” land grab, then show why Apple’s AI chapters and Timed Links are the practical upgrade creators needed. DAX’s Brian Conlan joins to explain why audio’s problem is ROAS, not downloads, and how better measurement unlocks bigger budgets. • Netflix licensing moves and Y...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail We unpack a bold true crime breakthrough: RNZ uses AI to recreate a deceased inmate’s voice with family consent and full disclosure, elevating the investigation without faking facts. We also dive into video on the TV screen, premium RSS, and why co‑host chemistry beats guest fatigue. • Spotify adds video podcasts to Apple TV • YouTube AI upscales low‑res v...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail We track Edison Research’s sale to SSRS, Spotify’s TV distribution push, and whether video truly grows podcast audiences. We debate Oxford Road’s new ad-performance ranker, membership models that creators can own, and the messy state of podcast standards. • SSRS acquires Edison Research and keeps the team • Edison’s people-based ranker shows stable top sho...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail We break down the Netflix–Spotify pact to move select video podcasts off YouTube, weigh the real winners, and ask whether exclusivity helps or harms creators. We also challenge Apple’s ad‑free push, share data on when people actually listen, and explore practical tools that make podcasts easier to find and love. We'd have had ChadF on this week for an...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail Flightcast’s Rox Codes joins us to unpack a video-first hosting and growth platform built for YouTube, Spotify, and serious creators, while we challenge inflated web “browser” downloads, pricing resets, and what actually counts as a podcast in a $3B market. We weigh useful AI assistants against synthetic co-hosts, and map the road to practical standards li...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail We break down AI-generated podcast “slop,” Spotify’s leadership shift, and why attention—not downloads—should be the metric brands care about. Fresh Air’s Neil Cowling joins us to explain how branded podcasts create real value, and where video fits in. • reactions to Jeanine Wright's interview and AI content quality • risk to advertisers from bots and...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail AI is transforming the podcast industry, raising questions about disclosure, quality standards, and audience preferences as companies like Inception Point AI create thousands of AI-generated episodes weekly. • Jeanine Wright from Inception Point AI reveals they produce 3,000 episodes weekly with just eight staff members • Discussion of AI disclosure standa...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail AI-generated content is rapidly flooding the podcast ecosystem, creating tension between innovation and quality standards across the audio landscape. Companies like Inception Point AI are generating thousands of low-quality episodes despite criticism, while YouTube introduces new features that could either revolutionize monetization or exacerbate content p...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail We remember podcasting pioneer Todd Cochran who passed away suddenly this week, reflecting on his 19-year journey in the industry and the indelible mark he left on the medium.  • Todd's journey began in 2004 with a $14.95 Walmart microphone, creating his first podcast in a hotel room in Waco, Texas • An excerpt from our 2023 interview with Todd shares...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail Jakarta sets the stage for an exploration of Asia's unique podcast landscape, where innovative approaches to monetization and content distribution reflect the region's diverse markets and consumer behaviors. • Ron Baetiong from Podcast Network Asia leverages Spotify's Open Access with local payment systems like GCash for their audio drama pl...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail Alex Sanfilippo shares how PodMatch is revolutionizing podcast guest booking through an innovative platform that functions like a dating app for interviews. He explains the platform's unique business model and why he believes community building is the future of podcasting. • PodMatch connects podcast hosts and guests while automating administrative fu...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail James and Sam examine Spotify's new direct messaging feature for sharing podcast recommendations and how it might impact content discovery. • Spotify releases data showing Gen Z students increase podcast listening at breakfast time when returning to school • Science, business, and technology podcasts see significant growth among younger listeners  • C...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail This audio has been rescued from almost inaudible audio thanks to recording using the wrong microphone - this was just on a laptop microphone carried around a loud conference. Good job that Buzzsprout has a tool called Power Clean that fixed much of that for us. We also speak with Oskar Serrander about Wondercraft's new tool, Wonda. Support the show C...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail James and Sam are away this week, so time for an interview in more detail than we normally would. Norma-Jean Belenky discusses her new podcast PodBiz, which explores the various ways podcasters monetize their content through transparent conversations with industry professionals. • PodBiz aims to answer the question "where's the money in podcastin...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail Amazon's restructuring of Wondery signals deeper issues with their podcast strategy as they distribute operations across Audible, creator services, and advertising divisions while losing approximately 110 jobs in the process. • Amazon's track record with podcast acquisitions has been underwhelming, including Art19's low market share and unfu...

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail James Cridland and Sam Sethi explore Spotify's mixed financial results showing strong overall growth but declining ad revenue, alongside their increasing focus on video podcasts at the expense of audio-only content. • Spotify's ads business struggling despite growth in users and profit • VP of Global Advertising Lee Brown leaving Spotify "by...