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PODCAST

Podnews Weekly Review

James Cridland and Sam Sethi

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 AwardsSupport the show at https://weekly.podnews.net - or hit the boost button! Sponsored by Buzzsprout: start podcasting - keep podcasting!

news news commentary

All Episodes

130:09

Apple Podcasts video tech details; plus Supercast...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2026/02/27

We break down Apple’s video podcast rollout, why HLS matters for reliability, and what ad skipping really looks like. Then Supercast’s CEO shares how subscriptions scale, followed by a compelling case for narrative audio over flat studio video. • HLS architecture with separate audio rendition and why the mix must be broadcast‑ready • What Apple will and won’t enforce on ad skipping and why shorter breaks retain better • Frame rates, resolutions, and a nod to Vision Pro and immersive options ...

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154:40

Apple Podcasts Video - HLS, ads, and podcaster control

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2026/02/20

Apple turns on HLS video in Apple Podcasts and rewrites the business rules while keeping files with hosts. We unpack the listener experience, creator workflows, dynamic ads, costs, open standards, and what Spotify and YouTube might do next, with insights from Justin Jackson. • HLS explained and why it matters for control • What listeners get on iOS and when it ships • MP4 feeds versus HLS delivery trade-offs • Supported hosts at launch and why ad-tech drives it • Delivery metrics vs true att...

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74:24

YouTube’s Real Numbers, Spotify’s Strategy, And...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2026/02/13

(This audio contains a fix for part of Tony's audio) (These show notes are using Buzzsprout's CoHost tool. Buzzsprout are our sponsor and very good at podcast hosting and all that.) We dig into YouTube’s rare revenue reveal, Spotify’s mixed ad picture, and why premium is rising fast. Tony Doe joins live from Lagos to unpack Nigeria’s podcast boom and what creators can learn. • Captivate hires Rob Walsh and Elsie Escobar for monetisation and creator community • YouTube discloses $60bn revenu...

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91:30

Mercury Podcast Network: plus, too many ads, and what...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2026/02/06

Sam and James talk with Liam Heffernan of Mercury; and cover all the latest news of the week. • Sony’s AI character podcasts and voice licensing risks • Video discovery leading to audio loyalty and why it matters • IAB’s AI scraping proposal and good bot vs bad bot • Apple’s downloads for transcripts and chapters and host costs • Voice Regen vs Auphonic and Buzzsprout Magic Mastering • YouTube’s AI slop problem and weak enforcement • Apple buying QAI and the future of audio understanding • L...

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95:16

Are subscriptions outpacing ads? And an exclusive

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2026/01/23

Sam has big news. Plus... (this description uses Buzzsprout's AI tool): We unpack the money and mechanics behind paid memberships, how platforms are reshaping podcast reach, and why quality and openness still matter. From Podfest honours to car dashboard wars, we map the shifting ground and share what creators should do next. • Goalhanger’s subscription economics and ad trade offs • Live festivals, community design and member retention • YouTube’s AI stance versus tool rollout • BBC’s YouTu...

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68:11

iHeartRadio's open RSS bet on video, and Spotify's...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2026/01/16

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 trade-offs • Deloitte’s $5bn forecast and attention data contradictions • Spotify’s dynamic video sponsorships and platform fees • Spotify’s $10bn cla...

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47:55

Podcast Predictions For 2026 - AI slop, video and more

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2026/01/09

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 and click the support button Start podcasting, keep podcasting with Buzzsprout.com Send James & Sam a message Support the show Connect Wit...

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113:45

2025's highlights, 2026 predictions from Spotify,...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/12/19

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 shifts and lay down their boldest calls for 2026. Send James & Sam a message How Hacks HappenHacks, scams, cyber crimes, and other shena...

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78:51

Better podcast analytics with PodAnalyst, plus TikTok...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/12/13

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 of the Year milestone and Goalhanger’s model • Cross-promo and cadence as scalable growth levers • Flight Studio’s talent strategy versus bran...

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84:51

How A Daily News Podcast Hit 2,000 Episodes And What...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/12/05

(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. • Spotify’s Creator Wrapped as a real growth tool • YouTube’s US-only charts and watch-time logic • Apple Replay and Amazon Delivered compared •...

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95:39

Apple Adds AI Chapters And Timed Links; and an...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/11/07

(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 YouTube exclusivity trade-offs • Why this is cheap TV, not podcasting, and why that matters • Audio vs video consumption and where value really...

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83:41

Using AI to give voice to the dead; and Spotify adds...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/10/31

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 video and adds QR shopping • RNZ’s NARC uses 11Labs with ethics review and consent • Why AI voice can be more transparent than actors • Fou...

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77:24

You Can’t Milk A Cow And Expect Yogurt, But You Can...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/10/24

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 shows and fast risers • Spotify expands via Samsung TV Plus and Netflix distribution • Netflix’s background audio and auto limitations challe...

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49:11

Spotflix - is the Spotify/Netflix deal a gamechanger...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/10/16

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 interview, but technology let us down. Sorry. • Why Netflix and Spotify align on video podcasts • What leaving YouTube means for Ringer fans ...

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109:44

The video-first shakeup of podcast hosting,...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/10/10

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 like HLS and Podcasting 2.0. • livewire host-share data showing consolidation and heritage brands sliding • price rises at major hosts and h...

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69:43

Fresh Air's branded podcasts; and Spotify looks to...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/10/03

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 low retention • International Podcast Day and the case for open RSS • Spotify’s co‑CEOs move and DDEX‑based AI disclosures • YouTube AI featur...

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102:58

What's the deal with Inception Point AI? Plus,...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/09/26

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 standards and whether the "person tag" or "disclosure tag" adequately addresses advertiser concerns • Corporate censorship considerations for po...

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74:33

Greg Glenday Reveals How Acast is Betting on...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/09/19

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 pollution problems. • AI content companies defending their output as "art" despite widespread criticism from industry experts • YouTube ann...

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82:26

Remembering Todd Cochrane; and Apple testing new...

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/09/12

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 his podcasting origin story and philosophy • Apple Podcasts appears to be preparing support for Podcasting 2.0 JSON chapters, potentially...

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84:19

Podcasting in Asia; plus Podhome's new podcast app

Podnews Weekly Review ·

2025/09/05

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 platform • Japanese podcast consumption differs significantly from Western markets, with YouTube as the top platform for podcast listening • BBC announces ...

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275 results

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