Podnews Weekly Review

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 number  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 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. 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 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. 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 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. 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