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!

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

Metrics, Measurement and Money - for indie podcasters and not-for-profits

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

Locked On Podcast Network turns 10, and do podcast listeners skip the ads?

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

Captivate's monetisation in the US; and the BBC gets more involved in Crossed Wires

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

Spotify's new features; and why did BIPOC Podcast Creators close?

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.
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

Live from London, at The Podcast Show 2026

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 recommendations 

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

Amazon Music adds video - and the secrets of a succesful indie podcast

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.
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

Three podcast hosts launch Apple Podcasts video; plus, The Podcast Show and Fountain's music via RSS

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 files 
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

Fixing podcasting’s AI slop and spam problem: Alberto Betella from RSS.com

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
AI is now publishing podcasts at a pace that can outstrip humans, and we feel the knock-on effects in discovery, trust, and monetisation. We trace how copycats and AI slop farms exploit platform incentives, then map the few practical levers creators and companies can pull right now.
• more AI-generated podcast launches than human launches on some days, and what that signals for the podcast industry
• a copycat studio mimicking titles and artwork to siphon first listens and ad revenue
• why near-copy metadata can evade simple copyright and trademark complaints
• passing off, Lanham Act angles, and what lawyers say is actionable
• DMCA designated agents for directories and hosts, and why safe harbour matters
• trademarking a podcast name as a defensive move
• Inception Point AI scale publishing hundreds of new shows per day and the risk of low-care health content
• how programmatic advertising pays out on impressions even when listeners bounce fast
• Podcast Index new feeds report and spam API as a filter for apps without deleting research data
• Netflix podcasts early viewing stats and how measurement differs from traditional podcast metrics
• YouTube leading in monthly active podcast users globally, and what that means for platforms
• industry roundup across Canada, Iran, Ukraine, Vietnam, and sports creator networks
• product and platform updates across Overcast, Libsyn, Spotify, and Google
• listener boosts, sats, and how we share support revenue

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

New podcasts from AI now outnumber new podcasts from humans

Send James and Sam a message or voicemail
We track the money moving into paid podcast subscriptions as Patreon reports record creator earnings, then follow the ripple effects across platforms, hosting, and video. Along the way we get the inside story on Podcast Movement New York City, plus the new tools and trends reshaping discovery, analytics, and audience feedback.
• Patreon’s $629M podcaster earnings and what it signals
• Subscription revenue as a hedge against ad downturns
• Patreon discovery plans and the platform power shift
• BBC-linked creators launching Patreon and YouTube extras
• Bryan Barletta on Podcast Movement NYC format and pricing
• The business summit model and buyer focused attendance
• Apple Podcasts video via HLS and the real infrastructure costs
• Measurement standards and what new metrics could break
• Flipboard Surf as an RSS style super feed
• New hosting plays like Speakeasy and the record label analogy
• OpenAI buying a podcast and the push to control narrative
• HLS in alternative enclosure and how ads could be skipped
• Spotify AI playlists for podcast discovery and monetization
• TuneIn reopening submissions and why directories still matter
• Podbean Live shutting down and what scale really takes
• Buzzsprout download trends and web traffic that looks like AI
• Transcripts everywhere plus radio-to-podcast automation tools
• Listener voicemails boosts and fan mail as feedback loops


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