Podcasts about sounds profitable

Today in the business of podcasting:SXSW 2027's PanelPicker application period opens June 23, with live AMAs scheduled and Podcast Movement Evolutions confirmed to return Monday through Wednesday of the event.The Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting unveiled its first unified impression framework for audio and video podcasting, ratifying four cross-platform exposure definitions to give advertisers and publishers a shared basis for measuring podcast inventory across audio and video.Tom Webster's latest Sounds Profitable article reflects on a year of deepening AI use, arguing that the real question for creators is not whether AI was involved but whether they are proud of what they made.Both Sport Social Network and Quill + CoHost have new articles this week in the Sounds Profitable thought leadership article series. To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:SXSW 2027's PanelPicker application period opens June 23, with live AMAs scheduled and Podcast Movement Evolutions confirmed to return Monday through Wednesday of the event.The Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting unveiled its first unified impression framework for audio and video podcasting, ratifying four cross-platform exposure definitions to give advertisers and publishers a shared basis for measuring podcast inventory across audio and video.Tom Webster's latest Sounds Profitable article reflects on a year of deepening AI use, arguing that the real question for creators is not whether AI was involved but whether they are proud of what they made.Both Sport Social Network and Quill + CoHost have new articles this week in the Sounds Profitable thought leadership article series. To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

This year at Cannes Lions, Sounds Profitable is a sponsor of the Little Black Book Beach! Our partners will receive up to 3 tickets for access to the beach all week. Be sure to fill out this Google Form so we can register you and your team for the beach! Also, we have a custom graphic generator for those looking to announce they're headed to France in a couple of weeks with some flair.Tom Webster argues that LLMs have advanced faster than most people realize, and that pretending otherwise is magical thinking. He traces his own journey from basic prompt use to running local models on a home server, all without a coding background, to show that these tools are accessible to anyone willing to engage. And he has some pointed advice for anyone still on the fence about embracing AI in their work.Written by Tom WebsterEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisFind the full article here.

This year at Cannes Lions, Sounds Profitable is a sponsor of the Little Black Book Beach! Our partners will receive up to 3 tickets for access to the beach all week. Be sure to fill out this Google Form so we can register you and your team for the beach! Also, we have a custom graphic generator for those looking to announce they're headed to France in a couple of weeks with some flair.Tom Webster argues that LLMs have advanced faster than most people realize, and that pretending otherwise is magical thinking. He traces his own journey from basic prompt use to running local models on a home server, all without a coding background, to show that these tools are accessible to anyone willing to engage. And he has some pointed advice for anyone still on the fence about embracing AI in their work.Written by Tom WebsterEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisFind the full article here.

Grab your custom Cannes Lions attendee announcement graphic for free here!Today in the business of podcasting:A roundup of all the top stories from The Podcast Show London last week. New data from Sounds Profitable's Advertising Landscape 2025 study shows that AM/FM radio Primes and podcast Primes have only a 1.4% overlap, challenging the idea that the two formats compete for the same audience. Tom Webster argues that sellers holding both types of inventory are offering two nearly non-duplicated engaged audiences in a single buy — a stronger combined asset than the competitive framing has allowed advertisers to see.The Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting (AMP), a 12-member industry task force organized by Oxford Road and including Spotify, SiriusXM Media, BetterHelp, DraftKings, and others, has publicly emerged after meeting since July 2025 to address podcast measurement and definition challenges. The group's three focus areas are standardizing impression metrics, developing cross-platform performance measurement, and agreeing on a universal definition of a podcast.A new Signal Hill Insights Pulse Report, conducted with FlightStory, finds that 45% of monthly podcast consumers in the U.K. have used a smart TV to listen to or watch podcasts in the past month, making smart TVs the second most-used device ahead of computers. More than half of video podcast viewers in the U.K. watch during prime time (7–11 p.m.), and the data suggests video podcasting is growing podcasting's overall audience share by replacing other video consumption rather than cannibalizing audio listening.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Grab your custom Cannes Lions attendee announcement graphic for free here!Today in the business of podcasting:A roundup of all the top stories from The Podcast Show London last week. New data from Sounds Profitable's Advertising Landscape 2025 study shows that AM/FM radio Primes and podcast Primes have only a 1.4% overlap, challenging the idea that the two formats compete for the same audience. Tom Webster argues that sellers holding both types of inventory are offering two nearly non-duplicated engaged audiences in a single buy — a stronger combined asset than the competitive framing has allowed advertisers to see.The Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting (AMP), a 12-member industry task force organized by Oxford Road and including Spotify, SiriusXM Media, BetterHelp, DraftKings, and others, has publicly emerged after meeting since July 2025 to address podcast measurement and definition challenges. The group's three focus areas are standardizing impression metrics, developing cross-platform performance measurement, and agreeing on a universal definition of a podcast.A new Signal Hill Insights Pulse Report, conducted with FlightStory, finds that 45% of monthly podcast consumers in the U.K. have used a smart TV to listen to or watch podcasts in the past month, making smart TVs the second most-used device ahead of computers. More than half of video podcast viewers in the U.K. watch during prime time (7–11 p.m.), and the data suggests video podcasting is growing podcasting's overall audience share by replacing other video consumption rather than cannibalizing audio listening.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

– The episode opens with a short introduction from Donald Trump praising “one of the most successful business leaders… Michael Dell” and his “really exciting announcement.” – Brett Butt follows with a nostalgic anecdote about growing up before the Internet and World Wide Web, and remembering early video games like Pac-Man, Asteroids, Wizard of War, Scrambled, and Defender. He jokes about wishing for something people now have. – Mike Dell then introduces himself (“Like Dell's World… That's me”) and frames the episode as covering two major topics: technology (how tech works and is used) and personal updates. He notes customer service issues he'd complained about previously have not improved. – Personal updates: – He reports attending multiple recent funerals: mentions having been to “three funerals in the last six months, or two,” and that he's about to go to another in Detroit that weekend. – He names specific losses: Todd Cochran, founder of Blubrry, who passed “late summer, early fall”; his wife's best friend Mary in Grand Haven, who died of lung problems and was younger than them; and his uncle Bill Busby, who turned eighty-eight at a recent party, helped start Motorola Semiconductors, was a US Air Force veteran (crew chief on a B-57 or B-58), and then passed away Monday morning. He says he and his nearly 98–99-year-old grandmother will be traveling to Detroit for that funeral. – Health update: Mike had a torn retina in his right eye, underwent emergency surgery, had to be face-down post-op while a bubble/oil was placed in the eye. At his second post-op checkup the doctor said things are looking good; vision in that eye is blurred by the oil bubble while the other eye is 20/20. He expects the oil to be removed and vision to clear later. He says this grounds him for about six weeks. – He mentions a lingering low-level cold over the past month. – Recent events and work: – He attended Military Creator Con in Arlington, Texas (several hundred participants, veterans/active military/spouses), where he saw Jamie Jay, Christopher Lochhead, Gordon Firemark (podcast lawyer), and others. The event ran long days and was busy but enjoyable. – At Blubrry he's been promoted to VP of Operations, overseeing teams and day-to-day work; Barry (another cofounder) is now CEO. He encourages podcasters to contact him for help, states he uses Blubrry hosting and the PowerPress plugin, and plugs Blubrry's services. – Technology and AI: – He discusses AI-generated content broadly: YouTube's proliferation of AI-narrated slideshow-style or AI-generated videos; his guilty pleasure of “AI Karen stories” on YouTube (which he knows are AI and mostly fiction). – He references a MacRumors article reporting YouTube will automatically label AI videos even if creators don't, and applauds the move, predicting many viewers will prefer non-AI content when labeled. – He raises concerns about AI in podcasting: AI-voiced podcasts and companies generating massive amounts of AI podcast content. He names a company, Inception PointAI, that reportedly generated a lot of AI podcast content and moved from Spreaker to Megaphone/Spotify; he says such AI content can hallucinate and produce factually untrue information, and that some AI podcasts present content as true. – He describes his own measured use of AI: he uses AI for transcripts and some artwork that he then tweaks, and he tried a cloned AI voice for one episode a few years ago but it didn't sound right. He notes telltale patterns of AI-written scripts and advises never to ask AI for its opinion. – He touches on scams: modern scam emails are harder to spot because language models clean up grammar; he warns about requests for immediate payment, iTunes/gift cards, or crypto as signs of scams. – Advertising and social media observations: – Criticizes YouTube mid-roll ads that interrupt videos, and the perceived decline in value of TV ads—locally seeing many online gambling ads in Michigan. – Observes AI activity on Facebook: AI agents entering groups to start conversations (sometimes inane or provocative) and AI-generated video shorts (e.g., airplanes doing impossible things). He dislikes Facebook's prompts to read more on Threads and says he doesn't want more social media accounts. He mentions being on LinkedIn, using X a little, and participating on Reddit, and says he plans to use a flip phone when he retires. YouTube Will Now Automatically Label AI Videos Even When Creators Don’t – Podcasting industry and advice: – Clarifies his use of “podcast” to mean generally audio (though he acknowledges podcasts can be video) and emphasizes that podcasting is a distribution method open to anyone. – Contrasts highly produced, broadcast-style podcasts (teams of producers and sound designers) with indie, authentic podcasts (one person talking into a microphone from a shed). He values indie authenticity and accessibility. – References a report by Tom Webster of Sounds Profitable noting people seek authentic-sounding podcast audio. He warns the industry is bifurcating between highly produced shows and indie creators. – Gives practical advice: podcasting is inexpensive and accessible (buy a microphone, record, compress to MP3, upload to hosting or WordPress to create an RSS feed). Suggests inexpensive cover art via Fiverr and mentions Blubrry hosting around fifteen dollars. Warns that podcasting generally won't replace a day job quickly—monetization takes time and consistency. – Lists three elements for podcast success: consistency, authenticity, and having content that is interesting/informative/compelling (he stumbles on phrasing but leaves the point authentic). He notes technology barriers are lower now; you don't have to be a geek. – Explains distribution parity: small indie shows can sit beside big shows like Joe Rogan in directories; one can succeed without becoming huge. His personal goal is to have a place to speak freely rather than chase large monetization. – Plans and format changes: – He says they will restart the Podcast Insider show with a revamped, more conversational format with two or three hosts discussing industry trends (e.g., trend toward video). – Discusses video: video has always been part of podcasting but is getting more prominent; video production is harder (lighting, appearance, editing). Blubrry is working on a video product to better support creators. – Mentions his short-form series “Cup of Traverse City” (daily, five minutes) which he took a month off from and tried to restart; he intends for it to be five days a week, five minutes, when resumed. – Reiterates he podcasts when it's fun and will take breaks when needed. – Closing: – He notes he has been talking for forty-five minutes, asks listeners if they're still subscribed and what they think about technology trends (is tech “going off the deep end” or is he being a curmudgeon?), invites feedback via email (mike at mike dell dot com), and signs off saying “Catch me later.”

– The episode opens with a short introduction from Donald Trump praising “one of the most successful business leaders… Michael Dell” and his “really exciting announcement.” – Brett Butt follows with a nostalgic anecdote about growing up before the Internet and World Wide Web, and remembering early video games like Pac-Man, Asteroids, Wizard of War, Scrambled, and Defender. He jokes about wishing for something people now have. – Mike Dell then introduces himself (“Like Dell's World… That's me”) and frames the episode as covering two major topics: technology (how tech works and is used) and personal updates. He notes customer service issues he'd complained about previously have not improved. – Personal updates: – He reports attending multiple recent funerals: mentions having been to “three funerals in the last six months, or two,” and that he's about to go to another in Detroit that weekend. – He names specific losses: Todd Cochran, founder of Blubrry, who passed “late summer, early fall”; his wife's best friend Mary in Grand Haven, who died of lung problems and was younger than them; and his uncle Bill Busby, who turned eighty-eight at a recent party, helped start Motorola Semiconductors, was a US Air Force veteran (crew chief on a B-57 or B-58), and then passed away Monday morning. He says he and his nearly 98–99-year-old grandmother will be traveling to Detroit for that funeral. – Health update: Mike had a torn retina in his right eye, underwent emergency surgery, had to be face-down post-op while a bubble/oil was placed in the eye. At his second post-op checkup the doctor said things are looking good; vision in that eye is blurred by the oil bubble while the other eye is 20/20. He expects the oil to be removed and vision to clear later. He says this grounds him for about six weeks. – He mentions a lingering low-level cold over the past month. – Recent events and work: – He attended Military Creator Con in Arlington, Texas (several hundred participants, veterans/active military/spouses), where he saw Jamie Jay, Christopher Lochhead, Gordon Firemark (podcast lawyer), and others. The event ran long days and was busy but enjoyable. – At Blubrry he's been promoted to VP of Operations, overseeing teams and day-to-day work; Barry (another cofounder) is now CEO. He encourages podcasters to contact him for help, states he uses Blubrry hosting and the PowerPress plugin, and plugs Blubrry's services. – Technology and AI: – He discusses AI-generated content broadly: YouTube's proliferation of AI-narrated slideshow-style or AI-generated videos; his guilty pleasure of “AI Karen stories” on YouTube (which he knows are AI and mostly fiction). – He references a MacRumors article reporting YouTube will automatically label AI videos even if creators don't, and applauds the move, predicting many viewers will prefer non-AI content when labeled. – He raises concerns about AI in podcasting: AI-voiced podcasts and companies generating massive amounts of AI podcast content. He names a company, Inception PointAI, that reportedly generated a lot of AI podcast content and moved from Spreaker to Megaphone/Spotify; he says such AI content can hallucinate and produce factually untrue information, and that some AI podcasts present content as true. – He describes his own measured use of AI: he uses AI for transcripts and some artwork that he then tweaks, and he tried a cloned AI voice for one episode a few years ago but it didn't sound right. He notes telltale patterns of AI-written scripts and advises never to ask AI for its opinion. – He touches on scams: modern scam emails are harder to spot because language models clean up grammar; he warns about requests for immediate payment, iTunes/gift cards, or crypto as signs of scams. – Advertising and social media observations: – Criticizes YouTube mid-roll ads that interrupt videos, and the perceived decline in value of TV ads—locally seeing many online gambling ads in Michigan. – Observes AI activity on Facebook: AI agents entering groups to start conversations (sometimes inane or provocative) and AI-generated video shorts (e.g., airplanes doing impossible things). He dislikes Facebook's prompts to read more on Threads and says he doesn't want more social media accounts. He mentions being on LinkedIn, using X a little, and participating on Reddit, and says he plans to use a flip phone when he retires. YouTube Will Now Automatically Label AI Videos Even When Creators Don’t – Podcasting industry and advice: – Clarifies his use of “podcast” to mean generally audio (though he acknowledges podcasts can be video) and emphasizes that podcasting is a distribution method open to anyone. – Contrasts highly produced, broadcast-style podcasts (teams of producers and sound designers) with indie, authentic podcasts (one person talking into a microphone from a shed). He values indie authenticity and accessibility. – References a report by Tom Webster of Sounds Profitable noting people seek authentic-sounding podcast audio. He warns the industry is bifurcating between highly produced shows and indie creators. – Gives practical advice: podcasting is inexpensive and accessible (buy a microphone, record, compress to MP3, upload to hosting or WordPress to create an RSS feed). Suggests inexpensive cover art via Fiverr and mentions Blubrry hosting around fifteen dollars. Warns that podcasting generally won't replace a day job quickly—monetization takes time and consistency. – Lists three elements for podcast success: consistency, authenticity, and having content that is interesting/informative/compelling (he stumbles on phrasing but leaves the point authentic). He notes technology barriers are lower now; you don't have to be a geek. – Explains distribution parity: small indie shows can sit beside big shows like Joe Rogan in directories; one can succeed without becoming huge. His personal goal is to have a place to speak freely rather than chase large monetization. – Plans and format changes: – He says they will restart the Podcast Insider show with a revamped, more conversational format with two or three hosts discussing industry trends (e.g., trend toward video). – Discusses video: video has always been part of podcasting but is getting more prominent; video production is harder (lighting, appearance, editing). Blubrry is working on a video product to better support creators. – Mentions his short-form series “Cup of Traverse City” (daily, five minutes) which he took a month off from and tried to restart; he intends for it to be five days a week, five minutes, when resumed. – Reiterates he podcasts when it's fun and will take breaks when needed. – Closing: – He notes he has been talking for forty-five minutes, asks listeners if they're still subscribed and what they think about technology trends (is tech “going off the deep end” or is he being a curmudgeon?), invites feedback via email (mike at mike dell dot com), and signs off saying “Catch me later.”

Today in the business of podcasting:The Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting (AMP), a 12-member task force organized by Oxford Road, is working to standardize podcast ad measurement and establish a universal definition of "podcast." The group plans to present its framework at Oxford Road's CAO Summit in Los Angeles in July 2026.New data from Sounds Profitable shows that the most engaged AM/FM radio listeners and the most engaged podcast listeners have only 1.4% overlap, making them nearly distinct audiences. Tom Webster argues that buying both channels together offers advertisers a level of combined reach that neither medium can deliver alone.Magellan AI's new global analysis estimates total podcast ad spend reached $3.94 billion in 2025, with non-U.S. markets surging 79% year-over-year in Q1 2026, led by rapid growth in Germany, France, the U.K., and Ireland.YouTube is moving AI content labels to more prominent positions, appearing directly below long-form videos and as overlays on Shorts, with automatic detection rolling out for content creators who do not self-disclose.Canada's broadcast regulator, the CRTC, has expanded its digital media contribution framework, raising the required revenue contribution from foreign streaming and audio services including Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify from 5% to 15%.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:The Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting (AMP), a 12-member task force organized by Oxford Road, is working to standardize podcast ad measurement and establish a universal definition of "podcast." The group plans to present its framework at Oxford Road's CAO Summit in Los Angeles in July 2026.New data from Sounds Profitable shows that the most engaged AM/FM radio listeners and the most engaged podcast listeners have only 1.4% overlap, making them nearly distinct audiences. Tom Webster argues that buying both channels together offers advertisers a level of combined reach that neither medium can deliver alone.Magellan AI's new global analysis estimates total podcast ad spend reached $3.94 billion in 2025, with non-U.S. markets surging 79% year-over-year in Q1 2026, led by rapid growth in Germany, France, the U.K., and Ireland.YouTube is moving AI content labels to more prominent positions, appearing directly below long-form videos and as overlays on Shorts, with automatic detection rolling out for content creators who do not self-disclose.Canada's broadcast regulator, the CRTC, has expanded its digital media contribution framework, raising the required revenue contribution from foreign streaming and audio services including Netflix, Disney+, and Spotify from 5% to 15%.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:The Podcast Show 2026 wrapped up in London with a wave of industry activity, including the debut of a new UK advertising landscape study from Sounds Profitable and Sound Insights showing podcast ad recall is at near-parity with broadcast television, plus analyst presentations, an annual Podcast Standards Project meetup, and a live episode of Podnews Weekly Review recorded on stage.RAJAR's MIDAS Spring 2026 survey found that 25% of UK adults listen to podcasts weekly, a figure that has remained relatively static since Winter 2024, with podcasts accounting for 6% of adult listening hours — ahead of owned music at 5% and audiobooks at 3%.Goalhanger launched Goalhanger Ventures, a new investment and partnership arm that will back creator-led media businesses, with initial activity including an equity investment in Invisible Media and support for the podcast Backyard Cricket.Spotify announced a wave of new features: a Memberships program for creators, an AI-driven Personal Podcasts feature, and Articles — a library of over 650 narrated long-form magazine pieces available to Premium subscribers through their monthly audiobook allowance or purchasable individually for $1.99.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:The Podcast Show 2026 wrapped up in London with a wave of industry activity, including the debut of a new UK advertising landscape study from Sounds Profitable and Sound Insights showing podcast ad recall is at near-parity with broadcast television, plus analyst presentations, an annual Podcast Standards Project meetup, and a live episode of Podnews Weekly Review recorded on stage.RAJAR's MIDAS Spring 2026 survey found that 25% of UK adults listen to podcasts weekly, a figure that has remained relatively static since Winter 2024, with podcasts accounting for 6% of adult listening hours — ahead of owned music at 5% and audiobooks at 3%.Goalhanger launched Goalhanger Ventures, a new investment and partnership arm that will back creator-led media businesses, with initial activity including an equity investment in Invisible Media and support for the podcast Backyard Cricket.Spotify announced a wave of new features: a Memberships program for creators, an AI-driven Personal Podcasts feature, and Articles — a library of over 650 narrated long-form magazine pieces available to Premium subscribers through their monthly audiobook allowance or purchasable individually for $1.99.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

This week in the business of podcasting:A new Sounds Profitable and Sound Insights study of 5,033 U.K. adults finds 43% of British adults listen to ad-supported podcasts monthly, with 79% of those listeners recalling a podcast ad in the past week at nearly equal rates across genders, offering a direct transatlantic comparison to the 2025 U.S. Advertising Landscape.Owl & Co's Global Podcast Economy Report finds the global podcast industry generated $9.2 billion in revenue in 2025, up 23% year over year, with publishers that treated video as a monetization layer seeing the fastest revenue growth.The fifth annual Podnews Report Card, based on creator feedback, finds YouTube has climbed to second place among major podcast platforms, overtaking Spotify but still trailing Apple Podcasts.Rodrigo Tigre, co-founder and president of Ozen.fm, argues that Brazil's podcast advertising market is dramatically underdeveloped relative to U.S. digital audio and identifies three structural barriers that have now matured enough to be overcome.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

This week in the business of podcasting:A new Sounds Profitable and Sound Insights study of 5,033 U.K. adults finds 43% of British adults listen to ad-supported podcasts monthly, with 79% of those listeners recalling a podcast ad in the past week at nearly equal rates across genders, offering a direct transatlantic comparison to the 2025 U.S. Advertising Landscape.Owl & Co's Global Podcast Economy Report finds the global podcast industry generated $9.2 billion in revenue in 2025, up 23% year over year, with publishers that treated video as a monetization layer seeing the fastest revenue growth.The fifth annual Podnews Report Card, based on creator feedback, finds YouTube has climbed to second place among major podcast platforms, overtaking Spotify but still trailing Apple Podcasts.Rodrigo Tigre, co-founder and president of Ozen.fm, argues that Brazil's podcast advertising market is dramatically underdeveloped relative to U.S. digital audio and identifies three structural barriers that have now matured enough to be overcome.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:Sounds Profitable and Sound Insights released The Advertising Landscape UK, the first large-scale study of how British audiences experience podcast advertising, finding that 43% of British adults listen to an ad-supported podcast monthly and 56% of those tune in daily or almost daily.Owl & Co's Global Podcast Economy Report finds the global podcast economy generated $9.2 billion in revenue in 2025, a 23% increase from 2024, with publishers who treated video as a monetization layer growing revenue the fastest.James Murdoch's Lupa Systems agreed to acquire most of Vox Media, including its podcast network, main website, and New York magazine, with CEO Jim Bankoff set to continue running the acquired assets.Data from influencer platform Upfluence shows that top-tier TikTok micro-creators saw average brand deal rates rise 125% in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025, as brands shift toward smaller creators and paid content boosting over big-name influencer deals.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Sounds Profitable and Sound Insights released the Advertising Landscape UK, the first large-scale study of how British audiences experience podcast advertising, benchmarked against 20+ other ad-supported platforms across 5,033 adults. Key findings include that 43% of British adults listen to ad-supported podcasts monthly, 79% recalled a podcast ad in the past week, 44% have made a purchase after hearing one, and ad-supported podcasting has outpaced broadcast TV among 18- to 24-year-olds. The UK's BBC heritage sets a higher bar for advertising acceptance than in the US, but the data suggests podcasting clears that bar more reliably than most other formats, positioning it as a strong vehicle for reaching discerning British audiences.Written by Tom WebsterEdited and narrated by Gavin Gaddis

Sounds Profitable and Sound Insights released the Advertising Landscape UK, the first large-scale study of how British audiences experience podcast advertising, benchmarked against 20+ other ad-supported platforms across 5,033 adults. Key findings include that 43% of British adults listen to ad-supported podcasts monthly, 79% recalled a podcast ad in the past week, 44% have made a purchase after hearing one, and ad-supported podcasting has outpaced broadcast TV among 18- to 24-year-olds. The UK's BBC heritage sets a higher bar for advertising acceptance than in the US, but the data suggests podcasting clears that bar more reliably than most other formats, positioning it as a strong vehicle for reaching discerning British audiences.Written by Tom WebsterEdited and narrated by Gavin Gaddis

Today in the business of podcasting:Sounds Profitable and Sound Insights released The Advertising Landscape UK, the first large-scale study of how British audiences experience podcast advertising, finding that 43% of British adults listen to an ad-supported podcast monthly and 56% of those tune in daily or almost daily.Owl & Co's Global Podcast Economy Report finds the global podcast economy generated $9.2 billion in revenue in 2025, a 23% increase from 2024, with publishers who treated video as a monetization layer growing revenue the fastest.James Murdoch's Lupa Systems agreed to acquire most of Vox Media, including its podcast network, main website, and New York magazine, with CEO Jim Bankoff set to continue running the acquired assets.Data from influencer platform Upfluence shows that top-tier TikTok micro-creators saw average brand deal rates rise 125% in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025, as brands shift toward smaller creators and paid content boosting over big-name influencer deals.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

This week in the business of podcasting:New data from the 2026 U.K. Advertising Landscape Study, conducted by Sound Insights for Sounds Profitable, finds that 79% of U.K. podcast listeners recall a podcast ad from the past week — a striking result in a country shaped by decades of ad-free BBC broadcasting, with recall essentially equal across men and women.A Reuters Institute report finds video is reshaping news podcasting at every level, from how shows are produced and discovered to how they make money, with publishers increasingly building around personalities and layering in revenue from events, subscriptions, and merchandise.Amazon Music has launched video podcasts for U.S. iOS and Android users using HLS video within an open RSS ecosystem, starting with ART19-hosted content and expanding to more hosting partners later this summer.Spotify is expanding its video distribution network through five new hosting platform integrations and announcing forthcoming support for Apple Podcasts' HLS video technology, giving creators a path to distribute and monetize video across both platforms simultaneously.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

This week in the business of podcasting:New data from the 2026 U.K. Advertising Landscape Study, conducted by Sound Insights for Sounds Profitable, finds that 79% of U.K. podcast listeners recall a podcast ad from the past week — a striking result in a country shaped by decades of ad-free BBC broadcasting, with recall essentially equal across men and women.A Reuters Institute report finds video is reshaping news podcasting at every level, from how shows are produced and discovered to how they make money, with publishers increasingly building around personalities and layering in revenue from events, subscriptions, and merchandise.Amazon Music has launched video podcasts for U.S. iOS and Android users using HLS video within an open RSS ecosystem, starting with ART19-hosted content and expanding to more hosting partners later this summer.Spotify is expanding its video distribution network through five new hosting platform integrations and announcing forthcoming support for Apple Podcasts' HLS video technology, giving creators a path to distribute and monetize video across both platforms simultaneously.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

The upcoming 2026 UK Advertising Landscape Study finds podcasting breaks through baked-in ad avoidance in U.K. audiences.Register here for the Trust and Attention: Why Sports Media Wins (And How Brands Prove It) webinar this afternoon!A new Sounds Profitable UK Advertising Landscape Study finds that 47% of UK adults cannot recall a single brand from advertising they encountered in the past week, compared to 31% in the US, a gap the researchers attribute to the BBC's century-long commercial-free baseline shaping British listeners' expectations. Despite that structural resistance, 79% of UK podcast listeners recall an ad heard in the past week, a result the study frames as especially significant given how skeptical the UK audience is of advertising broadly. Among 18-34 year olds, podcast ad recall in the UK reaches 86%, edging ahead of broadcast TV's 83% for the same age group, a crossover the study says UK media plans have not yet caught up to. Podcast ad recall is also effectively gender-equal in the UK at 79% male and 80% female, a pattern the researchers describe as structural to the medium rather than a regional quirk.Written by Ben RobinsEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisText and audio edited by Tom WebsterFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

The upcoming 2026 UK Advertising Landscape Study finds podcasting breaks through baked-in ad avoidance in U.K. audiences.Register here for the Trust and Attention: Why Sports Media Wins (And How Brands Prove It) webinar this afternoon!A new Sounds Profitable UK Advertising Landscape Study finds that 47% of UK adults cannot recall a single brand from advertising they encountered in the past week, compared to 31% in the US, a gap the researchers attribute to the BBC's century-long commercial-free baseline shaping British listeners' expectations. Despite that structural resistance, 79% of UK podcast listeners recall an ad heard in the past week, a result the study frames as especially significant given how skeptical the UK audience is of advertising broadly. Among 18-34 year olds, podcast ad recall in the UK reaches 86%, edging ahead of broadcast TV's 83% for the same age group, a crossover the study says UK media plans have not yet caught up to. Podcast ad recall is also effectively gender-equal in the UK at 79% male and 80% female, a pattern the researchers describe as structural to the medium rather than a regional quirk.Written by Ben RobinsEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisText and audio edited by Tom WebsterFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

Register here for tomorrow's Sounds Profitable and Locked On webinar!Today in the business of podcasting:PRX's 2025 annual report shows the nonprofit leaning deeper into podcasting to navigate federal public media funding cuts, with Radiotopia launching 18 seasons and specials and drawing 47.3 million downloads across the network.A new PodSEO analysis of 11 million keyword-ranking pairs on Apple Podcasts and Spotify finds both platforms still search like record stores, over-weighting keyword-stuffed show titles and fresh episodes in a pattern that disadvantages evergreen, host-driven content.iHeartMedia's Q1 2026 earnings show podcast revenue up 26.9% year over year to $147 million, beating the company's guidance, while digital revenue excluding podcasting grew 12% to $180 million.Media, Built examines two recent newsletter deals, Puck acquiring Air Mail and The Ankler moving from Substack to Passport, to argue that audience ownership rather than audience size is the defining asset in newsletter monetization.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Register here for tomorrow's Sounds Profitable and Locked On webinar!Today in the business of podcasting:PRX's 2025 annual report shows the nonprofit leaning deeper into podcasting to navigate federal public media funding cuts, with Radiotopia launching 18 seasons and specials and drawing 47.3 million downloads across the network.A new PodSEO analysis of 11 million keyword-ranking pairs on Apple Podcasts and Spotify finds both platforms still search like record stores, over-weighting keyword-stuffed show titles and fresh episodes in a pattern that disadvantages evergreen, host-driven content.iHeartMedia's Q1 2026 earnings show podcast revenue up 26.9% year over year to $147 million, beating the company's guidance, while digital revenue excluding podcasting grew 12% to $180 million.Media, Built examines two recent newsletter deals, Puck acquiring Air Mail and The Ankler moving from Substack to Passport, to argue that audience ownership rather than audience size is the defining asset in newsletter monetization.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Guest writer Ben Robins analyzes new data from The 2026 UK Advertising Landscape Study.Register here for the Pod-Tails and Cocktails waitlist.A new study from Sounds Profitable and Sound Insights finds that podcasting reaches 60% of UK adults aged 18 to 34 monthly, outpacing broadcast TV's 57% reach in the same demographic. The 2026 UK Advertising Landscape Study, fielded with more than 5,000 UK adults and weighted to census, also finds that 35 to 54 year olds have the highest rate of "Prime" podcast usage of any age group, at 16%. The findings challenge the conventional UK media planning framework that treats podcasting as a supplementary buy, suggesting it is already the primary option for brands targeting audiences under 45.Written by Ben RobinsEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisText and audio edited by Tom WebsterFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

Guest writer Ben Robins analyzes new data from The 2026 UK Advertising Landscape Study.Register here for the Pod-Tails and Cocktails waitlist.A new study from Sounds Profitable and Sound Insights finds that podcasting reaches 60% of UK adults aged 18 to 34 monthly, outpacing broadcast TV's 57% reach in the same demographic. The 2026 UK Advertising Landscape Study, fielded with more than 5,000 UK adults and weighted to census, also finds that 35 to 54 year olds have the highest rate of "Prime" podcast usage of any age group, at 16%. The findings challenge the conventional UK media planning framework that treats podcasting as a supplementary buy, suggesting it is already the primary option for brands targeting audiences under 45.Written by Ben RobinsEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisText and audio edited by Tom WebsterFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

This week in the business of podcasting:Tom Webster of Sounds Profitable audited iHeartMedia radio stations across three mid-size U.S. markets and found that less than 4% of weekday airtime in Pittsburgh features locally produced content, while Indianapolis registers effectively zero. The research challenges the premise that a SiriusXM acquisition would meaningfully reduce local programming that, by most measures, has already disappeared.New S&P Global Market Intelligence data shows podcast listening among U.S. online adults grew 10 percentage points in early 2026, reaching nearly 60% — a figure that aligns with Sounds Profitable's own Podcast Landscape 2025 research when video-only listeners are factored in.Nielsen has integrated Triton Digital's Podcast Metrics Demos+ data into its Nielsen Media Impact planning platform, giving ad buyers a more complete picture of the podcast audience alongside other media channels for more precise campaign planning.A new report from the Nigerian Podcast Index examines 329 shows across more than 20 hosting platforms and finds that while English-language content gives Nigerian podcasting global reach, the absence of local measurement infrastructure keeps the market largely invisible to international advertisers and investors.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

This week in the business of podcasting:Tom Webster of Sounds Profitable audited iHeartMedia radio stations across three mid-size U.S. markets and found that less than 4% of weekday airtime in Pittsburgh features locally produced content, while Indianapolis registers effectively zero. The research challenges the premise that a SiriusXM acquisition would meaningfully reduce local programming that, by most measures, has already disappeared.New S&P Global Market Intelligence data shows podcast listening among U.S. online adults grew 10 percentage points in early 2026, reaching nearly 60% — a figure that aligns with Sounds Profitable's own Podcast Landscape 2025 research when video-only listeners are factored in.Nielsen has integrated Triton Digital's Podcast Metrics Demos+ data into its Nielsen Media Impact planning platform, giving ad buyers a more complete picture of the podcast audience alongside other media channels for more precise campaign planning.A new report from the Nigerian Podcast Index examines 329 shows across more than 20 hosting platforms and finds that while English-language content gives Nigerian podcasting global reach, the absence of local measurement infrastructure keeps the market largely invisible to international advertisers and investors.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:iHeartMedia and Sirius XM are in preliminary talks about a potential merger that would combine the largest radio station owner and the largest satellite radio service in the United States, creating a company with more than $12 billion in combined annual sales.S&P Global Market Intelligence data shows U.S. podcast listening grew 10 percentage points from Q1 2025 to Q1 2026, with nearly 60% of online adults now reporting they listen, a figure that aligns with Sounds Profitable's Podcast Landscape 2025 research when video-only listeners are factored in.Spotify has launched new fitness features for free and Premium subscribers, including curated workout playlists and access to more than 1,400 on-demand Peloton classes, alongside a new Claude AI integration that delivers personalized recommendations based on users' listening data.Spanish-language podcast platform iVoox has debuted what may be the first formal television ad campaign for a dedicated podcast app, developed by agency Drop&Vase and airing on Mediaset España channels in Spain.European audio platform Audion has raised $15 million to fund its expansion into the United States, with investment going toward go-to-market operations, partnerships, and product development.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:iHeartMedia and Sirius XM are in preliminary talks about a potential merger that would combine the largest radio station owner and the largest satellite radio service in the United States, creating a company with more than $12 billion in combined annual sales.S&P Global Market Intelligence data shows U.S. podcast listening grew 10 percentage points from Q1 2025 to Q1 2026, with nearly 60% of online adults now reporting they listen, a figure that aligns with Sounds Profitable's Podcast Landscape 2025 research when video-only listeners are factored in.Spotify has launched new fitness features for free and Premium subscribers, including curated workout playlists and access to more than 1,400 on-demand Peloton classes, alongside a new Claude AI integration that delivers personalized recommendations based on users' listening data.Spanish-language podcast platform iVoox has debuted what may be the first formal television ad campaign for a dedicated podcast app, developed by agency Drop&Vase and airing on Mediaset España channels in Spain.European audio platform Audion has raised $15 million to fund its expansion into the United States, with investment going toward go-to-market operations, partnerships, and product development.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

This week in the business of podcasting:SiriusXM Media has become the exclusive audio advertising representative for YouTube in the United States, giving advertisers the ability to buy guaranteed audio ad impressions against YouTube audiences at scale for the first time through SiriusXM's combined ad technology stack.Sounds Profitable's new Audio Primes report, drawn from The Podcast Landscape 2025, identifies the 22% of podcast consumers who listen to 75% or more of their shows as audio, and examines the measurement gap that arises when platforms track video while listeners are consuming audio.Bumper co-founder Jonas Woost launched Bumper Score, a new third-party audience verification metric that rates podcast ad delivery on a scale of 0 to 200, aiming to give media buyers a standardized, comparable measure of whether ads are reaching real, verified listeners.Content platform beehiiv has surpassed its Q2 goal for podcast signups by more than 10x and is expanding its feature set with a new AI-powered podcast data tool and a webinar hosting feature supporting up to 10,000 attendees.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

This week in the business of podcasting:SiriusXM Media has become the exclusive audio advertising representative for YouTube in the United States, giving advertisers the ability to buy guaranteed audio ad impressions against YouTube audiences at scale for the first time through SiriusXM's combined ad technology stack.Sounds Profitable's new Audio Primes report, drawn from The Podcast Landscape 2025, identifies the 22% of podcast consumers who listen to 75% or more of their shows as audio, and examines the measurement gap that arises when platforms track video while listeners are consuming audio.Bumper co-founder Jonas Woost launched Bumper Score, a new third-party audience verification metric that rates podcast ad delivery on a scale of 0 to 200, aiming to give media buyers a standardized, comparable measure of whether ads are reaching real, verified listeners.Content platform beehiiv has surpassed its Q2 goal for podcast signups by more than 10x and is expanding its feature set with a new AI-powered podcast data tool and a webinar hosting feature supporting up to 10,000 attendees.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:Sounds Profitable's new Audio Primes report finds that 22% of podcast consumers listen to 75% or more of their episodes as audio-only — and 90% of them use YouTube, making them heavier consumers of video platforms than the average podcast listener while still choosing audio for podcasts.Beehiiv is expanding its creator platform with MCP-powered AI podcast analytics and a new webinar product that supports up to 10,000 attendees, positioning the platform as a full-stack destination for content creators beyond newsletters.Bumper has launched Bumper Score, an independent audience verification tool designed to bring transparency and consistency to podcast advertising, with clients already directing over $500,000 toward ad buys enabled by the new metric.A Barrett Media column uses Sounds Profitable's Podcast Landscape 2025 data to argue that podcasting's most engaged listeners tolerate high ad volume but will leave over irrelevant ads, making hyper-targeted and programmatic advertising essential to avoiding broadcast radio's mistakes.Streamonomics author Hernan Lopez examines Netflix's $670 billion total addressable market estimate and compares it to the creator economy's projected TAM, which may exceed Netflix's figure when all creator platforms and direct creator revenue are included.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:Sounds Profitable's new Audio Primes report finds that 22% of podcast consumers listen to 75% or more of their episodes as audio-only — and 90% of them use YouTube, making them heavier consumers of video platforms than the average podcast listener while still choosing audio for podcasts.Beehiiv is expanding its creator platform with MCP-powered AI podcast analytics and a new webinar product that supports up to 10,000 attendees, positioning the platform as a full-stack destination for content creators beyond newsletters.Bumper has launched Bumper Score, an independent audience verification tool designed to bring transparency and consistency to podcast advertising, with clients already directing over $500,000 toward ad buys enabled by the new metric.A Barrett Media column uses Sounds Profitable's Podcast Landscape 2025 data to argue that podcasting's most engaged listeners tolerate high ad volume but will leave over irrelevant ads, making hyper-targeted and programmatic advertising essential to avoiding broadcast radio's mistakes.Streamonomics author Hernan Lopez examines Netflix's $670 billion total addressable market estimate and compares it to the creator economy's projected TAM, which may exceed Netflix's figure when all creator platforms and direct creator revenue are included.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

What platforms record and what podcast consumers are actually doing can be two different things.New research from Edison Research introduces "Audio Primes" — the 22% of podcast consumers who listen to 75% or more of their podcasts as audio — finding that this segment skews younger, more educated, and higher-earning than the average podcast listener, upending common assumptions about who chooses audio-first consumption. Ninety percent of Audio Primes use YouTube for podcast listening, but predominantly as audio infrastructure with screens off or minimized, revealing a significant gap between video platform metrics and actual podcast listening behavior. Written by Tom WebsterEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisText and audio edited by Gavin GaddisFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

What platforms record and what podcast consumers are actually doing can be two different things.New research from Edison Research introduces "Audio Primes" — the 22% of podcast consumers who listen to 75% or more of their podcasts as audio — finding that this segment skews younger, more educated, and higher-earning than the average podcast listener, upending common assumptions about who chooses audio-first consumption. Ninety percent of Audio Primes use YouTube for podcast listening, but predominantly as audio infrastructure with screens off or minimized, revealing a significant gap between video platform metrics and actual podcast listening behavior. Written by Tom WebsterEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisText and audio edited by Gavin GaddisFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

Today in the business of podcasting:The IAB, in partnership with PwC, reports that digital audio ad spend reached a record $8.4 billion in 2025, a 10.2% year-over-year increase, with podcast advertising revenue climbing to $2.9 billion on 17.6% growth that outpaced the broader digital audio market.A Scalable newsletter analysis examines how Netflix's early video podcasting push has stalled, with the YouTube presence of major Netflix-exclusive shows beginning to atrophy as the platform makes no new big-ticket acquisitions, while YouTube says it has no plans to counter with exclusivity deals and is instead developing AI tools to help creators generate short clips automatically.Barrett Media's Garrett Searight argues that YouTube's new Shorts daily time-cap feature is less a crisis for podcast discovery than a prompt for independent creators to diversify their short-form video strategy and prioritize content quality across platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok.Acast's 2025 year-end report shows full-year net sales growth of 29% year-over-year, with North American net sales up 50% in Q4, and the company closing the year with 429 full-time employees, up from 364 in 2024.A new Sounds Profitable study, Audio Primes: The Podcast Industry's Most Valuable Audience, profiles the segment of podcast consumers who listen to at least 75% of their content as audio, finding they skew younger, more educated, and higher-income than the broader podcast audience, with a webinar presentation from Tom Webster and Alberto Betella now available on Sounds Profitable's site and YouTube channel.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:The IAB, in partnership with PwC, reports that digital audio ad spend reached a record $8.4 billion in 2025, a 10.2% year-over-year increase, with podcast advertising revenue climbing to $2.9 billion on 17.6% growth that outpaced the broader digital audio market.A Scalable newsletter analysis examines how Netflix's early video podcasting push has stalled, with the YouTube presence of major Netflix-exclusive shows beginning to atrophy as the platform makes no new big-ticket acquisitions, while YouTube says it has no plans to counter with exclusivity deals and is instead developing AI tools to help creators generate short clips automatically.Barrett Media's Garrett Searight argues that YouTube's new Shorts daily time-cap feature is less a crisis for podcast discovery than a prompt for independent creators to diversify their short-form video strategy and prioritize content quality across platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok.Acast's 2025 year-end report shows full-year net sales growth of 29% year-over-year, with North American net sales up 50% in Q4, and the company closing the year with 429 full-time employees, up from 364 in 2024.A new Sounds Profitable study, Audio Primes: The Podcast Industry's Most Valuable Audience, profiles the segment of podcast consumers who listen to at least 75% of their content as audio, finding they skew younger, more educated, and higher-income than the broader podcast audience, with a webinar presentation from Tom Webster and Alberto Betella now available on Sounds Profitable's site and YouTube channel.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

This week in the business of podcasting:Tom Webster previews the new Audio Primes 2026 report from Sounds Profitable, showing that audio-first podcast listeners are nearly twice as likely as video-first viewers to reject AI-generated voices in their favorite shows. The split suggests a widening gap in how synthetic audio is received across listening modes.Samba TV VP of Measurement Science Alyson Sprague debuts the company's first Netflix Podcast Ranker, drawn from smart-TV viewing data across tens of millions of U.S. households. The Breakfast Club led Q1 2026 with 44% of Samba-tracked views, followed by Bridgerton: The Official Podcast at 16%.YouTube rolls out two livestream ad changes designed to protect creator-audience moments: ads will pause for viewers who send paid items like Super Chats, and automated ads will be held back when Live Chat engagement peaks. The update has clear implications for live podcast productions that rely on real-time chat.Steve Raizes argues the current wave of podcast M&A — OpenAI acquiring TBPN, The Chernin Group backing Goalhanger and Audiochuck, Fox Entertainment buying Red Seat Ventures — is being driven by audience density and convertibility rather than raw reach, a shift from the Spotify-Gimlet and SiriusXM-Stitcher era.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

This week in the business of podcasting:Tom Webster previews the new Audio Primes 2026 report from Sounds Profitable, showing that audio-first podcast listeners are nearly twice as likely as video-first viewers to reject AI-generated voices in their favorite shows. The split suggests a widening gap in how synthetic audio is received across listening modes.Samba TV VP of Measurement Science Alyson Sprague debuts the company's first Netflix Podcast Ranker, drawn from smart-TV viewing data across tens of millions of U.S. households. The Breakfast Club led Q1 2026 with 44% of Samba-tracked views, followed by Bridgerton: The Official Podcast at 16%.YouTube rolls out two livestream ad changes designed to protect creator-audience moments: ads will pause for viewers who send paid items like Super Chats, and automated ads will be held back when Live Chat engagement peaks. The update has clear implications for live podcast productions that rely on real-time chat.Steve Raizes argues the current wave of podcast M&A — OpenAI acquiring TBPN, The Chernin Group backing Goalhanger and Audiochuck, Fox Entertainment buying Red Seat Ventures — is being driven by audience density and convertibility rather than raw reach, a shift from the Spotify-Gimlet and SiriusXM-Stitcher era.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting:Tom Webster's new Sounds Profitable piece previews the Audio Primes report, which finds audio-first podcast listeners are notably less receptive to AI-generated voices in their favorite shows than their video-first counterparts, with Video Primes twice as likely to keep listening.YouTube is rolling out two new livestream ad behaviors: pausing ads for viewers who send Super Chats or virtual gifts, and automatically delaying ad breaks during peak chat activity to help creators protect engagement moments.Audioboom reported Q1 2026 revenue of $22.5 million, up 30% year-over-year, alongside a 118% jump in adjusted EBITDA and a 79% increase in downloads and video views, crediting its Adelicious acquisition and new Creator Network signings of Crooked Media and RedHanded.A new Reuters Institute report finds 18-to-24-year-olds are more engaged with podcasts than older audiences, but are getting their news from chat shows, comedy podcasts, and short-form video rather than traditional news publishers.A new All About Cookies survey of 1,000 U.S. adults finds only 24% of viewers pay attention to streaming ads, and 67% would prefer a single longer ad break at the top of a show over multiple midroll interruptions.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

A look at how audiences that consume media differently feel about AI generated voices.Sounds Profitable's new Audio Primes study reveals that podcast listeners who consume at least 75% of their content through audio are significantly more resistant to AI-generated voices than their video-first counterparts, with 48% of Audio Primes saying they would be less likely to continue listening compared to only 40% of Video Primes. The research, drawn from The Podcast Landscape 2025, introduces a new mindset-based framework for understanding podcast audiences and its implications for creators, platforms, and podcast advertisers.Written by Tom WebsterEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisText and audio edited by Gavin GaddisClick here to register for the Audio Primes webinar.Find the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

A look at how audiences that consume media differently feel about AI generated voices.Sounds Profitable's new Audio Primes study reveals that podcast listeners who consume at least 75% of their content through audio are significantly more resistant to AI-generated voices than their video-first counterparts, with 48% of Audio Primes saying they would be less likely to continue listening compared to only 40% of Video Primes. The research, drawn from The Podcast Landscape 2025, introduces a new mindset-based framework for understanding podcast audiences and its implications for creators, platforms, and podcast advertisers.Written by Tom WebsterEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisText and audio edited by Gavin GaddisClick here to register for the Audio Primes webinar.Find the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

Today in the business of podcasting:Tom Webster's new Sounds Profitable piece previews the Audio Primes report, which finds audio-first podcast listeners are notably less receptive to AI-generated voices in their favorite shows than their video-first counterparts, with Video Primes twice as likely to keep listening.YouTube is rolling out two new livestream ad behaviors: pausing ads for viewers who send Super Chats or virtual gifts, and automatically delaying ad breaks during peak chat activity to help creators protect engagement moments.Audioboom reported Q1 2026 revenue of $22.5 million, up 30% year-over-year, alongside a 118% jump in adjusted EBITDA and a 79% increase in downloads and video views, crediting its Adelicious acquisition and new Creator Network signings of Crooked Media and RedHanded.A new Reuters Institute report finds 18-to-24-year-olds are more engaged with podcasts than older audiences, but are getting their news from chat shows, comedy podcasts, and short-form video rather than traditional news publishers.A new All About Cookies survey of 1,000 U.S. adults finds only 24% of viewers pay attention to streaming ads, and 67% would prefer a single longer ad break at the top of a show over multiple midroll interruptions.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting...Sounds Profitable's Bryan Barletta reflects on the company's two-day Business of Podcasting space at Advertising Week Europe, where nearly 450 attendees gathered across 16 panels, arguing that podcasting has earned its place in mainstream media conversations and must now show up in the rooms where broader advertising decisions are made.Sport Social Podcast Network's Jim Salveson makes the case for sports podcasting as a commercial and editorial extension of live broadcasting, citing Edison Research data showing that sports podcast listeners are significantly more likely than general sports fans to follow an athlete after a trade.YouTube has announced several new TV-focused features, including Stations, a 24/7 programming channel format debuting with Coachella coverage, a voice-controlled AI chatbot called Ask coming to smart TVs, and TV Companion, a phone-based tool that lets viewers interact with content without taking their eyes off the screen.Independent Australian podcast What I Survived, from Queensland-based Mashed Pumpkin Productions, reached #31 on the U.S. Apple Podcasts overall chart and #1 in Documentary within its first 47 days, with host Jack Laurence crediting an Apple Podcasts editorial homepage feature for driving over 440,000 downloads.OpenAI has acquired Silicon Valley tech podcast TBPN in a deal the Financial Times values in the low hundreds of millions of dollars, making the show ad-free while including an editorial independence covenant, with commentators debating whether the real asset was the podcast itself or the talent behind it.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Today in the business of podcasting...Sounds Profitable's Bryan Barletta reflects on the company's two-day Business of Podcasting space at Advertising Week Europe, where nearly 450 attendees gathered across 16 panels, arguing that podcasting has earned its place in mainstream media conversations and must now show up in the rooms where broader advertising decisions are made.Sport Social Podcast Network's Jim Salveson makes the case for sports podcasting as a commercial and editorial extension of live broadcasting, citing Edison Research data showing that sports podcast listeners are significantly more likely than general sports fans to follow an athlete after a trade.YouTube has announced several new TV-focused features, including Stations, a 24/7 programming channel format debuting with Coachella coverage, a voice-controlled AI chatbot called Ask coming to smart TVs, and TV Companion, a phone-based tool that lets viewers interact with content without taking their eyes off the screen.Independent Australian podcast What I Survived, from Queensland-based Mashed Pumpkin Productions, reached #31 on the U.S. Apple Podcasts overall chart and #1 in Documentary within its first 47 days, with host Jack Laurence crediting an Apple Podcasts editorial homepage feature for driving over 440,000 downloads.OpenAI has acquired Silicon Valley tech podcast TBPN in a deal the Financial Times values in the low hundreds of millions of dollars, making the show ad-free while including an editorial independence covenant, with commentators debating whether the real asset was the podcast itself or the talent behind it.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

With podcasting having arrived at the mainstream, it's time for the industry to be in the rooms where decisions are made.Podcasting has reached mainstream status, with 55% of Americans consuming a podcast monthly, and industry leaders are now expanding their presence beyond podcast-specific events into major global advertising and marketing conferences. Sounds Profitable is driving this growth by placing podcasting content at high-profile venues like SXSW, Advertising Week Europe, and Cannes Lions to attract brand strategists, media buyers, and agency decision-makers. A key opportunity remains the roughly 25% of American adults who have never tried podcasting, representing a significant untapped audience for podcast content creators and advertisers.Written by Tom WebsterEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisText and audio edited by Gavin GaddisClick here to register for the Audio Primes webinar.Find the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

Today in the business of podcasting...Sounds Profitable's Bryan Barletta reports that the Business of Podcasting programming track at Advertising Week Europe drew nearly 450 unique attendees across 16 panels, a signal that mainstream advertisers are actively seeking out podcasting expertise on their own. Barletta argues that podcasting's reach, with 55% of Americans listening monthly per Sounds Profitable's Podcast Landscape 2025 report, now warrants a commensurate presence in the rooms where major advertising decisions are made.American Public Media and Streamguys have partnered to launch the Inform Media Network, a new digital audio advertising marketplace connecting 30 or more public media and prestige audio publishers with national advertisers. The network aggregates more than 55 million monthly impressions and more than six million unique listeners across podcast and livestream inventory.Spotify has rolled out new video control settings as of April 9, 2026, giving Family Plan managers the ability to toggle video content on or off for any plan member and allowing all subscribers to disable music videos, Canvas looping visuals, and other video formats directly within the app.Patreon's podcast category generated $629 million in revenue in 2025, a 33% year-over-year increase, driven by more than 47,000 podcaster accounts and 7.6 million paid memberships. Top creators like Joe Budden reportedly average $1 million in monthly income through the platform from the Joe Budden Network's 70,000 or more subscribers.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.Updated todo

With podcasting having arrived at the mainstream, it's time for the industry to be in the rooms where decisions are made.Podcasting has reached mainstream status, with 55% of Americans consuming a podcast monthly, and industry leaders are now expanding their presence beyond podcast-specific events into major global advertising and marketing conferences. Sounds Profitable is driving this growth by placing podcasting content at high-profile venues like SXSW, Advertising Week Europe, and Cannes Lions to attract brand strategists, media buyers, and agency decision-makers. A key opportunity remains the roughly 25% of American adults who have never tried podcasting, representing a significant untapped audience for podcast content creators and advertisers.Written by Tom WebsterEdited and narrated by Gavin GaddisText and audio edited by Gavin GaddisClick here to register for the Audio Primes webinar.Find the full article here on Sounds Profitable.

Today in the business of podcasting...Sounds Profitable's Bryan Barletta reports that the Business of Podcasting programming track at Advertising Week Europe drew nearly 450 unique attendees across 16 panels, a signal that mainstream advertisers are actively seeking out podcasting expertise on their own. Barletta argues that podcasting's reach, with 55% of Americans listening monthly per Sounds Profitable's Podcast Landscape 2025 report, now warrants a commensurate presence in the rooms where major advertising decisions are made.American Public Media and Streamguys have partnered to launch the Inform Media Network, a new digital audio advertising marketplace connecting 30 or more public media and prestige audio publishers with national advertisers. The network aggregates more than 55 million monthly impressions and more than six million unique listeners across podcast and livestream inventory.Spotify has rolled out new video control settings as of April 9, 2026, giving Family Plan managers the ability to toggle video content on or off for any plan member and allowing all subscribers to disable music videos, Canvas looping visuals, and other video formats directly within the app.Patreon's podcast category generated $629 million in revenue in 2025, a 33% year-over-year increase, driven by more than 47,000 podcaster accounts and 7.6 million paid memberships. Top creators like Joe Budden reportedly average $1 million in monthly income through the platform from the Joe Budden Network's 70,000 or more subscribers.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.Updated todo