Podcasting will likely see at least one billion dollars of investment money in 2019 alone. And while VCs are used to losing most of the bets they make, they're also used to very big payoffs. And it's that pressure to make huge returns that may signal the end of free podcasting as we know it.

On this short episode, I focus on the apocalyptic -- the aPODcalypse, if you will -- when most people are listening to either heavily ad-supported content or various (and varied) "pay to listen" curation apps and destinations. 

How likely is this future? Fairly, I'd say. Ad-supported shows are going to be under heavy pressure to squeeze more money out of a relatively small audience (comparatively speaking), which means loads more ads getting in the way of content. 

Suddenly, paying a few bucks to access ad-free and highly curated content might be a lot more appealing. But we'll see what the future holds!

Mentioned in this episode:

Support For Abortion Rights

While Americans overwhelmingly support the right of an individual to make their own decisions about abortion, unfortunately, that right is no longer protected everywhere in the U.S. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade on June 24th.

Abortion is a basic healthcare need for the millions of people who can become pregnant. Everyone should have the freedom to decide what’s best for themselves and their families, including when it comes to ending a pregnancy. This decision has dire consequences for individual health and safety, and could have harsh repercussions for other landmark decisions.

Restricting access to comprehensive reproductive care, including abortion, threatens the health and independence of all Americans. Even if you live in a state where abortion rights are upheld, access to safe medical procedures shouldn’t be determined by location, and it shouldn't be the privilege of a small few.

You can help by donating to local abortion funds. To find out where to donate for each state, visit donations4abortion.com.

If you or someone you know needs help, or if you want to get more involved, here are 5 resources:

1. ShoutYourAbortion.com is a campaign to normalize abortion.

2. DontBanEquality.com is a campaign for companies to take a stand against abortion restrictions.

3. Abortion.cafe has information about where to find clinics.

4. PlanCPills.org provides early at-home abortion pills that you can keep in your medicine cabinet.

5. Choice.CRD.co has a collection of these resources and more.

We encourage you to speak up! And spread the word.

This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:

OP3 - https://op3.dev/privacy