2025 in Podcasting: A Year of Reckoning
2025 was a year of big shifts and even bigger headlines. We saw companies close, new ventures launch, and familiar players rebrand or pivot. Video podcasts continued to grow, bringing shows to streaming platforms, theaters, and even the Golden Globes stage. Revenue models evolved, AI loomed large, and creators explored new ways to connect with audiences, from premium content to live events and derivative IP.
Despite all the change, the podcasting community remains vibrant, and many companies reported record revenues. Optimism is high, and opportunities for creators are abundant—whether you’re experimenting with video, exploring new formats, or building the next breakout show. Our guests had some thoughts of their own.
I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro
The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.
To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

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Dan Misener is the co-founder of Bumper, a podcast data and growth company. Dan joins the show to share ways to grow podcasts, including identifying when you have a marketing vs editorial problem, the importance of properly tracking audience engagement, and how the innovative Bumper Dashboard packages and provides show statistics across several platforms. He also explains how we can use download metrics in a future-facing way and how AI is reshaping listener behavior.

You can find Dan on LinkedIn and at wearebumper.com.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro

(00:00) Introduction

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

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Kristin Nelson is Head of Audio at the Boston Globe. The newspaper has become a leader in the audio space with podcasts like Love Letters, Gladiator, Murder in Boston, and their new Spotlight: Snitch City. Kristin breaks down the Globe’s audio strategy, how they integrate their podcast team and newsroom, monetization strategies that incorporate ads as well as their traditional newspaper subscription model, and continue to produce audio IP for film and television.

You can find Kristin on LinkedIn and her work at bostonglobe.com.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Podcast industry veteran Lex Friedman is the founder of Lex Friedman Consulting where he works with creators, advertisers, platforms, and brands as a strategic consultant. Lex joins the show to discuss the challenges and triumphs as a former executive at Midroll, Art19, and Wondery, shares insights into the changing landscape of podcast advertising, and the hilarity of being confused with fellow podcast veteran Lex Fridman. He also provides a cautiously optimistic take on where the industry is headed.
You can find Lex on LinkedIn or at lexfriedman.com/consulting
I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro
The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.
To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From traditional news outlets to podcast newsletters, there are dozens of publications writing about podcasting today. But how do you get your podcast on their desks and featured by Vulture, The Guardian, NPR, and beyond?

In this exclusive – and free – webinar, learn the secrets of pitching your podcast to the press with Joni Deutsch (The Podglomerate's SVP of Marketing and Audience Development) and Alice Florence Orr (Managing Editor of Podcast Review).

Joni is an award-winning audio professional and NPR veteran. For the past 15 years, Joni has cultivated robust relationships with both legacy and new media, generating major publicity opportunities for a wide range of podcasts across radio, television, print, and digital outlets. As someone who has both received and sent pitches throughout her career, she reveals just what it takes to successfully pitch your podcast to journalists, from choosing the best angle to finding the right contact details.

Alice has been a podcast critic for nearly 8 years, covering new shows and "Best of" lists for Podcast Review and other major outlets, including the Irish Independent and BBC Radio. As the industry has matured, she has noticed common mistakes that many podcasters make when pitching their shows. She's here to explain what she looks for in a pitch, from cover art to evocative descriptions.

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.
To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cathy Csukas is the CEO and co-founder of AdLarge Media and the fwd. network. AdLarge is an independent audio ad sales firm that for the last decade has shaped how advertisers, networks, and creators navigate the world of podcast and digital audio monetization. The fwd. network is a more recent initiative to deliver content by and for female audiences. Cathy discusses the evolution of AdLarge into an all-in-one audio network, their early work monetizing shows like Ashley Flowers’ Crime Junkie, their cutting-edge approach to advertising technology, and how her leadership style fosters an innovative company culture.
You can find Cathy on LinkedIn, AdLarge.com, and thefwd.network.
I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro
The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.
To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Bannon is the Head of Global Audio at media giant Condé Nast, home to hit shows from The New Yorker, Wired, Vogue, and more. Chris discusses his remarkable audio career from public radio to podcasting, which includes roles at Midroll and Stitcher before joining Condé Nast. We go through his experience first managing podcasts at WNYC in 2004 and the massive success of The New Yorker’s Pulitzer-winning podcast In the Dark as it gets ready for a new season. Chris also discusses the importance of live shows and the teamwork involved behind Condé Nast’s global audio network.

You can find Chris on LinkedIn.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro 

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:

– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives

– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods

– Email: [email protected]

– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate

– Twitter: @podglomerate

– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leah Reis-Dennis is the Head of Podcasts at Audacy, the second-largest radio company in the US. Leah joins the show to share her unique path to podcasts, including leading content and partnerships at Himalaya and working in business development at Stitcher and SiriusXM before landing at Audacy, where she oversees content, partnerships, and marketing for over 300 shows. We discuss Audacy’s partnership with PAVE and Tenderfoot, the benefits of working in both podcasts and broadcast, and Audacy's experience with M&A, specifically Cadence13, Podcorn, and Pineapple Street Studios. Leah also provides insights into future trends for podcasters and podcast business models, and details Audacy’s plans for growth in podcasts and radio.

You can find Leah at audacy.com or on LinkedIn.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sim Sarna is the founder and CEO of Cloud10 Media, a rapidly growing podcast network ranked among the top 15 by Triton Digital. Sim joins the show to discuss his path from independent film producer to building a leading podcast network, the critical role of network support in production and marketing, and how Cloud10 helps creators at every stage. We also dive into the evolution of celebrity podcasts, the surge of video in podcasting, and new revenue models transforming the business. Sim shares insights on building sustainable show growth, what makes certain podcasts break out, and why collaboration and adaptability remain central to Cloud10’s success. Plus, he offers candid advice for new podcasters and reflects on how teaching at USC continues to shape his vision for the future of the audio industry.

You can find Sim on LinkedIn.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro 

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:

– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives

– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods

– Email: [email protected]

– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate

– Twitter: @podglomerate

– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patrick Svensk is CEO of PodX, what he calls a global podcast federation consisting of 13 companies from 8 different countries. He joins the show to discuss the importance of IP in entertainment, differences between the international podcast market compared to the US market, and PodX's recent acquisition of Lemonada. Patrick and I also look at his origins as a TV and film producer and how it led him to work in the audio industry.

You can find Patrick on LinkedIn or on podxgroup.com.

I’m on all the socials @JeffUmbro

The Podglomerate offers production, distribution, and monetization services for dozens of new and industry-leading podcasts. Whether you’re just beginning or a seasoned podcaster, we offer what you need.

To find more about The Podglomerate:
– Show Page and Transcript: https://listen.podglomerate.com/show/podcast-perspectives
– YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Podglomeratepods
– Email: [email protected]
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podglomerate
– Twitter: @podglomerate
– Instagram: @podglomeratepods

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices