We break down Apple’s video podcast rollout, why HLS matters for reliability, and what ad skipping really looks like. Then Supercast’s CEO shares how subscriptions scale, followed by a compelling case for narrative audio over flat studio video.

• HLS architecture with separate audio rendition and why the mix must be broadcast‑ready
• What Apple will and won’t enforce on ad skipping and why shorter breaks retain better
• Frame rates, resolutions, and a nod to Vision Pro and immersive options
• Why only a minority can ship video at launch and why YouTube still wins discovery
• Subscription strategy from Supercast: pricing, tiers, AMAs, and creator ownership
• The cost and workflow tradeoffs of video versus the reach and focus of audio
• Narrative podcast strengths: imagination, intimacy, pacing, and sound design
• Platform politics: rankers, missing video data, and measurement gaps
• Events and industry moves that shape the next quarter

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Apple turns on HLS video in Apple Podcasts and rewrites the business rules while keeping files with hosts. We unpack the listener experience, creator workflows, dynamic ads, costs, open standards, and what Spotify and YouTube might do next, with insights from Justin Jackson.

• HLS explained and why it matters for control
• What listeners get on iOS and when it ships
• MP4 feeds versus HLS delivery trade-offs
• Supported hosts at launch and why ad-tech drives it
• Delivery metrics vs true attribution for advertisers
• Apple’s per-ad tech fee and billing model
• Rising CDN request costs and host pricing changes
• Audio switching, manifests, and separate audio renders
• Alternate enclosure for wider app distribution
• Tags that should be next: person, location, live
• Industry reactions from publishers and ad leaders
• Live video, platforms, and monetisation experiments

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(This audio contains a fix for part of Tony's audio)

(These show notes are using Buzzsprout's CoHost tool. Buzzsprout are our sponsor and very good at podcast hosting and all that.)

We dig into YouTube’s rare revenue reveal, Spotify’s mixed ad picture, and why premium is rising fast. Tony Doe joins live from Lagos to unpack Nigeria’s podcast boom and what creators can learn.

• Captivate hires Rob Walsh and Elsie Escobar for monetisation and creator community
• YouTube discloses $60bn revenue and 1.7tn hours watched with strong subscription mix
• Spotify hits 750m MAUs and 290m subs while podcast ad sales dip
• Supercast acquired by Red Seat Ventures and premium models accelerate
• Acast ad revenue grows and ARPL rises despite prior losses
• Nigeria’s podcast index, formats, languages, and monetisation paths
• Apple’s ranking “fairness” pledge and BBC’s new tech show
• Transcripts as a standard, AI assistants, and discovery tools

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Sam and James talk with Liam Heffernan of Mercury; and cover all the latest news of the week.

• Sony’s AI character podcasts and voice licensing risks
• Video discovery leading to audio loyalty and why it matters
• IAB’s AI scraping proposal and good bot vs bad bot
• Apple’s downloads for transcripts and chapters and host costs
• Voice Regen vs Auphonic and Buzzsprout Magic Mastering
• YouTube’s AI slop problem and weak enforcement
• Apple buying QAI and the future of audio understanding
• Livewire stats filtered for AI and broken trendlines
• Spotify “down,” browser “up” and bots skewing analytics
• OP3, unified dashboards, and realistic measurement
• 34% ad loads training skip behavior and pricing for fewer ads
• Subscriptions, ad-free tiers, and where to build fandom
• Japan’s giant festival, Radio France’s indie curation, Disney and Hulu podcasts
• Boost Box, LN address, and Runway for value-for-value

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We dig into Goalhanger’s funding, Wondercraft’s AI video workflows, music on open RSS with sats, TrueFans’ metrics-first hosting, and the growing gap between downloads and watch time.

• Goalhanger’s community growth strategy with TCG investment
• Shift from ad revenue to events, merch and TV formats
• Community portals vs YouTube and Spotify constraints
• Wondercraft’s audio-to-video workflows and enterprise use
• Visualizing podcasts, editable AI timelines and avatars
• Trials, discounts and API access for automation
• Music on RSS with streaming sats and $1 hosting
• TrueFans’ per‑MB pricing, listen time and bot costs
• Spotify video’s measurement trade-offs and chapters
• TV apps, watch time metrics and platform competition
• Industry moves, awards, and market consolidation
• On-device AI for transcripts and ad detection
• Pricing shock, technical debt and clean redirects
• Useful tools: analytics prefixes, music libraries and zaps

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Sam has big news. Plus... (this description uses Buzzsprout's AI tool):

We unpack the money and mechanics behind paid memberships, how platforms are reshaping podcast reach, and why quality and openness still matter. From Podfest honours to car dashboard wars, we map the shifting ground and share what creators should do next.

• Goalhanger’s subscription economics and ad trade offs
• Live festivals, community design and member retention
• YouTube’s AI stance versus tool rollout
• BBC’s YouTube programming strategy
• Multi channel ranker data across audio, video and clips
• Podcasts as quick context for breaking news
• Spotify video’s measurement gap for rankers and ads
• Cross app comments proposal and moderation
• Merch in RSS and a simple store tag approach
• Bot traffic, human first hosting and bandwidth costs
• CarPlay, Android Automotive and dashboard control
• New tools from Rode and Shure for creators
• Awards season updates, people moves and events

“You can support this show by streaming Sats, sending a super comment or boost, or becoming a power supporter at weekly.podnews.net”

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Normally it's a nice quiet start to the year, but not this year! Sam and James look at the news we've already had so far this year. So much news, no tech stuff this week - that returns next week, along with your hosts being properly dressed.

• iHeartRadio adds OpenRSS video and alternate enclosures
• Netflix exclusivity versus open distribution trade-offs
• Deloitte’s $5bn forecast and attention data contradictions
• Spotify’s dynamic video sponsorships and platform fees
• Spotify’s $10bn claim weighed against Apple’s quiet gains
• YouTube ad effectiveness versus audio-only performance
• Podtrac trends, RSS softness, and YouTube up 82%
• The 2026 battle for RSS and open standards
• Apple Podcasts features, defaults, and market power
• Audio UK joins the Creative Industries Council
• UK and US listening hours, completion, and plays
• Bot traffic, download inflation, and verified metrics
• Amazon’s merch play, funding tags, and timed links
• People moves, jobs, awards, and global events

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We share five predictions each for 2026, from defining what a podcast is to why time spent listening will replace reach as the industry’s favorite metric. We weigh video’s upside against its risks for audio, call out AI slop, and back open RSS as the backbone of growth.

We're back next week with our usual show.

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James and Sam look back on our predictions for what 2025 would be like - and whether we got them right. Plus, our lowlights and highlights of the year.

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What happens when Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon, Acast, Adobe, Pocket Casts, Triton, Bumper, Transistor, creators, and analysts all compare notes on where podcasting just landed—and where it’s headed next? You get a clear picture of a medium that’s fully mainstream, proudly hybrid, and fiercely contested. We gathered 25+ voices to unpack 2025’s biggest shifts and lay down their boldest calls for 2026.

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