We break down the Netflix–Spotify pact to move select video podcasts off YouTube, weigh the real winners, and ask whether exclusivity helps or harms creators. We also challenge Apple’s ad‑free push, share data on when people actually listen, and explore practical tools that make podcasts easier to find and love.

We'd have had ChadF on this week for an interview, but technology let us down. Sorry.

• Why Netflix and Spotify align on video podcasts
• What leaving YouTube means for Ringer fans
• Apple’s ad‑free Series Essentials and who pays the price
• YouTube’s playbook for chapters, titles, comments
• Midday listening peaks and what to publish when
• AI voices, trust, and the “missing middle” of ads
• Location tags, standard icons, and better UX
• Overcast’s download fixes and transcript support
• Community boosts, gamification, and feedback loops

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Flightcast’s Rox Codes joins us to unpack a video-first hosting and growth platform built for YouTube, Spotify, and serious creators, while we challenge inflated web “browser” downloads, pricing resets, and what actually counts as a podcast in a $3B market. We weigh useful AI assistants against synthetic co-hosts, and map the road to practical standards like HLS and Podcasting 2.0.

• livewire host-share data showing consolidation and heritage brands sliding
• price rises at major hosts and how AI features drive bundled costs
• web player download spikes likely from bots, scrapers, and cloud IPs
• what Flightcast publishes where and why video-first matters
• AI analytics assistant for multi-platform, time-bounded insights
• clip experimentation on separate channels to validate winners
• storage choices enabling future video RSS and richer search
• podcasting 2.0 tags for chapters and transcripts on the roadmap
• why HLS needs shared best practices before broader adoption
• Global Studios’ video push and creator acquisitions
• the $3B ad forecast and the definition problem of “podcast”
• Apple’s Podroll video promos UX quirks and limits
• soundbites, playlists, and underused standards for discovery
• creator tools: Audacity redesign and Whisper.cpp speed gains
• a human-first stance on AI: assist, don’t replace

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We break down AI-generated podcast “slop,” Spotify’s leadership shift, and why attention—not downloads—should be the metric brands care about. Fresh Air’s Neil Cowling joins us to explain how branded podcasts create real value, and where video fits in.

• reactions to Jeanine Wright's interview and AI content quality
• risk to advertisers from bots and low retention
• International Podcast Day and the case for open RSS
• Spotify’s co‑CEOs move and DDEX‑based AI disclosures
• YouTube AI features and Riverside prompt editing
• why branded podcasts target niches and measure attention
• funding models for originals and talent partnerships
• the rise of video as a content engine for brands
• SoundStack’s HLS launch, costs, and app support
• research on podcast reach and high‑attention media
• events, awards, and tool updates from Buzzsprout
• X402 micropayments, wallets, splits, and V4V

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AI is transforming the podcast industry, raising questions about disclosure, quality standards, and audience preferences as companies like Inception Point AI create thousands of AI-generated episodes weekly.

• Jeanine Wright from Inception Point AI reveals they produce 3,000 episodes weekly with just eight staff members
• Discussion of AI disclosure standards and whether the "person tag" or "disclosure tag" adequately addresses advertiser concerns
• Corporate censorship considerations for podcasting, contrasting with broadcast television's regulatory environment
• Descript announces new CEO Laura Burkhauser and introduces media minutes and AI credits pricing structure
• Stuart Morgan of Audio Always discusses the blurring lines between podcasting, radio and audiobooks
• Dylan Haskins introduces the new All-Ireland Podcast Awards and Soundwaves conference
• Debate about podcast app monetization strategies after PocketCast introduces ads
• True value for podcasting apps may come from subscription models rather than advertising

If you want to support this podcast, you can do so by streaming sats, using the Buzzsprout fan mail link in our show notes, sending a super comment or boost, or becoming a power supporter at weekly.podnews.net.

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AI-generated content is rapidly flooding the podcast ecosystem, creating tension between innovation and quality standards across the audio landscape. Companies like Inception Point AI are generating thousands of low-quality episodes despite criticism, while YouTube introduces new features that could either revolutionize monetization or exacerbate content pollution problems.

• AI content companies defending their output as "art" despite widespread criticism from industry experts
• YouTube announcing dynamically inserted sponsorship messages and AI-enabled features like speech-to-song
• Greg Glenday, Acast CEO, revealing they've paid over $500 million to creators while maintaining a creator-first philosophy
• Acast expanding globally with strong growth in international markets like Singapore, Mexico, and throughout Asia
• ListenNotes removing over 29,000 podcast shows from its database since December as part of quality control efforts
• The need for transparency in AI-generated content versus human-created podcasts
• Apple Podcasts introducing new features in iOS 26 including enhanced dialogue and per-show playback speeds
• Pocket Casts launching expensive advertising options at $5,000 per week for carousel ads
• Various podcast apps adding support for Podcasting 2.0 features like creator-led recommendations and instant notifications

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We remember podcasting pioneer Todd Cochran who passed away suddenly this week, reflecting on his 19-year journey in the industry and the indelible mark he left on the medium. 

• Todd's journey began in 2004 with a $14.95 Walmart microphone, creating his first podcast in a hotel room in Waco, Texas
• An excerpt from our 2023 interview with Todd shares his podcasting origin story and philosophy
• Apple Podcasts appears to be preparing support for Podcasting 2.0 JSON chapters, potentially offering AI-generated chapters for podcasts
• Daniel J Lewis has launched Pod Chapters in beta, offering AI-generated chapter creation for podcasters
• Patreon is enhancing creator pages with customization options and domains, pointing to a trend of creator-owned portals
• YouTube broadcast its first exclusive NFL game to 17 million global viewers as sports content grows in importance
• Growing concerns about AI-generated podcast content as companies flood platforms with low-quality, automated shows
• New York Times is closing its dedicated audio app to integrate audio content into its main news app
• Discussion of protocol integration between ActivityPub, the AT protocol, and Nostr for better social web interconnection

If you're in London on Tuesday, September 16th, join James and Sam at the Yorkshire Grey in Langham Street between 5-7pm for drinks and conversation.

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Jakarta sets the stage for an exploration of Asia's unique podcast landscape, where innovative approaches to monetization and content distribution reflect the region's diverse markets and consumer behaviors.

• Ron Baetiong from Podcast Network Asia leverages Spotify's Open Access with local payment systems like GCash for their audio drama platform
• Japanese podcast consumption differs significantly from Western markets, with YouTube as the top platform for podcast listening
• BBC announces "Asia Specific," a new podcast examining global stories through an Asian lens

Plus...
• Blubrry announces first price increase in 20 years, raising questions about sustainable podcast hosting models
• Buzzsprout data shows Spotify usage dropping 3.1% year-on-year, while Apple Podcasts remains dominant at 37.1%
• PodHome launches their own podcast app after a year of development, focused on discovery and modern features
• Top reasons listeners abandon podcasts include content being boring and shows starting with too much meaningless chat.

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Alex Sanfilippo shares how PodMatch is revolutionizing podcast guest booking through an innovative platform that functions like a dating app for interviews. He explains the platform's unique business model and why he believes community building is the future of podcasting.

• PodMatch connects podcast hosts and guests while automating administrative functions
• The platform charges a small fee to ensure users are serious, creating a "law of buy-in"
• Through the Pod Value Initiative, PodMatch has given back nearly $900,000 to podcasters
• Each profile doubles as a professional media one-sheet with SEO benefits
• Audio content remains powerful because it doesn't intrude on people's busy lives
• Quality content is essential as the barrier to entry remains low
• The "Mom Test" helps podcasters get honest feedback from listeners
• Building community with listeners provides valuable insights for improvement
• Hosts should ask listeners how they found the show, what they like, how to improve, and what problems they need solved

To sign up for PodMatch or access free podcasting resources, visit podmatch.com/free.

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James and Sam examine Spotify's new direct messaging feature for sharing podcast recommendations and how it might impact content discovery.

• Spotify releases data showing Gen Z students increase podcast listening at breakfast time when returning to school
• Science, business, and technology podcasts see significant growth among younger listeners 
• Captivate announces Studio feature integrating remote recording capabilities directly into their hosting platform
• Apple partners with TuneIn to make Apple Music radio stations available across more platforms
• The Pod News Weekly Review wins an Earworthy Podcast Award in the podcast about podcasting category
• Alex Sanfilippo discusses PodMatch's mission to connect podcast hosts and guests while giving back financially to creators
• Google tightens security around Android app distribution, potentially limiting sideloading options
• John Spurlock teases development of a "futuristic" podcast app for Android with unique features

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This audio has been rescued from almost inaudible audio thanks to recording using the wrong microphone - this was just on a laptop microphone carried around a loud conference. Good job that Buzzsprout has a tool called Power Clean that fixed much of that for us.

We also speak with Oskar Serrander about Wondercraft's new tool, Wonda.

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