Kids Podcasts (kidspodcasts.com), the parent-built discovery site for children’s podcasts, has launched its iPhone app: a podcast player where the child’s listening library is locked to the shows and playlists a parent or guardian approves. No open search, no algorithmic recommendations, no chat - a child sees only what a grown-up approves, and nothing else. The app is available now on the App Store.

Mainstream podcast apps treat children as an afterthought: a search for “otters” or “volcanoes” returns adult shows alongside kids’ content. Other apps, although kid-oriented, allow children to access everything in the kid’s catalog. Kids Podcasts starts from the opposite premise - the parent curates first, the child listens second.

In the app, parents can:

• Approve once, or every time - when a podcast is added to the library, future episodes can be automatically approved, or first reviewed and approved before reaching the child’s library.
• Set listening rules - daily limits, quiet hours, and show-by-time-of-day schedules (energetic shows for the drive, calm ones at bedtime).
• Build playlists that keep up - pick the shows once and new episodes appear automatically.
• Hand over a locked kid mode - the child’s view holds only approved audio, behind a grown-up PIN.
• Listen beyond the app - send any playlist to a Yoto player in one tap, export an RSS feed for any podcast app, or download MP3s for offline car rides or other audio players.

“I built this first to find episodes about my son’s latest obsessions without digging through hundreds of search results. As other parents found it useful, it’s kept growing. The idea has stayed the same the whole way: parents should be able to control what podcasts they want their family to hear, when their children can listen, and how they listen.” - Kelly Morrill, founder, Kids Podcasts

The app is built to a strict privacy posture: it shows no ads, embeds no third-party analytics or tracking SDKs, and keeps children’s data to a minimum, with automatic data deletion. Behind the catalog is a human editorial process: every one of the 200+ shows has been vetted and hand-tagged by age and topic before being added.

The Kids Podcasts app is free to download on the App Store for iPhone. The full catalog and curated playlists - from road trips and bedtime to milestones like a new sibling or the first day of school - are also available on the web at kidspodcasts.com.

About Kids Podcasts

Kids Podcasts (kidspodcasts.com) is a parent-built directory, playlist builder, and iPhone app for children’s podcasts, operated by Morrill Creative LLC. Founded by Kelly Morrill, it curates 200+ hand-reviewed podcasts for ages 2–12+ and is the podcast tool built around parental controls and child safety. Every playlist exports to Yoto players, RSS, and MP3.

The Joe Rogan Experience, The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett, and The Rest Is Politics top the list, maintaining the same rank positions held in Q1 2026.

The top 25 podcasts in the UK

Podcasts Detail

• 1 (1) The Joe Rogan Experience
• 2 (2) The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett
• 3 (3) The Rest is Politics
• 4 (4) The Rest is History
• 5 (6) The Rest is Football
• 6 (8) The News Agents
• 7 (18) Uncanny
• 8 (5) Newscast
• 9 (7) That Peter Crouch Podcast
• 10 (21) The Rest is Entertainment
• 11 (-) ShxtsNGigs
• 12 (15) Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster
• 13 (10) Crime Junkie
• 14 (13) Parenting Hell with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe
• 15 (19) Shagged Married Annoyed
• 16 (17) The Daily
• 17 (12) Call Her Daddy
• 18 (14) Saving Grace
• 19 (-) Dish
• 20 (11) The Overlap
• 21 (25) The Mel Robbins Podcast
• 22 (16) Stick to Football
• 23 (-) No Such Thing As A Fish
• 24 (-) The Louis Theroux Podcast
• 25 (-) The Martin Lewis Podcast

Notable Moves

• The Rest Is Football reaches its highest position on record. The podcast moves up one rank to number five following its global launch on Netflix in June, coinciding with the FIFA Club World Cup.
• The News Agents continues its upward momentum. The show climbs two positions to number six after covering the highly discussed UK midterm elections in May.
• The Louis Theroux Podcast posts the largest gain in the Top 25. The show rises 41 positions from number 65 in Q1 to number 24 in Q2 after returning for its eighth season. New episodes featured guests including actor Florence Pugh.

In the Top 25 Podcasts for the First Time

• Dish breaks into the UK Top 25 for the first time, debuting at number 19. Hosted by British chef Angela Hartnett and broadcaster Nick Grimshaw, the podcast is known for its celebrity dinner party conversations and interviews.
• The Martin Lewis Podcast joins the list at number 25. The Martin Lewis Podcast, which also airs as a television programme, focuses on personal finance advice and savings strategies. Martin Lewis received the BAFTA Television Special Award in May for his impact on British public life.

About Edison Podcast Metrics

Edison Podcast Metrics™ is unique in that it is not dependent on podcast download data and does not require podcast networks to opt into its service. At least 2,000 weekly podcast consumers in the UK are surveyed each quarter, and listening behavior is collected regardless of listening platform. The same methodology is being employed in the UK as is used in the U.S.

For more information about becoming a subscriber, contact us at info@ssrs.com.

As corporate America navigates mounting political pressure around DEI initiatives and performative diversity efforts fade, a new media platform is proving that diverse talent is demanding tactical, unvarnished business mentorship over platitudes. The Q Suite, an executive video podcast and virtual mentoring network dedicated to early- to mid-career LGBTQ+ professionals, today announced that it has surpassed 130,000 total cross-platform video views in its first 60 days of operation.

Premiering on June 29, 2026, the series has rapidly scaled an engaged audience across platforms, capturing over 53,000 views and 1,500+ watch hours on YouTube alongside 77,000 views on TikTok. The platform's early momentum highlights an urgent demand among rising diverse talent, Chief Diversity Officers, HR strategists, and executive recruiters for practical blueprints on executive advancement and sustainable talent retention.

Founded on the principle of "a business podcast for gay people, not a gay podcast for business people," The Q Suite democratizes access to closed-door C-suite mentorship. Co-hosted by 30-year marketing and technology executive Ken Kundis and commercial life sciences leader James Gunselman, the show delivers candid, peer-level insights into P&L execution, corporate governance, stakeholder politics, and navigating workplace authenticity.

Key 60-Day Milestones

• 130,000+ Cross-Platform Views: Scaled an integrated distribution model blending long-form masterclasses with short-form tactical clips.
• Deep Long-Form Retention: Generated more than 1,500 watch hours and 53,000+ views on YouTube, maintaining an average view duration exceeding 8 to 10 minutes on full-length corporate interviews.
• Viral Short-Form Acquisition: Attracted 77,000 views, 2,600+ likes, and 111 shares on TikTok, sparking high-engagement debates around unwritten corporate rules, executive presence, and career agility.

Premier Executive Guest Roster:

Released five foundational masterclasses featuring trailblazing out leaders across technology, retail, global hospitality, and corporate law:

• Anne Levine, Chief Data Officer, US Government (The Data of Reinvention)
• Paul De Sousa, Former Vice President, Ulta Beauty (Authenticity in Beauty)
• Reginald Charlot, Managing Director, NYC Tourism + Conventions (The Heart of New York Hospitality)
• Doug Figueredo, Senior Managing Director, Marketing, Webster Bank (Every Office Is a Stage)
• Nancy Del Pizzo, Partner & IP Litigation Co-Chair, Rivkin Radler LLP (Identity as Intellectual Property)

"Early- and mid-career LGBTQ+ professionals frequently climb corporate ladders without access to senior sponsors who can candidly teach them how to navigate boardroom politics, manage balance sheets, or overcome covering taxes," said Ken Kundis, co-host of The Q Suite. "Our rapid growth confirms that rising talent and forward-thinking enterprise leaders are tired of superficial checkbox initiatives. They want actionable, high-altitude career intelligence."

"Mentorship cannot remain theoretical or confined to annual panel discussions," added James Gunselman, co-host. "Achieving 1,500+ watch hours in our first eight weeks validates that professionals are actively investing their time in long-form business education. We are building a scalable talent advisory ecosystem where the next generation of executives can acquire the strategic tools required to lead Fortune 500 enterprises."

Full video episodes of The Q Suite air bi-weekly on YouTube, with audio masterclasses available across Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Season 2 of the full-cast audio comedy-drama podcast On The Tinsel Front debuts on September 5, 2026, the Saturday of Labor Day weekend. The new season consists of seven episodes. The first two will be available that Saturday. The five ensuing episodes will be released one at a time every three days thereafter.

It is 1942. Washed out of flight school and inexplicably assigned to the U.S. Army Air Forces ‘First Motion Picture Unit,’ Private Oliver Whelan tumbles down the rabbit hole of wartime Hollywood! ON THE TINSEL FRONT is a hilarious, fascinating and touching full cast audio comedy/drama inspired by the real-life people and places of the U.S. Army's film production effort in Tinseltown during World War II.

The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, all major platforms and the podcast website: https://onthetinselfront.com/. Also on the website is a blog with posts about the real-life places and personalities behind the story.

ON THE TINSEL FRONT is written, produced and directed by Christopher Bomba, who worked for 47 years in the movie business, primarily in feature film story development. It stars Brian Stanton as Pvt. Oliver Whelan. He is supported by a cast of over twenty accomplished actors from Los Angeles and other parts of the USA.

“Truly captivating from start to finish. The storytelling, writing and characters bring the time period vividly to life.” M_PB89, Apple Podcasts

The 2026 series delivered no shortage of memorable moments, highlighted by Negreanu capturing the eighth WSOP gold bracelet of his legendary career. Negreanu won the $100,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller on July 2, earning $2,257,718 and adding another milestone to a career that has made him one of the most recognizable and accomplished players in poker history.

Throughout the summer, Negreanu’s daily vlog gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at the grind of the WSOP, from tournament strategy and results to life away from the tables. The combination of consistent daily content, a highly engaged audience and Negreanu’s unmistakable personality has made the series one of the poker world’s premier annual digital media properties.

For the second consecutive year, AMP worked closely with Negreanu and his team to build a select roster of advertising partners aligned with his audience and lifestyle. ZBiotics and Huel once again served as anchor sponsors of the series, continuing relationships established during the first year of the AMP partnership.

“Daniel winning his eighth bracelet made an already successful summer that much more special,” said Marques Pfaff, Partner at Amplitude Media Partners. “What makes this partnership work so well is that Daniel cares deeply about the products he puts in front of his audience. He’s incredibly selective, and when he believes in a brand, that comes across in a way you simply can’t manufacture. ZBiotics and Huel understood that from the beginning, and having both brands return for another year says a lot about the value of these partnerships.”

Negreanu’s victory came in one of the highest-stakes events on the WSOP schedule. He topped an elite field in the $100,000 Pot-Limit Omaha High Roller to secure bracelet No. 8, further cementing his place among poker’s all-time greats.

The milestone provided advertisers with a unique opportunity to be part of a defining moment in Negreanu’s career as it unfolded across his daily content. Rather than traditional standalone sponsorships, AMP has focused on building longer-term partnerships that allow brands to become an organic part of the vlog experience.

That approach was established during AMP and Negreanu’s inaugural collaboration in 2025 and continued throughout the 2026 WSOP.

“Daniel’s vlog occupies a pretty unique place in the creator landscape,” Pfaff added. “For several weeks every summer, viewers are following his journey virtually every day. There’s an intimacy and continuity to that relationship that creates tremendous opportunities for the right advertisers. After two successful years together, we couldn’t be more excited about where this partnership can go next.”

Negreanu is a member of the Poker Hall of Fame and one of the most successful tournament players in the history of the game. His annual WSOP vlog draws millions of views while offering poker fans an inside look at the highs, lows and day-to-day realities of competing at poker’s biggest annual event.

After nearly ten years as co-host of the award-winning comedy podcast And That’s Why We Drink, Christine Schiefer will step away from the microphone in October while continuing to play an integral role behind the scenes at ParaPods, the creator-first podcast network she co-founded with Em Schulz.

Since launching in February 2017, And That’s Why We Drink has become one of the most successful independent comedy podcasts in the world. Blending paranormal stories and true crime, the podcast has amassed more than 250 million lifetime downloads, inspired sold-out live tours across North America, earned numerous industry honors, and produced two bestselling books.

What began as two friends recording a podcast has grown into a thriving creative business. Together, Schulz and Schiefer built ParaPods, a podcast network dedicated to amplifying independent creators and helping creator-owned shows build sustainable businesses while maintaining their unique voices.

As Schiefer transitions away from her weekly hosting duties on And That’s Why We Drink, she will continue working closely with the ParaPods team to expand the network and support its growing roster of podcasts. She will also continue hosting her other podcast, Beach Too Sandy with her brother Xandy Schiefer.  

"This podcast has been one of the great loves of my life and has opened up entire worlds to me. I feel humbled and honored to have helped usher it into the world, and to have been with it for so long. I'm deeply proud of what Em and I built together, and I couldn't be more grateful for every single listener who made it possible.

...I can't wait to continue working within ParaPods to make it an inclusive, welcoming, and innovative place for podcasters to do what they do best...make podcasts!" said Schiefer. Read Christine's full statement here.

"When we started this podcast, we had no idea what it would become. What began as two friends talking into microphones grew into something so much bigger than either of us ever imagined: an incredible team, our own podcast network, and this amazing community of listeners. ...I still love doing this show and truly feel like there's so much more to come from And That's Why We Drink, ParaPods, and beyond."  said Schulz Read Em's full statement here.

Schulz will continue as host of And That’s Why We Drink, with a rotating lineup of special guest hosts joining them as the show enters its next chapter. The evolution of the podcast will honor the community, creative spirit, and nearly a decade of storytelling that Schulz and Schiefer have built together. The show and the ParaPods network will continue to be part of Daylight Media.

About And That’s Why We Drink

Hosted by New York Times bestselling authors Em Schulz and Christine Schiefer, And That’s Why We Drink is an award-winning comedy podcast where the paranormal and true crime meet. Launched in February 2017, each episode takes listeners on a deep dive into the paranormal and true crime stories the hosts are obsessing over that week. With more than 250 million lifetime downloads, the podcast consistently ranks among the top comedy podcasts and has built a devoted global audience.

And That’s Why We Drink has been recognized with numerous industry honors, including People’s Voice Webby Awards for Best Comedy Podcast in 2019, 2021 and 2022; Webby Awards Podcast Comedy Honoree in 2024; People’s Choice Podcast Awards for Comedy in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and True Crime in 2023 and 2024; and multiple Signal Awards, including Gold and Listener’s Choice honors for Commute Podcast and True Crime, as well as recognition for Best Co-Host Team in 2024 and 2025. The podcast has also received multiple W3 Awards, including Gold for Best Co-Hosts in 2024 and 2025, and Davey Awards, including Gold for Best Co-Hosts in 2024 and Silver honors in 2023 and 2025.

In May 2022, Schulz and Schiefer released their first book together, A Haunted Road Atlas, which debuted on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Their follow-up, A Haunted Road Atlas: Next Stop, debuted on the USA Today Best Sellers list.

In 2025, Schulz and Schiefer expanded their work beyond And That’s Why We Drink with the launch of ParaPods Network, a creator-first podcast network built to support independent podcasters while preserving the creative ownership and unique voices that make their shows successful. Through ParaPods, Schulz and Schiefer work alongside a growing roster of independent comedy, paranormal, true crime and other podcasts, providing creators with the resources, infrastructure and support needed to build sustainable businesses and reach new audiences. 

Together, And That’s Why We Drink and ParaPods represent the evolution of Schulz and Schiefer from podcast hosts into entrepreneurs and advocates for independent creators, building a business rooted in their belief that creators should have the support and resources to grow without sacrificing the authenticity that connects them with their audiences.

Airwave, the leading podcast network for the "constantly curious" listener, today announced the appointment of John Garbo as Vice President of Podcast Sales.

John Garbo began selling podcast advertising in 2012, well before the medium became a cornerstone of modern marketing. Over the past decade-plus, he has built an exceptional track record at some of the industry’s most influential publishers, including PodcastOne, Stitcher, and SiriusXM, earning a reputation as one of the most respected, knowledgeable, and trusted sellers in the space.

A proud Ohio State alumnus and devoted father, John will draw on his deep expertise, enduring relationships, and pioneering spirit to lead Airwave’s efforts across the West Coast and beyond. He will be a major contributor to the company’s continued expansion and future success. Few people in this industry are known by a single name, and Garbo tops that list.

Airwave’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Brand Partnerships, Charles Dannison, said, “John was at the very top of our list of seasoned industry leaders we wanted on our team. He is a true sales partner whose experience spans every kind of advertising relationship. From performance and brand partnerships to programmatic, Garbo brings the leadership, credibility, and deep industry knowledge that set him apart. We’re incredibly excited to have John Garbo championing Airwave as we enter this next phase of growth together!"

“I’ve always believed the best advertising adds to the audience experience and leaves listeners genuinely interested in learning more about the partner,” said Garbo. “I’m thrilled to join Airwave and help ensure that advertisers, agencies, and the broader podcast community understand what this company represents and the tremendous value it delivers, for creators and advertisers alike."

Airwave is rapidly expanding its network’s direct-sold and programmatic efforts in anticipation of taking ad sales fully in-house ahead of 2027.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo today announced the launch of Mission Rodeo, the organization's first-ever podcast and a new way to connect with the volunteers, exhibitors, supporters and community members who bring its mission to life. The series first debuts with a teaser, followed by its first full episode on Aug. 26, available on YouTube and everywhere listeners find their favorite podcasts.

Hosted by Danielle Grossman, the Rodeo’s director of strategic communications, Mission Rodeo is where the conversations are real, and the stories are anything but ordinary. The leaders behind the Rodeo's biggest decisions, including the chairman of the board and the president and CEO will answer your questions. Each episode pulls back the curtain on everything that makes the Rodeo more than a three-week event, spanning the organization's four pillars of agriculture, education, entertainment and Western heritage.

"Finally, we have a podcast. It only took 94 years," Grossman says in the series' trailer, a nod to the nearly century-old organization telling its story in an entirely new way as it approaches its 2032 centennial.

The series launches at a pivotal moment. Early episodes center on the Rodeo's new one million-square-foot agricultural complex along Highway 288, from the vision behind the project and what it means for year-round programming, to how the organization's 36,000 volunteers will help shape its future. Listeners will go behind the scenes of the facility’s groundbreaking, construction milestones and the long-term strategy connecting the property to the Rodeo's mission of supporting Texas youth, agriculture and education.

"This new complex is much more than a replacement for an aging facility. It represents an opportunity to expand our reach, serve more students and families, and create a year-round destination dedicated to agriculture and education," Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Chairman of the Board Wesley Sinor said in the series. The podcast is designed as a storytelling and education tool, creating a more personal and accessible way to connect audiences with the Rodeo’s legacy, impact and vision for the future ahead of its centennial.

From there, Mission Rodeo takes listeners beyond the arena and into the stories, traditions and people at the heart of the organization, including the calf scramble, the Rodeo Uncorked!® International Wine Competition, the Rodeo's educational impact, special days, RODEOHOUSTON® athletes, artists and more. Along the way, surprise "wild card" episodes bring unexpected special guests, all in a relaxed, conversational style that feels like those late-night chats with your friends at the Rodeo.

The debut episode features Chairman of the Board Wesley Sinor and President and CEO Chris Boleman discussing the vision for the future and why now is the right moment to bring the Rodeo's story directly to its community. New episodes will be released each Wednesday through the 2027 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Key findings from the review include:

• A shared data standard is the industry’s clearest ask. Respondents want a common taxonomy for campaign data across marketing mix modelling, attribution, and experimentation, for example IAB US’s Campaign Data Standards 1.0, released in August 2026, as existing global work Australia could adapt rather than recreate.
• Confidence lags the complexity of modern advertising. Organisations are reasonably confident assessing individual channels, but far less confident in how advertising collectively drives business outcomes. There is strong industry consensus that the solution relies on integrating complementary measurement methods however combining them is complex. Separate IAB US research cited in the review concurred finding only 39% of US buy-side decision makers use marketing mix modelling, attribution and incrementality together.
• Clean rooms are everyone’s answer, and almost nobody’s reality. Data clean rooms are the most frequently nominated answer to privacy-safe data collaboration for measurement yet remain among the least realised in practice. 
• AI will accelerate measurement but won’t fix it. It can automate data preparation, modelling, and reporting, but cannot compensate for poor-quality data, and raises new questions about what evidence machines can rely on as buying becomes more agentic. 
• Cross-media audience measurement for media planning remains the biggest unresolved gap. Australia’s channel-specific currencies operate largely in silos, and the industry is calling for greater harmonisation of metrics and definitions and integration of these datasets. The OzTam and Ipsos iris data integration is seen as the model for future combining of datasets. 
• The review found wide agreement that economically sustainable, industry-endorsed digital audience data for media planning remains important. Media owners and agencies continue to rely on this independent, standardised, comparable, transparent, and audited data to compare and evaluate digital media ad environments and allocate investment.

Natalie Stanbury, Director of Research at IAB Australia, said: “This review confirms what much of the industry has felt for some time: while there is confidence in individual channels, there is less confidence in how they work together to demonstrate business outcomes. The consistent message from respondents is that the industry doesn’t need another standalone measurement method. It needs to build on strong foundations, starting with a common standard for structured campaign data that every measurement method can rely on.”

Suzie Cardwell, Chair, IAB Australia and Chief Data, Product and Technology Officer – Enterprise at Nine said: “Good measurement starts with good data. If campaign data isn’t clean, consistent, and comparable across channels, no amount of modelling sophistication will make up for it. This review gives the industry a practical starting point. Agree the taxonomy, agree the standards, and build from there.”

The findings have led to a set of 8 priority areas and various suggested initiatives that will be put forward for further validation and consideration by IAB Australia’s Measurement, Ad Effectiveness, Data, Retail & Commerce Media Councils, to inform the organisation’s 2027 measurement strategy. 

About the review

The review draws on qualitative interviews with senior marketing, strategy, measurement, data and insights stakeholders across 34 companies, together with measurement-relevant findings from IAB Australia’s State of the Nation surveys of the advertising buy-side over the past year, and a range of Australian and global secondary sources.

Three of the UK's most experienced media operators have launched Everywhere, a media company built for a market in which audiences increasingly follow creators rather than platforms.

Founded by Andy Goldsmith, Mike Wooller and Craig Eastwood, Everywhere gives creators a single commercial partner across their whole audience, and gives advertisers a simpler way to reach them.

The three founders bring experience from across the UK media and creator landscape. Andy was previously CEO of Adelicious, building it into one of the UK's leading independent podcast networks before its acquisition by Audioboom in 2024, where he went on to serve as UK President. Craig worked alongside Andy at Adelicious and Audioboom, most recently leading Audioboom's international expansion. Earlier in his career at RadioWorks, he oversaw planning and buying across radio, digital audio, and podcasts for independent agencies. Mike has led content development across the BBC, Acast and Global, and most recently at DMG, where he was Head of Strategy and Platforms, Podcasts.

Andrew Goldsmith, co-founder of Everywhere, said: “Brands have always wanted to be where their audiences are and, increasingly, those audiences are choosing to spend their time with creators. The opportunity now is to make creator-led media much easier to buy, based around their content and the community they have built.

“That’s what we’re building at Everywhere. We will give brands access to trusted, influential voices across multiple platforms, alongside the commercial rigour, creativity, and accountability that media buyers need. This creates a genuinely powerful new proposition for advertisers.”

The launch comes as the creator economy continues to grow rapidly, with Goldman Sachs Research forecasting that it could approach $480 billion globally by 2027. Yet while creators are building audiences that move with them between formats and platforms, the commercial infrastructure around them has not kept pace.

A single creator might reach the same community through a podcast, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and live events, but those opportunities still sit across separate audio, video, social and influencer budgets, often handled by different teams or agencies.

Everywhere’s approach instead begins with the audience, not the channel. The company acts as the exclusive commercial partner for creators and content publishers across every channel, bringing their commercial offering together for the first time. This gives brands a unified way to work with each creator across their entire audience. For advertisers and agencies, it also means a single point of access to trusted creator audiences across every channel.

Craig Eastwood, co-founder of Everywhere, said: “We are building the commercial and operational infrastructure to work everywhere a creator’s audience lives, designed for the increasingly borderless nature of both creator audiences and advertising. That means being able to support our creators as they grow, move into new formats and build audiences beyond their home market, without having to piece together different commercial partners along the way.

“The clue is in the name. Great creators build audiences everywhere, across platforms, formats and, increasingly, borders. We want Everywhere to be able to grow with them, wherever their content and audiences take them.” 

Everywhere will work with a curated collective of trusted creators and content publishers. Rather than treating every channel independently, they take a fully-360, but also bespoke approach for every partnership and campaign. 

Mike Wooller, co-founder of Everywhere, said: “Having worked with creators for years, we saw a real gap for one trusted commercial partner that could help them make more from the audiences they’ve built, wherever those audiences are, without destroying the trust that makes those audiences valuable to advertisers in the first place. If we can get that right, we’ll enable creators to put more back into making the content their fans love.

“We want to build the most trusted creator media company in the world. One that creators trust to find the right commercial opportunities, advertisers can trust to put their brands in the right environments, and audiences trust to make the commercial side feel relevant, useful or, at the very least, entertaining.”

Everywhere launches with a curated roster of creators already secured, with names to be announced in the coming weeks. For enquiries, please contact info@everywherecreators.com

Beginning August 24 2026, YouTube made a change to view metrics.

• “A view is now defined as counting from the very first frame — whether that’s a Short appearing in the feed or a long-form video autoplaying on the Home page.” “Views” is the metric now displayed publicly next to videos on YouTube.
• “An engaged view is defined as watching past that initial first frame or clicking to watch.” “Engaged Views” are no longer displayed publicly but are available through the YouTube Analytics and Reporting APIs.

Podtrac collects view activity for hundreds of video podcasts and channels through its access to the YouTube Analytics and Reporting APIs.

Here’s a summary of Podtrac’s findings about “Views” vs "Engaged Views” for video podcasts on YouTube:

YouTube Podcasts Videos
Video podcast episodes on a YouTube podcast playlist
Engaged Views: 64% of Views

Other YouTube Podcast Channel Videos
Podcast-related videos on the podcast’s YouTube Channel
Engaged Views: 58% of Views

Sample Analyzed:
84.2 million views of videos posted to YouTube Podcast Channels, August 27-28, 2026.

The lower differences in Engaged Views vs Views for video podcasts on YouTube (-36%) than for other videos on a channel (-42%) is consistent with higher intentional viewing and engagement with podcasts on YouTube vs other types of videos posted there.

Podtrac rankings will use the new "Engaged Views” metric for YouTube podcasts.

The new workflow allows Blubrry hosting customers to upload one MP4 video episode and make it available in video and audio formats through a single RSS feed. Blubrry automatically creates an HLS video version for Apple Podcasts, retains the original video file and generates an MP3 audio version for podcast apps that do not support HLS video.

For creators, this means one upload, one episode and one feed to manage. For audiences using Apple Podcasts, it provides the flexibility to watch or listen and switch between audio and video with a tap.

“Video podcasting should give creators more ways to share their work without requiring a separate publishing process,” said Barry Kantz, CEO at Blubrry Podcasting. “Blubrry Publisher customers can upload one video episode, continue managing one podcast feed and give their audience the choice to watch or listen.”

A More Flexible Experience on Apple Podcasts

Video on Apple Podcasts uses HTTP Live Streaming video. HLS video divides an episode into smaller segments and prepares it at multiple quality levels.

As someone watches, Apple Podcasts can adjust the video quality based on the strength of their Wi-Fi or cellular connection. This adaptive delivery can help video begin playing faster and continue with fewer buffering interruptions as connection conditions change.

Because video and audio are connected to the same episode, audiences can switch between audio and video with a tap without searching for another version of the show.

One Upload, Three Available Formats

When a Blubrry Publisher customer uploads an MP4 video episode, Blubrry automatically prepares:

• An HLS video version for Apple Podcasts
• The original uploaded video file
• An MP3 audio version for audio-focused podcast apps

All three formats are included within the same RSS feed.

Apple Podcasts uses the HLS video version. Other podcast apps can use the HLS video, original video file or MP3 audio enclosure based on the formats they support. This removes the need to upload separate audio and video episodes or maintain parallel feeds for the same show.

Available Through Blubrry Publisher

After connecting Apple Podcasts Connect to Blubrry, customers can publish video episodes through their existing Blubrry Publisher workflow.

Blubrry automatically prepares the uploaded video as a 1080p Full HD HLS video version and creates an MP3 audio version. Some processing time is required before the episode becomes available to watch on Apple Podcasts. The feature is currently available to Blubrry hosting customers using Blubrry Publisher. It is not available for shows published through the PowerPress podcasting plugin at this time.

PowerPress customers can continue using their current WordPress publishing workflow without making any changes.

To get started, customers must generate an API key through Apple Podcasts Connect and upload the key file within their Blubrry dashboard. Customers can learn more at HLS at Blubrry or follow the setup instructions in Blubrry’s documentation.

PodGround has opened applications for its third and final Creator Micro-Grant of 2026, continuing its mission to help independent podcasters create sustainably through funding, education, and community.

This grant cycle introduces a new industry partner, VOLT Productions, which will sponsor one of the two $500 Creator Micro-Grants. Returning partner RSS.com will once again provide one year of free podcast hosting for each winner, helping recipients invest in both the creative and technical sides of podcasting. VOLT Productions is a full-service podcast production agency that helps entrepreneurs and creators launch, grow, and monetize podcasts through strategy, production, and education, with a focus on care, connection, and authentic storytelling.

Applications are open September 1st through 12th at PodGround.io/grant.

Starting a podcast is easier than ever. Sticking with it is another story.

Every week, independent creators spend hours recording, editing, publishing, promoting, and growing their shows, often while balancing full-time jobs, family responsibilities, and everything else life brings. The PodGround Creator Micro-Grant was created to help creators keep going by combining financial support with community, education, and industry recognition.

"Every grant cycle reminds us that incredible podcasts are being built quietly, often by creators juggling work, family, and countless other responsibilities," said Remi Roy Osi, founder of PodGround. "The grant provides financial support, but just as importantly, it tells creators: we see what you're building, and we believe it matters. That's the kind of community we're creating."

About the Creator Micro-Grant

Two independent podcasters will each receive a $500 Creator Micro-Grant to invest in podcast production, equipment, software, marketing, creative development, audience growth, or other podcast-related expenses.

Thanks to RSS.com, each winner will also receive one year of complimentary podcast hosting, reducing production costs while providing reliable infrastructure as they continue growing their shows.

New this cycle, one grant is open to all eligible applicants, while the second is dedicated to an active PodGround Pro member as an added benefit of membership.

Applicants will be evaluated based on:

• The impact of their podcast
• Clarity of their vision
• How the grant will help move their show forward

Supported by Industry Partners

The PodGround Creator Micro-Grant is made possible through partnerships with organizations that believe independent creators deserve meaningful support.

This cycle, VOLT Productions, joins the program as the official sponsor of one of the two Creator Micro-Grants. Since launching in 2021, the agency has helped launch dozens of podcasts while supporting entrepreneurs in turning their expertise into influential, purpose-driven shows.

"At VOLT Productions, we believe every creator with a meaningful message deserves the opportunity to be heard. We're proud to partner with PodGround to support independent podcasters who are building communities, creating impact, and showing up consistently for their audiences."

— Simona Costantini, Founder & CEO, VOLT Productions

Returning partner RSS.com continues its support by providing one year of complimentary podcast hosting to each grant recipient, helping creators reduce costs while building sustainable shows.

Judging Panel

This cycle's judging panel includes respected voices from across the podcast industry:

• Simona Costantini — Founder & CEO, VOLT Productions
• Gab Burke — Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• Marc Ronik — Empowered Podcasting Conference
• Leah Bryant — Podcasting Problem Solver Podcast

Additional judges and industry experts may be announced throughout the application period.

Building on Two Successful Grant Cycles

Since launching in early 2026, the PodGround Creator Micro-Grant has supported independent podcasters whose work spans health, entrepreneurship, financial education, personal growth, and community impact.

Previous recipients include:

Cody Hufstedler, host of Dying To Tell You, a podcast sharing deeply human conversations with people facing serious illness and life-changing diagnoses.

Denise Hamilton-Mace, host of The Mindful Drinking & Moderation in Midlife Podcast, helping listeners build a healthier relationship with alcohol through thoughtful, judgment-free conversations.

Keri Henderson, host of The Kickback with Keri, amplifying Black-owned businesses and purpose-driven founders while sharing practical lessons for entrepreneurs.

Adriana Galvan, host of Adriana Talks Dinero, a bilingual financial literacy podcast helping English- and Spanish-speaking audiences build confidence around money, investing, debt, and wealth-building.

Together, these creators represent the kinds of podcasts PodGround is committed to supporting: independent voices creating meaningful content, serving their communities, and helping listeners learn, connect, and grow.

Beyond funding, recipients become part of a growing community of creators who continue supporting one another through collaboration, accountability, live strategy sessions, feedback, and shared learning.

More Than a Grant

The Creator Micro-Grant is part of PodGround's broader mission to help independent podcasters create sustainably.

While podcasting continues to grow, many creators still struggle with isolation, consistency, audience growth, and the day-to-day demands of producing a show. PodGround was built to address those challenges by creating a dedicated space where podcasters can connect with peers, learn practical skills, share feedback, and build momentum together.

The platform combines workflow tools. community networking, educational resources, live events, and accountability opportunities designed specifically for independent creators.

Features include:

• Community hub for networking, collaboration, and guest connections
• Resource library with video lessons and action guides
• Live workshops, strategy sessions, and meetups
• Virtual co-working sessions for accountability and support
• Podcast-connected profiles that make it easy to discover and engage with fellow creators
• Workflow tools coming soon.

Since launching, the Creator Micro-Grant has grown into more than a funding initiative. It has become a community-driven program that combines financial support, industry mentorship, live coaching, and peer connection to help independent podcasters keep creating.

What PodGround Members Are Saying

"I wanted to thank you for the amazing community you're creating. I subscribed to several podcasting groups and communities, and PodGround is the only one I consistently show up for because it feels like I've found my tribe."

— Cecile L., host of Living the Dream: Women Reinventing Their Careers Abroad

"The guidance I received on SEO and podcast visibility was incredibly helpful. What I value most about PodGround is knowing I'm not doing this completely on my own anymore."

— Hilary H., host of Sorry, It's Discontinued

About PodGround

PodGround is a community-powered platform designed to help independent podcasters connect, learn, and grow together.

Founded by podcaster and community builder Remi Roy Osi, PodGround helps creators reduce isolation, build momentum, and sustain their shows through collaboration, accountability, education, and community support.

From networking opportunities and educational resources to live events and direct funding opportunities, PodGround is building a future where independent podcasters don't have to grow alone.

The mission is simple: help more podcasters keep going.

Applications for the third PodGround Creator Micro-Grant are now open.

Learn more and apply at PodGround.io/grant.

For one weekend this fall, Woods Hole will be the live-and-in-person center of the radio universe.

The Transom Story Lab is celebrating its 25th anniversary with Transom 25(https://transom.org/transom25/), a one-time festival taking place September 17–19 in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. This gathering of kindred spirits will bring together many of the most thoughtful and influential voices in radio and podcasting — and anyone curious about how great audio stories are made — for three days devoted to the art of storytelling with sound.

The festival's headliner event, on Friday, September 18, will feature a live conversation between Ira Glass, creator and host of This American Life, and Peabody Award-winning journalist Martine Powers, executive producer of the BBC's daily news podcast The Global Story. Additional featured talks include Nichole Hill, host of Our Ancestors Were Messy, and Al Letson, host of Reveal — plus a Thursday-night live science storytelling event, performances, listening sessions, and masterclass workshops with top producers. The spirit of the festival reflects Transom itself: an open, welcoming space where people at all stages of their storytelling journey can learn from and enjoy one another.

Founded in 2001 by veteran producer Jay Allison, Transom has played an outsized role in shaping the field of narrative audio. Through its workshops, editorial guidance, and creative collaborations, the organization has helped generations of independent producers and journalists learn the craft — many of whom have gone on to create some of the most beloved programs in public radio and podcasting. 

From the beginning, Transom has championed a model of storytelling that is independent, deeply reported, and made in service of the public interest.

"Woods Hole is one of the centers of the radio universe and has been so for a long time," said Sophie Crane, Executive Director of the Transom Story Lab. "For 25 years, Transom has been a place where people come to learn how great audio is made — how to listen closely, how to tell a story, how to make something that matters. Transom 25 is about opening that door even wider and inviting people into the community that has grown up around this work."

As the landscape of journalism, public radio, and podcasting continues to evolve, Transom 25 will invite participants to imagine what the next 25 years of narrative audio might look like — and how the community of storytellers can continue to support one another and the audiences they serve.

The festival lineup features dozens of leading audio makers, including Joe Richman (Radio Diaries), The Kitchen Sisters, Erica Heilman (Rumble Strip), Sean Cole, Daniel Alarcón and Camila Segura (Radio Ambulante), Chenjerai Kumanyika, Annie McEwen (Radiolab), Yohance Lacour, Lauren Ober, Bianca Giaever, Ari Daniel, and Sound School's Rob Rosenthal. More information can be found at transom.org.

All-access festival passes have officially sold out, but a limited number of single-event tickets remain for individual talks and performances — an opportunity especially for the local community to take part.

Podcasting is unique because it allows creators to share their voice with audiences around the world. And the more directories a show is listed in, the larger that audience can grow.

But getting listed across directories can be complicated. New podcasters may not know where to start, while experienced creators can put off submitting their show when every directory has its own process.

Buzzsprout found that over 70% of its active podcasters were not listed in at least one directory where they could have been.

To help podcasters reach their largest audience, Buzzsprout redesigned its directories page so podcasters can submit their show to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and 14 other audio directories without leaving Buzzsprout.

In the two weeks since launch, more than 5,200 Buzzsprout podcasts have added at least one directory where they weren’t listed before.

Getting your podcast out into the world should be the easiest part of podcasting. Buzzsprout's redesigned distribution page helps podcasters spend less time managing their shows and more time creating.

The partnership marks another milestone in Triton's vision of making broadcast radio as addressable, measurable and transactable as digital audio, and moves the industry a step closer to buying and selling with the same ease as streaming and podcasts.

This partnership links RCS' playout capabilities, which already power broadcast operations at radio groups globally, directly to Triton's programmatic platform; broadcasters can make their OTA inventory available through the same workflows advertisers already use to buy streaming audio and podcast inventory. This will enable RCS broadcasters to access digital advertising budgets previously unavailable to them.

Because the integration runs on broadcasters' existing RCS infrastructure, stations can begin transacting programmatically without a system overhaul.

“Radio has always earned trust at a scale digital aspires to replicate. This partnership future-proofs that advantage, giving broadcasters a modern way to compete for the advertising dollars that have been flowing to digital media,” said John Rosso, President and CEO, Triton Digital. “Triton is laying the groundwork for a future where every dollar of audio advertising, no matter the channel, moves through the same intelligent infrastructure.”

“RCS powers broadcast media around the world. This partnership opens a significant new opportunity, giving stations a direct path to the programmatic advertising market on the playout software they already trust and rely on,” said Susan Larkin, CEO and President, RCS. “Simply, immediately, new revenue without new complexity. That is exactly what broadcasters deserve."

The Triton–RCS collaboration is rolling out to broadcast radio partners now. Triton will be available on-site at the 2026 International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam for live demos. To learn more about how this partnership is bringing programmatic capabilities to broadcast radio, visit www.tritondigital.com and www.rcsworks.com.

The Australian internet advertising market grew 14.0% year on year to reach $19.8 billion for the 2026 financial year, according to the IAB Australia Internet Advertising Revenue Report (IARR) released today. The result is a faster rate of growth than the market's six-year average of 13.7% and its strongest financial-year growth since FY22.

Search remained the largest category at 43% of spend, reaching $8.6 billion and a new financial-year record, up 13.2% year on year. Video advertising continued to be the market's growth engine, increasing 18.8% year on year to $5.9 billion and now representing 30% of total spend, approaching one-third of the market for the first time. Social video was the standout video format, up 29.5% year on year to $2.4 billion and now accounting for 41% of all video spend, up from 38% a year ago.

Within video, content media owners' inventory continued its shift toward premium, trusted environments. Connected TV represented 60% of publisher video expenditure in FY26, up from 51% in FY25, as desktop's share fell to 25% (from 37%) and mobile rose slightly to 15% (up from 12%).

Gai Le Roy, CEO of IAB Australia, said “Search, video and social all continued to grow strongly in FY26. A lot of the new spend is coming from outside the usual base. While many established advertisers are working with budgets that aren't growing, we're seeing new and increased investment from small and medium businesses, from retailers, and from overseas advertisers targeting Australian audiences. Much of that activity is always-on rather than tied to traditional campaign cycles, which shows digital becoming a more consistent, everyday part of how brands reach Australians, not just something switched on for key retail or seasonal moments.”

Growth also broadened into other parts of the market. Classifieds recorded double-digit financial-year growth for the first time since FY22, up 12.6% to $3.1 billion. Audio advertising grew 6.6% to $353 million, driven by podcasting, which was up 10.1% and now represents 40% of total audio spend, while streaming audio grew 4.3%. Non-video general display advertising increased 6.9% to $2.2 billion, with infeed/native the strongest contributor, up 10.9%.

The top five industry categories, Retail, Automotive, Entertainment & Media, Finance and FMCG, accounted for 56% of content publishers reported general display expenditure in FY26. Retail (17.8%, up from 17.2%) and Automotive (14.2%, up from 13.7%) grew share, while FMCG eased to 6.1% (from 6.4%).

June quarter 2026 result highlights:

• The market reached $5.4 billion for the June 2026 quarter, up 16.3% on the June 2025 quarter.
• Search advertising increased 13.4% to $2,335 million; video increased 22.6% to $1,677 million; display (excluding video) was up 10.7% to $580 million; classifieds increased 16.8% to $789 million; and audio was up 9.3% to $94 million.
• Social video grew 28.3% year on year in the quarter, now representing 41% of total video spend, closing in on parity with other video (52%).
• Podcast advertising hit a new quarterly peak of $40.0 million in June 2026, up 13.1% on June 2025 and 22.6% on the prior (March) quarter.
• Government entered the top five industry categories for the June quarter for the first time, with 6.3% share (up from 5.3% a year ago), displacing FMCG/Health & Beauty from the prior year's top five. 

The IAB Australia Internet Advertising Revenue Report is compiled by PwC Australia and includes data from media owners, publishers and advertising platforms operating in the Australian market.

Ralph Estep Jr., a Licensed Public Accountant (LPA) with more than 30 years of experience in finance, taxation, and small-business leadership, will launch Becoming Financially Confident on August 31, 2026, a daily LIVE personal finance show airing every weekday.

The new show is an evolution of Financially Confident Christian, broadening its reach beyond a faith-specific audience to everyday people of all backgrounds looking for real, practical steps toward financial freedom. The rebrand carries the show's existing RSS feed, keeping a catalogue of more than 1,200 episodes across eight seasons intact for subscribers.

In a category where most financial guidance comes from unlicensed commentators, Estep is a practicing licensed professional. He continues to run an accounting practice, and the guidance on the show comes from a professional license, formal education, and three decades of client work.

Estep will be joined by new co-host Juliet Chuang for the daily format. Chuang is a former product manager in tech who is now building a career around curiosity and conversation, creating space for more honest discussion about the things that shape our lives, financial confidence among them. She is also developing a media and cultural brand exploring Chinese culture through language, travel, and everyday life.

Rather than a monologue, Estep's goal for the pairing is a genuine, back-and-forth human conversation that makes the show's financial guidance feel approachable and real. "I want to be the person who puts an arm around someone and says, 'it's going to be okay,' and then actually hands them the tools to make it true," said Estep. "Listeners will leave the show feeling not just informed, but equipped to move forward. That's the whole point."

Estep is the founder of Saggio Accounting+PLUS and leads a media network that reaches more than 874,000 YouTube subscribers. He also hosts The Content Creator's Accountant, a show on financial clarity and tax strategy for creators. He has built a reputation helping entrepreneurs and everyday families move from money confusion to clarity and confidence, without shame, without hype, and without complicated jargon.

A graduate of the University of Delaware and Wilmington University (MBA), Estep has held leadership roles in public accounting, financial institutions, law firms, and technology organizations. He lives in Delaware with his wife and family on a working farm that raises Black Angus cattle.

Becoming Financially Confident premieres live August 31, 2026, weekdays at 11:30 a.m. ET, on the Ask Ralph Media network. Learn more and watch at www.becomingfinanciallyconfident.com, subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@BecomingFinanciallyConfident, or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.

Former Mamamia editor and podcast host Claire Murphy has signed with global podcasting company Acast, bringing her news podcast The Solo Bureau into Acast’s creator network.

After more than two decades working across Australian radio and digital media, Murphy launched The Solo Bureau following her redundancy from Mamamia. Previously, she hosted and produced The Quicky, Mamamia’s daily news podcast, and co-hosted and produced women’s health podcast Well.

Described by Murphy as “straight reporting with enough personality that you won’t need caffeine to get to the end of the story”, The Solo Bureau cuts through the daily news cycle to provide facts, context and analysis.

Since launching in May, the podcast reached number one on Apple Podcasts’ top news chart within its first week and has since accumulated more than 142,500 downloads.

For Murphy, the move to Acast reflects a broader shift in the media landscape, as established journalists, editors and broadcasters increasingly build independent businesses around their audiences.

“I was in a very privileged position to have interest from several platforms in helping monetise The Solo Bureau after I launched a couple of months ago,” said Murphy.

“With some help from ‘Gun for Hire’ Lauren Joyce, who made me the most impressive spreadsheets comparing them all, the choice really came down to one major factor: Acast felt like the best fit from an integrity perspective.

“We are very aligned on the promotion and support of independent journalism. There is no link to a radio network next to which I would have to peg my reputation. When I did my due diligence and asked as many people as I could who had worked with Acast, either presently or in the past, I received overwhelmingly positive feedback.”

Through Acast, The Solo Bureau will have access to the company’s global advertising marketplace, connecting Murphy with brands looking to reach podcast audiences.

Guy Scott-Wilson, Content Director for Acast ANZ, said: “There’s a shift happening at the moment which is hard to ignore. As investment in newsrooms continues to shrink and trust in legacy media continues to decline, journalists are launching independent formats that are helping to redress the balance.

At Acast, we’re passionate about supporting independent journalism and redefining what an independent media business can look like, and we’re excited to partner with Claire to help her achieve her ambitions for The Solo Bureau.”

The signing adds The Solo Bureau to Acast’s Australian network, which includes It's A Lot with Abbie Chatfield, Toni and Ryan, Just The Gist with Rosie Waterland, We Used to Be Journos, The Mitch Churi Chat Show, The Aunty Donna Podcast, Casefile True Crime and We Mean Well.

The agreement cements LiSTNR as Flightcast’s largest global network partner, bringing Australia's biggest podcast network onto a unified, purpose-built platform for the modern era of video and audio publishing.

The move comes as LiSTNR continues to solidify its commercial dominance, maintaining its position as Australia's leading commercial sales representation podcast network and delivering consistent double-digit digital revenue growth. Driven by over 2.8 million Australian signed-in users, LiSTNR has rapidly expanded beyond traditional streaming into a fully integrated digital ecosystem.

Central to this commercial success is SCA's continuous investment in market-leading Adtech innovation. Through the award-winning LiSTNR AdTech Hub and its AI-powered evolution Precision+, LiSTNR provides brands with unprecedented dynamic targeting, real-time optimisation, and privacy-first data matching. By pairing world-class content co-creation with cutting-edge advertising technology, LiSTNR consistently delivers market-leading ROI for commercial partners while giving creators unmatched monetisation scale.

Flightcast is a video-first podcast hosting, distribution, and analytics platform built for the way modern podcasts are created, consumed and monetised. Co-founded by Steven Bartlett (The Diary of a CEO) and Rox Codes (developer and creator-tech entrepreneur), Flightcast allows LiSTNR to put the exact technology behind world-leading shows, directly into the hands of LiSTNR creators. Built from the ground up to power modern video and social publishing, the video-first CMS eliminates fragmented workflows by uniting cross-platform distribution including LiSTNR, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify - with single-dashboard, AI-driven analytics. Simplifying distribution and analytics, Flightcast allows Australia’s top podcast talent to focus purely on creating compelling content and driving commercial growth.

Sam Cavanagh, Head of Content - LiSTNR Original Podcasts said: “LiSTNR is Australia's largest investor in our local podcast industry. As podcasting continues to evolve towards video, getting Flightcast in the hands of our creators will help them unlock creativity and growth. This is a game-changer for our creators and the future of our network."

John Kelly, Southern Cross Media Group’s Managing Director, Audio said: "Since launching our digital transformation in 2021, LiSTNR has led the market through continuous innovation across content, AdTech, and platform infrastructure. As podcasting expands beyond audio, we are positioning our network to lead the industry's transition into video.

"Our partnership with Flightcast ensures our talent has access to market-leading technology. By providing a single platform for seamless video and audio distribution alongside unified data and analytics in one place, we are giving Australia's best creators the exact tools they need to maximise their reach and commercial growth."

“Australia is an incredibly important podcast market, and partnering with SCA marks a major step in Flightcast’s international growth as well as our first expansion of this scale in the region. Bringing more than 150 shows onto Flightcast, including the LISTNR network, is a huge vote of confidence in what we’ve built. SCA was looking for a partner that could move quickly, push the boundaries of what podcast technology can do, and deliver the depth of data and analytics needed to operate a major network at scale,” said Rox Codes, CEO and Co-Founder at Flightcast. “That’s exactly where we believe Flightcast stands apart. We’re building technology for where podcasting is going next, and we’re excited to work alongside a team like SCA that shares that ambition and is equally committed to innovation.”

This partnership with Flightcast reinforces LiSTNR's position as Australia's leading digital ecosystem, placing video and social engagement firmly at the forefront of modern podcasting. By continuously advancing its AdTech and publishing hubs, LiSTNR is empowering creators with market-leading tools to streamline multi-platform workflows, expand their audiences, and maximise commercial returns.

The psychological science-fiction audio serial Only Human: BOUND has entered the final stretch of its first season, with the concluding episodes releasing through September 7. Co-produced by Buffalo's Frank Gullo of the Only Human franchise and Rochester's Scott Fitzgerald of ROC Vox Recording & Production, the series has spent the summer building toward a confrontation rooted in one of the oldest and most defiant figures in Western myth.

Set in the near future, "BOUND" follows a political prisoner, designated A135X, subjected to systematic memory erasure by a Judiciary AI across a series of interrogation sessions. As his identity fragments, captor and captive are drawn into a struggle over consciousness, loyalty, and what cannot be taken from a person no matter what is done to them.

Beneath the science fiction, "BOUND" is scaffolded on the myth of Prometheus, the figure who stole fire from the gods, gave it to humanity, and was chained to a rock in eternal punishment for it.

"Prometheus never wins, and he never quits," said Gullo. "Hercules completes his labors. Odysseus gets home. Prometheus endures, because submission was never something he was willing to give. That refusal is the engine underpinning BOUND."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zstcp2DEhoI

The choice carries a deliberate structural resonance. The myth was staged in antiquity as a trilogy, attributed to the Greek tragedian Aeschylus, but only the first play, "Prometheus Bound," survives intact. "Prometheus Unbound" and the third installment vanished from the record for more than two millennia.

"The story has always been open," said Gullo. "For 2,500 years, Prometheus has been left chained to that rock with no finish. BOUND isn't a retelling of a closed myth. It's a continuation of one lost to history."

"BOUND" carries the spirit of classic sci-fi serials such as "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century," "Flash Gordon," and "War of the Worlds," updated with layered sound design and full-cast performance. Created, written, and produced by Gullo, the series extends the Only Human franchise, which began with his young-adult novella "Only Human" and continues across short fiction, audio, and an evolving story universe. Fitzgerald served as co-producer and sound designer and performs the role of the AI. "Theater of the mind audio production has always been a passion of mine, and it was pure luck and fate that Frank brought me into BOUND, and for that I'm grateful. I'm looking forward to doing more of these," said Fitzgerald.

"BOUND" is available across all podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and Amazon/Audible. New episodes release through September 7.

Trailer Park: The Podcast Trailer Podcast will release a three-episode miniseries examining what makes a podcast trailer effective. Premiering Friday, August 28th, the series builds on a research study led by Coleman Insights and co-designed by Trailer Park host Arielle Nissenblatt and Coleman Insights Vice President / Research Consultant Jay Nachlis.

The study was conducted in spring 2026 using trailers supplied by participating networks. Initial findings were presented onstage at The Podcast Show in London in May, followed by a public webinar in June. The miniseries completes the project by moving beyond the data to explore how the findings can be applied by podcast creators, marketers, and networks.

The first episode features Nachlis, who joins Nissenblatt to set the scene for the study and explain its methodology. Their conversation examines how the research was designed, how listeners evaluated the trailers, and what creators should understand about survey methodology and research techniques when interpreting the results.

The second episode features Peter Ferioli of Pantheon Podcasts, one of the companies that participated in the study. Pantheon contributed trailers for Binge or Cringe and Superfan Diaries.

The next episode features Rachel Corbett of NOVA Entertainment, which contributed trailers for High Scrollers and Better Than Yesterday.

Across the three episodes, listeners will discover:

• Which trailer elements spur listener intent to continue listening
• What the highest-performing trailers had in common
• Where trailers lose potential listeners and how to avoid those mistakes
• How Pantheon Podcasts and NOVA Entertainment are rethinking future trailers
• How the study was designed and what the data can (and cannot) tell us
• How creators at any level can apply these findings to their next trailer

Podspun (by Heroic, LLC) today announced its biggest release since launch: a platform that builds websites for podcasters, social creators, and artists from the work they already publish. A creator connects their existing channels: a podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or RSS, an Instagram or TikTok account, or all of them at once. Podspun takes those feeds and creates a dynamic, automated website on the creator's own domain, with a page, transcript, and summary for every episode and post, that they can then build on like any other site. When something new is published, the site adds it.

The release lands on a problem most creators now face: search engines and AI answer engines read text, and a show that lives as audio and video inside apps gives them nothing to read. Podspun transcribes everything a creator publishes and builds each page with the structured data that Google ranks and that engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity quote and cite, an approach that has made Podspun a two-time Webby honoree. The platform has indexed more than 23,000 episodes and posts to date.

An example website - https://forensicfiles.com/

The engine underneath, the Podspun Dataweaver, indexes every spoken word across those feeds. Audiences can search a show for anything that was said and land on the exact second it happened. An AI assistant answers their questions from the creator's own transcripts and cites the timestamp each answer came from.

The same index feeds a set of production tools. A clip generator cuts captioned, branded clips from any line in a transcript, as video, audiogram, or audio, without a separate editing tool. A thumbnail maker studies the channel's best-performing episodes and proposes titles and thumbnail images in its existing style. Every episode also gets automatically generated summaries, quote cards, chapter-style key moments, and badges that flag the standouts, along with an analytics readout covering tone, content mix, language, and pacing.

Social content gets the same treatment. Posts, reels, and videos become pages of their own, transcribed and indexed alongside the show, and audiences can browse them by topic and search inside the spoken words rather than scrolling a grid. A generated portrait page keeps an up-to-date picture of the creator, drawn from recurring subjects, people, and moments across everything they have published, with each finding linked to its source.

For artists, the same system works from an archive of works instead of a feed: pieces, collections, and viewing rooms become a catalog site with the records an art practice runs on, from availability and provenance to certificates and invoices.

The platform covers the business side as well. Creators can send newsletters from their own domain (replacing the need for services like Mailchimp or Constant Contact), put posts behind a free or paid membership, sell merchandise and digital products, and take one-time or recurring donations. Payments settle directly in the creator's Stripe account.

Podspun showed the new release at VidCon Anaheim this summer.

"Podspun begins like a Squarespace, Wix or WordPress type site, but with modern automated goodies for creators," said Matthew Dunnerstick, Podspun's founder. "Most website builders hand you an empty shell. You paste in every episode and post by hand, and you still end up with no transcripts, no search, no clips. Podspun opens already full."

"We built Podspun because creators already have the content, they just don't have a place where it all works together," Dunnerstick added. "Every insight, every story, every moment of brilliance should be findable when it's needed most. Podspun takes the channels you already publish and turns them into a living, searchable website you actually own, one that grows every time you post."

Media and entertainment group, Banijay Entertainment, today announces an agreement with the Bundesliga, Germany's top football division, securing rights to livestream matches in the UK and Ireland alongside access to Bundesliga archive content across its digital network.

The deal sees Banijay UK and its label Workerbee bring live Bundesliga action to audiences through the rapidly growing Jamie Vardy's Having A Party YouTube platform. Seven matches from the upcoming 2026/27 season will be broadcast live, with Vardy and guests, offering reaction, insight, and discussion around some of Germany's biggest footballing fixtures.

In addition to the live rights package, Banijay Entertainment has secured exclusive digital and social rights around the seven matches, alongside access to select Bundesliga archive content. The archive rights cover YouTube distribution globally (excluding Germany, Austria and Switzerland) and will be managed by Banijay UK Digital and Workerbee, across channels under Banijay Entertainment's digital sports brand, Players Network. Banijay Rights will also supplement the offering with FAST distribution via the soon-to-be-launched Jamie Vardy's Having A Party channel, which sits under its operation.

The live package will include a selection of premium Bundesliga fixtures, kicking-off on Friday 28 August with the season-opening fixture between Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart.

Rick Murray, CEO, Workerbee says: “Fans don’t just want to watch football anymore, they want to experience it with the people they already know and trust. Jamie has built an incredible community around the podcast, and thanks to our Bundesliga partnership, we can bring that audience closer to some seriously big games. This deal acts as another major step for Banijay Entertainment’s growing sports offering, which combines brilliant talent, premium football, and plenty of ways to watch. The only thing we can’t promise is fewer arguments about VAR.”

“Our approach is as diverse as our fans. Football audiences are changing, and there is no single way in which people want to experience the Bundesliga. Our job is to understand each market, work with the right partners and build a distribution model around how fans actually consume football there,” said Peer Naubert, Chief Commercial Officer of Bundesliga Media. “The UK and Ireland is a great example of that approach. Last season, our collaboration with YouTube showed the potential of creator-led coverage, particularly in reaching younger audiences. Renewing that partnership and adding Jamie Vardy gives fans another distinctive way to experience the Bundesliga, alongside our established broadcast, streaming and digital partners.”

The news aligns with Banijay Entertainment’s broader ambitions in this space, following the launch of Banijay Sports, a division dedicated to broadening the company’s efforts in sportainment, documentary, digital, live events, live hosting, creator economy, and scripted, via new partnerships, content investments, and M&A.

Earlier this year, the company unveiled Players Network – powered by Banijay Entertainment, an overarching digital sports brand to house bold, personality-driven, social-first sports entertainment formats, alongside its first title Jamie Vardy’s Having a Party, from Banijay UK label Workerbee. Since launch, Jamie Vardy’s Having a Party has hit 18 million views across its digital ecosystem.

PodcastOne (Nasdaq: PODC), a leading publisher and podcast sales network, announced today the acquisition of the exclusive sales and distribution rights to Dropping Names...and Other Things with Brent & Jonny, an entertainment podcast from actors Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes.

Dropping Names...and Other Things with Brent & Jonny is a conversation podcast show from Star Trek: The Next Generation stars Spiner and Frakes. Each episode, these longtime friends sit down with fascinating characters they’ve met across decades in the industry. Whether you're a sci-fi fan, a film buff, or just here for the laughs, this is the show where great stories meet great conversations… and a few names get dropped along the way. To date guests have included Hollywood icons Seth MacFarlane, Nathan Fillion, LeVar Burton, Alan Tudyk, Ron Perlman, Joel McHale, Felicia Day, Jane Leeves, Michael Dorn and Tom Bergeron.

“Brent and Jonny are beloved television stars who happen to also be magnetic podcast hosts.  Through their show and in each episode they guide dynamic, engaged and hilarious conversation connecting us with their guests like never before. Audiences feel like they’re guests at the most exclusive party in town and our advertising partners are excited to engage with the podcast in unique and creative ways,” said Kit Gray, President and co-founder of PodcastOne.

PodcastOne’s full roster of top ranked podcasts includes programming across top genres such as news, comedy, true crime, sports and society and culture and includes shows such as The Adam Carolla Show, The Jordan Harbinger Show, Karma and Chaos, Stassi with Tay, Off The Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe, LadyGang, Court Junkie, Pop Apologists and Varnamtown.

YAP Media Network announced today that The One You Feed, Eric Zimmer’s long-running personal growth podcast, has officially joined its network, expanding the company's roster of wellness and self-improvement shows. 

The addition comes at a notable moment for the category. Edison Research’s The Podcast Consumer 2026 ranks Wellness/Self-Improvement #10 among podcast topics consumed by U.S. weekly podcast listeners, placing it alongside major categories including Comedy, True Crime, Politics and Sports.

Over its 12-year legacy, The One You Feed has surpassed 50 million downloads across 850+ episodes. Featuring luminaries like James Clear and Susan Cain, the show has hit #1 on iTunes Health charts and was recognized by Oprah as a top motivational podcast.

At the center of the show is one enduring idea: what you feed grows.

“Wellness and self-improvement have become a major part of how people use podcasts, not just for entertainment, but to actively improve how they think, perform and live,” said Hala Taha, Founder and CEO of YAP Media. “The One You Feed has built incredible trust with that audience over more than a decade. Adding Eric to YAP strengthens a category we’ve been intentionally building, while giving our brand partners even more ways to reach these listeners across trusted voices, multiple shows and creative 360° campaigns.” 

The One You Feed joins a growing YAP Media lineup that includes The Next Big Idea, The Dr. Leaf Show, Almost 30, The Trent Shelton Podcast, Save Yourself with Dr. Amy Shah, and other leading shows spanning mindset, personal development, performance and wellbeing.

With 76% of weekly podcast consumers taking action after hearing a podcast ad, according to Edison Research’s The Podcast Consumer 2026, YAP Media provides a high-impact platform for wellness brands.

For sponsorship inquiries, contact sales@yapmedia.com.

Acast today announces the promotion of Ricardo Neto to Managing Director, US Sales. Reporting to Laura Hagen, SVP, Regional Managing Director, Americas & Global Head of Agency Relations, Neto steps into this newly created leadership role on the back of strong US momentum for Acast. He will oversee all stateside sales efforts to streamline execution and power the next phase of North American growth.

The US has rapidly emerged as Acast’s fastest-growing region globally, characterized by surging advertiser demand and an expanding footprint. In Q2 2026 alone, the region saw net sales climb 37% organically. This growth is being further accelerated by Acast’s proven ability to attract premium content and top-tier publishers - including The Washington Post, The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers Podcast, Slate, and The Athletic - while scaling its capabilities through strategic acquisitions like Wonder Media Network and Backyard Ventures.

Neto will ensure Acast remains the premier podcasting destination for brands at every level of investment by fostering even deeper client partnerships and capturing greater market share. He will achieve this by leveraging the company’s full suite of capabilities, spanning everything from premium host-read sponsorships, brand-made ads, and programmatic advertising, to high-value, omnichannel campaigns across audio, video, and social.

“Ricardo is exactly the leader we need to leverage our recent successes and scale our business further,” said Hagen. “His proven ability to optimize sales operations and drive comprehensive go-to-market strategies allows us to deliver exactly what modern advertisers need, particularly as the demand for 360-degree storytelling continues to grow.”

Neto joined Acast in 2023 with an extensive background in podcast advertising and digital media at companies including Spotify and Penske Media, bringing sharp commercial discipline and a proven track record of scaling revenue during his tenure as VP of Sales to this newly expanded role.

I'm excited to lead our US sales strategy at a pivotal moment for Acast," said Neto. "Our recent acquisitions and the premium content we've added to the marketplace give buyers a proposition no one else in podcasting can match. When you pair that with our platform scale, we are positioned to deliver the full range of campaigns that brands demand. That means better outcomes for brands, and more sustainable revenue for the creators who make it all possible.”

Acast today announces the appointment of Mark Bulling as VP Product.

Bulling joins from Choreograph, WPP Media's data and technology company, where he spent two and a half years leading AI and innovation. There he founded and led the Prototyping & Innovation team - a cross-disciplinary group of engineers, designers and researchers building new solutions for media planning and buying - and led the development and adoption of Open Media Assistant, WPP Media's internal AI platform.

He brings more than fifteen years’ experience in digital advertising, across both the buy and sell sides. Before Choreograph, he was SVP Product Innovation at EssenceMediacom, where he used machine learning to improve campaign performance. Earlier, he was Senior Product Strategist at Apple Ad Platforms, working on the international expansion of Search Ads, and spent five years at Facebook.

At Acast, Bulling will lead product strategy across the company’s creator and advertiser offerings, bringing product and commercial even closer together across the business. Based out of Acast Studios London, he will report to SVP Product & Engineering Ioana Havsfrid.

“Businesses like ours thrive when product and commercial move hand in hand - that's how you build the things that creators want to use, audiences enjoy, and advertisers want to buy,” said Greg Glenday, CEO of Acast. “As podcasting moves increasingly omnichannel, that's truer than ever. Mark has spent fifteen years working across both the buy and sell sides, which is precisely the experience our next phase needs.”

“Acast has strong growth and real momentum, at exactly the moment podcasting is expanding into something much broader,” said Mark Bulling. “Creators are building audiences across audio, video and social, while measurement and buying evolve fast alongside them. Acast has the scale, the creators and the products to shape what happens next, and to help define how this ecosystem gets measured and monetised. I can’t wait to get started.”

The Unstoppable Success Podcast, hosted by leadership and business relationship expert Jaclyn Strominger of Leap to Your Success, has surpassed 100,000 verified downloads on Buzzsprout, its podcast hosting platform. The milestone is notable less for the total than for the pace: 61,858 of those downloads occurred in the last 30 days alone, meaning nearly 62 percent of the show's lifetime audience arrived in a single month.

The show doubled its lifetime download count in roughly four weeks, having crossed 50,000 downloads earlier this summer. The growth reflects rising demand among business leaders for practical, experience-driven conversations about leadership, organizational growth, and the strategic relationships that drive business results.

Unlike many leadership and personal-development podcasts, Unstoppable Success is built specifically for CEOs, founders, and executives at small-to-mid-size companies who are already performing and want to lead better, grow faster, and build the relationships that move their business forward. The show holds a 5.0 rating on Apple Podcasts and is known for its signature frameworks, the LEAP Framework and the Relationship Capital Formula, which give listeners a repeatable approach to breaking through plateaus through strategic decisions, courageous action, and relationship-driven growth.

The podcast reaches listeners in 66 countries across 151 episodes. Guests have included Bob Burg, Jeff C. West, and James Fielding, among other recognized leaders in business, leadership, and AI-driven organizational change, one of the podcast's fastest-growing topic areas among its audience of founders and executives.

"We are in the most automated moment in business history, and the question my audience keeps asking about is relationships. That is not a coincidence. The more that gets automated, the more the human part becomes the actual advantage." — Jaclyn Strominger, Host, The Unstoppable Success Podcast

Alongside the milestone, Unstoppable Success is expanding its guest program and opening new sponsor and partnership opportunities for brands and organizations looking to reach an audience of CEOs, founders, and senior leaders at a moment of rapid audience growth. Inquiries for both can be directed to the contact listed below.

New episodes of The Unstoppable Success Podcast are released weekly and available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and everywhere podcasts are found, with full episode pages, transcripts, and guest resources at podcast.jaclynstrominger.com.

Simple English News Daily (SEND7) has moved its subscription service to Supercast.

Until now, subscriptions were based on the SEND7 website, and were mostly focused on English-learning materials, like vocabulary lists, worksheets and quizzes.

By joining Supercast, SEND7 is now able to give ad-free episodes and bonus episodes, on top of what subscribers were already receiving. The premium feed is purple instead of green.

Last month, SEND7 had 380 subscribers, most of whom pay €7 per month. Half of them have already moved to Supercast after we announced the change to them recently.

About SEND7

Simple English News Daily is a 7-minute daily news update that is targeted at people who are learning English or have English as a second language. It is also known by its acronym SEND7, which stands for Simple English News Daily in 7 minutes. Every episode covers news from at least four continents, and aims to be as unbiased and neutral as possible. SEND7 episodes have been downloaded over ten million times. Data for Simple English News Daily has been viewable on OP3 since 2023.

SEND7 is audio only and has no intention of offering video.

SEND7 was founded by Stephen Devincenzi in April 2020 and episodes are released Monday to Friday. Stephen hosts most episodes. Ben Mallett and Juliet Martin normally host one episode per week each. SEND7 is totally independent and has never received external funding. It became profitable in 2023, and gives 10% of its profits to effective altruism charities.

Acast and Kit today announced a partnership designed to help creators build and monetize their audiences across multiple formats. By offering platform access and hosting incentives, the collaboration lowers the barrier to entry for podcasters looking to launch newsletters and newsletter creators looking to expand into audio.

The partnership reflects how storytelling has evolved beyond a single platform. By pairing audio and text, Acast and Kit give creators the infrastructure to expand their narrative influence and monetize everywhere - meeting fans in their inboxes as effortlessly as their podcast feeds.

It's the latest step in Acast's push to help creators grow and monetize across audio, video, social and beyond, following the launch of video publishing on Apple Podcasts and Acast's acquisition of creator network Backyard Ventures earlier this month.

Mike Leonard, Senior Director, Global Content Development, at Acast said: “The reach and influence of our creators spans far beyond podcasting, now living in video, on social feeds, and beyond. Newsletters, for example, have proven to be an impactful medium for diversifying content, discovering new audiences, and cultivating a following of engaged subscribers outside of podcasting. 

The reverse is just as powerful for newsletter writers: adding a podcast turns text into dynamic audio, opening up a whole new way to build a following. We're excited to partner with Kit to give creators even more ways to grow and monetize their fandom.”

Nathan Barry, Founder and CEO of Kit said: "Email is still one of the best ways for creators to own the relationship with their audience. While people won't read more than a few hundred words from their inbox, they'll happily listen to a podcast directly into their ear for an hour. Our partnership with Acast makes it easy for creators to build both, so the audience creators own in the inbox is the same one listening to creators in their headphones."

Creators who join through the partnership will receive sign-on offers that scale with their existing audience. To learn more about the Acast/Kit partnership, visit: Acast and Kit.

Amplitude Media Partners (AMP) has entered into an exclusive advertising sales partnership with Criminology, the acclaimed, long-running true crime podcast hosted by Mike Ferguson and Mike Morford. Under the partnership, AMP will represent all advertising opportunities for the independently produced series, while simultaneously providing operational support and programmatic optimization services. 

Since its debut in 2017, Criminology has built a devoted audience through its detailed examinations of some of history’s most notorious crimes, along with compelling cases that have received far less public attention. Ferguson and Morford combine meticulous research with thoughtful storytelling to explore the people, evidence and unanswered questions behind each case.

The podcast originally devoted full seasons to individual cases, including the Zodiac Killer and the Golden State Killer, before evolving into its current weekly format. Today, its extensive catalog contains more than 400 episodes, with new installments released every Saturday night.

“Criminology is exactly the kind of independently built, audience-driven show AMP was created to support,” said Marques Pfaff, Managing Partner at Amplitude Media Partners. “Mike and Morf are exceptional storytellers who have earned the trust of a remarkably loyal audience through years of thoughtful, detailed work. We’ve known Morf and worked with Criminology in the past, so this partnership feels like a reunion as much as a new beginning. John, Reggie and I are incredibly excited to work with the show again and provide the personal attention, responsiveness and high level of service that its continued growth deserves.”

The partnership reunites Morford with Pfaff and fellow AMP partners John Donahue and Reggie Risseeuw, who worked with him earlier in their podcast advertising careers. That existing relationship gives AMP a deep understanding of the show, its audience and the type of advertiser partnerships that best complement its content.

“I’ve known Marques, John and Reggie for years and have seen firsthand how seriously they take both the shows they represent and the relationships behind them,” said Morford. “They understand Criminology, they understand our audience and, most importantly, we know we’ll receive the kind of personal attention that can be difficult to find in this industry. Mike and I are excited to work with people we already know and trust as we continue growing the show.”

Beyond Criminology, both hosts have established significant footprints throughout the true crime podcasting genre. Ferguson also co-hosts the popular True Crime All the Time and True Crime All the Time Unsolved. Morford is the founder of the independent true crime podcast network AbJack Entertainment and has created, hosted or produced numerous series, including Missing Persons, Zodiac Speaking and Killer Communications.

Through its partnership with AMP, Criminology will offer advertisers access to a deeply engaged true crime audience alongside a hands-on sales and support team focused on developing thoughtful, effective campaigns that respect the show, its listeners and the victims of the crimes being examined. 

HeadStuff Podcasts is delighted to announce that The Seán Chorus, a brand-new weekly podcast hosted by Cork-born ornithologist and wildlife sound recordist Seán Ronayne, is joining the network.

Following a five-year mission to record every bird species in Ireland, Ronayne has built an extraordinary archive of over 40,000 audio files. From farting seals to vibrating leafhoppers—and a vast array of birdsong—if it exists in the wild and makes a sound, Ronayne has captured it.

The Seán Chorus translates these recordings into immersive audio adventures. Designed as a sanctuary of calm from modern life, the podcast blends unscripted field audio, studio reflections, and warm conversations with fellow nature lovers.

"I'm beyond ecstatic to bring this podcast into the world. Over the last few years, I’ve amassed tens of thousands of sound recordings, each carrying its own unique story, curiosity, and learning. Weaving these into a narrative format is a pure passion project. To have a platform to share the very thing that makes my world spin is an immeasurable pleasure." —Seán Ronayne, Host of The Seán Chorus

"Bringing this show to life has been an absolute joy. Seán’s dedication to nature is incredibly inspiring and infectious, yet soothing and meditative—something we need a lot more of today. I hope this show inspires listeners to step outside and reconnect with the natural world around them." —Hilary Barry, Network Coordinator at HeadStuff Podcasts

Episode one of The Seán Chorus launches on Thursday, August 27th, on HeadStuff Podcasts and all major streaming platforms, with new episodes releasing weekly.

iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher according to Podtrac, and the Oscar-nominated filmmaker Michael Epstein today announced the launch of Fault Line: Haditha a 13-episode investigative podcast and companion documentary series that re-examines one of the most controversial incidents of the Iraq War and the two-decade fight over what happened, who should be held accountable and whether the full truth was ever allowed to emerge. 

On November 19, 2005, 24 Iraqi civilians were killed by U.S. Marines in the city of Haditha. The killings would become the subject of the longest and most expensive criminal investigation in U.S. military history, drawing international scrutiny and raising questions about accountability within the military.

At the center of “Fault Line: Haditha” is former NCIS Special Agent Michael Maloney, who was assigned to investigate the killings. As Maloney pursued the case, he encountered political pressure, disputed testimony and what he came to believe were efforts by senior officials to undermine the investigation. His pursuit of the case would ultimately come at a significant cost to his career.

Twenty years later, Epstein returns to Haditha to examine what happened and what followed. Produced in collaboration with Crowd Network and High Road Entertainment, the series draws on years of reporting, documentary footage and extensive interviews to reconstruct the killings, the NCIS investigation, the subsequent legal proceedings and the lasting impact on the Marines involved and the Iraqi families whose lives were changed that day.

Each podcast episode will be accompanied by an original film on YouTube featuring extended scenes, archival material and interviews that expand upon the audio investigation. The footage includes interviews with Marines involved in the incident, NCIS investigators who worked the case and the sole surviving Iraqi eyewitness, who lost members of her family in the killings.

“This is a new kind of storytelling, a serialized investigation you hear on a podcast and then watch on YouTube. This isn't just a video version of the audio. These are two distinct experiences that complement each other,” said Epstein. “As a filmmaker and a journalist, the most exciting thing for me is that there is no gatekeeper. I am able to take my investigation and all the revelations I’ve uncovered directly to a global audience.”

Epstein is an Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker and podcast producer whose work has earned two George Foster Peabody Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Writers Guild of America Award. His films have screened at the Sundance Film Festival, Berlin International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival. His credits include “The Battle Over Citizen Kane,” “LENNONYC” and “John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky.” His 2020 investigative podcast “Murder in House Two” reached No. 1 on Apple Podcasts’ True Crime chart in the UK.

“‘Fault Line: Haditha’ represents the kind of ambitious investigative storytelling that podcasts are uniquely suited to deliver,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “Michael has spent years examining this story, bringing together firsthand accounts, extensive reporting and remarkable access to revisit questions that have remained unresolved for two decades. We’re proud to partner with Michael, Crowd Network and High Road Entertainment to bring this important investigation to audiences across both audio and video.”

“Over the last two decades, there have been hundreds of reported stories that sought to tell the truth of what happened in Haditha,” said Michael Carr, CEO, Crowd Network. “But Michael approached this tragedy differently. He never stopped questioning. He never stopped searching for the truth. His relentless passion and gift for storytelling reveal themselves not only in this podcast, but in the companion films that let audiences see this story, not just hear it.”

“Michael and I have worked together on this story of Haditha for many years now, driven by a shared vision of getting it heard as far and wide as possible,” said Richard Tulk-Hart, co-CEO, High Road Entertainment. “The more recent developments of this highly emotional and complex case have allowed for the podcast to come together in this unique format combining audio and documentary footage, and iHeart's support has been instrumental. Conversations are now underway to bring the remarkable story to our screens, continuing to allow these voices to be heard.”

“Fault Line: Haditha” is distributed by iHeartPodcasts and is available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Video episodes will be available on YouTube.

Musician, songwriter, and creator Will Anderson and Vox Media today announced the launch of Monday Music Club, a new show about the defining moments that have shaped the way we hear the world. Each week, Anderson will explore the stories behind iconic songs, legendary artists, and the creative forces that have transformed music and culture. He'll dive deep into a story that answers a question like “Who invented rock and roll?” “Why did Fleetwood Mac fall apart?” or “What was it like to be there in the early days of Motown?” Guests will span from notable writers and historians to fellow music podcasters, Motown greats and more.

Anderson first rose to prominence as the frontman of the alternative pop band Parachute, earning platinum- and gold-certified singles while touring sold-out venues around the world. That firsthand experience, paired with an endless curiosity about music and its rich history, gives him a unique perspective on the people, innovations and cultural shifts that have soundtracked our lives. He has more than 1.5 million followers across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, where he began posting short-form videos under the Monday Music Club moniker, first as comedy sketches revolving around music, and then later as short, informative takes on music history. 

“I’m ecstatic to be teaming up with Vox Media for the Monday Music Club podcast,” said Anderson. “My obsession with music and history has been a life-long ailment, so to get to have a space to explore and tell these stories is such a thrill to me. Vox Media was the perfect partner to team up with for this show. They saw the vision from the very beginning, and understood this as the natural extension of the community I’ve been building on social media the last few years.”

“We’re thrilled to work with Will on this new evolution of Monday Music Club as he expands into the podcast format,” said Lillian Xu, VP, podcast business, at Vox Media. “His work as a successful musician, coupled with his love of history, gives him a unique ability to explore fascinating stories of music history.” 

Whether you’re obsessed with music history, fascinated by the craft of songwriting, or simply looking to hear your favorite songs in a new way, Monday Music Club is where the conversation begins. The trailer is out today, with new episodes released to YouTube, Apple, Spotify, and more each…Monday. The series is produced by Figures, with Mike Goldstein and Tate Frazier serving as executive producers. 

One of the largest U.S. podcast publishers according to leading industry tracker Podtrac, the Vox Media Podcast Network is home to some of the most influential talent across categories, including journalist Kara Swisher and entrepreneur Scott Galloway (hosts of Pivot), tennis champion Maria Sharapova (host of Pretty Tough), former Manhattan U.S. attorney Preet Bharara (host of Stay Tuned), research professor Brené Brown and organizational psychologist Adam Grant (hosts of The Curiosity Shop), creator and comedian Tefi Pessoa (host of Tefi Talks), journalists Sean Rameswaram and Noel King (hosts of Today, Explained), and more. In the music category, Vox Media is home to Switched on Pop, hosted by musicologist Nate Sloan and songwriter Charlie Harding. Vox Media will oversee sales, marketing, and distribution for Monday Music Club, which joins a dynamic slate of shows that shape conversations across business, culture, and beyond.

Martha Stewart and iHeartPodcasts, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, announced today that “The Martha Stewart Podcast” will launch on Netflix as part of iHeartMedia and Netflix’s growing exclusive video podcast partnership, bringing Stewart’s in-depth conversations with notable guests from all walks of life to the streaming service beginning Wednesday, August 26.

Fans will now have a new way to experience “The Martha Stewart Podcast,” with full video episodes available to watch on Netflix. The series will also continue as an audio podcast distributed by iHeartPodcasts and available on the iHeartRadio app and everywhere podcasts are heard. Stewart’s Emmy-nominated series “Martha Cooks” is also launching on Netflix, with episodes available beginning Tuesday, August 25.

“I’m delighted to bring my podcast to Netflix, and with that, introduce the medium of video to the series,” said Martha Stewart. “Netflix is the perfect partner to share and amplify the thoughtful and informative conversations the show is known for with an even greater audience.” 

Each week on “The Martha Stewart Podcast,” Stewart sits down with a unique mix of captivating guests who inspire and intrigue her, including business icons, entrepreneurs, artisans, old friends and new. Through intimate conversations, Stewart explores their lives, careers, ideas and experiences, uncovering personal stories and insights while giving audiences the opportunity to learn something new with every episode.

“The Martha Stewart Podcast” will launch on Netflix with an episode featuring entrepreneur, investor and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Stewart and Ohanian sit down for a wide-ranging conversation about love, ambition, family, pets, investing and life with his wife, Serena Williams. Upcoming episodes will feature bestselling author Harlan Coben and music producer, and Grammy Award-winning producer, artist, actor and New York Times bestselling author benny blanco.

“Martha is one of the most iconic and influential voices in media, with an extraordinary ability to connect with audiences,” said Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts. “We’re thrilled to expand ‘The Martha Stewart Podcast’ to Netflix, giving even more people the opportunity to experience Martha’s signature curiosity, expertise and one-of-a-kind perspective through the candid conversations and insights that have made the podcast so compelling.”

“Martha Cooks,” Stewart’s Emmy-nominated cooking series, will also be available on Netflix beginning August 25. The series brings viewers into Stewart’s kitchen as she shares some of her favorite recipes, techniques and culinary expertise alongside acclaimed chefs, friends and special guests.

Christian Martin, Amy Chiaro and Martha Stewart are Executive Producers, and Heather Kirkland is the Producer of “The Martha Stewart Podcast.”

“The Martha Stewart Podcast” joins a growing slate of iHeartPodcasts available on Netflix as part of iHeartMedia and Netflix’s exclusive video podcast partnership, bringing some of today’s most influential voices and compelling, conversation-driven programming to the streaming service. The agreement includes all new episodes from the participating podcasts, along with select library episodes from each series. All podcasts included in the partnership, including “The Martha Stewart Podcast,” will continue to be available on iHeartRadio and everywhere podcasts are heard.

RØDE has today introduced the new DS3, the next generation of its professional desktop studio arm, building on the popular DS2 with greater load capacity, improved adjustability and enhanced stability for today's creator setups.

With a 1.5kg payload capacity, DS3 supports heavier equipment for the modern-day creator, from broadcast-grade XLR microphones like RØDE's PodMic to other large-diaphragm microphones, cameras, lights and accessories. An integrated, precision-engineered ball head delivers smooth, controlled and virtually silent positioning, allowing on-the-fly adjustments without disrupting a recording or broadcast in progress, while a central locking mechanism secures equipment at the desired angle in a single motion.

Like DS2, DS3 uses a weighted base instead of a traditional desk clamp, allowing it to be positioned anywhere on a flat surface, independent of a desk edge, with no wobble or risk of tipping. The redesigned base delivers greater stability for heavier setups while keeping a compact footprint, leaving more desktop space free for other equipment.

Each finish features its own acoustic isolation pad, designed to dampen vibration as much as elevate the DS3's aesthetic. The Classic Black variant is finished with a soft-touch silicone pad inlaid on and beneath the base, while the Crisp White variant features natural cork on both sides. Cable clips keep XLR and USB cables neatly routed and out of sight, reducing desk clutter for a cleaner workspace.

Included 3/8", 1/4" and 5/8" thread adaptors ensure broad compatibility across microphones, cameras, lights and accessories, providing everything needed to mount mics and creator equipment straight out of the box.

DS3 is available now in black for US$109 and shipping worldwide, with a white finish coming soon. To learn more, visit https://rode.com/products/ds3

Dame Julie Andrews returns for a second season of Jane Austen Stories, narrating Jane Austen’s Emma in its original, unabridged form, released in serialised episodes from Tuesday 25th August by award-winning UK podcast network Noiser.

Jane Austen’s novels have been adapted, reimagined and reinvented countless times - from lavish period dramas and beloved films to modern-day retellings. But now, one of the world’s most famous voices is inviting audiences to experience Austen’s Emma exactly as she wrote it.

Jane Austen Stories returns for a brand-new season, with Dame Julie Andrews narrating Austen’s complete, unabridged novel. Accompanied by original cinematic music and immersive sound design, the series brings Austen’s words to life while remaining faithful to the original text.

First published in 1815, Emma is one of Austen’s most enduring and entertaining novels, following the confident, well-meaning Emma Woodhouse as her attempts at matchmaking lead her into a series of increasingly complicated misunderstandings. More than 200 years later, her wit, social observations and wonderfully flawed characters remain as captivating as ever.

For a generation familiar with Austen through adaptations, this is an opportunity to return to where it all began: the original words of one of Britain’s greatest writers, brought to life by one of Britain’s most beloved voices.

Emma offers hours of gentle, literary escapism, and is the perfect companion for the cosier Autumn months.

With two free episodes releasing weekly on all podcast platforms, this serialised reading offers listeners the chance to rediscover Austen’s masterpiece in an intimate and immersive audio format. Emma follows the success of Noiser’s Pride and Prejudice, also narrated by Dame Julie Andrews, and the network’s Sherlock Holmes Short Stories series, narrated by Hugh Bonneville (Paddington, Downton Abbey), both of which have drawn millions of listeners worldwide. In now bringing Emma to life with Dame Julie Andrews, Noiser continues its commitment to championing the very best of British talent and reimagining literary classics for a global audience

Listeners on Noiser Plus can also enjoy exclusive early access to additional episodes.

The Secrets from a Coach podcast hosted by wellness coach Debbie Green at Wishfish and TEDx speaker Laura Thomson-Staveley at Phenomenal Training this week celebrates its 300th episode.

Marking a journey that began during lockdown in September 2020, the podcast has since exceeded 72,000 downloads, with 78% of listeners living outside the UK and 81% listening via their mobile phones. The podcast has ranked in the Best Life Coach, Workplace and Leadership UK Podcasts by Million Podcasts and receives a consistent 4.9-star rating on Spotify. The first episode, on imposter syndrome, remains the archive’s most revisited. 

Since then, the team has committed to weekly recordings with special guests, evolving in recent years from stand-alone episodes into themed monthly mini-series, each unpacking a single workplace topic across three to five conversations.

Episode 300 is part of the August Reset, Relax and Unwind summer series - outlining five tips for relaxing the mind enabling listeners to shift into holiday mode.

Debbie Green, wellness coach at Wishfish, said: “Three hundred episodes feels surreal! When Lau and I sat down to record our first episode, we wanted to have useful, honest conversations. We never imagined we’d still be doing it six years and this many Fridays later, while still having a ball! Huge thanks to everyone who’s been tuning in.”

Laura Thomson-Staveley, L&D consultant at Phenomenal Training, said: “What keeps this show going is the community around it - the guests who’ve trusted us with their expertise, the listeners who message us with a lightbulb moment, and Airaphon Ltd, who always deliver top quality audio and video. We’ve loved every minute of this journey, here’s to the next 300 episodes!”

Recent key themes for the podcast include:

June: Working Parents

June’s four-part series examined the identity shift that comes with returning to work after having a child including the pressure to perform, workplace perceptions and the often unspoken move from ‘colleague’ to ‘parent’.

July: Quality Human Thinking

July’s five-part series asked what kind of thinking stays uniquely human in an AI-ready workplace; covering compassionate thinking, team dynamics, strategic and reflective thinking as skills to sharpen rather than outsource.

August: Reset, Relax and Unwind

August’s Reset, Relax and Unwind summer series shares practical tips for making the most of time away from work, helping listeners properly switch off and recharge. With guest contributions throughout, the series looks at how to properly leave work mode behind. A good listen for anyone feeling wound up and ready to switch off.

Secrets from a Coach offers practical learning based on current realities. Focusing on positive actions to help you thrive and maximise your potential in the ever-evolving workplace, and in life, each episode offers practical learning based on current realities.

Lasting a snackable 30 minutes, making it ideal for the commute, lunch break or even a well-deserved break for self-care and development. A brand-new episode is published every Friday lunchtime, focusing on positive actions to help you thrive and maximise your potential in the ever-evolving workplace, and in life.

Taking place from 10 th – 12 th November 2026 at The Woodlands Hotel, Adare, SOUND.WAVES. will once again connect creators, artists, podcasters, producers, platforms, broadcasters and industry leaders from Ireland and beyond, exploring how audiences are built, how creative work travels and how sustainable careers and businesses are developing around it.

Music and podcasting increasingly share similar opportunities and challenges. Artists are building direct relationships with audiences across multiple platforms while podcasters are moving into video and live events,  both navigating a rapidly changing landscape of discovery, monetisation, IP, technology and global reach.

SOUND.WAVES. puts those conversations in the same room.

Following its inaugural event in 2025, which welcomed representatives from across music, broadcasting, podcasting and international platforms, the 2026 programme will grow across three days, with dedicated music and podcast industry sessions alongside conversations that bring both sectors together. Last year’s event attracted organisations including Apple, Patreon, BBC Sounds, RTÉ, GoLoud, Universal Music, Sony Music, IMRO and IRMA.

The programme will feature keynote conversations, panels, workshops, one-to-ones and industry sessions looking at some of the biggest questions facing creators and businesses in 2026, from audience growth and discoverability to AI, rights, monetisation, international markets and how creative work moves between audio, video, social and live experiences.

The All-Ireland Podcast Awards will also return for their second year as part of SOUND.WAVES. 2026 on the evening of Wednesday 11 th November.

Launched in 2025 to create an annual moment of recognition for Ireland’s growing podcast sector, the inaugural Awards attracted entries from independent creators, commercial publishers and public service broadcasters across the 32 counties. An international and Irish judging panel included representatives from Spotify, Patreon, BBC, Wondery, Netflix, RTÉ, ONIC, GoLoud and Journal Media.

The first AIPA winners included The Indo Daily, The Real Carrie Jade, Cover: Stakeknife, Young Hot Guys, The Laughs of Your Life with Doireann Garrihy, Indo Sport – A Closer Look and Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED, with Nicky Byrne receiving the inaugural Spotlight Award.

Entries for the 2026 All-Ireland Podcast Awards will open on Wednesday 2 nd  September, with submissions closing at 6pm on Thursday, 22nd September. The shortlist will be announced in mid-October, ahead of the Awards in November.

The first speakers, programme details and partners for SOUND.WAVES. 2026 will be announced as part of the launch, with further names and sessions revealed over the coming weeks.

The Sound.Waves and All Ireland Podcast Awards Team said ‘Last year showed us there is a real appetite for bringing the music and podcast industries together. They may be different creative worlds, but the questions are increasingly the same. How do you find an audience? How do you build a sustainable career? How do you make great work travel further?

‘SOUND.WAVES. gives those industries a place to share what is working, challenge each other and create connections that might not otherwise happen. Year two gives us the opportunity to build on that and open the conversation even wider.’

Early bird tickets are available from Friday 21 August. Day tickets are available here while accommodation packages can be booked directly through The Woodlands Hotel here. Enter the code SOUNDWAVES to access dates and exclusive discounted rates.

SOUND.WAVES. 2026 takes place in Limerick from 10 th – 12 th November.

Further programme, speaker and ticket information will be available at www.soundwaves.ie and via @soundwavesirl.

Audacy announced a strategic partnership with the MeidasTouch Network, the fast-growing independent media company founded by brothers Ben, Brett, and Jordan Meiselas. Audacy will become MeidasTouch's exclusive audio partner for sales and distribution, expanding and fortifying Audacy’s lineup of newstalk content, further strengthening MeidasTouch's rapidly growing podcast business, and expanding its capabilities across podcast hosting, advertising, and network development. 

The Meiselas brothers host “The MeidasTouch Podcast,” the No. 1 most downloaded and viewed podcast in America, consistently ranking ahead of leading programs in every major podcast category.*

The MeidasTouch Network will join Audacy on September 1, 2026, streaming everywhere podcasts are available. The shows will also continue to be available on YouTube. New episodes of “The MeidasTouch Podcast” are released every Tuesday and Friday morning, along with breaking news updates posted multiple times per day.

The partnership with Audacy marks another milestone in MeidasTouch’s rapid expansion as the network invests in new talent, original programming, strategic partnerships, and the infrastructure needed to support the next generation of independent media. Partnering with Audacy further strengthens the continued growth of its podcast business while delivering additional value to creators, listeners, and advertising partners.

“Our mission has always been to build the strongest independent news network in the country,” said Ben Meiselas, Co-Founder of the MeidasTouch Network. “Our partnership with Audacy significantly expands our podcast capabilities while strengthening our advertising operation as we continue growing the MeidasTouch Network. This is another important step in our long-term strategy to invest in independent media, expand our programming, and reach even more people across every major platform.”

The MeidasTouch partnership significantly bolsters Audacy's premium news and talk portfolio and digital audio footprint, reinforcing its commitment to amplifying the country’s most influential voices and offering advertising partners access to one of the most passionate and rapidly expanding audiences in podcasting. Through the partnership, Audacy will provide podcast hosting and enhanced advertising support as MeidasTouch continues expanding its industry-leading podcast network. The companies will also work together to develop additional opportunities across audio, including both traditional radio and other emerging platforms.

"We couldn't be more excited to welcome the MeidasTouch Network to Audacy – this partnership underscores the momentum behind our podcast business and further accelerates our growth,” said Leah Reis-Dennis, Head of Podcasts, Audacy. “What Ben, Brett, and Jordan have built is nothing short of a phenomenon – a powerhouse in independent media with unmatched scale and audience engagement. Audacy’s best-in-class sales team, paired with the MeidasTouch Network’s unmatched scale and audience engagement, will unlock powerful opportunities for our advertising partners.”

In addition to “The MeidasTouch Podcast,” the MeidasTouch Network podcast portfolio includes: “Sidebar with Katie Phang;” “Scott McFarlane Reports;” “Legal AF;” “The Parnas Perspective;” “PoliticsGirl Podcast;” “Majority 54 with Jason Kander and Ravi Gupta,” “UNCOVERED with Ron Filipkowski and Anthony Davis”; “Cults, Culture & Coercion with Dr. Steve Hassan;” “The Intersection with Michael Popok;” “The Court of History;” “Unprecedented by Legal AF;” “MissTrial;” “The Ken Harbaugh Show;” “Meidas Canada;” and “It's Complicated.”

*Source: Podscribe July 2026 Podcast Rankings

From the pressure to get parenting "right" to the realities of autism, grief, loss and family life, Parent Unplugged is creating a space for the conversations parents don't always get to have.

Since launching in April 2025, Parent Unplugged has quickly become one of the UK's most successful parenting podcasts, reaching #1 in Apple Podcasts' Parenting chart, consistently charting in the Top 15 and being long-listed for the British Podcast Awards 2026.

Hosted by parenting coach and mum of three Charis Halsall, the podcast was created with a simple aim: to find out what parenting really looks and feels like for other people -  and to help parents realise they are not alone in the moments when they feel overwhelmed, overstimulated or completely unsure of what they are doing.

The podcast has since built a community of more than 80,000 people across social media, welcoming guests including Christine McGuinness, Danielle Lloyd, Annabel Karmel, Kelsey Parker, Helen Thorne from Scummy Mummies, James Hunt (@storiesaboutautism), Charlotte (@twins_tides_and_autism_vibes), Amy Neville (@amynevfashiondiaries) and many more.

But beyond the recognisable names, Parent Unplugged has become a platform for parents to share experiences that don't always make it into traditional parenting conversations.

Episodes have explored raising autistic children, grief, cancer, addiction, relationship breakdown, single parenting and the everyday pressures of motherhood and family life.

Among the guests is Chris Whellams, who shared his experience of raising his daughter alone after losing his wife to cancer, while autism advocates and parents including James Hunt and Charlotte have opened up conversations around raising neurodivergent children and navigating family life.

For Charis, the podcast was born out of her own experience of becoming a parent.

"I set up the Parent Unplugged podcast because I really wanted to learn more about other parenting stories and journeys. After having had three children myself, sometimes I felt overwhelmed, overstimulated, and like I generally just didn't know what I was doing. I wasn't always sure if I felt alone in feeling like this, or if this was something other parents were going through too.

"So I set up the podcast to speak to other parents about their real-life parenting stories. I wanted to find out what other people were going through, and if it was like I had felt. And then I wanted to share those stories so that other people could feel less alone in their parenting journeys."

At a time when parents have access to more advice, opinions and information than ever before, Parent Unplugged is taking a different approach.

Rather than promising the perfect parenting method or telling families exactly what they should be doing, the podcast puts real experiences at the heart of the conversation.

From celebrity parents to ordinary mums and dads navigating extraordinary circumstances, every episode asks the same question: what is parenting really like when nobody is pretending to have it all figured out?

With chart success, a rapidly growing community and a long-listing at the British Podcast Awards 2026, Parent Unplugged is proving that sometimes the most valuable thing parents can hear is that somebody else has felt it too.

Podcasting remains a strong and growing medium, but beneath the surface, the marketplace is shifting quickly. Political and news programming is climbing as consumers tune in ahead of the midterms, creators who built their followings on social platforms such as YouTube are converting that reach into chart-topping podcasts, and comedy continues to widen its lead as the medium’s biggest draw.

“Podcasting has become the place people go for the conversation behind the headlines,” said Daryl Battaglia, SVP, Measurement Products & Strategy at Triton Digital. “Across politics, business or culture, consumers increasingly want to engage directly with hosts who offer analysis, perspective and even comic relief. That personal connection is a big part of what’s driving the movement we’re seeing across this quarter’s rankings.”

Q2 2026 Ranker Snapshot

Comedy Widens Its Lead as Personality-Driven Content Reshapes the Field

Comedy, News and Society & Culture remain the three largest podcast categories by reach, but News posted the quarter’s sharpest gain as political and opinion-driven programming pulled in new listeners.

Top Podcast Categories by Reach (Q2 2026):

• Comedy (44.5%)
• News (25.7%)
• Society & Culture (21.2%)

Genres with the Largest Quarter-Over-Quarter Reach Growth:

• News: +8.4% (25.7% in Q2 2026 versus 23.7% in Q1 2026)
• True Crime: +1.8% (17.1% in Q2 2026 reach)
• Sports: +1.1% (18.5% in Q2 2026 reach)
• Comedy: +2.1% (43.6% in Q1 2026 reach)

Movers That Defined the Quarter

(Based on U.S. survey responses — reflects podcasts across the entire market, not just those measured by Triton)

Top Movers in the Top 50 (Q2 2026 vs. Q1 2026):

• The Rachel Maddow Show (News) jumped 66 spots to #35
• The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett (Business) climbed 37 spots to #20
• 2 Bears, 1 Cave with Tom Segura & Bert Kreischer (Comedy) rose 34 spots to #38
• The Shawn Ryan Show (Society & Culture) moved up 32 spots to #22
• Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast (Comedy) advanced 24 spots to #40
• The Bill Simmons Podcast (Sports) rose 22 spots to #30
• Serial (News) jumped 18 spots to #44
• KILL TONY (Comedy) climbed 16 spots to #29
• The Dan Bongino Show (News) rose 16 spots to #50
• The Ramsey Show (Business) moved up 14 spots to #16

Additionally, The Tucker Carlson Show surged into the Top 10 overall, rising to #9 from #19, marking one of the quarter’s most notable single moves and underscoring the growing pull of personality-led political commentary.

Download Ranker Highlights

(Based on server-side measurement from July— includes only sales networks directly measured by Triton Digital)

Top Sales Networks by Average Weekly Downloads:

1. iHeart Audience Network
2. Audioboom
3. Cumulus Podcast Network

Top Podcasts by Average Weekly Downloads:

1. Stuff You Should Know [iHeart Audience Network]
2. Pod Save America [Audioboom]
3. My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark [iHeart Audience Network]

What’s Fueling the Q2 Surge

Comedy Extends Its Lead As Fans Search for a New Place to Consume Their Favorite Late Night Comedians

Comedy remains podcasting’s undisputed heavyweight, accounting for 57 of the top 200 podcasts — a 29% share, the largest of any genre.

Much of that continued dominance is coming from television’s move into audio: Late Night with Seth Meyers Podcast and The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert both debuted this quarter, giving late-night audiences a way to keep up with monologues and interviews on-demand, while The Daily Show: Ears Edition returned to the chart. Stand-up-driven formats also continue to scale, with debuts from Whiskey Ginger with Andrew Santino and The Adam Friedland Show.

Creator-Led Shows Convert Social Followings Into Chart Success

A wave of this quarter’s new entries comes from creators who had already built loyal audiences on social platforms before bringing them into the medium.

HARD LAUNCH with Dan and Phil leans on one of YouTube’s most durable fan communities, while The Really Good Podcast with Bobbi Althoff builds on Althoff’s viral interview style and social-media following. The LOL Podcast and Handsome reflect the same pattern — influencer collectives and established comedy talent bringing pre-built audiences directly into podcasting rather than building from zero.

Political & News Podcasts Surge Ahead of the Midterms

News posted the quarter’s largest reach gain, up 8.4% versus Q1, fueled by personality-led political shows rather than traditional news brands alone.

Several political programs returned to the chart this quarter, including Mark Levin Podcast, Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar, The David Pakman Show, Pivot, and Piers Morgan Uncensored, spanning both progressive and conservative audiences. Legacy news organizations are finding new distribution too, with Meet the Press debuting, and NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas and Serial both posting strong gains.

“With the midterm elections heating up, we expect to see a continued uptick in political and news podcasts through Q3,” said Battaglia. “Campaigns are increasing ad spend to reach voters across every medium this year, and podcasting is emerging as one of the most effective ways, as these audiences are actively seeking out long-form political conversation.”

The “Small Reach, Big Spenders” Dynamic

While Comedy, News, Society & Culture, Sports and True Crime remain the mass-reach anchors of the podcast marketplace, Triton’s Q2 2026 Category Ranker shows that some of the strongest advertiser returns are coming from far smaller genres.

Composition indexing (compared to the average monthly podcast 18+ listener) reveals that niche categories deliver hyper-concentrated purchase intent and premium demographic traits that broad, high-reach buys can’t match.

• Technology (2.3% reach, Rank #16): Indexes at 200 for Luxury Boutique Shoppers, 187 for Business Travel Intent, 161 for Senior Decision Makers, and 153 for Investable Assets of $250K+.
• Business (11.4% reach, Rank #6): Leads all categories in Household Income of $100K+ (Index 141) and Life Insurance Purchase Intent (Index 156).
• Fiction (2.2% reach, Rank #17): The strongest genre connection to Gen Z (Adults 18–24), indexing at 212, alongside elevated Hispanic representation (Index 154).
• Kids & Family (2.1% reach, Rank #18): Indexes at 223 among Mothers, driving strong intent in Fast Fashion (157), Life Insurance (152), Home/Auto Insurance (141), Weight Loss Products (148) and Wireless Provider Switching (136).
• Music (6.2% reach, Rank #10): Gained a rank versus Q1 and remains the top connector to Black/African American listeners, indexing at 238.

“Smaller genres deliver hyper-concentrated purchase intent and premium audiences that are hard to find anywhere else in audio,” said Battaglia. “For advertisers chasing a specific high-value audience — luxury shoppers, senior decision-makers, Gen Z or Hispanic listeners — that composition density can outperform a much larger, broader buy.”

Where the Data Comes From

The U.S. Podcast Ranker blends audience reach and behavioral data from Demos+, developed in collaboration with Signal Hill Insights, to paint the most comprehensive picture of podcast consumption available. This framework reveals what listeners are tuning in to, what motivates them, and how their evolving habits are shaping the broader audio economy — offering advertisers, agencies and publishers fresh insight into where the next opportunities lie.

View the full Q2 2026 U.S. Podcast Ranker

In this role, Passovoy will run a new vertical focused on unscripted streaming series and celebrity-focused content. She brings her renowned experience as a 5x Emmy-winning producer and show lead with a decades long history of shaping premium, talent-driven storytelling across television and digital media. At Paramount, she guided season-long creative across flagship unscripted franchises including RuPaul's Drag Race and Ink Master. From casting and story development all the way through to post production, Passovoy helped drive Drag Race's highest-rated premiere in six years.

“Jennifer Passovoy’s work remains cemented in the human connections that she has been able to develop over her impressive career,” said Cutler. “At her core, Jennifer is a pop culture historian who understands a creator's authentic voice while translating it into content that doesn't just perform, but lasts.”

As PAVE continues to expand its reach across platforms, with a focus on owned IP and creator-led video content, her addition to the growing company reinforces its commitment to being one of the industry’s premium new studios.

“The best unscripted TV has always come down to finding people who are magnetic on camera and building a world around them. That talent is everywhere now, and most of it is coming up outside the traditional pipeline, said Passovoy. “PAVE is built to move on that, and I look forward to applying my experience as a producer of hit unscripted TV shows to the creator economy, and working with celebrities and rising stars to tell great stories across platforms.”

Our data team mapped podcast advertising across popular Irish shows in the first half of 2026 and compared it with the same period in 2025. Our models see both the brands buying ads and the shows carrying them, listening across thousands of podcast episodes to detect each ad and the spend behind it.

That comparison showed spend up 33% year on year, most of it going to brand awareness campaigns. Shopify, Comcast, and Novibet led all advertisers, and financial services drew the most spend of any category. Ad load, the share of episode time dedicated to ads, averaged 5.71% across the market. The report breaks down additional dimensions, including the most common ad lengths and positions.

"When advertisers can see what's working, they invest with more conviction," said Cameron Hendrix, co-founder and CEO of Magellan AI. "This report brings that visibility to podcast advertising in Ireland for the first time."

"Advertisers and agencies have been asking for proper benchmarks, and Ireland finally has the data," said Lee Thompson, co-founder and managing director of AudioOne. "This is a real milestone for our podcast industry, and a sign of how far the channel has come."

Sean Davis, sales director at Bauer Media Audio Ireland, said, "Podcasting has become a significant part of Ireland's audio landscape, and stronger, more consistent measurement is essential to its continued growth. Greater visibility of the market builds confidence, supports better planning and ultimately helps unlock further investment in Irish podcasting."

The full H1 2026 Ireland Podcast Advertising Benchmark Report is available here.

Want to see what's happening in your own market? Book a demo.

Goalhanger has appointed Tom Miceli as Head of IP Development, a newly created role focused on expanding the company’s television and film business.

Miceli joins Goalhanger from WME, where he spent more than a decade in the agency’s television division, representing producers, directors, talent, and helping lead the agency’s international format business. Most recently, he led WME’s work on Goalhanger’s Netflix partnership, which brought The Rest Is Football to the platform for the World Cup and the upcoming Premier League season.

In his new role, Miceli will lead Goalhanger’s IP development and licensing strategy, identifying opportunities across its existing shows and development pipeline and turning them into compelling television and film propositions for UK and international markets.

Reporting directly to Goalhanger’s founders, he will work closely with the company’s talent, editorial teams and General Managers to develop a prioritised slate, build relationships with commissioners and production partners, and lead negotiations across licensing, co-production and format-sale opportunities.

On his appointment Miceli said: “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining Goalhanger, a company I have long admired both as a business and as a fan. I consume its content every day and look forward to helping bring its IP to new verticals and platforms, while preserving the quality that has enabled Goalhanger to flourish and establish itself as one of the leading media and content companies in the industry.”

Jack Davenport, Co-Founder of Goalhanger, added: “Our shows are built around distinctive ideas, brilliant talent and deeply engaged audiences, creating enormous potential to develop them beyond their original formats. Having worked closely with Tom for many years, we have seen first-hand the rare combination of creative judgement, commercial experience and strong industry relationships he brings. We’re delighted to welcome him in-house, where his dedicated expertise will help us identify the right opportunities and turn them into successful television and film projects.”

The appointment builds on Goalhanger’s growing activity in television and streaming. Alongside its partnership with Netflix for The Rest Is Football, he will explore opportunities across Goalhanger’s full slate of shows, identifying potential extensions and new uses for the company’s growing portfolio of intellectual property.

It comes during a period of rapid growth for Goalhanger, which was recently named Britain’s fastest-growing private company in The Sunday Times 100. The company continues to expand across audio, video, membership, live events and commercial partnerships, and will bring its biggest shows together at London’s Southbank Centre for the inaugural three-day Goalhanger: The Rest Is Fest in September.

Flightpath Software Inc. today announced the development of Automation Playbooks, and with it a public position on a question that is critical to the future of this industry: whether a publisher’s commercial decisions should be honored by the technology they pay for.

Podcast publishers carefully negotiate ad frequency, targeting, and priority with media buyers, but recent changes to how dynamically inserted advertising is prioritized and delivered have disrupted those commitments by repeating ads on a single download, preventing important orders from delivering, and providing no tools to resolve the issues. These failures compound across publishers, buyers, and audiences by driving unmonetized over-delivery, missed obligations, audience frustration, and costly make-goods. In short, unreliable ad delivery undermines trust, revenue, and the publisher’s ability to honor buyer commitments.

The remedy available to most publishers has been manual: an operations team opening orders one at a time and changing them by hand, then doing it again the next day. But without the tools to know what changes to make. An uphill battle.

What Automation Playbooks do

An Automation Playbook is a standing instruction attached to a live order. A publisher enrolls a set of orders, configures any requested values that the playbook needs, and Flightpath takes over management of those orders.

The launch includes two playbooks, with six more coming soon. 

• Run to Cap halts flights when they reach the publisher set cap, even on platforms without such a feature. 
• Target Best Insertion re-configures flights when a DAI platform doesn’t support prioritization, using the available targeting criteria to reconfigure flights for improved delivery.

Because playbooks change the state of live orders and cannot be undone, the product is deliberately structured around Ad Operations maintaining control and visibility on all changes made for all enrolled flights. 

A position, not just a product

Flightpath framed the launch as a change in how the company intends to behave when publishers are harmed by decisions they did not make.

"When Apple changed the rules on an entire industry overnight, like many service providers, we focused on supporting our impacted clients and chose not to take a public position. Today we are standing publicly with our publishers, and for their right to control the inventory they own." - Sean Howard, CEO and co-founder, Flightpath

Flightpath declined to characterize any hosting provider’s product decisions, saying only that they are speaking up, giving voice to their clients’ concerns and standing with all publishers.

One publisher described their operational position more bluntly.

"Being asked to re-flight thousands of orders by hand is not a viable solution to a problem we did not create. And there is no guidance on how to implement the traffic decisions someone now needs to make for each order. My team is left to find the solution." - Head of Revenue at a top-20 podcast network

Availability

Automation Playbooks are available today. Both playbooks are included with more on the way. Existing customers can enroll their first orders with their Flightpath account team.

For more information, contact laurie@flightpath.fm.

The newly acquired titles bring a distinct mix of investigative deep-dives, comedic banter, and atmospheric storytelling to the network.

Podcasts Detail

• Hosted by Katie Fross and Whitney Kurtz-Ogilvie, True Crime Campfire serves up true crime stories with a clever splash of sarcasm and deep research. Sipping wine around a metaphorical campfire, the hosts navigate cases ranging from notorious killers to obscure historical crimes, delivering thoughtful analysis with a razor-sharp wit that keeps listeners hooked.
• Blending true crime with supernatural lore, hosts Donna Elwin and Kerri Easterling lead A Paranormal Chicks, diving into high-strung ghost stories, eerie urban legends, and unexplained mysteries. The duo brings a comedic, conversational energy to terrifying tales, making every episode feel like a late-night chat with best friends.
• Hosted by writer Amye Archer alongside a rotating panel of co-hosts and friends, Murder She Watched offers an engaging fusion of crime reporting and media analysis, breaking down real-life cases alongside the true crime documentaries, TV series, and media coverage that brought them into the cultural spotlight. The show explores both the facts of the cases and the way pop culture frames true crime narratives.
• In The Box of Oddities, real-life married couple Kat and Jethro Gilligan Toth open up their collection of the strange, macabre, and extraordinary. Packed with bizarre history, unusual medical phenomena, and mind-bending mysteries, the show has earned a dedicated following thanks to the hosts' playful chemistry and relentless curiosity about the world's stranger corners. Their signature chemistry extends to the show’s ad reads, which earned The Box of Oddities a 2021 Webby Award for Best Podcast Ad.
• Created by the Webby Award-winning team behind The Box of Oddities, The Shallow End with Schnebly and Toth explores the hilarious side of human misjudgment. Hosts Lindsay Schnebly and Jethro Gilligan Toth share real-life stories of absurd crimes, outrageous blunders, and people making spectacularly bad decisions—offering a comedy-driven dive into the shallow end of the human gene pool.
• Hosted by writer and producer Steve Cubine alongside actress and writer Nan McNamara, From Beneath the Hollywood Sign offers an insider's look at the dark, glamorous, and often forgotten history of Tinseltown. From classic Hollywood scandals to cinema lore, the show uncovers the fascinating stories buried beneath the glitz of the silver screen.

“We are thrilled to welcome these creators to the Realm team,” said Mary Assadullahi, Vice President at Realm. “Each show brings the best of creator-driven storytelling with the loyal, passionate audiences brands are looking for, and we can’t wait to help them grow."

True Crime Campfire, Murder She Watched, A Paranormal Chicks, The Box of Oddities, The Shallow End, and From Beneath the Hollywood Sign are all available on the Realm network. Listeners can find them wherever they get their podcasts.

Different, Not Broken, the neurodivergence and mental health podcast hosted by Lauren Howard, has been renamed You're Not Too Much, with the original name now becoming the Different, Not Broken Network — an umbrella for the show and planned further titles launching across the remainder of 2026.

The first episode under the new name is out today. 

The show covers neurodivergence, mental health, burnout and, in Howard's framing, being human. Its recurring listener-question segment, previously Small Talk, is now Ask L2 and continues to be co-hosted by Fractional CMO Alison Baldyga.

The podcast is managed and produced by UK podcasting agency Podknows Podcasting  who have helped grow the show to its 393k downloads since its launch last year. The show is also regularly featured in the top 200 US Mental Health chart.

The show sits alongside a membership to "What the Fractional", a helpline offering adult neurodivergent would be business owners to finally find their place in the business world.

Lauren Howard, host, said: "The old name was doing a job it had outgrown. 'Different, not broken' was always the argument I was making to other people. 'You're not too much' is the thing I actually needed somebody to say to me, and it's what listeners write in about every single week. Nothing about the show changes. The name just finally matches what's in it."

Neal Veglio, producer, Podknows Podcasting, said: "Helping Lauren grow this podcast to the point where it can now headline its own network is an achievement I'm super proud of. And I can't wait to see what she achieves in the next 18 months."

You're Not Too Much is produced by Podknows Podcasting.

More than 1,000 Buzzsprout-hosted shows have now published over 11,000 HLS video episodes on Apple Podcasts.

“The HLS video experience in Apple Podcasts keeps what people love about podcasts while adding video,” said Alban Brooke, Head of Marketing at Buzzsprout. “Listeners can watch an episode, listen to it, or read its transcript in one place, and the early growth shows audiences are embracing it. We’re excited to help more independent podcasters bring HLS video to their listeners.”

Among 562 established shows, median Apple Podcasts downloads were 19% higher in the 28 days after their first HLS video episode went live than in the previous 28 days. The analysis used data from Buzzsprout’s IAB Tech Lab v2.2-certified analytics.

Some podcasters have seen even more dramatic growth.

“The lesson I have learned is that I am wrong about people not watching video. Our numbers have exploded,” said Kristin Sundin Brandt, co-host of Cycling Together with Kristin & Steve (pictured above). “Our first year, we were getting anywhere from about 100 to 300 downloads per episode. The last three video episodes are all well over 1,000 and one has surpassed 2,000 downloads.”

Buzzsprout has worked closely with the Apple Podcasts team to make HLS video easy for independent podcasters to adopt. More shows and episodes are going live every day.