Polyglot brings the subtitle workflow into one app: import audio or video, generate timed subtitles, add translations, review the text alongside playback and export the finished files. Users can also open existing SRT or WebVTT subtitles and work with them without the original recording.

The app keeps original and translated tracks together in a local library, with search, language filters, batch translation and batch export. Source timings are preserved during translation. When users correct the original text, affected translations are marked for review while completed translations and manual edits are retained.

Polyglot supports SRT and WebVTT export, readable TXT transcripts and bilingual subtitles that pair the source text with a translation. Editing, format conversion and timing adjustments help users prepare files for their next step, whether that is a course, an independent film or a video podcast.

Video tools provide controls for resolution, noise, sharpness and motion, alongside optional local AI enhancement models. Users can preview changes and export a new MP4 while preserving the original. Compression also supports a chosen maximum file size, which Polyglot checks against the finished export.

Speech recognition supports 25 European languages. Translation targets are selected separately, and AI-generated text should be reviewed before publication. Once the required models are downloaded, local media can be processed offline. Downloads, purchases, licensing and update checks use the internet. Usage analytics are enabled by default and can be turned off; they exclude media and subtitle contents.

Polyglot is available now at https://getpolyglot.io for Apple Silicon Macs running macOS 14.4 or later, with at least 8 GB of memory. Optional SeedVR2 enhancement requires at least 16 GB.

The seven-day trial starts with the first transcription or translation job and includes unlimited files, with no account or payment details required. Polyglot Pro costs €29.99 once, including applicable VAT, for one person on two Macs. Pro keeps transcription and translation available after the trial. Editing, conversion, exports, timing adjustments and video tools remain free.

Podcast attribution has a structural constraint: pixels can only track what platforms allow them to see. IP matching still works well on traditional RSS audio, but listening habits have shifted. More Americans now watch podcasts on YouTube than on any other service, where Google shares zero IP data. 

The new integration connects Podscribe's campaign data directly with Fairing's post-purchase surveys. Every active Podscribe campaign automatically populates as a response option in Fairing, refreshed daily and tagged with where it ran. When a customer identifies a show as influencing their purchase, that response is sent back to Podscribe as a verified conversion, giving brands show and format-level attribution rather than broad “YouTube” or “Podcast” responses.

Matt Bahr, co-founder and CEO of Fairing, said: “Podcast advertising has scaled because IP matching worked well enough for years. But as more listening moves to platforms that don't share the necessary signals, layering in customer-reported attribution has become increasingly important. By connecting Podscribe's exposure data with what customers tell us directly, we can finally attribute the shows and formats that are driving revenue.”

Patrick Schmidt, VP of Partnerships at Podscribe, said: “We track every show, host-read ad and simulcast that actually ran, but understanding the full customer journey requires knowing what influenced someone to convert. Our integration with Fairing helps advertisers connect what customers say influenced their purchase on a deeper level by allowing them to identify where they were exposed to an advertiser’s message. That gives brands a more complete picture of customer behavior and a clearer understanding of which podcasts contribute to conversion.” 

In an early rollout with personal care brand Mando, adding auto-suggest follow-ups to capture podcast and simulcast responses reduced unassigned survey responses by 3.12% and improved blended podcast CPA by 9.2% on the same spend, helping the brand identify and renew high-performing shows it had been at risk of cutting.

“We only get so far with ‘podcast’ as a response. Auto-suggest has been huge – it gives us show-level insights we just couldn't get before,” said Tom Herer, Senior Manager of Offline Performance Marketing at Mando parent company Mammoth Brands.

The integration is available now to all Fairing customers on the Advanced Attribution plan and can be connected in minutes without engineering support. Once connected, Podscribe campaign rosters sync with Fairing daily, and customer-reported conversions flow back to Podscribe automatically.

Customer-reported conversions can also be pushed into more than 25 measurement platforms and data warehouses, allowing the data to complement existing MTA, incrementality and MMM approaches.

Award-winning Nigerian music journalist Joey Akan, creator and host of Afrobeats Intelligence, has been inducted into the PodFest Naija Hall of Fame 2026, recognizing his contribution to storytelling and the creative ecosystem through one of African music journalism’s most distinctive multimedia platforms.

The PodFest Hall of Fame was established to honor individuals whose work, voice, influence, and contributions have made a meaningful impact on the storytelling ecosystem, including creators who have helped make space for others to tell their stories. PodFest Naija will formally recognize Akan and Afrobeats Intelligence on Friday, September 25, 2026, at Harbour Point in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Created and hosted by Akan, Afrobeats Intelligence explores the intersection of African music, culture, history, creativity, and global influence. The series extends Akan’s journalism beyond the headline and the hit record, using deeply researched, long-form conversations to document the artists, producers, executives, and cultural thinkers shaping African music and the histories and ideas behind their work.

In its fifth season, Afrobeats Intelligence debuted at #1 on Apple Podcasts’ Music chart in Nigeria and #8 in the United States. In 2026, Afrobeats Intelligence was also named a Webby Honoree.

The Hall of Fame recognition arrives as African music continues to command international attention. Akan’s work focuses not simply on documenting that success, but on preserving the context behind it: tracing the people, communities, histories, and creative ecosystems that allow African sounds to travel across borders without separating the music from the cultures that created it.

PodFest Naija describes itself as a first-of-its-kind creative convergence connecting storytellers, podcasters, creators, brands, industry leaders, and policymakers. Its inaugural 2025 festival convened more than 1,200 participants, and the 2026 edition continues its focus on creativity, collaboration, innovation, and learning.

Today, Crooked Media announced the expansion of its political podcast and digital sales network, adding Adam Mockler, The Argument, and Weekly Skews to its growing roster of shows available for host-read advertising. The shows join an expanding slate that includes No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen and The Joy Reid Show.

Crooked holds exclusive rights to sell host-read advertising across the shows’ RSS feeds and YouTube channels, bringing its host-read advertising model to a broader slate of political audio and video programming. The expanded network gives advertisers the opportunity to reach highly engaged political audiences through trusted hosts across both podcast feeds and YouTube.

The expanded sales network is available to advertisers now, with advertising opportunities across participating shows’ RSS feeds and YouTube channels.

This setup brings together a growing group of influential political voices, giving advertisers a way to reach engaged audiences through host-read advertising and deepen the connection between trusted hosts and their listeners and viewers across audio and video. The expansion reflects Crooked’s continued growth beyond its owned-and-operated programming, building a broader network of political shows and creators while extending its expertise in host-read advertising to a wider slate of voices.

Crooked Media has a track record of success in political podcasting, with the network’s current lineup generating more than 30 million monthly downloads and consistently topping competitive charts. In addition to flagship Pod Save America, the network includes Pod Save the World hosted by Tommy Vietor and Ben Rhodes, Lovett or Leave It hosted by Jon Lovett, Offline with Jon Favreau, Still Counting with Nate Silver, Galen Druke and Clare Malone (which premiered in the top 20 shows on Apple Podcasts), Runaway Country with Alex Wagner, Keep It hosted by Louis Virtel and Nina Parker, Strict Scrutiny, Hysteria, Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams, What A Day and more. 

This announcement of Crooked’s expanded sales network follows the recent announcement of Crooked on MS NOW and Crooked’s foray into streaming with the launch of its FAST Channel, SANE tv, earlier this year. 

Crooked's subscription Friends of the Pod shares exclusive content and access with fans across Substack, YouTube, Supercast, and Apple Podcasts. In addition, Crooked has a robust touring and live events business, with the second annual Crooked Con coming to Washington, D.C. in November 2026, plus a merch and ecommerce business, a growing portfolio of newsletters, and expansions across audio, digital, film, and television. Crooked has earned more than 80 awards and nominations, from the Webbys and Tribeca Honors to a prestigious Peabody Award nomination, underscoring its impact and influence across the media landscape.

Kerry Washington is expanding her acclaimed interview series Street You Grew Up On into a weekly, full-length audio and video podcast in partnership with Daylight, marking a new chapter for the series created by Washington and her production company, Simpson Street.

The expanded format gives Washington more room to follow the memories, relationships and stories that emerge from the show’s deceptively simple question: What street did you grow up on? 

Each episode invites a guest to revisit the people, places and experiences that shaped them long before the world knew their name, exploring how childhood, family, community and belonging continue to influence who we become.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUwN3KYHVJM

The official trailer is available now, with the season premiering Wednesday, September 30. New episodes will be released every Wednesday. Audio will be available on all podcast platforms, with full video on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Originally launched as a digital series during the pandemic, Street You Grew Up On has grown into an award-winning franchise with past guests including Michelle Obama, Jane Fonda, Queen Latifah, John Legend, Issa Rae, Jay Shetty and more.

Guests this season include Ben Affleck, Dwayne Johnson, Demi Lovato, Colin Kaepernick, Chelsea Handler, and more.

“My company Simpson Street is named after the street in The Bronx that my mother grew up on. “I have always been curious about how our origin stories impact who we become. Says Washington.

“Street You Grew Up On allows me to continue to explore this idea by engaging in conversation with people whose journeys fascinate us all. I’m excited to expand the series into a podcast and spend more time with our guests exploring the people, places and experiences that have shaped their lives.”

Follow @thestreetyougrewupon on Instagram, TikTok, X, and @kerrywashington on YouTube for podcast clips and updates.

The shortlist was determined by over 80 judges from around the world and across the podcast industry. Judges assessed entries based on the impact of the moment, originality, quality of the audio and production, relevance to the category, size and resources of the team, and the overall listening experience.

The final winners of the 2026 International Women’s Podcast Awards will be revealed at the ceremony on Thursday, October 8th in Toronto, Canada. Tickets are on sale now! The ceremony will also be livestreamed for those who are unable to attend in person.

The IWPAs have become a cornerstone event celebrating the creativity, innovation, and impact of women in podcasting across genres and geographies. Proudly queer and trans inclusive, the IWPAs showcase creative excellence across multiple categories, recognizing the best in the business from around the world, from those who are self-taught and producing shows solo, to those who form part of larger teams at established audio companies.

The 2026 IWPA shortlist

Moment of Absolute Honesty

• Girl Overboard
• Still Life
• The Next Edition with Mallika Kapur

Moment of Artistry in Advertising

• Culture Kids
• Silver Linings with The Old Gays
• The Voice Kitchen

Moment of Behind the Scenes Brilliance

• Boys and Girls
• Points North
• The Secret Life of TK Dutes

Moment of Comedy Gold

• Austen After Dark
• Debt Heads
• Everybody Knows But Me

Moment of Compelling Storytelling

• Boys and Girls
• Everybody Knows But Me
• The Defendants

Moment of Factual Clarity

• All That We Touch
• Fetch the Smelling Salts
• The Tamsen Show

Moment of Insight from a Role Model

• Freedom Needs a Soundtrack
• The Convex Conversation
• The Tamsen Show

Moment of Podcasting Panache in a Language Other Than English

• L'amour moi j'en ai pas
• ბროწეულის მარცვლები
• On n'oublie pas!

Moment of Pure Emotion

• Momfessions
• Shadow Clock
• Two-Faced: John of God

Moment of Visionary Leadership

• Freedom Needs a Soundtrack
• Made For Us
• The Convex Conversation

Award for Changing the World One Moment at a Time

• Immigrantly
• The Defendants
• Well Beyond Medicine: The Nemours Children's Health Podcast

This year’s IWPAs are being supported by CBC, RSS.com, Lower Street, True Native Media, Podchaser, and Women in Media, who recognize the value of celebrating and platforming the work of underrepresented creatives in the podcast industry. With their support, the awards are able to offer initiatives like the IWPA Scholarship Program, a tradition started in years past.

Through the partnership, Media Prima will implement Omny Studio for podcast hosting and content management, utilize Triton's Measurement Solutions, and the Triton Ad Platform (TAP) for streaming and podcast ad monetization. Media Prima will continue to use Revma for streaming delivery, a relationship that predates this expansion.

The deal moves Media Prima's audio business onto a single technology stack covering content production, distribution, measurement and revenue. It also brings the group's radio brands and on-demand catalog into Triton's monetization ecosystem, giving advertisers and agencies programmatic and direct access to Malaysian audio inventory supported by IAB-certified reporting.

"Our audience is not defined by the radio dial anymore," said Alex Poon, General Manager, AI and Smart Services at Media Prima Audio. "Our audiences moved to digital faster than our tools did. Triton Digital closes that gap for us, one platform for streaming, podcasting and monetization across all five stations and our platform Audio+, which allows our teams to focus on programming and commercial strategy instead of stitching platforms together. For advertisers, it means our digital inventory is measurable and comparable to anything else they buy."

Media Prima Audio operates five national radio brands and distributes on-demand audio through Audio+, its streaming and podcast app. The group's wider portfolio spans television, publishing, out-of-home and digital media.

"Audio consumption across Asia-Pacific is accelerating. By combining streaming technology, independent measurement and monetization in a single platform, we help broadcasters and publishers across the region turn that listening growth into sustainable digital revenue and move quicker to build digital businesses around it," said Richard Palmer, VP, Market Development and Strategy (APAC), Triton Digital. "Powering the global digital audio ecosystem means investing in local expertise and long-term partnerships so a publisher in Kuala Lumpur gets the same distribution reach, measurement rigor and demand access as one in New York or London. As Media Prima expands its digital audio capabilities,  our job is to make sure the infrastructure keeps pace with its ambition."

Triton operates in more than 80 countries and has built regional supply through its Programmatic Audio Marketplace, which gives buyers access to live-streaming, podcast and music inventory across Southeast Asia.

To learn more about how Triton Digital supports broadcasters and publishers across streaming and podcasting, visitwww.tritondigital.com.

KSL Podcasts announced the return of its award-winning investigative series COLD with a new season examining the 1975 disappearance of Nancy Perry Baird. It’s a case that’s been wrongly attributed to serial killer, Ted Bundy. The first two episodes of COLD’s new season premiere on September 23, 2026 with new episodes each Wednesday. 

The Case 

Nancy Perry Baird was 23 years old when she vanished from the gas station where she worked in East Layton, Utah, on July 4, 1975. Ted Bundy was arrested six weeks later, 30 miles to the south, in an unrelated case. Police later pinned Baird’s disappearance on the notorious serial killer, despite no evidence connecting Bundy to the case. For decades, the “Nancy Baird was a Ted Bundy” conclusion went unchallenged. 

That changed during COLD host Dave Cawley’s reporting when he interviewed a former police officer who worked the Nancy Baird case. The officer’s own daughter heard the interview and recognized something no one else could: a connection between her family’s closely guarded secrets and what may have happened to Nancy Baird.

“Our original reporting on the Nancy Baird case in 2023 set events in motion, demanding we expand the story in a whole new season”, Cawley said.  

COLD’s re-investigation of the Nancy Baird cold case touches on important themes. It shows how abusers use tools of charisma and deception to disguise their true nature. It raises questions about the role of forgiveness. And demonstrates how survivors of childhood trauma can take power back from the people who harmed them.

“So many people have shown great trust in sharing their stories. I am grateful for their courage and resilience”, Cawley said.

“The Cold team doesn't walk away when a season ends”, said KSL Podcasts Vice President Sheryl Worsley. “Dave is continually working to uncover new information and follow wherever it leads. He's committed to giving voice to people who have been silenced — and this season is proof of that. I'm incredibly proud of this work."

About COLD

COLD is a narrative podcast series focused on missing persons cases, created and hosted by investigative journalist Dave Cawley and produced by KSL Podcasts. Each season is built on exhaustive original reporting into a single case. COLD is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and all major podcast platforms. 

About KSL Podcasts

KSL Podcasts is part of KSL, a part of Deseret Management Corporation. Based in Salt Lake City, KSL Podcasts produces more than 30 original shows spanning investigative journalism, true crime, news and culture. For more information, visit kslpodcasts.com.

The series will be hosted by award-winning journalist and The News Agents podcast co-host Emily Maitlis, who conducted the now infamous 2019 interview with the former Prince Andrew, confronting him about his links to Jeffrey Epstein.

A Very British Epstein explores Jeffrey Epstein's connections to Britain, beginning with his time in the UK in the 1980s, when he was introduced to the worlds of shadow finance and Britain's social elite. The series asks what happened in the UK, who opened doors for Epstein here, and how those early connections helped shape the web of money, status and influence around him.

Across six episodes, Emily Maitlis investigates the accepted timeline of Epstein's life in Britain, asking whether this earlier chapter was more significant than previously understood. Rather than treating Britain as a footnote in Epstein's story, the series explores whether it was, in fact, a foundation, where key relationships were formed and proximity to wealth and influence helped build his world.

Drawing on exclusive interviews with survivors, alongside conversations with those who encountered Epstein and his circle in Britain, the series explores how Epstein established himself within influential networks and what his British connections reveal about the rise of his power and influence.

Emily Maitlis said: “Much of the public understanding of Jeffrey Epstein focuses on the US and on the final years of his life. This series asks a different question: what happened in Britain, and how important was the UK to the story of how Epstein built his world, his influence and his connections?”

Vicky Etchells, Director of Podcasts at Global said: “This is a bold and deeply important investigation led by Emily with real rigour and determination. We believe A Very British Epstein will be the definitive examination of Epstein’s British story, tracing how his connections moved through wealth, privilege and power in the UK, and asking serious questions about the people and structures that helped him gain legitimacy here.”

A Very British Epstein is produced by Global Studios and Sonoloom and will be available to watch on YouTube, on Global Player and all major podcast platforms next year.

After the premier roster of Drew Spears Productions-original podcasts has been soft launched over the last many months, DSP, the L.A. production house, studio, event livestream innovator and comedian collective is officially launching DSP Podcasts on October 6, 2026, along with 2 new podcast titles including Runiverse Weekly with Ru Anderson and Animalia with Charlie James and Griffin Kelly. DSP Podcasts will serve as the podcast production and distribution arm of this multi-facetted production company, known for its Frog Town brick and mortar studio and event space and as a livestreaming partner to flagship L.A. events including the recent reading by cast of The Pitt at the Writers Guild Association Benefit and Paul F. Tompkins’ renowned variety show Varietopia. 

DSP Podcasts will be celebrate the launch with an industry-exclusive, invite-only launch party at DSP Studios with an introduction and panel discussion with DSP Podcast hosts and creators, MCd by comedian Patrick McDonald.

Launching October 6 Runiverse Weekly will be a weekly episodic talk show podcast that will state and investigate Ru Anderson’s thesis of the week, exploring claims that range from “perversion is important” to “Ru’s cat, Miriam, is possessed by the devil.” The show will include expert guests, researched facts, and of course some personal stories and anecdotal evidence from Ru personally. Also launching soon, Animalia with Charlie James and Griffin Kelly is a chatty science comedy podcast hosted by animal enthusiasts who will present a different fascinating animal each week, making each other laugh and sharing stories from friends and fans.Comics Reading Comics with Nick Malis & Shoshanna Green will be out later in the fall, with launch date and more info to be announced soon. 

These newly launching shows and hosts will receive a warm welcome home from their DSP Podcasts-mates currently releasing weekly episodes including Help Me Be Black with Skyler Higley, How Do You Get Through The Day with Will Hines and Ian Roberts, Mollyworld with Molly Lambert, No Contact with Hay Beacon, On God with Matt LeGrande, All These Wonderful Things from Cinema Eye Honors, and Paul Cherry's Hidden Gems. 

DSP is a brick and mortar comedy clubhouse for creators helping each other to pursue their most ambitious dreams, and an inclusive art collective finding their audience in a supportive, local-to-global community. In addition to being a studio and event space located in the now-comedy hub of Frog Town, DSP is a livestream innovator, offering L.A.-based events the reach of online distribution, and a podcast production and distribution house with DSP Podcasts (launching soon as per the above). 

Drew Spears started DSP in 2021 as a natural course of events springing from his work as a screen writer, actor and comedian. His year stuck in covid isolation springboarded his obsession with the tech of combining streaming, analog tech and vintage televisions. “I bought nine vintage TVs, put them together on the wall and wired them up so that I could feed my computer into them,” says Spears. This was just the start of the retro equipment he was amassing and studying. He built a space with his film school friend, Chad Bond, over the course of two years with the idea that they would be a hub for equipment and studio space rentals, or that they would be hired crews for one-off shoots. 

But in a world where much of the middle class work for comedians was dropping off as we lost numerous online comedy hubs and cable comedy channels, Spears found himself aiming his company’s mission in a direction that touched down in that space, with some crossover into the void left by record label hubs and musical collectives. Small, scrappy, and rooted in experimentation and a DIY ethic, DSP is led by founder Drew Spears with Langston Alimayu and Anya Solotaire running operations, and was built around a simple idea: a great live show shouldn't disappear when the night ends. 

Said Spears: “I feel a need and responsibility to protect comedy. It has been on the rise through tech and social media, but it's getting served on the same platforms as AI slop and content designed to fry our synapses. You can either treat comedy like expendable content, or you can treat it like something to be curated and worked for. We treat it like something to be curated and we want to work with people who cannot stop themselves from creating weird, esoteric things, because DSP is just the space to create them in.”

The webinar, The Importance of the Host and the Power of Trust, was presented by Tim Bronsil, CEO of Point-To-Point Marketing, and Hal Rood, Partner at Strategic Solutions Research.

The Podcast Study 2026 surveyed 1,205 U.S. podcast consumers, with the sample balanced according to the most recent U.S. Census. The study is sponsored by Crooked Media, NPR, and PRX.

One of the clearest findings from the webinar was the importance of the relationship between listeners and the people hosting their favorite podcasts. Among respondents with a favorite podcast, eighty-two percent said the host is either a big part of, or the only reason for, their listening.

That relationship also creates significant audience retention implications. Fifty-six percent said they would either definitely stop listening or seriously consider stopping if the host of their favorite podcast permanently left. At the same time, seventy-eight percent said they would continue listening often or sometimes if the host was simply away on vacation, suggesting that a strong host can build equity for the larger podcast brand.

“The host kept showing up throughout the research,” said Bronsil. “It wasn’t just about why someone likes a show. The host impacts whether someone discovers the podcast, whether they stay with it, and how they respond to the advertising. For podcast companies, the host should be viewed as an audience development asset as well as a content asset.”

The study also found a measurable advertising advantage for host endorsements. Fifty-seven percent said they are more likely to remember a brand after hearing it endorsed by a podcast host, while fifty-five percent said they are more likely to notice advertising from that brand again.

When listeners were asked specifically about the ability of an ad to influence trial or purchase, forty percent said they were highly likely or likely to try or buy after hearing the host personally read and endorse the product, compared with twenty-seven percent for a prerecorded ad not read by the host. That represents a forty-eight percent relative increase in influence for the host-read execution.

“The data gives us a much clearer picture of what trust can mean commercially,” said Rood. “The host relationship doesn’t stop when the content moves into an advertising break. In many cases, that existing trust appears to carry directly into how the listener receives the advertiser and remembers the brand.”

The webinar also revealed several findings with implications for audience growth:

• 45% said recognizing or liking the host can influence them to try a new podcast, nearly matching the impact of seeing multiple social media clips.
• 54% said they grew to love their favorite podcast over time rather than immediately.
• 55% decide what they think about a new podcast within the first five minutes, including 14% who decide within the first minute.
• 38% said they are unlikely to give a disappointing podcast a second chance.
• 47% said they would be likely to listen for the opportunity to interact with a favorite host.

The research also identified a potential new subscription model. Forty-five percent of podcast consumers said they would be at least somewhat likely to pay for a tier that removes all advertising except host-read ads.

“That was one of the most interesting findings for me,” Rood said. “We tend to think about the choice as ads or no ads. Listeners appear to be telling us there may be a third option. Host-read advertising can feel different because it is delivered by someone they have already chosen to spend time with and trust.”

The Podcast Study 2026 webinar series will continue October 6 with Turning Listeners Into Superfans and October 13 with Beyond the Pre-Roll.

Registration and information from The Podcast Study 2026 are available at ThePodcastStudy.com.

Historically, the media industry treated audio, video, and social as competing silos. Acast’s annual Podcast Pulse 2026 report, released today, reveals that audience behavior has shattered those boundaries - proving that in podcasting, what people consume is no longer a format choice but a context choice, driven by daily routines.

For podcasters, this means multi-format distribution is about flexible audience reach - not a mandatory shift to video production. For advertisers, it means the potential audience is bigger than any single format can reach.

The study reveals that 78% of fans globally consume podcasts across two or more formats, moving fluidly between long-form audio, video feeds, and podcast clips on social media based on where they are and what they’re doing. Multi-format consumption expands core audio rather than replacing it: 88% of fans actively consume both audio and video (up ten points from last year), while 10% remain dedicated audio-only listeners (and pure video sits at just 2%). Demonstrating this real-world fluidity, 63% of listeners start an episode in one format and finish it in another, with three-quarters switching apps mid-story to do so.

"The industry spent years arguing over formats, but audiences moved on long ago," said Greg Glenday, CEO at Acast. "A podcast fan’s decision isn’t driven by format loyalty; it’s driven by whether they’re driving at 7 AM or on the couch at 9 PM. Once you see that, the audio-versus-video debate stops being interesting, and a much better commercial opportunity takes its place."

Trust is moving in the same direction. 42% of fans now trust brand and product recommendations from podcasters, up nine points from 2025 - the only creator source to gain ground over the year. Journalists (31%), YouTubers (29%), celebrities (25%) and social media influencers (25%) all held flat or declined.

Multiple Moments, One Connected Audience

Drawing from 4,300 respondents across 13 markets, Podcast Pulse 2026 maps how daily context dictates what audiences listen to, watch, and buy across four of the moments where the data was loudest:

• Companion (screen-free reach): Audio dominates screenless moments, with 64% confirming podcasts are a daily companion. Conversion is exceptionally high, with 80% of audio listeners taking direct action post-episode.
• Settled (co-viewing at scale): 55% of fans co-view video podcasts on a Connected TV, making it podcasting’s primary screen moment where an advertiser reaches a room. Delivering results, 48% say video podcast ads increase brand recall.
• Scroll (the discovery engine): Social video clips are the main audience growth driver, with 63% of clip viewers converting into full-episode podcast consumers.
• Live (commercial advocacy at scale): Live event attendance has surged 80% since 2024 (1 in 3 fans), driving high-intent commerce: 28% buy from event sponsors, and 34% post user-generated content.

What This Means for Advertisers

In a multi-format environment, context solves the industry's biggest media buying challenge: ad decay. Fans don't stay in one place, so a brand doesn't have to repeat itself constantly in one place to be remembered. When people meet a brand across both audio and social clips, 1 in 3 pay it maximum attention - more than they give a message repeated inside a single show. 

"Meet a fan in one moment, and you’ve met part of their day," added Glenday. "Meet them across several, and you’ve met the whole person. That’s the cross-format strategy we’ve built Acast to deliver."

The findings reflect Acast’s global position, connecting 140,000+ creators with advertisers across audio, video, and social feeds. Through an open approach - from partnering with Apple Podcasts to targeted network expansions like Backyard Ventures - Acast provides brands with seamless reach across every consumption moment.

To read the full Podcast Pulse 2026 report, visit acast.com/pulse

Methodology

Podcast Pulse 2026 is based on a survey of 4,300 respondents aged 16 to 64 across 13 markets, conducted by independent research firm Differentology, in August 2026. Figures describing all fans are based on the full sample. Figures describing format consumers are based on that format’s own audience base.

Crossed Wires has announced a landmark year, with this year's independent economic assessment confirming the 2026 festival generated £6.65 million in total economic impact, demonstrating the growing value of the event to Sheffield's visitor economy.

After doubling footfall to 50,000 attendees in 2026, the festival has further cemented its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing cultural festivals. 

Alongside its strong local community roots, just over half (52%) of festivalgoers travelled from outside of South Yorkshire, with 40% outside the UK North and Midlands, and Londoners sitting within the top five domestic tourists. International tickets continued to sell in the festival’s third year too, bringing audiences from America, Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, France, Canada and Australia to Sheffield as part of their UK summer plans.

Catering to a broad appetite for live podcasts across ages, 2026 headliners ranged between Get A Grip with Vicky Pattison and Angela Scanlon to Elis James and John Robins. This was reflected in almost an even spread of ages spanning 25-65 years old: Over a quarter (28%) of attendees were aged 25-34, over a third (34%) aged 35-44 and another third (32%) aged 45-64. 

Founded just three years ago, Crossed Wires has rapidly evolved from an ambitious start-up festival into a nationally significant event, attracting audiences from across the UK and beyond. 

With visitors travelling from across the country, Crossed Wires now sits alongside major city events such as the World Snooker Championship and Tramlines Festival as one of Sheffield's most significant drivers of tourism, visitor spend and economic activity.

The 2026 festival brought together some of the biggest names in podcasting, broadcasting, comedy, sport and entertainment, drawing visitors from across the country and transforming venues throughout Sheffield into a celebration of live audio, storytelling and culture.

South Yorkshire's Mayor, Oliver Coppard said: "When we backed Crossed Wires in its early days, we knew South Yorkshire had the talent, creativity and ambition to make something truly special. What's happened since has been incredible.

Tens of thousands of people have come to our region, filling venues, supporting local businesses and bringing millions of pounds into our economy. That's good news for Sheffield and for our communities right across South Yorkshire.

Crossed Wires shows what's possible when you back creative people with big ideas. We've got world-class talent here in South Yorkshire and we’re building a reputation as a place where creators, producers and the wider industry, including the BBC, want to be.

I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved together so far, and I’m excited about what comes next: making South Yorkshire the home of audio storytelling, creating new opportunities and building on the success we've already seen."

Sheffield City Council’s City Executive, Kate Josephs said: “Crossed Wires has become one of Sheffield's standout cultural success stories. In just a few years it has grown into a festival with national reach, drawing audiences, talent and industry figures to our city while creating a fantastic experience for residents and visitors alike.

What makes Crossed Wires so special is that it reflects the creativity and originality that Sheffield is known for. The festival brings people together, showcases our unique venues and strengthens our reputation as a city that champions culture and creative innovation in the podcasting space. The festival's ability to bring high profile national hosts, guests and programmes into our city for a wide range of audiences to enjoy is key to its success and we're very proud of everything that Crossed Wires has achieved and delivered so far. 

We are incredibly proud to support Crossed Wires and the team behind it. Their ambition, energy and commitment have delivered another exceptional festival this year, and we look forward to continuing our partnership as they build on that success in the years ahead.”

Co-Founder Dino Sofos, said: “We’re delighted to see Crossed Wires become one of South Yorkshire’s biggest cultural events in just three years. There’s a real buzz around the festival, and reaching 50,000 attendees while generating over £6million for the local economy this year shows the scale of what we’ve created - and its potential to grow even further.

We’re enormously grateful to the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Sheffield City Council for backing our vision from the beginning. Their support has helped us turn an ambitious new creative venture into a groundbreaking event with genuine international significance.

With continued investment, we can build a global success story here in Sheffield, bringing more visitors, opportunities and creative talent to the city.”

Podcast Nation today announced its partnership with Bravo Breaking News, the weekly podcast hosted by Kim Mykitta, creator behind @bravobreakingnews, and Bravo superfan Lisa Konen, covering the latest headlines, cast updates, social media drama, and buzzy moments across the Bravoverse. The deal was made through Gersh Agency.

Born from social and built for audio, Podcast Nation partners with creator-led shows through customized partnerships, strategic growth, and premium 360-brand integrations. The addition of Bravo Breaking News expands the network’s roster of shows at the intersection of podcasting, digital media, and pop culture.

With Bravo news constantly unfolding, Bravo Breaking News brings listeners a weekly rundown of the stories and episodes driving conversation in the Bravo universe. From Real Housewives headlines and reunion bombshells to Summer House news, cast updates, social media drama, and the stories taking over fan conversations online, Kim and Lisa break down what’s happening across Bravo with a unique fan perspective and rare insider knowledge.

Kim has built a highly engaged community across social, video, and podcasting, reaching more than 350K followers, subscribers, and listeners across platforms. Through the partnership, Podcast Nation will support Bravo Breaking News across monetization, distribution, strategic growth, and brand partnerships, while maintaining the creator-led approach at the core of the show.

“The world of Bravo is a segment we’re continuing to expand at Podcast Nation, and for good reason. Bravo creators have built some of the most engaged communities across platforms, and we love working with creators who have such a strong understanding of their audiences and a distinct point of view. Kim has built an incredible community around Bravo Breaking News, and we’re excited to partner with her as the show continues to grow across audio, video, and beyond,” said Libby Absten, Director of Strategic Growth & Partnerships.

On Friday, January 8, every registered entrant is emailed a surprise prompt. They (and their team if they are part of a team) then have until noon on Sunday, January 10 to write, record, mix and submit an original piece under two minutes long. Everything has to be made inside the window: no archival material, no sound libraries, no pre-existing music and no generative AI. Entrants can compete solo or as a team, from anywhere in the world.

Ten finalists are scored by a panel of judges and showcased at a live celebration in New York City and on the Silver Podcast Network. The Grand Prize winner takes home $1,000 in cash plus a bundle of audio software and hardware. Second place receives $350 of audio services from Silver Sound and a suite of audio software and plugins, and the top three pieces are featured on the Silver Podcast Network.

The prompt for the Summer 2026 Dash was "Go For Broke." Long Island improv and podcast team Tales From the Cloud Sea won the Grand Prize with "Go For Broke or Gopher Broke?". Michael Satow placed second with "Free Piano," and Scotland's Bronwen Livingstone placed third with "Shooting My Shot." All three pieces, with behind-the-scenes conversations about how they were made, are in the Silver Sound Presents: The Sonic Dash podcast feed.

KEY DATES

• Registration open: Now, at www.sonicdash.nyc
• Registration closes: January 7, 2027 at 11:59 PM ET
• Prompt emailed: Friday, January 8, 2027
• Entries due: noon on Sunday, January 10, 2027
• Finalists' showcase and winners announced: The following week, New York City

Register: https://www.silver-nyc.com/sonicdashregistration

About the Sonic Dash

Every summer and winter, Silver Sound marks the longest and shortest days of the year by inviting audio makers everywhere to pick up a microphone and make something new. Silver Sound is an Emmy Award-winning audio production company in Manhattan and home of the Silver Podcast Network, whose first release, "Aisha," won the top audio prize at the 2023 Tribeca Festival.

Today, the ABC News Podcast Network and “20/20” announced the thrilling new podcast series Heist at the Louvre, hosted by ABC News’ chief international correspondent and “What You Need to Know” host James Longman, premiering Monday, Sept. 28.

The series unpacks how thieves were able to pull off one of the most daring jewel heists in history, with Longman following the investigation and its aftermath to try to answer the central question: where are the Crown Jewels now?

The trailer is available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music or wherever you get your podcasts.

“Heist at the Louvre” takes listeners inside the jewel theft that stunned the world at the iconic Louvre Museum. Through unprecedented access, Longman will not only reveal what the suspects are telling police about the crime, but also explore what is next in the investigation.

The series documents the day of the heist, with first-hand accounts from eyewitnesses and analysis from art crime experts explaining how the most famous museum in the world could be robbed in broad daylight.

Longman then follows the investigation into the Parisian criminal underworld, finding sources close to the suspects to learn who they are and where they came from, and examines what the heist has revealed about a museum – and a nation - after one of the biggest crimes of the century.

Since launching as a true crime audio destination, ABC Audio series, including “Bad Rap: The Case Against Diddy,” “What Happened to Holly Bobo?” and “Devil in the Desert,” have been featured on Apple and Spotify Best of lists and dominated podcast charts. “Devil in the Desert” became the most successful ABC Audio and “20/20” limited series ever, holding the No. 1 spot on Apple Podcasts’ Top Shows chart for more than three consecutive weeks.

The ABC News Podcast Network and “20/20” recently launched the “20/20 True Crime+” subscription channel on Apple Podcasts, providing subscribers with ad-free listening across the portfolio at their fingertips. Subscribers also receive new and archival episodes of “20/20,” early access to new original series, and exclusive content only available through the channel. “Heist at the Louvre” will be available, ad-free, to all subscribers.

Founded by journalists and authors Bradley Hope and Tom Wright, Brazen combines investigative reporting with creative development. It publishes directly to readers and listeners through The Foundry, Whale Hunting and Brazen FM. Its articles and podcasts stand as complete works; selected stories are also developed with partners in publishing, documentary, television and film.

“We built Brazen so we could back our own judgment about a story,” said Bradley Hope, co-founder of Brazen. “When we find something worth pursuing, we can start reporting and give it the time it needs. This investment lets us do more of that work and publish it ourselves.” The investment will support new investigations and the development of selected projects, including the legal and business work needed to manage rights and partnerships.

The Foundry is Brazen’s new digital magazine for long-form stories about extraordinary characters and hidden worlds. On 18 September, it began publishing The Tell, Hope’s investigation into former Supreme Court litigator and high-stakes poker player Tom Goldstein. The first parts are available at thfndry.com, with the remaining instalments publishing throughout the week.

Upcoming work includes The Missing Masterpiece of Tehran, a Random House Audiobook Original by Hope about Oliver Hoare, the art dealer who negotiated a Persian masterpiece’s return to Iran while having an affair with Princess Diana. Narrated by Christian Coulson, it is available to preorder ahead of its 29 September release.

Brazen’s development slate includes Fat Leonard, Billion Dollar Whale and The Illuminator, which it is developing with writer-director Farah Halime. The company has multiple projects in the works in partnership with Halime’s Stonebaby Productions in London.

Brazen also has a strategic relationship with SK Global Entertainment, an international film and television studio whose work includes Crazy Rich Asians, Hell or High Water and Delhi Crime.

“A tip or a chance conversation can be the spark. But it takes reporting to understand what you’ve really found, and storytelling to make someone else care,” said Tom Wright, co-founder of Brazen. “When a story has a life beyond the original article or podcast, we want to find the right people to help us take it further.”

“Original reporting is the foundation of Brazen’s business,” said Nirmal Singh, the executive chairman of Lotus Singapore Group. “Bradley and Tom have the experience to find compelling stories and the ambition to bring them to audiences around the world. We’re backing them to build a company that can keep doing that over the long term.”

Just in time for Climate Week NYC, The Climate Denier’s Playbook returns for its fourth season on September 23, bringing its particular blend of comedy, climate science, and exhaustive research back to the podcast feed.

From the minds that brought you Climate Town, The Climate Denier’s Playbook follows comedians Rollie Williams and Nicole Conlan as they debunk and riff on some of the most pernicious and dumbest climate myths and propaganda.

Rollie Williams and Nicole Conlan will perform a live preview of Season 4 at the Climate Town Live show on Monday, September 21, in New York City.**

The Climate Denier’s Playbook is a comedy podcast hosted by Rollie Williams and Nicole Conlan. Combining climate science, policy research, and about $10,000 worth of improv classes, the show uses comedy to debunk the myths and misinformation that surround the climate crisis.

Williams, creator of the Climate Town YouTube channel, and Conlan, a writer for The Daily Show, have known each other since elementary school and spent years making comedy together. Along the way, they each pursued graduate degrees in climate and urban planning: Williams earning a Master's in Climate Science and Policy from Columbia and Conlan a Master's in Urban Planning from USC. They eventually brought their shared background in comedy and climate together to create The Climate Denier’s Playbook. Season 4 expands the show's scope, introducing guests for the first time while continuing its examination of the stories people tell themselves, and each other, about climate change.

Among the myths and claims investigated this season:

• “AI will solve the climate crisis!”
• “The hyperloop is the future of transportation!”
• “They had to call it global warming because climate change was fake!”
• “Golf is draining the water out of Lake Powell!”
• Propaganda videos from the White House and oil companies.

“I saw the video the White House released about auto stop-start, and I was like, ‘That is an almost perfectly wrong video.’” said Rollie Williams. “And anything like that? That’s going on the pod.”

“Our goal with the podcast is to make you feel like you’re hanging out with two funny friends, laughing at the scariest topic imaginable” said Nicole Conlan.

Season 4 consists of 12 episodes, released every two weeks, with episodes running approximately 30–60 minutes. Additional bonus episodes will be available to Patreon supporters.

Produced by Climate Town Productions.

It was announced today that Criminal, the chart-topping true-crime podcast with tens of millions of annual downloads, will embark on a 13-city tour of North America with an all-new live show titled, “Don’t Worry.” The tour officially kicks off on November 17 in Chicago, IL. Tickets go on-sale for Criminal Plus members today, September 21, and will open up to the general public on September 24 at 10 am Eastern.

In this new show, Criminal creator Phoebe Judge tells the story of growing up in an eccentric family in Chicago, where, from the age of eight, she began discovering (and keeping) family secrets. The premise of Criminal has always been to tell stories about people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. In this intimate, darkly funny, and unexpected live show, Judge will tell those never-before-heard stories about herself and the people she loves. These are the stories that have shaped her, and the inspiration for how Criminal came to be in the first place.

“I’ve spent most of my life interviewing people about incredibly difficult moments in their lives,” said Judge. “I won’t pretend to know much, but I do know that none of us do the right thing all of the time. Me and my own family included. This is a show about not giving up on people.” 

Launched in 2014 by Phoebe Judge and Lauren Spohrer, and now part of Vox Media, Criminal has been an enduring brand and a defining voice in true crime through rigorous reporting, uncompromising editorial standards, and meticulously crafted storytelling. After more than twelve years, it remains one of the medium's most respected shows. 

“Don’t Worry” Live Tour Dates, Below: 

• November 17, 2026 Chicago, IL The Vic
• November 18, 2026 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of Living Arts 
• November 19, 2026 Boston, MA The Wilbur 
• November 21, 2026 New York, NY Chelsea Music Hall
• November 22, 2026 Brooklyn, NY The Bell House
• November 23, 2026 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
• November 24, 2026 Raleigh, NC Fletcher Opera Theater
• December 7, 2026 Denver, CO Cervantes’ Ballroom
• December 8, 2026 Austin, TX The State
• December 9, 2026 Austin, TX The State
• December 10, 2026 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater 
• December 12, 2026 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Masonic 
• December 13, 2026 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Masonic 
• December 14, 2026 San Francisco, CA Bimbo’s
• December 15, 2026 Portland, OR Revolution Hall
• December 16, 2026 Seattle, WA Neptune Theatre

Fans can follow along on socials @criminal_podcast, and tune-in to new episodes weekly on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. More information on the show and tour can be found on thisiscriminal.com. 

Oxford Road, the world’s largest podcasting agency, and podcast growth agency Bumper announce a marketing partnership to bring the revolutionary Bumper Score to market as a shared, comparable read on the quality of a podcast’s audience.

Inspired by a 2025 Oxford Road report that found that better data could potentially unlock another $1B for the industry, Bumper created the Bumper Score to represent how well a show delivers ads to a real, verified audience. Every participating podcast receives a score from 0 to 200, which is calculated based on three metrics: 1) podcast delivery data; 2) verified audiences from major podcast apps and platforms; 3) how much of each episode (including ads) listeners actually hear. By spanning both audio and YouTube engagement, the Bumper Score addresses the longstanding challenge of podcast measurement, while assuring advertisers that their ads are reaching real people.

In partnering with Bumper, Oxford Road aims to bring the Bumper Score into planning and buying conversations with clients and partners, in the hopes of driving adoption across the industry. Improving measurement and attribution is a core mission for Oxford Road, which co-created the AMP Accords, a proposed set of standards and definitions that could result in more accurate data for creators, publishers, and networks alike. The agency sees the Bumper Score as a practical tool a buyer can use today, while the AMP Accords await industry-wide adoption. 

“Confusion is bad for business,” notes Oxford Road founder and CEO Dan Granger. “Right now, we make advertisers become CSI detectives just to understand whether their ads are working, and too often they decide it’s easier to take their money elsewhere. Bumper has developed a deeply thoughtful approach to making the quality of an impression more legible. The Bumper Score isn’t the finish line, but it’s a meaningful step forward.”

Bumper co-founder Dan Misener adds: “Better data means greater trust–and greater trust leads to more investment. That's what the Bumper Score is all about, and we're proud to partner with Oxford Road to improve the podcast ad market for everyone.”

The partnership includes Chewed Up, the hit thrice-weekly food and lifestyle show hosted by Clinton Kelly, Carla Hall, and Michael Symon; Why'd They Wear That?!?, the twice-weekly fashion-forward culture series hosted by Clinton Kelly and Stacy London; and Simply Symons, Michael Symon's cooking and entertaining show featuring his wife and restaurant partner Liz Symon and family friend and culinary producer Olivia Annacone.

“Clinton, Carla, Michael, and Stacy have built the kind of chemistry that audiences don't just watch – they actively seek out,” said Cliff Clinton, Director, Podcast Strategy & Operations, Libsyn. “Across food, fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment, the All Chewed Up network gives brands the opportunity to connect with audiences through personalities that have cultivated lasting relationships with viewers for years.”

“As All Chewed Up continues to grow across platforms, we wanted a partner that could bring sophisticated podcast advertising infrastructure to complement the custom brand partnerships we’re building across the network,” said Anneke Foster, Founder of We Tell Good Stories. “We’re building for what’s next in media: premium, talent-led programming that reaches audiences wherever they choose to watch, listen and engage. Libsyn gives us the ability to offer advertisers both scale and highly integrated opportunities built around this extraordinary group of talent.”

All Chewed Up creates a diverse portfolio of listening and viewing experiences that attract dedicated consumers across multiple lifestyle categories, making the network an ideal fit for brands seeking deep connections with audiences. Programming reaches audiences across YouTube, social, streaming television, audio platforms and, beginning this fall, in-flight entertainment, creating multiple ways for audiences to discover and engage with All Chewed Up’s talent and programming.

• At the center is Chewed Up, an attention-rich listening and viewing environment where audiences come for the food but stay for the personalities, making it an ideal setting for brands looking to connect with consumers through entertainment, lifestyle, and shared cultural moments. Hosted by Clinton Kelly (TLC's What Not to Wear and Prime Video’s Wear Whatever the F You Want), Carla Hall (Bravo's Top Chef and Top Chef: All-Stars), and Michael Symon (Food Network's Iron Chef America and Burgers, Brew & 'Que), the show reunites the beloved trio from ABC's The Chew for a thrice-weekly “full-contact kitchen reunion.”
• The network also includes Why'd They Wear That?!?, which attracts style-conscious, pop culture-savvy audiences who actively follow fashion, entertainment, and consumer trends, creating a strong platform for brands looking to connect with highly engaged lifestyle consumers. Clinton Kelly and Stacy London (TLC's What Not to Wear and Prime Video’s Wear Whatever the F You Want), host the fashion rewatch series, drawing on their decades of expertise and iconic chemistry, breaking down memorable looks from pop culture.
• Rounding out the portfolio is Simply Symons, hosted by celebrated chef Michael Symon alongside his wife and restaurant partner Liz Symon, and family friend Olivia, the show focuses on grilling, entertaining, and making the most of every meal. Whether in the backyard or around the kitchen table, Simply Symons welcomes audiences into the relaxed, unscripted moments that happen when family and friends cook together.

Libsyn delivers podcast hosting for creators who are serious about growth, combining intuitive workflows with advanced analytics, audio and video publishing, and integrated monetization and marketing tools. Designed to scale alongside creators, the platform makes it easy to expand reach, build lasting brands, and maintain creative control. Through partnerships with Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, Libsyn also enables seamless publishing across the industry’s leading audio and video platforms.

This partnership leverages Libsyn Ads advanced solutions, including Host-Read (available for episodic and simulcast formats), programmatic Automatic Podcast Ads, and Integrated Brand Opportunities designed to organically resonate with All Chewed Up's food-loving, style-conscious, entertainment-driven, and lifestyle-focused audiences. Advertisers will also have access to premium baked-in, on-camera host-read endorsements delivered directly by the hosts.

For advertisers seeking additional scale, the Libsyn Audience Network (LAN) provides access to premium, brand-safe inventory across Libsyn’s broader portfolio. With audience-based targeting across both new episodes and full catalogs, LAN combines the authenticity of host-read ads with the scale of broader inventory, all backed by Libsyn Ads’ buying, measurement, and campaign management capabilities.

For more information or to advertise across the All Chewed Up network, please contact ad-sales@libsyn.com.

Inflection Point Entertainment (IPE) announced today that Tony Mantor: Why Not Me?, currently one of the top-ranked podcasts on Apple Podcasts, has joined the Inflection Network and will be distributed through the network’s deal with iHeartMedia.

The show regularly ranks in Top 100 on Apple Podcast , #2 in the Mental Health category and #6 in Health and Fitness. Focused on autism, mental health advocacy and personal stories, Tony Mantor: Why Not Me? has built an audience through conversations that give individuals, families and advocates a platform to share their experiences. The show has more than 18,000 five-star ratings across its platforms.

"We're thrilled to welcome Tony Mantor and Why Not Me? to Inflection," says Terrence Williams, founder of Inflection Point Entertainment. "Tony has built an impressive audience by creating a space for honest conversations around real life issues. Why Not Me? is exactly the kind of trust-driven, conviction-first show we look for, no matter the genre. The success of the show speaks for itself, and we look forward to helping expand its reach through the Inflection Network."

Before launching Tony Mantor: Why Not Me?, Mantor spent more than 30 years in Nashville as a singer-songwriter and music producer. Through his independent label and production company, Plateau Music, he has worked with artists including Debby Campbell, Bobby Brooks Wilson and Donny Most, with 33 songs reaching the Top 40 across Billboard, Mediabase and Music Row charts. Mantor has since expanded into podcasting with Why Not Me? which has become one of the leading platforms covering autism, mental health, advocacy and recovery.

“Why Not Me? has always been about giving people a place to share stories that deserve to be heard,” said Tony Mantor. “What started as a simple idea has grown into something far greater than I ever imagined, reaching individuals and families around the world who are affected by autism and mental health challenges. Joining the Inflection Network and expanding our reach through iHeartMedia gives us an incredible opportunity to bring those voices to an even larger audience. I’m grateful for what we’ve built, but I believe we’re only getting started.”

Why Not Me? brings together people with lived experience, families and caregivers, physicians, researchers and advocates. The wide range of guests has included former U.S. Congressman Dr. Tim Murphy, Patrick Kennedy, state legislators, national advocates, authors and families affected by autism and mental health issues.

The addition of Tony Mantor: Why Not Me? marks the continued growth of the Inflection Network and its roster of established, creator-driven podcasts across entertainment, sports, culture, history and health.

Tony Mantor: Why Not Me? is streaming now through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart Media, or at WhyNotMe.world.

About Inflection Point Entertainment

Inflection Point Entertainment, founded in 2020 by renowned sports journalist Michael Smith and entertainment attorney Terrence Williams, is a multimedia company dedicated to capturing the defining moments that shape individuals, institutions, and industries. Through scripted and unscripted content spanning podcasts, television, film, and digital media, Inflection Point Entertainment develops creator-driven stories that inform, inspire, entertain, and spark meaningful conversation. The company is home to premium content featuring compelling voices across sports, culture, entertainment, history, and beyond.

About Tony Mantor: Why Not Me?

In 2021, veteran Nashville music producer Tony Mantor recorded a song titled “Why Not Me,” as a tribute to individuals with Autism, a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and repetitive behaviors. Although autism is becoming more widely recognized, there is still a lack of understanding and awareness surrounding the disorder. As a result, many individuals and families affected by autism struggle to find the support and resources they need. Why Not Me? podcast aims to bridge that gap by providing valuable information and insights into autism, fostering empathy and understanding, and promoting acceptance and inclusion. Mantor explores the remarkable impact his guests make by empowering their voices in spreading awareness about autism and helping break down the barriers of understanding.

Join Mantor and his guests as they delve into the world of autism and mental health, exploring topics such as diagnosis, treatment, research, the legal system, and personal stories from those in the autistic and mental health communities. Together, we can create a more informed and compassionate society for individuals with autism or mental health disorders. Why Not Me? is streaming now through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon, iHeart Media, or at WhyNotMe.world.

Vox Media today announced the second annual national tour for Pivot, New York Magazine’s award-winning show from journalist Kara Swisher and NYU Professor and entrepreneur Scott Galloway. The Pivot Tour will make stops across the U.S. and Canada for one week in November, featuring Swisher and Galloway’s unfiltered dialogue about the most important stories in business, technology, politics, and more, with special guests and on-stage surprises. The 2026 tour’s stops include:

• Monday, November 2: New York City’s Beacon Theatre
• Tuesday, November 3: Toronto’s Elgin Theatre
• Wednesday, November 4: Minneapolis’s State Theatre
• Friday, November 6: Los Angeles’s Orpheum Theatre
• Saturday, November 7: San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre
• Sunday, November 8: Denver’s Buell Theatre

Last year’s sold-out Pivot Tour welcomed over 11,000 guests, with special appearances from Chelsea Handler, Ed Helms, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, New York City mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, journalist Don Lemon, and more. 

The 2026 Pivot Tour is presented by beehiiv, with supporting sponsor Quince. Full tour details and ticketing information are available here.

One of the top business podcasts in the U.S., Pivot continues to grow its audience and influence, with 200 million views and downloads per year across audio, video, and social platforms. The show won the 2025 and 2026 Webby Awards for Best Business Podcast, and was named Best News Podcast at the iHeart Podcast Awards in 2024 and 2025. In addition to its 2025 tour, Pivot has delighted fans at industry tentpoles including SXSW and Cannes Lions. 

“Once again I will endure one full week of spooning Scott and cleaning up after him to bring our deep connection to the audiences who love it,” said Swisher.

“Where’s the bar?” said Galloway.

In other accolades, Pivot was named by TIME Magazine as one of the 100 Best Podcasts of All Time and Swisher received a 2024 Lifetime Achievement Webby. Swisher and Galloway are both bestselling authors, most recently of Burn Book: A Tech Love Story and Notes on Being a Man respectively.

Today, Amazon Music announced new partnerships with several leading podcast hosting providers and publishers to grow its catalog of video podcasts. Amazon Music customers can now access shows hosted on ART19, Triton Digital’s Omny Studio and Flightcast, with additional hosting providers SiriusXM (inclusive of SiriusXM Media, AdsWizz and Simplecast), Megaphone, and Libsyn expected in the following months. These new partnerships will give Amazon Music customers access to podcasts available on video and audio from publishers iHeartMedia, SiriusXM, Spotify, NBC Sports, and Headgum, including popular shows such as Hey Jonas!, Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb, Pro Football Talk Live with Mike Florio, and Solved with Mark Manson. Amazon Music is also expanding video podcasts beyond the US to customers in Canada, the UK, Mexico, Brazil, and Japan.

Amazon Music now supports monetization for video podcasts as well, allowing creators to dynamically insert video ads into their shows while maintaining their existing brand sponsorships and baked-in ads. Publishers and creators will retain full control over their hosting, ad inventory, and audience targeting.

"Industry data confirms what our customers have been telling us — they want the flexibility to watch their favorite podcasts, in addition to listening. As video consumption continues to grow, we're constantly looking for ways to expand our offerings for customers to engage across formats. By working with leading podcast publishers, we're bringing the top video podcast shows to customers across the US, Canada, UK, Mexico, Brazil, and Japan — spanning true crime, breaking news, celebrity interviews, and more. Just as importantly, we've built this in a way that lets creators keep full ownership of their hosting, ad inventory, and audience monetization,” said Shea Simpson, Head of Spoken Word for Amazon Music.

"Our strategy is simple: make the world's best creators and content available wherever consumers choose to listen, watch and engage. As podcasting continues to evolve, video has become a complementary extension of the audio experience. As the industry's leading audio platform, iHeart is focused on creating new opportunities for our talent and helping them build deeper connections with fans. This collaboration with Amazon Music expands the reach of our creators and programming, helps grow the podcast ecosystem, and creates new ways for audiences to discover and engage with the content they love," said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia.

“Video is fundamentally changing how podcasts are created, distributed, and discovered, and our job at Flightcast is to give creators and publishers the infrastructure they need to take advantage of that shift. When Amazon Music reached out about the upcoming video capabilities, we knew our creators would want to be there on day one. And now, hundreds of them will be. Amazon Music’s commitment to giving creators greater control over their ad inventory and brand relationships, while helping them reach new audiences around the world, aligns closely with how we’ve built Flightcast. This partnership gives the creators and networks using our platform another powerful way to expand their reach, grow their businesses and meet audiences wherever they choose to watch or listen,” said Rox Codes, Co-Founder and CEO at Flightcast.

With an expanded slate of video podcasts now available on Amazon Music, customers can now download episodes for offline viewing, giving them the flexibility to watch their favorite podcasts anytime, anywhere. Customers can discover featured video podcast recommendations, search for “video podcasts” or browse shows to find video podcasts, and seamlessly toggle between video and audio formats directly in the app. Video podcasts are available on iOS and Android to Amazon Music customers across all subscription tiers. For more information, please visit https://music.amazon.com.

Red Seat Ventures (RSV), a Fox Corporation (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX) creator-led media company, today announced an exclusive partnership with Caleb Hammer and his hit financial education podcast, Financial Audit.

Under the agreement, Red Seat Ventures will serve as the exclusive audio and video ad sales partner for Financial Audit and distribute the show across Tubi as well as YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other third party platforms.

Hosted by Caleb Hammer, Financial Audit puts real people in the hot seat for candid conversations about their finances, from debt and budgeting to spending habits and long-term goals. With his direct, accessible approach, Hammer combines accountability, humor and practical guidance to help viewers better understand their money and take meaningful steps toward financial stability.

“Caleb has built an extraordinary connection with his audience by tackling a subject that can feel intimidating with honesty, humor and genuine purpose,” said Chris Balfe, CEO of Red Seat Ventures. “Financial Audit is more than a show—it is a trusted, highly engaging franchise that gives people practical tools to improve their lives. We are thrilled to partner with Caleb and his team as they expand the brand and reach even more people.”

Hammer has built a community of more than 3 million YouTube subscribers, with Financial Audit becoming a destination for viewers looking for unfiltered conversations and actionable personal-finance advice. Drawing from his own experience overcoming debt, Hammer has filmed more than 500 episodes and created a fast-growing media brand that also includes educational resources, a newsletter and membership offerings.

“RSV understands what we are building with Financial Audit: content that is entertaining and most importantly, actually helps people take control of their lives,” said Caleb Hammer. “I’m excited to work with the RSV team to grow the show and keep making financial education feel relatable and impossible to ignore.”

Red Seat Ventures represents more than 40 premium creators spanning true crime, comedy, news, sports and entertainment, with a combined audience of tens of millions of monthly consumers across audio and video. RSV’s partnership with Hammer marks another milestone in the company’s continued expansion of creator-first technology and monetization capabilities. It follows recent announcements with Supercast and Kill Tony+, the announcement of Charlie Sheen’s Mostly Sheenius podcast and support for Apple HLS, all designed to help creators safely unlock more inventory across direct and programmatic channels.

“We’re proud to serve as a trusted destination for listeners seeking high quality content and for advertisers looking for results within premium ad environments” said Chris Bowlby, Senior Vice President of Sales at PRX. “With Barometer’s technology providing extra safeguards, we continue to guarantee current and new advertisers alike the best brand-safe content––whether direct or programmatic––even down to the episode level.”

Brands advertising on PRX podcasts can target their campaigns strategically, effectively, and with confidence due to Barometer’s capabilities, including:

• Episode-Level Targeting: Maximizes brand-suitable inventory availability while enabling precise episodic placement.
• End-to-End Transparency: Delivers pre-bid assurances and continuous campaign monitoring from planning through reporting.
• Maximized Yield and Reach: Uses standardized, IAB-aligned targeting controls to expand scale and drive efficiency.
• Advanced Contextual Analysis: Evaluates tone, context, and nuance beyond basic keywords, preserving advertiser access to PRX’s Pulitzer and Peabody Award-winning narrative and news content.

“PRX produces some of the most respected, award-winning narrative journalism and storytelling in audio,” said Tamara Zubatiy, CEO and Co-Founder of Barometer. “By replacing outdated keyword filters with our context-aware AI engine, we’re helping PRX unlock maximum inventory value for their creators while giving brands transparency and episode-level control from pre-bid planning through campaign execution.”

Brands interested in exploring opportunities on PRX’s industry-leading programming may visit prx.org/sponsorship for details.

Bleav, a leading sports and entertainment production company generating more than 40 million views and listens per month across podcast, YouTube and digital platforms, today announced that Jim Thompson has joined the company as Vice President of Sales. Thompson will oversee Bleav’s advertising sales organization and drive revenue growth across the company’s audio, video and social platforms.

What began as dedicated programming for nearly every professional and major college team has grown into a national content company spanning sports and entertainment. Bleav now produces more than 200 episodes per day from 550+ shows, featuring more than 800 hosts and athletes with a combined 60 million social followers and more than 2,000 hours of original audio and video content each month. That scale gives brands and advertisers a rare combination of volume, targeting and authenticity across podcasting and digital video.

Thompson joins Bleav from Gemini XIII, where he served as Vice President of Sales across the company’s podcasting, radio and premium audio businesses. Before Gemini XIII, he held sales roles at The Athletic- driving multichannel revenue across podcasts, digital and newsletters- and at Cadence13, specializing in direct-response advertising and large-scale brand activations. Thompson also brings deep sports advertising experience from ESPN New York 98.7 FM, where he sold advertising and sponsorships across ESPN programming and New York Jets, Knicks and Rangers broadcasts. He began his career in New York radio at WOR and later served as Sales Manager for Salem Media’s New York stations.

“Jim brings exactly the kind of sales leadership and experience we want as Bleav continues to grow,” said Bron Heussenstamm, Founder and CEO of Bleav. “He understands both sports and no sports, podcasts, creators and advertisers, and has built strong relationships throughout the industry. We are excited to have him leading our sales organization and helping us unlock the value of the audience and content we have built.”

“Bleav has built an incredible network of creators, athletes and content with tremendous opportunity ahead,” said Thompson. “I’m excited to join Bron and the Bleav team, work with our sales organization and partners, and build on that foundation to create even more opportunities for advertisers, creators and the company.”

As Vice President of Sales, Thompson will lead Bleav’s internal sales team, direct advertising and sponsorship efforts, and manage relationships with the company’s third-party sales partners.

NPR today announced that technology journalists Kevin Roose and Casey Newton are bringing their newest venture, Machine Gods, to NPR. The new video-first show hosted by Roose, formerly of The New York Times, and Newton, founder of Platformer, will dive deep into the defining consumer, enterprise and policy conversations of the artificial intelligence era. This major programming acquisition comes just months after Nadine Zylstra joined NPR as Chief Content Officer, kicking off a bold new era of content strategy for the network. The show will debut on the NPR app, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts this October, and will be available as a radio program on the NPR Member station network in early 2027. 

Building on the hosts’ success with Hard Fork, chronicling the rapidly shifting global technological landscape, Machine Gods will run twice weekly on NPR podcast feeds and give public media audiences access to the leaders actively shaping the future of technology, in conversations across audio and video platforms.

Zylstra highlighted the creative energy behind the partnership, a natural extension of how NPR is evolving its content to meet this moment: “Kevin and Casey are two of the sharpest, most trusted voices covering the technology shaping our world. Bringing their extraordinary reporting and dynamic rapport to NPR is a huge win for our audiences and represents an exciting, strategic expansion of our digital slate, ensuring public media remains the premier destination for smart, deeply human stories.”

“AI is the biggest story of our lifetimes, and most of the coverage is either cheerleading or doomsaying,” said co-host Kevin Roose. “Casey and I are building a show for people who want to know what is actually happening with AI, and partnering with NPR will let us reach smart, engaged audiences at a scale no tech podcast has ever had.”

The launch marks a new chapter for the hosts as they pioneer an independent, comprehensive media venture. Reflecting on the decision to build this new property in partnership with NPR, Casey Newton said, “When you build an independent tech publication, there’s always a temptation to retreat behind a paywall or talk exclusively to insiders. What sold us on NPR is its public-service mission. We get to bring sharp, independent reporting on AI to millions of people for free, right where they already listen.”

The debut of Machine Gods captures a significant cultural moment, aligning closely with the October 6, 2026, release of Roose’s highly anticipated new book, The AGI Chronicles. By combining investigative reporting, nuanced debate, and trusted expertise, the show promises to help the public navigate the radical uncertainty and societal impact of artificial intelligence. Production of the show will be based in San Francisco, bringing the pulse of the tech industry directly to NPR’s national audience.

Kevin Roose and Casey Newton’s audio work is represented by UTA.

Alongside Machine Gods, NPR is expanding its fall lineup with two new shows:

Your Turn with Allison Aubrey will launch mid-October, in partnership with NPR Member station WBUR. Hosted by veteran NPR correspondent Allison Aubrey, Your Turn is a roadmap to reimagine midlife, blending compelling narratives, the latest research and wisdom into a show that will help listeners step into an exciting “third turn,” and discover the opportunities that lie ahead in the next stretch of life.

“We could not be more excited to partner with our Member station WBUR in Boston to bring Allison’s decades of experience as NPR Health & Science Correspondent to this new show,” said Thomas Evans, NPR Editor in Chief. “Her talent for weaving storytelling and science together is a perfect match for the millions of people navigating midlife.” 

The Indicator from Planet Money is expanding into the weekend with a Saturday episode bringing Planet Money’s signature exuberant explainers to pop culture trends, starting this winter. The weekend Indicator fuses the nerdy deep dives of Planet Money’s business reporting with cultural moments to reveal the economic forces that drive culture, because under every culture story there’s a business story waiting to be discovered.

Through a direct integration between Podscribe and Rumble, advertisers can better understand how exposure to their Rumble campaigns drives website visits, conversions, purchases, and other outcomes. The integration enables direct attribution for host-read, baked-in ads within creator content and podcasts on Rumble — inventory that cannot be directly attributed in the same way on comparable video platforms such as YouTube and Spotify Video.

The integration brings the level of measurement advertisers have come to expect from podcast and digital audio campaigns to Rumble’s growing video ecosystem. Rumble is the first video platform to fully provide the signals required for attribution under the Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting (AMP) attribution specification.

“This Rumble partnership is an amazing first-of-its-kind example of a platform leaning into the Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting (AMP) attribution spec to give the most accurate podcast attribution yet known. It indicates the growing momentum in the industry to give advertisers the strongest possible measurement & transparency” said Pete Birsinger, CEO and Founder of Podscribe.

"Campaign success is essential to our clients and our growth as a video advertising platform," said Greg Sherrill, President Ad Sales of Rumble. “Our integration with Podscribe’s direct attribution solution and their adherence to AMP’s specifications helps us further delight advertisers, increase renewals, and deliver more compelling ads for our viewers. As we already have many of Podscribe’s top shows on Rumble, this should increase the opportunity to work with more advertisers."

Nearly 10% of the top 100 shows measured by Podscribe are already publishing content on Rumble, demonstrating the platform’s growing role within the broader podcast and creator ecosystem.

More Precise Attribution for Video Host-Reads

Previously, Podscribe incorporated Rumble consumption into campaign reporting using modeled attribution. Through the new direct integration, Podscribe can use privacy-compliant signals provided by Rumble to deterministically match eligible ad exposure to advertiser outcomes, eliminating the need to rely on modeled attribution for these Rumble campaigns.

Rumble provides signals such as mobile advertising IDs and hashed emails, allowing Podscribe to attribute outcomes even in situations where noisy IP addresses could otherwise require modeling. Podscribe also receives consumption data from Rumble, allowing attribution to focus on viewers who actually reached and were exposed to the ad rather than broadly attributing exposure to anyone who downloaded or played any portion of an episode.

The integration is fully privacy-compliant, with consent obtained directly through the Rumble platform.

For advertisers, this provides greater visibility into the impact of their Rumble investment, including conversions that traditional methods such as promo codes and click-through attribution may miss.

For example, a viewer could be exposed to a host-read ad on Rumble, never click an ad or use the advertised promo code, and later visit the advertiser’s website directly to make a purchase. With Podscribe attribution and the advertiser’s conversion pixel in place, that advertiser can better understand the role the Rumble exposure played in driving the outcome.

Giving Advertisers Greater Transparency

The partnership reflects a shared commitment from Rumble and Podscribe to make creator advertising more transparent, measurable, and accountable.

Stronger measurement also gives Rumble creators and advertising partners a new way to demonstrate the value and performance of audiences consuming their content on the platform.

Building Momentum for AMP Attribution

The signals provided through the Rumble integration meet the Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting (AMP) attribution specification, making Rumble a leading example of how video and creator platforms can support transparent, privacy-compliant attribution.

By opting into the specification, Rumble establishes a precedent for platforms to provide advertisers with the signals necessary to independently measure campaign outcomes while maintaining consumer privacy.

The partnership also represents growing momentum behind AMP’s effort to establish common standards for attribution across the podcast and creator advertising ecosystem.

Seamlessly Integrated Into Podscribe

For existing Podscribe customers, measuring eligible Rumble campaigns is designed to be seamless.

Podscribe already matches Rumble content and campaigns within its platform for reporting including airchecks and view counts. Through the direct integration, campaigns running with Rumble creators can automatically use the appropriate Rumble identifiers for attribution within Podscribe, without requiring additional Rumble-specific measurement setup from publishers or advertisers.

Getting Started

Advertisers already running campaigns on Rumble can measure eligible campaigns through Podscribe to gain greater visibility into performance alongside their other podcast, audio, video, and creator media.

Creators and publishers interested in distributing their content on Rumble can learn more about Rumble’s upload process at rumble.support/help/upload-process.

Advertisers interested in running host-read sponsorships with Rumble creators can contact sales@rumble.com.

To learn more about measuring Rumble campaigns with Podscribe, contact partnerships@podscribe.com.

Parker brings years of experience in media and audio sales to Gemini XIII, with a track record of building advertiser relationships, developing revenue opportunities and navigating the rapidly evolving audio landscape. During her tenure at Yea Networks, she helped drive sales across the company’s growing audio business and developed relationships with agencies, brands and advertisers across the marketplace.

The move gives Gemini XIII both a seasoned sales executive and an expanded roster of podcast inventory as the company continues to build out its audio and digital media business.

“Kelly is exactly the kind of sales leader we want at Gemini XIII,” said Charles Steinhauer, COO, Gemini XIII. “She has deep relationships, a strong understanding of the audio marketplace and, most importantly, a genuine passion for creating opportunities for content partners and advertisers. Bringing Kelly onto the team while also adding the Yea Networks podcast slate is a significant expansion of our sales offering.”

As part of the transition, Gemini XIII will serve as the exclusive advertising sales representative for the full Yea Networks podcast slate, adding properties like Ana’s Group Chat with Kidd Kraddick’s Ana Szabo, Hold My Crown, and Hey Dude The 90s Called, with Christine Taylor and David Lascher to its broader portfolio of premium programming.

The addition comes as Gemini XIII continues to expand beyond traditional podcast representation, building an integrated media platform spanning podcasting, digital video, social, creators and branded content. The company works with content partners and advertisers offering sales, marketing, audience development, production and brand partnership capabilities.

With Parker's arrival, Gemini XIII will immediately begin representing the Yea Networks podcast portfolio for advertising partnerships.

In just ten minutes, Rood and Bronsil shared a series of findings pointing to one central idea: podcasting has achieved scale, but trust may be its most important differentiator. The relationship between a host, or a familiar and trusted voice, and the audience influences where listeners spend their time, how they react to advertising, what they remember, and even what they may be willing to pay for.

The Podcast Study 2026 surveyed 1,205 podcast consumers in a nationally representative study designed to examine podcast consumption, advertising effectiveness, monetization, discovery, loyalty, and the evolving relationship between hosts and audiences. Crooked Media, NPR, and PRX are co-sponsors of the research.

Among the findings revealed at the Summit:

• 82% say the host is a big part of, or the only reason for, listening to their favorite podcast.
• 88% spend at least half of their podcast listening time with one favorite podcast.
• Host endorsements have a measurable impact beyond the original ad exposure. 57% say they are more likely to remember the brand, 55% are more likely to notice the ad again, 44% are more likely to trust the ad, and 41% are more likely to consider buying the product.
• 45% are at least somewhat likely to pay for a subscription tier that removes all advertising except host-read ads. About half of the audience would pay $3 to $5 per month for that type of offering, presenting an intriguing new revenue opportunity built around advertising delivered by the voices that listeners value.
• 75% would welcome or accept interest-targeted advertising in exchange for keeping podcasts free.
• Even as 45% perceive more advertising than a year ago, 46% say the current ad load is acceptable or that they could tolerate more.
• Email remains a largely untapped extension of the relationship. Among podcast listeners who do not currently receive podcast emails, 64% say they would sign up or that it would depend on the offer.

The findings presented on stage reinforced the theme of this year’s presentation, “The Podcast Study 2026: Buying Trust, Not Just Reach.” Rather than viewing the podcast opportunity simply as another way to accumulate impressions, the data suggests that brands, publishers, and creators have opportunities to build around a relationship that audiences have already chosen to establish.

Rood explained, “Every podcaster is asking how to turn audience into revenue. This study tracks the entire engagement funnel: discovery, loyalty, and the point where a follower becomes a Superfan, so producers can stop guessing. The findings we shared today are only the beginning, and I’m excited that The Podcast Study will again provide a unique look at how to move the industry forward.”

“We had ten minutes today to share some of the headlines, but there is far too much in this research to stop there,” added Bronsil. “The relationship with the host, or a familiar and trusted voice like NPR utilizes, shows up again and again in listening, advertising effectiveness, willingness to pay, and opportunities beyond the episode. There are actionable ideas here for publishers, advertisers, and creators, and now we want to take the time to explore what the data really means.”

To take the findings deeper and make the research available to the broader industry, Strategic Solutions Research and Point-To-Point Marketing will host four free webinars in the coming weeks:

• September 22, 2026: The Host and the Power of Trust
• October 6, 2026: Advertising Without Breaking the Relationship
• October 13, 2026: Beyond the Pre-Roll
• October 20, 2026: What Radio Can Learn from The Podcast Study 2026

Each session will move beyond the initial Summit headlines to explore additional findings, implications, and actionable opportunities from the research. The first three webinars will focus on the podcast industry, while the October 20 presentation will bring together the findings most relevant to broadcasters, personalities, programmers, sellers, and advertisers.

Registration for all four free webinars is available now.

The webinar series continues the commitment from Strategic Solutions Research and Point-To-Point Marketing to make the findings, insights, and actionable takeaways from The Podcast Study 2026 available to the industry.

Strategic Solutions Research and Point-To-Point Marketing also thank Crooked Media, NPR, and PRX for their support as co-sponsors of The Podcast Study 2026 and for helping make this important national research possible.

BBC Studios today announced that BBC.com subscribers in the United States and Canada can now enjoy early access to select BBC podcasts, giving members the opportunity to listen to episodes before their wider release.

Beginning today, episodes from several popular BBC podcasts will start rolling out to subscribers ahead of their general availability, including Good Bad Billionaire, History's Secret Heroes, In Our Time, Intrigue, You're Dead To Me and World of Secrets, with additional titles expected over time.

Tara Maitra, President, Commercial News at BBC Studios, said: "The BBC.com subscription offering continues to evolve as we bring more of the BBC together in one place. The addition of early access podcasts is another step in creating a richer, more engaging experience for subscribers, giving audiences greater access and more ways to connect with BBC's trusted journalism and distinctive storytelling.”

BBC.com will also debut a video podcast edition of In Our Time, one of the BBC's longest-running and most celebrated audio franchises, for subscribers.

Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time brings together host Misha Glenny and leading experts for in-depth conversations exploring the people, events and discoveries that have shaped our world. The first video podcast edition of In Our Time premieres Thursday, September 17 on BBC.com and BBC Select, BBC Studios' ad-free premium documentary streaming service in the U.S. and Canada. New video episodes will premiere each Thursday first on BBC.com and BBC Select before later becoming available ex-UK on the BBC Podcasts YouTube channel.

Upcoming episodes include Thomas More's Utopia, the influential and ambiguous 1516 work that has been interpreted as both an ideal society and a timeless warning; the world of particle accelerators and their far-reaching applications in science, medicine and archaeology; and the film Casablanca and its enduring emotional power.

These additions build on a growing suite of subscriber features available through BBC.com, including unlimited access to BBC global news and reporting, the BBC News livestream in the U.S., ad-free documentaries and podcasts, exclusive newsletters, and other premium experiences designed to provide deeper context and insight beyond the headlines.

The BBC.com annual subscription is available for US$49.99 in the United States and CAN$69.99 in Canada. For more information, visit www.bbc.com/subscribe.

Radiotopia from PRX announced a new partnership with adventurer and bestselling author Blair Braverman, the creator and host of the 2026 breakout podcast What to Carry, What to Burn. The podcast featuring true life tales of survival and perseverance is now part of Radiotopia, the Peabody Award-nominated network of today’s extraordinary independent audio producers.

“What to Carry, What to Burn is exactly the kind of bold, beautifully told storytelling that we love at Radiotopia,” said Audrey Mardavich, Executive Producer of Radiotopia from PRX. “We’re so excited to partner with Blair, who brings an incredible mix of curiosity, narrative talent, and firsthand experience as a badass adventurer to these thrilling and deeply human stories of survival.”

What to Carry, What to Burn launched in May 2026 and has quickly found a highly engaged nationwide audience. Each episode––written and told by Braverman––features a cinematic recounting of an adventure from the past that’s gone impossibly awry, and what came next. From stories of an an Iñupiaq woman who endured a brutal Arctic winter alone after a doomed expedition in 1921, to a shark fisherman who disappeared for two years following a storm over the Pacific Ocean, to a 17-year old daughter of biologists who survived in the Amazon rainforest as the sole survivor of a disastrous plane crash, What to Carry, What to Burn also explores what we can learn about getting through the impossible, both in the wilderness and in our own lives.

People think survival is about toughness, but it's so much more about creativity, optimism, empathy... every survivor is solving high-stakes mysteries in real time,” said Braverman. I've loved learning these stories, and telling them! I'm so excited to keep doing so with Radiotopia.”

With stories previously heard on signature podcasts such as You’re Wrong About and This American Life, Braverman is also the author of the acclaimed memoir Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube, Dogs on the Trail, the bestselling children’s book The Day Leap Soared, and bestselling novel Small Game. A long-distance dogsledder, she’s completed the 1,000-mile Iditarod race and placed top-five in some of the most challenging sled dog races in the world, including the Canadian Challenge and Kobuk 440 in Alaska. Braverman was previously named to the Outdoor Industry Association’s inaugural “Outdoor 30 under 30,” honoring the boldest individuals driving outdoorsmanship forward.

Praised as “the survival obsession you’ve been waiting for” by Outside Magazine and by Podcast Review as “a dream show [and] a must-hear for anyone who values empathetic, captivating storytelling,” What to Carry, What to Burn will continue to release new episodes every other Tuesday free across all major podcast platforms.

Radiotopia podcasts have received recognitions for their depth of creativity and meaning from the Tribeca Festival, National Magazine Awards, the Peabody Awards, and the Pulitzer Prizes. Braverman’s partnership with the network was announced at Sounds Profitable’s 2026 Podcast Business Summit, a flagship event showcasing the industry’s leading ideas.

Visit whattocarrypod.com and radiotopia.fm for more.

Leading public media organization PRX today announced its COO, Jason Saldanha, will succeed Kerri Hoffman as president and CEO beginning October 15, 2026. Hoffman has led the public radio distributor, podcast publisher, and mission-driven engine for innovation and content creation for more than a decade and will remain strategically involved with PRX. 

"The greatest privilege of my time at PRX has been working alongside extraordinary people who believe that great ideas can come from anywhere. We’ve built a culture that trusts talented people, gives them room to create, and stands beside them as they bring ambitious work to others’ lives,” said Hoffman. “As I look ahead, I believe that how a leader plans for the future matters. One of my most important responsibilities now is to hand the baton to our talented COO Jason Saldanha, who represents the ideal leader for public media both today and tomorrow. I have complete confidence that PRX and our meaningful work will continue to grow.”

“I've had the privilege of a front-row seat to what Kerri has built at PRX, and I'm grateful for her trust in handing me the baton so thoughtfully,” said Saldanha. “In this pivotal moment for all of us––public media and the communities we reach––we’re committed to difference-making content, technology innovation to grow our service, and shared purpose with extraordinary partners. I’m excited by the opportunity ahead and am honored to lead PRX’s next chapter alongside a remarkable team.” 

Kerri Hoffman joined PRX in 2003 and served on the leadership team for more than two decades, including as CEO beginning in 2016. During her tenure, PRX has grown from an early innovator in digital public media into a top content distributor and system-wide technology provider. Hoffman played key leadership roles in the debut of landmark public radio shows including The Moth Radio Hour and Reveal, the launch of the pioneering podcast network for indies, Radiotopia, and in building a community hub for producers via PRX’s Podcast Garage. Under Hoffman’s tenure, through Peabody and Pulitzer-winning partnerships, PRX has distributed more than $200 million to PRX’s content partners which include both independent producers and fellow nonprofit media organizations. Hoffman led PRX’s transformative merger with Public Radio International in 2018, has steered industry adoption of PRX’s suite of distribution and monetization technologies, and currently serves on the board of Public Media Infrastructure, a nonprofit co-founded by PRX to forge public radio’s next era of infrastructure.

PRX’s COO since 2024, Jason Saldanha has held leadership roles at the organization since 2019 spanning business development and production, revenue, organizational strategy, and content, which has included recent partnerships with the signature social sciences program Hidden Brain and investigative news organization ProPublica. Prior to PRX, Saldanha helped steer the Chicago Humanities Festival, the iconic event series connecting the people and ideas that define us. A 2022 Sulzberger Executive Leadership Program fellow at Columbia Journalism School, Saldanha brings experience across broadcast radio, podcasting, digital media, and live events. He’s also served in key roles at Chicago Public Media/WBEZ as an early producer for the seminal music podcast Sound Opinions, as an executive producer for the Cannes Lion-winning creative agency Campfire, and as a two-time juror for the Tribeca Festival, among other industry-spanning accomplishments. 

"Kerri has served as a transformational leader not only for PRX, but public radio,” said Ashton Peery, chair of PRX’s board of directors. “We have full confidence that with Jason’s leadership, PRX will continue to drive innovation in public media and impact among stations, producers, and listeners everywhere.” 

PRX’s mission is to lead changes that expand public media as a trusted source of knowledge, information, and inspiration for all. Visit PRX.org and medium.com/prxofficial for more.

For years, streaming has built an economy around one deceptively simple number: the play. Someone clicks. A stream starts. A podcast downloads. A view gets counted. But did anyone actually listen? Did they stay? Did they engage? And should a creator whose audience stays for 45 minutes be valued the same as one whose audience disappears after 45 seconds?

Disctopia believes the answer is no — and now it has a U.S. patent behind that position.

Disctopia, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 12,738,272, covering technology for analyzing content engagement, measuring audience presence, and connecting verified engagement to creator compensation. Founder and CEO Patrick A. Hill is the named inventor. The patent issued with 28 claims and claims priority to June 28, 2023.

“The internet learned how to monetize the click. We built a system around what happens after the click,” said Patrick Hill, Founder and CEO of Disctopia. “A play tells you somebody started something. It does not tell you they cared. It does not tell you they stayed. And it definitely should not automatically tell you what a creator is worth.”

The play count has a problem

Consider two creators. Both generate 10,000 plays. The first holds its audience through nearly the entire program. The second loses most of it within the opening minutes. On a traditional dashboard, both walk into an advertising conversation holding the same headline number.

Both shows report the same headline number. Only one of them has an audience. Those audiences are not the same. Their value to an advertiser is not the same. And Disctopia argues their economic value should not automatically be treated as the same.

What it changes for advertisers

Today the same rate buys both shows, because 10,000 is the only number either one can produce. When completion is verified, price can follow attention instead of volume — and the advertiser comes out ahead: paying a premium for the show that holds its audience still lowers the cost per genuinely engaged impression. Inventory inflated by clickbait, or by content looped on a rack of devices, stops competing on equal footing with inventory that has real people behind it. Fraud can inflate a play count. It cannot manufacture an audience that stayed.

What it changes for creator payouts

This is the part the patent actually claims. Every independent claim ends the same way — payment transferred to the content owner as a share determined by the verified presence metric. Engagement is not merely reported back to the creator; it is what sets what the creator is paid. A show with 800 listeners who finish everything can be worth more than one with 30,000 who leave in the opening minutes, and that creator finally has a number to prove it instead of an argument to make.

Put simply: Disctopia is not counting whether somebody pressed play. It is building technology around whether somebody actually showed up.

What the patent covers

• Measuring presence during a stream. Rather than assuming that starting content equals consuming it, the system evaluates activity during streaming and builds a presence metric as consumption continues.
• Measuring engagement. The technology can generate content-aware prompts, evaluate audience responses, and develop an engagement score from those interactions.
• Connecting engagement to compensation. The claims cover transferring resources to content owners with compensation determined in relation to measured engagement.
• Understanding the actual content. Speech recognition converts audio into text and identifies keywords, so the system knows what is being consumed rather than treating every file as an anonymous stream — which further claims extend to supplemental content, purchase attribution, and transfers between advertisers and content owners.

A download is distribution. It is not proof someone listened.

The distinction matters most in podcasting, where an episode can be downloaded to a device automatically without anyone consuming it. Disctopia’s position is straightforward: a download should be reported as a download. It is legitimate distribution data, and Disctopia records it and reports it to creators. But distribution and attention are not the same thing — and neither is moving a playback position forward the same as listening to everything in between.

“Attention should be worth something. Completion should be worth something. Real audiences should be worth something,” Hill said. “And creators should not have to compete against inflated numbers to prove their value.”

Patent details: U.S. Patent No. 12,738,272, “System for Distribution of Content and Analysis of Content Engagement,” issued September 15, 2026 with 28 claims. Application Serial No. 18/758,925, filed June 28, 2024, claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/523,865 filed June 28, 2023; published January 2, 2025 as US 2025/0006191 A1. Inventor: Patrick A. Hill. Assignee: Disctopia, Inc.

According to The Trade Desk's Q2’26 earnings call, programmatic audio was the fastest-growing channel across the last four consecutive quarters, with solid double-digit year-over-year spend growth, pacing ahead of CTV, display, and mobile. This growth mirrors a broader industry trend marked by agencies shifting spend toward biddable, programmatic private marketplaces (PMPs) using first-party identity framework solutions, such as UID2, to target specific podcast listeners across networks.

Barometer and Magellan AI have worked together for years to service advertisers in monitoring their direct podcast campaigns. Barometer analyzes podcast content at the episode level so buyers can align spend with their brand standards throughout a campaign. Magellan AI measures what happens after the ad runs, connecting exposure to site visits and downstream conversions through pixel-based attribution. When a show clears a brand's standards and drives outcomes, advertisers have the evidence to expand where they buy.

The partnership now covers programmatic podcast campaigns running across major demand-side platforms. By pairing Barometer's pre-bid contextual targeting and post-bid verification monitoring with Magellan AI's measurement, advertisers can verify suitability and measure performance across their programmatic audio activations in a single unified workflow across premium podcast publishers.

"Suitability decisions are media decisions, and media decisions get judged on outcomes," said Cameron Hendrix, CEO & Co-Founder at Magellan AI. "Barometer has the deepest read on what a podcast is about, and we have the deepest read on what it delivers. Buyers scaling into programmatic shouldn’t have to give up either one."

Barometer continues to expand its presence across the programmatic landscape, enabling buyers to activate brand safety, suitability, and contextual targeting at scale while unlocking access to premium inventory across these programmatic integrations. Barometer’s pre-bid targeting and post-bid monitoring capabilities are currently live across major demand-side platforms including The Trade Desk, AdsWizz and Basis, extending Barometer's reach across leading programmatic audio channels, with additional DSP integrations actively in development.

"Advertisers ask us two questions: how can we scale but ensure the placements are suitable for our brand, and how do we measure the impact of the campaign?" said Tamara Zubatiy, CEO and Co-Founder of Barometer. "Barometer provides the most nuanced brand safety and suitability intelligence in podcasting, and Magellan AI provides the deepest measurement footprint in podcasting. By partnering with Magellan AI, our clients no longer have to stitch those answers together themselves."

For more information, visit magellan.ai and thebarometer.co.

Caloroga Media, the leading producer of innovative and entertaining podcasts, marks its third anniversary this Friday, September 18, with a new name to match its next chapter.

Founded in 2023 by media pioneers Mark Francis and John McDermott as Caloroga Shark Media, the newly rebranded Caloroga Media has produced more than 40 shows and earned over 12 million listens in its short tenure. Known for short-form podcast series that are as sharp as they are fun, the company's slate spans entertainment, comedy, politics, pop culture, and more.

The company's three most popular shows right now are "Palace Intrigue," a daily deep dive into the British Royal Family; "5 Good News Stories," a heartwarming dose of positivity for listeners' feeds; and "Daily Comedy News with Johnny Mac," keeping fans laughing with a daily hit of humor.

"We like to experiment and look at our show topics a lot like television programmers do," says John McDermott, co-founder of Caloroga Media. "Because we run a lean operation, we are incredibly intentional with our content. We use AI behind the scenes for research and to streamline our workflows, which lets us test ideas quickly and pivot when we need to. But when you take a chance on something like ‘Palace Intrigue’ and our Royal Family coverage, and audiences respond beyond anything you imagined, it’s incredibly rewarding. Three years in, that kind of connection is exactly why we do this."

As the company grows, so do its ambitions. Caloroga Media's work has expanded beyond podcast creation with the recent launch of Linnet, an AI-powered media production platform offering tools for every step of audio and video creation, all in a single browser with a single subscription. Linnet unifies the entire production workflow into one space, acting as an AI creative partner for creators.

"When we started Caloroga Media, our shows were based on events happening in real time. It gave us a 'live' feel," says Mark Francis, co-founder of Caloroga Media. "Over time, the flood of poorly produced AI-generated content put a dark cloud over quick-turnaround programming, and that's not something we wanted to contribute to. Caloroga has always been quality first, quantity last. So we shifted gears and started focusing on the tools themselves, which is where Linnet comes in."

"Creators need support, not replacement," shares McDermott. "Linnet lets us stay in control and still be creative. It frees up more time for writing new shows, brainstorming future ones, and honestly, for our lives outside of work too."

"We didn't want to create faster content. We wanted faster tools to help us create better content," Francis adds. "The improved work-life balance is just a bonus."

Creators can request early access now at linnetmedia.com.

Looking ahead, Francis and McDermott are already deep into new projects, including fresh seasons of "Crown and Controversy" and "King William," plus pop-up channels for Halloween and Christmas.

"We could wake up tomorrow with an idea for a show, script it out, and publish episode one all in a day," says McDermott. "There's plenty of ideas and seasons already in the queue, but the great thing about running Caloroga is that we can shift gears whenever we want."

"It's a great time to be in podcasting," Francis shares. "Three years ago, we didn't have the tools to build a profitable business on our passion. Now we can cut through the red tape, the legal, the management meddling, the staffing, the time, and the production costs, and do it all ourselves. That's just awesome."

Francis and McDermott will celebrate Caloroga Media's anniversary at Podcast Movement NYC, where they welcome congratulatory wishes, questions about Linnet, and lively conversations on video podcasting.

“Podcast hosts have been told for three years that they should be on YouTube,” said Shaik Sadath Basha, Chief Engineer at Podeo.ai. “The advice was never the hard part. Finding a second edit every week was. We wanted to know whether the audio already carried enough to build the video from, and it turns out it mostly does.”

Why audio-first shows stall on video

YouTube is one of the largest places people go looking for podcasts, and most audio shows are not on it. A video version normally means a camera, a room that looks presentable, lights, and a weekly edit that takes as long as the recording. The two workarounds both have a catch. A waveform over a still image is cheap and nobody watches it. Short clips travel well, but they have to be cut from a video that already exists, which the audio-only show does not have. Podeo.ai removes that prerequisite: if there is an episode, there is a video.

How Podeo.ai works

1. Upload an audio file, or connect the show’s RSS feed and pick an episode.
2. Set the show profile once: brand colours, fonts, logo, and the shape the episode should take.
3. Podeo Director listens to the episode, writes the visual plan beat by beat, and fetches photographs, footage and generated motion graphics to match it.
4. The finished video opens in a timeline editor. Move or replace any clip by hand, or tell Podeo Copilot in plain English: “punchier intro, more b-roll in the middle.”
5. Connect a YouTube channel and publish, with the title, description, chapters and thumbnail already written.

Podeo.ai publishes finished video directly to YouTube. Episodes run up to 120 minutes and export at 1080p.

Podeo.ai is available today at podeo.ai with a free trial and no card required. Paid plans start at $49 a month.

TYT, one of the largest independent news and politics networks in digital media, today announced a strategic partnership with Airwave, naming the podcast and video network its exclusive third-party advertising sales representative across a defined portfolio of TYT’s premium inventory.

Under the agreement, Airwave will represent premium advertising opportunities across TYT’s podcast, digital video and live programming, including TYT’s premium Google Ad Manager 360 inventory - YouTube’s partner sales program.

Airwave is expanding its in-house sales operation and recently hired Charles Dannison as Senior Vice President of Podcast Sales to oversee the expansion of its sales team and lead strategic sales initiatives. Dannison brings more than 20 years of experience in audio and digital advertising, including more than a decade in podcast monetization.

The agreement brings together two independent digital media companies with complementary strengths: TYT’s multiplatform reach and highly engaged news audience, and Airwave’s growing advertising sales infrastructure and expertise in monetizing independent media brands.

“Over the past 20+ years, Cenk Uygur has built a media juggernaut. The Young Turks is one of the most trusted names in news and politics. The fact that our values align so perfectly makes this partnership even sweeter! We cannot wait to start presenting The Young Turks’ fantastic roster of shows to advertisers, with a particular emphasis on TYT’s exciting GAM360 capabilities!” said Ben Mathis, Chief Content Officer of Airwave.

For TYT, the partnership is one of the first major commercial initiatives led by Praveen Singh in her new role as Chief Business Officer of TYT. Singh, a 15-year TYT executive who previously served as the company’s CFO and CMO and has led revenue and business development initiatives across the organization, now oversees TYT’s business operations, revenue strategy, distribution and new growth initiatives.

“Since TYT was founded in 2002, we’ve proven that an independent media company can build enormous audience, loyalty and cultural relevance without following the traditional media playbook,” said Singh. “The opportunity in front of us now is to be just as ambitious and innovative about the business we build around that audience. I was drawn to Airwave because Ben and his team have built a strong, entrepreneurial business and share our perspective on where media, advertising and video are headed. This partnership is an important first step in a broader strategy to expand TYT’s commercial capabilities, develop new revenue opportunities and build creative partnerships that can take the company into its next stage of growth.”

“TYT has always grown by seeing where media is going before the rest of the industry gets there,” said Cenk Uygur, founder and CEO of TYT. “We built this company by betting on digital video when almost no one believed it could become a real media business. We’re bringing that same mindset to the next stage of TYT. Praveen is leading an ambitious new business strategy for the company, and Airwave is exactly the kind of partner we want alongside us: independent, entrepreneurial and willing to build something new. We have tremendous scale and an incredibly engaged audience. Now we’re going to be equally ambitious about the business opportunities around it.”

Creators can now connect their existing streaming software and go live directly on Supercast. Subscribers will receive app or email notifications when a stream begins, making it easy to join live conversations, events and exclusive programming as it happens.

“Supercast has always been built to help creators deepen their relationships with their audiences,” said Jason Sew Hoy, Co-Founder & CEO of Supercast. “Live streaming brings a powerful new dimension to that relationship, giving creators an easy way to turn their subscription communities into active, shared experiences, all in one place, without needing to send subscribers somewhere else.”

Designed with existing workflows in mind, the new live-streaming experience includes:

• Live Video and Community: Brings live video and real-time chat together in one shared viewing experience, with instant subscriber notifications when a creator schedules or begins a broadcast.
• Built-In Fan Engagement: Gives audiences more ways to participate through chat, live polls and paid message pinning that keeps a subscriber’s comment prominently displayed in the conversation.
• Video Premieres: Gives creators the ability to turn even pre-recorded video into a live event for subscribers with the same chat and polling tools available on livestreams. 

Early users of the feature are already seeing the value of bringing live video and community together on Supercast. “The Kill Tony+ community has been loving the ad-free experience and Live Premieres of the show,” said Tony Hinchcliffe. “Finally, the online audience has a place to congregate in real time and watch Kill Tony as a group. It’s the next best thing to being here in Austin.”

For The Greatest Generation co-hosts Benjamin Ahr Harrison and Adam Pranica, the experience also opened the door to future ways of engaging with their audience. “This was a really fun experience and something I know we’ll have a lot more use for in the future. It was really delightful to get that real-time feedback from our audience.”

Theories of the Third Kind say the all-in-one experience is exactly what they needed to manage their growing community. “Everything was incredibly smooth, and we were impressed by how polished the whole experience felt, from stream quality to audience interaction. Most of all, the fans want more,” said Aaron and Dan, co-hosts of Theories of the Third Kind.

Red Seat Ventures represents premium creators across true crime, comedy, news, sports and entertainment, reaching tens of millions of monthly consumers across audio and video. Through Supercast, creators have the tools to build and grow premium subscription businesses directly with their audiences. The launch of live streaming marks the latest step in RSV’s continued expansion of creator-first technology and monetization capabilities. 

Live streaming is available to all Supercast creators starting today.

Developed exclusively for digital audio advertisers, ADSTEM is proprietary intelligent planning technology from audioadpro, providing media planners with the most precise geo-mapping tools and enriched audience data available.  
Working with world-leading data management partners and harnessing AI and machine learning technologies, ADSTEM’s audience intelligence delivers breakthrough comprehensive targeting capabilities built specifically for digital audio activations.

ADSTEM’s deeper, more informed and faster briefing aligns audio activations with desired campaign outcomes from the outset, extending through to detailed attribution and consolidated measurement - integral to audioadpro’s unique performance stack.

Following his appointment as Chief Technology Officer earlier this year, Liam Bateman led the development of ADSTEM, shaping audioadpro’s technology roadmap.

“ADSTEM marks a major step forward in our ambition to make digital audio a more precise, accountable and effective advertising channel. By combining our audio expertise with advanced audience intelligence, we’re giving brands and agencies greater confidence in who they reach, where they invest and how they measure success. This launch is an important milestone in audioadpro’s technology roadmap, with much more to come.”

With unparalleled audience intelligence at its core, ADSTEM is now live across all audioadpro activations and available to client partners from September 2026.

Steven.com, Steven Bartlett’s global creator holding company, and Authentic, a global brand and entertainment platform, today announced the launch of OBSN (Obsession), a strategic venture designed for the world’s most ambitious and consequential creators. At its centre is a platform providing news, analysis and live experiences for the creator economy, designed to become its definitive voice and home.

OBSN combines Steven.com's experience building creator-led media and global audiences with Authentic's platform for developing and scaling brands and intellectual property.

Steven.com's portfolio includes Steven Bartlett and his show The Diary Of A CEO, one of the most watched shows in the world, alongside several other major creators. Authentic owns more than 50 brands and operates in more than 150 countries, with teams across product, licensing, strategic partnerships, digital commerce, content and experiences.

Every partnership formed through OBSN will be tailored to the creator's ambitions, whether that's expanding a media business, developing products, growing licensing programs, pursuing strategic partnerships or exploring new opportunities for investment and global expansion. More than capital, OBSN provides creators with the infrastructure, expertise and long-term partnership required to build businesses designed to endure.

Creators are building global audiences and brands at unprecedented speed, yet the resources needed to scale remain fragmented. OBSN brings those capabilities together, giving creators a more connected path to build enduring global businesses.

Steven.com will lead OBSN’s media, technology, data, and audience-growth engine, while Authentic will bring its expertise across brand building, product, licensing, strategic partnerships and global distribution. Through OBSN, the partners see opportunities to deploy hundreds of millions of dollars in the near term into creator-led businesses that meet their criteria. 

“The next generation of global media companies and consumer brands will be built around creators. But a global audience of millions is not yet a company, and it certainly should not be the ceiling of a creator’s potential,” said Steven Bartlett, Founder of Steven.com. “Steven.com understands how to build media and audiences around creators, and Authentic understands how to build and extend brands around the world. OBSN brings those capabilities together so ambitious creators can reach the full scale of their ambition. We are aiming to deploy up to $400m in creator businesses over the coming years, OBSN is at the heart of that strategy.”

OBSN’s creator economy media and experiences business is already live, with more than one million followers on Instagram, and will expand across new content formats, channels and live experiences, including festivals and official awards.

“Creators are redefining media and shaping the future of entertainment, with many poised to become multigenerational brands in their own right,” said Matt Maddox, President and CEO of Authentic. “We are excited to partner with Steven Bartlett and his exceptional team to launch OBSN and create a powerful new model for creators and their businesses. By combining our complementary capabilities, we will identify, invest in and scale creator-led IP - capitalizing on a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strategically deploy hundreds of millions of dollars across the creator economy and build the brands of tomorrow.”

OBSN will debut at a creator-focused event in New York on September 14. Maggie Sellers Reum, investor and Founder of Hot Smart Rich, will moderate a fireside conversation with Steven Bartlett and Jamie Salter, Founder and Executive Chairman of Authentic.

For further information and to register interest visit Obsession.com

The Mission Media Quality Score evaluates each show across a range of signals over time, including but not limited to:

• Total audience size 
• Including downloads
• Total ad slots
• Total avails
• Total requested ad impressions
• Apple listener ratings 
• Total listener reviews
• Publishing and content recency 

Each show is also subject to Mission Media’s ongoing IVT verification process, confirming that it is legitimate and reaching real listeners. Together with the Quality Score methodology, these signals classify inventory as Premium, Long-Tail, or Unverified.

“For too long, terms like ‘premium’ and ‘long tail’ have been defined by perception, scale or who owns the inventory,” said David Krulewich, CEO of Mission Media. “What’s been missing is an objective measure of how audiences actually engage and how publishers protect those trusted relationships through finite ad allotments. The Mission Media Quality Score changes that by applying a consistent, mathematical equation to classify inventory as Premium, Long-tail, or Unverified. Premium shouldn’t be a designation reserved for large media conglomerates. Great content and highly engaged audiences exist across the podcast ecosystem, and our Quality Score gives buyers an objective lens to identify them. By bringing the signals that matter together into one actionable framework, we’re giving advertisers a clearer understanding of the inventory they’re evaluating and greater confidence in where they invest.”

The Mission Media Quality Score builds on Content Hub’s existing curation layer, which gives advertisers and agencies visibility into podcast inventory, audiences, pricing, contextual relevance and campaign performance across more than 500,000 podcast feeds, 400 audience segments and 600 content categories. For advertisers and agencies, this adds another dimension to Content Hub’s discovery and evaluation capabilities, helping buyers more quickly assess available inventory, compare opportunities and make informed campaign decisions.

“Buyers should feel confident that their advertising is reaching audiences through credible shows in the listening environments they expect,” said Alex Ham, Director of Ad Operations and Applied AI at Mission Media. “We verify the inventory and evaluate the signals that tell us whether a show is active, legitimate and demonstrating meaningful audience engagement. The Mission Media Quality Score brings that work together into a clear, consistent measure that gives buyers greater confidence in every impression they purchase through Mission Media.”

“With so many media options available to advertisers, we need greater confidence in where we’re putting our dollars,” said David Feman, SVP of Global Media and Transformation at B&H Photo. “A quality score that combines multiple signals and verifies the inventory gives us a clearer way to evaluate podcasting as a channel and make informed and confident decisions about including the format in my investment.”

The Mission Media Quality Score is available now within the Mission Media Content Hub. To learn more, reach out to contact@missionmedia.ai.

This launch takes the existing manual video clipping and offers an automated version as Headliner continues to ramp support for video podcasters.

"Automatic Audiograms proved that automation is what actually keeps a show growing long-term. We worked with YouTube to help get tens of thousands of audio podcasts and stay current with no additional work. This new YouTube Video Clips Automation brings that same thinking to video podcasts. It’s the first step towards creating fully automated systems for podcast growth and discovery with video," said Neil Mody, CEO of Headliner.

YouTube Video Clips Automation is currently free to use. To create a video automation with Headliner, visit make.headliner.app.

Why Automation Matters

Making a podcast is the fun part. But promotion is the necessary ‘evil’ of growth. In today’s online world, everything feels like it requires video. Every new release needs clips, social posts, and a way to really capture attention, fast.

In a recent survey, 83% of podcasters report uploading video to YouTube. But again, that is just one piece of the growth puzzle. After that initial upload, more content needs to be created to support growth and discovery, not just on YouTube.

Headliner's YouTube Automation takes that job off the list. Connect a YouTube Podcast Playlist, and Headliner starts clipping immediately: everything already sitting in the back catalog, and every new episode the moment it's uploaded. Clips get captioned, styled, and posted everywhere the show lives, YouTube included, without anyone exporting a file, opening an editor, or remembering to hit publish.

It's a pattern Headliner has seen play out again and again: shows that automate the busywork keep creating, while shows that don't tend to slow down or stop. The result is a podcast that promotes itself, so the only thing left to focus on is making the next great episode.

How YouTube Video Clips Automation Works

1. Connect a YouTube Podcast Playlist. To connect a YouTube Podcast Playlist, simply grab the playlist URL and drop it into Headliner. For instructions on playlist sharing, click here. For information on YouTube Podcast Playlists, click here.
2. Choose a destination. Headliner’s YouTube Automation can share video clips across social media platforms and YouTube. Only one automation can be set up at a time; the good news is you can create unlimited YouTube Automations in Headliner.
3. Auto-caption and style. Quickly style and caption video clips using Headliner’s premade video templates or create your own using the Quick Editor. Every clip the AI creates will automatically follow it.
4. Let the AI find the moments. Headliner's AI clipping is built on five years of social listening and millions of minutes of clip-selection data. It identifies and automatically edits clips to highlight your best moments.
5. Auto-publish video everywhere. New video clips are automatically shared to your social media platforms and clips channels with dynamic, relevant captions that encourage continued listening on YouTube.

For creators looking for a little more control, they can post privately on the platforms or automations can be set up to go to your email. Get up to 10 video clips you can review and share later.

Created to expand equitable and accessible forms of media storytelling, Queer Ear invited audio-only works under 30 minutes spanning fiction, nonfiction, podcasting, documentary, and experimental storytelling. Response to the inaugural call was so strong that VAQFF expanded the program beyond its planned in-person showcase to include a complementary virtual showcase. All Official Selections will be available online during the festival, with works under 10 minutes additionally presented in person.

The inaugural Queer Ear Official Selections are: Ionian Blue by Allison Cossitt; A Funeral for Freedom by Jacqui Fulton, Love Me: Undeniable by Cristal Duhaime; Love Me: Half and Half by Talia Augustidis; How Laganja Estranja Taught Jay Jackson to Let Her Hair Down by TMI Project; Yoga and Growth with Jillian Modes by Ess Suwalsky; Cam Morris by Ess Suwalsky; See You Tomorrow by Darnell Brown; Story of Stone by Tanner Slick; Amaza Lee Meredith: Love and Home by Brandi Howell; Riding Red — Podcast Episode from Radio Reimagine by Jess Clarke, and Out in the South: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner by Cathleen Rhodes.

“Queer Ear expands VAQFF’s understanding of what belongs at a film festival—and what queer storytelling can look, feel, and sound like,” said Blake Pfeil, member of the VAQFF Board of Directors. “By creating space for work made without cameras or screens, we’re celebrating artists who construct worlds entirely through listening.”

The Queer Ear screening block will also include “Queer Ear: Telling Stories Beyond the Screen,” an interactive workshop and showcase exploring how sound creates images in the listener’s imagination and how accessible audio tools can open new possibilities for LGBTQ+ storytellers.

The 2026 Virginia Queer Film Festival takes place October 2–4, 2026, at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Additional information about Queer Ear and the complete festival program will be announced ahead of the festival.

For more information about becoming a sponsor of the Virginia Queer Film Festival, finding how to purchase tickets, or how to get involved, please visit www.vaqff.org or find us on Facebook or Instagram.

About the Virginia Queer Film Festival

The Virginia Queer Film Festival provides access to films by, for, and about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people and their families, and a forum for LGBTQ+ filmmakers to share and discuss their work with audiences. The Festival is held on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia and is the first of its kind in Virginia and one of only a handful of LGBTQ+ film festivals in the American South. We foster a community that feels included and invested in our work and programs. We demonstrate expression and practice of intersectionality, anti-oppression, and social justice in queer communities, arts, and education. For more information, please visit VAQFF.org, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce (GBCC) has joined forces with STEAMhouse - Birmingham City University's state-of-the-art innovation centre - to launch Brumbassadors: Why Birmingham Means Business.

Launching on Monday (14 September), the biweekly podcast features influential voices from business, culture and sport, who are shaping Birmingham’s future.

Each episode explores the ideas, opportunities and events putting Birmingham on the map - from investment and innovation to major sporting occasions, cultural highlights and the city's best-kept secrets.

Building on the success of the Chamber's live Brumbassadors event series, the podcast champions the city's strengths, challenges outdated perceptions and showcases the innovation, investment and talent driving Birmingham forward.

Episodes are recorded at STEAMhouse’s cutting-edge podcast studio in Birmingham’s Eastside district, with the innovation centre supporting production throughout.

In the first episode, the GBCC’s chief executive Henrietta Brealey is joined by city curator Alex Nicholson-Evans and Edgbaston Stadium CEO Stuart Cain to discuss Birmingham’s cultural strengths and international appeal – with a particular focus on the forthcoming International Day of Birmingham on 24 September.

Henrietta Brealey said: “Brumbassadors is all about telling Birmingham's story through the voices of the people who are driving our city forward, so it's fitting that we've partnered with an organisation that fosters innovation, collaboration and creativity.

“STEAMhouse is a place where ideas become reality, making it the perfect home for a podcast dedicated to championing Birmingham and showcasing the breadth of talent across our city.

“We're excited to work together to create engaging conversations that not only celebrate what's already happening here, but inspire even more people to invest, innovate and build their future in Greater Birmingham.”

STEAMhouse, part of Birmingham City University, brings together businesses, entrepreneurs, students and academics to collaborate, develop new ideas and accelerate growth, offering specialist facilities, business support and creative workspaces.

Professor Hanifa Shah, pro-vice-chancellor for Research, Enterprise, Engagement and STEAM at Birmingham City University, said: “Birmingham's story is best told by the people shaping it, and we're delighted to be partnering with the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce to bring those conversations to STEAMhouse.

“This is a young, inventive and ambitious city, and Brumbassadors gives that energy a platform. STEAMhouse was built to bring people together across business, education and the creative industries, so hosting a podcast that does exactly that feels entirely right.

“We look forward to welcoming the voices driving Birmingham forward through our doors.”

Full episodes of the podcast will also be available to watch on the GBCC’s YouTube channel.

To measure performance using net-new paid subscriptions as the key metric, the campaign tested a single IPVanish VPN offer using an identical script across three distinct ad formats: traditional human host-reads, outsourced announcer-reads, and AI host-reads. Powered by AdBridge’s Trusted Voices technology and activated via Audiohook, the results further found that only a 9% gap existed between creator-approved AI replicas of Blue Wire podcast hosts, and the human host-read ads.

The results point to a potential new role for AI-generated host-read advertising in podcast media plans: giving advertisers access to host-read-style performance across larger volumes of podcast inventory without the same operational requirements and price premium associated with traditional host-read campaigns.

Traditional host-read advertising carries a premium and requires coordination among advertisers, networks and hosts, including approvals, airchecks, copy changes and longer lead times. As a result, direct host-read campaigns tend to concentrate on larger shows, while advertisers seeking broader run-of-network scale often turn to lower-cost announcer-read or programmatic formats.

AdBridge’s Trusted Voices technology enables participating creators to license and approve AI replicas of their voices for commercial advertising. Each participating Blue Wire creator opted in to the program and reviewed the final audio before it aired.

For publishers and podcast networks, the model is intended to extend host-read-style demand to mid- and long-tail inventory that may not attract traditional direct host-read campaigns. The campaign was offered as a packaged media solution alongside, rather than as a replacement for, traditional host-read advertising.

The campaign also tested the listener response to AI-generated host-read advertising. Across participating shows and millions of downloads, there were no listener complaints or negative feedback reported during the campaign. The campaign followed the IAB’s Transparency and Disclosure Framework for AI in advertising.

Podnews readers can download the case study here

“Host-read performance no longer has to be reserved for the biggest shows or the biggest budgets. The campaign showed a meaningful performance gap between announcer reads and host-read advertising, and that AI can substantially close that gap while operating at scale.” - James O’Connor, Founder and CEO of AdBridge.ai

“We measure audio on real business outcomes, and the signal here was clear. Putting the same approved message in a trusted host’s voice, even an AI-generated one, meaningfully outperformed standard announcer reads on subscriptions. For us, that represents a more efficient way to get more out of the same budget.” - Jordan Bentley, Founder and CEO of Audiohook

“Our creators opted in because this gives them control and new earning potential. The performance proved out, the approval process was simple, and listeners didn’t miss a beat.” - Andrew Rotondi, Chief Operating Officer of Blue Wire

“When I first heard about AI ads, I went into the campaign with some reservations about how everything would work. I came away surprised at how seamless the process was and impressed with the overall outcome. Blue Wire and AdBridge made the process incredibly easy, and approving ads was as simple as you could possibly imagine.” - Andy Herman, Host of Pack-A-Day: Your Daily Packers Podcast

Listen here for side by side examples of hosts and their voice replicas performing AI generated ad reads →

Podnews readers can download the case study here

Audacy today announced a strategic, multi-year podcast and video partnership with Smosh – one of the largest sketch comedy brands and a pioneer in creator-first entertainment – to serve as the exclusive sales and distribution partner for Smosh’s growing podcast slate. Marking the next phase of Smosh’s investment in its podcast business, this partnership gives advertisers new opportunities to connect with the brand’s highly engaged audience and further expands Audacy’s growing presence in video and creator-led content. 

With more than 75 million social media followers and 20 billion YouTube views, Smosh has been redefining what comedy looks like in the connected age for more than 20 years. Founded in 2005 by Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox as one of YouTube’s earliest breakout sketch comedy channels, Smosh helped pioneer a new model for how comedy could be created, shared, and experienced online, long before digital creators were recognized as the future of entertainment. Available across a broad slate of digital and live channels, Smosh is a leading independent comedy studio and media brand. 

“Smosh’s podcasts are a core piece of our broader content strategy and an important way for us to connect with our growing audience,” said Alessandra Catanese, Chief Executive Officer, Smosh. “As we continue to invest in this part of our business, Audacy brings unmatched advertising and distribution. Partnering with them also enhances our ability to bring larger, more creatively ambitious projects to life.” 

“Smosh didn’t just break out as a brand on YouTube — they helped write the playbook for what creator-led entertainment could become,” said Leah Reis-Dennis, Head of Podcasts, Audacy. “They’ve built an extraordinary, deeply engaged community over the last 20 years by both evolving their content and staying true to what their audience loves. Bringing Smosh into the Audacy network is a significant opportunity for us to expand our video capabilities, give advertisers access to one of the most influential creator brands in the space, and help Smosh continue to grow across audio, video, and beyond.”

Beginning October 1, 2026, Audacy will exclusively handle sales and distribution for all Smosh podcasts, including Smosh Mouth, Smosh Reads Reddit Stories, Assumptions, and URL. Additional opportunities across Smosh’s podcast and video slate are expected to follow. The Smosh podcast slate is available on YouTube and where podcasts are available.

Smosh Mouth brings together friends who happen to be hilarious comedians, as they keep their fingers on the pulse of every weird corner of the Internet; Smosh Reads Reddit Stories is an unscripted commentary and reaction series hosted by Shayne Topp and a revolving panel who react in real time to outrageous internet drama, advice queries, and viral Reddit sagas; Assumptions joins Smosh cast with guests from misunderstood subcultures, unconventional lifestyles, and unique identities to tackle the internet's most candid stereotypes head-on; and, URL hosts Courtney Miller and Chanse McCrary interrogate guests on their personal digital histories to reveal how their favorite apps and online habits truly made them who they are. 

Smosh is represented by WME and Hansen Jacobson.

On Saturday, November 7, Teatro Circo in Albacete will host the first edition of "¿Se me escucha?", the city's first National Podcast Festival.

The event, organized by marketing agency Nuteco and production company Yes We Cast with the support of the Albacete City Council, will bring together in a single day some of Spain's most-listened-to podcasts alongside the leading audio projects born in the city itself.

Teatro Circo's main stage will feature Álex Clavero —a comedian known for the "Francotirarock" segment on Rock FM— and Raquel Piqueras, a Rock FM presenter born in Albacete; Terrores Nocturnos, one of Spain's most-listened-to true crime podcasts, hosted by Emma Entrena and Silvia Ortiz; La Escóbula de la Brújula, one of Spain's most-followed history podcasts; and Concepto Sentido, the leading Albacete-based podcast in the city.

At the same time, Teatro Circo's Sala Pepe Isbert will host a second, free-access stage, where audiences can enjoy Casus Belli and El Abrazo del Oso, alongside a selection of local podcasts: Travesura Realizada, Cerveceando Podcast, El Sótano de Marty & Doc and Made In Albacete.

"We want the whole program to include a space that's open to everyone in Albacete, where people can drop by, look around and watch for free. In fact, roughly half or more of the program will be free to watch at the Sala Pepe Isbert in Teatro Circo." — Javi Sánchez Munera, co-director of ¿Se me escucha?

"¿Se me escucha?" is Albacete's first national podcasting festival, born with the aim of turning the city into a meeting point for fans of the format and for the audio industry itself.

"Albacete is a city with a lot of cultural activity, already home to film, music and circus festivals among other events, and it now has the opportunity to establish itself as one of the driving hubs of the podcast scene at a national level." — Fran Izuzquiza, co-director of ¿Se me escucha?

The festival will be presented to the public on Tuesday, September 22, at 12:00 PM at the Castilla-La Mancha Tourism Promotion Office in Madrid, located at Calle Gran Vía, 45.

TICKETS

Full-day passes for the main stage are already on sale at www.semeescucha.es - Access to the Sala Pepe Isbert stage is free.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZERS

Nuteco is a marketing agency based in Albacete, with 18 years of experience in communication and advertising. Among other achievements, the agency helped pioneer the municipal radio station Novaonda and the podcasting movement in the city.

Yes We Cast is a podcast production company, winner of an Ondas Global Podcast Award for best branded podcast for Hotel Jorge Juan, with further awards and nominations for titles including El Guerrillero and Vivir y morir en Gaza, among others.

"¿Se me escucha?" is supported by the Albacete City Council.

Covering a wide variety of topics, including elections, transportation, relationships and personal finance, these programs will offer New Yorkers more consistent opportunities to learn from experts, ask their own questions and find new ways to connect with the city. 

These series will feature new hosts, guest experts and familiar voices from WNYC and Gothamist, bringing fresh formats and fresh sounds to the station. “Please Advise” will feature a rotating cast of hosts, including WNYC’s Tiffany Hanssen, David Furst, Brian Lehrer and Kousha Navidar, as well as Jody Avirgan(“This Day”), Brittany Luse (NPR’s “It’s Been a Minute”), Nayeema Raza (“Smart Girl Dumb Questions”) and Manoush Zomorodi (“TED Radio Hour”). Additional hosts and special guests for both programs will be announced throughout the fall. “Who’s Running This Place?” will be hosted by WNYC and Gothamist senior politics reporter Brigid Bergin. 

“WNYC has always been a home for experimentation in form and content on our airwaves, in our podcasts and at our community events. We’re energized by the creative forces behind these new programs and are excited to finally share them with the world,” said Megan Ryan, Head of Live Radio. “Our call-in boards are full for how-to and advice segments, and listeners want to engage when we get into serious conversations about work, money, family and politics. These shows offer an opportunity for us to elevate new voices on the air and for our audience to partake in live, local and participatory journalism.”

“Please Advise” is a field guide for life right here and right now in New York City. Each week, a host will go deep on a topic for New Yorkers, including how we parent, spend, work and date. One day, you’ll learn the trick to finishing that DIY project you’ve been ignoring, and the next you’ll get insight into having a tough conversation with a family member or coworker. From pie crust to painting, from the latest tech to what to wear on a job interview - we’re getting into it in real time with guest experts and guidance from fellow New Yorkers. “Please Advise” offers a New York-style spin on the traditional advice show, focused on making daily life in the city easier. 

“Who’s Running This Place?” will focus on the politics of the city in the leadup to the 2026 election. America’s major political parties are at war with each other, and themselves – and New York is at the center of it all. Each week, senior political reporter Brigid Bergin breaks down the political allies, rivals and frenemies making the decisions that have real impact on your life. The show will feature interviews with newsmakers, conversations with journalists in the WNYC/Gothamist newsroom and listener calls.

“Please Advise” premieres on September 14 at 1pm, and will air on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. An additional episode of the program will air on Thursday, September 17. Listeners will be able to call or text their questions and advice throughout the program. Questions can also be submitted in advance by visiting https://wnyc.org/browse/shows/please-advise.

“Who’s Running This Place?” premieres on Thursday, September 24 at 1pm and will run through mid-November.

Additional limited series programming will be announced throughout the fall. WNYC’s new fall schedule can be found at wnyc.org/2026-fall-schedule-change.