CBC’s new slate includes a new comedy podcast

Before we begin: have you filled out the Podnews Report Card yet? We’d appreciate your help in sharing it to your colleagues, customers or anyone else who might fill it in. If you want to mention it on your industry podcast, it’s at podnews.net/reportcard - and thank you.

• CBC has released its spring/summer 2026 podcast slate. New podcasts include a comedy podcast hosted by musician Donovan Woods and Tom Power of CBC’s Q - and a new investigative series into an AI tool that claims it’s solving crimes.

• On our story yesterday of the cloned podcasts: podcast lawyer Lindsay Bowen tells us that he believes some of the original podcast owners could have a case for copyright infringement, and either trademark infringement or a violation of the Lanham Act’s prohibition against passing off. But he also warns podcast hosting companies and podcast directories need to get their house in order too: “Every hosting platform —or anyone who hosts user uploaded material available in the United States — must have a DMCA designated agent listed in the directory of the US Copyright Office. Otherwise, they can’t claim protection of the DMCA’s “Safe Harbor,” and could be liable for a contributory infringement lawsuit against them.”

• We’re sure that Dr Nathan Pali’s thinly disguised versions of The Rest Is History are totally above board? At least it’s not AI-generated: when we listened to one of the podcasts, we noticed this history podcaster was incapable of pronouncing the word Carthaginian. Or of editing.

• Looking for scale to monetise? That might be falling into the scale trap, suggests Losh Moodaley. Writing for Podnews today, the seasoned sponsorship strategist says what matters isn’t how many people are listening: it’s how much they trust you - and what that trust is worth. Podcasters should prioritise intimacy over scale, she suggests.

  • She’s not alone; Steven Goldstein also suggests that the attention economy has come for podcasting.

• Shanda, an AI-powered podcast creation platform, has launched v3. The tool includes AI audio enhancement, metadata, transcription-based editing and additional tools; the co-founders say that “audio is among the most human ways to share an idea, but the tools built around it have historically been designed for studios and engineers, not for independent creators.”

• Overcast has doubled its premium pricing, from $14.99 to $29.99 a year for new subscriptions. Existing subscribers remain at the earlier price for now. The podcast app recently added transcriptions for all podcasts, though is yet to respect creator-produced transcripts.

• AIR, the Association of Independents in Radio, is to host a Spring Gala in New York City on May 28. AIR members attend for free (non-members can get tickets for $45 this month).

Podseo Evolves Into a Full-Spectrum AI Producer Assistant

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Podseo has grown beyond podcast SEO. It’s now a 360° producer assistant that helps podcasters plan, position, and grow, from strategy to episode release.

At its core, Podseo analyses your podcast’s positioning (subject, audience, promise, style, listening context, and differentiator) alongside competitors who share your keyword rankings. It knows which keywords your competitors rank for, and factors those into every recommendation. This profile is processed by multiple AI engines combined with real-time web searches, not a single chatbot prompt, to deliver richer, grounded insights.

The new Planner lets you design episodes from idea to publication. Its AI Producer tab suggests episode concepts based on trending topics in your niche, content gaps versus competitors, and untapped keyword opportunities. The Pulse tab monitors your space in real time, surfacing breaking stories and articles worth covering from your unique angle.

Podseo - still the SEO tool podcasters trust. Now the producer assistant they didn’t know they needed.

Moves and hires

• Bruno Pinheiro has been appointed as Network Manager for ozen.fm’s podcast network. He’s based in São Paulo.

Tips and tricks - with the Podnews Report Card

Podcast News - with Airwave

For your Webby Consideration: The History Chicks for Best Individual Episode. The show celebrates the lives of remarkable women from ancient times to the modern day, exploring women’s history in engaging episodes full of deep research, pop culture references, and the occasional tumble down a rabbit hole.

True crime and paranormal show Veil of Echoes launched in September and has already approached 10,000 downloads, the creators say. Listeners are increasingly bingeing episodes back-to-back, after the show leaned into a more cinematic, narrative-driven format. It’s so far been played in more than 40 countries.

Dreaming Against the Machine launches today - a show from Multitude that explores ideas about how to realistically create better and more inclusive futures. It’s hosted by journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, who has spent the last several years examining and debunking Silicon Valley billionaires’ visions for the future.

HistoryFFS returns for a new season today, looking at the period 1776–1848 - but not as you’ve heard it before. The show uncovers the hidden forces that shaped the modern world - from the politics of the body and the rise of consumer culture to the invention of national heroes, screen-fuelled tourism, and the uncomfortable truths behind medicine, empire, and inheritance.

In the Foundering podcast from today, a look into the killing of Bob Lee, a well-known tech executive famous for creating Cash App. Many in the tech community placed blame directly at the feet of San Francisco politicians. Lee seemed to be the latest victim of the San Francisco Doom Loop. But when a suspect was arrested for his murder, it became clear that the rumors could not be further from the truth.