A new dawn: Kast Media out of bankruptcy

• As we suggested last week, podcast studio Kast Media has announced it has emerged from Chapter 11 restructuring with “overwhelming support” of its creditors. As Podnews covered, the company continued to trade through the process, which founder Colin Thomson says was “heavily scrutinized”. Thomson has become Chief Creative Officer; Kast Media’s new CEO will be Matty Staudt who joins from iHeart, Stitcher, and Jam Street Media.

  • Kast has also published a Platform for Advertiser-to-Creator Transparency, which it describes as an “operational structure that provides our creators with visibility and protection of fund flow each step of the way”. It follows posts from founder Colin Thomson, one explaining what happened to Kast, and another discussing how creators are paid, and proposing a new set of protective standard practices that better care for creators. Whatever you might think of Thomson - he appeared to threaten us as we reported the initial story - it’s an open and illuminating set of posts.

• “If we don’t nail this, we’ll be essentially telling podcasters that their only real options for podcast video are YouTube and Spotify.” The Podcast Standards Project has published its thinking behind HLS delivery of video podcasting via open RSS. Benefits include one RSS feed that can contain both audio and video; and adaptive quality for all consumers, as well as potentially producing consumption analytics, and lowering bandwidth bills. HLS streams can still be downloadable if required.

• Wondercraft has launched “Convo Mode”, which it describes as realistic AI dialogue for podcasts, ads and training. The tool is similar to NotebookLM, but allows you to edit the output and its length, and customise the voices.

• Nominations open for The People’s Choice Podcast Awards in just under a month: time to register your podcast if you’ve not already done so, we’re told.

• Further reading:

  • “How podcasts stole the show, and why distributors should steal it back” - a critique, by Erik Felderhof, of TV buyers missing the opportunities in podcasting.
  • IAB numbers may be imperfect, but they are transparent, standardised and open, says Spreaker’s Emanuele Rampichini - who compares it with Spotify’s opaque, closed, metrics.
  • In the world of true-crime podcasting, brand safety is scary stuff says Marketing Brew. It suggests that the Spotify Partner program can help true-crime creators, since it’s less reliant on overly-squeamish advertisers.
  • Stop podcasts now! rages The California Aggie. “Podcasting is dangerous. It’s an indulgence of the ego!” Fair.

Thank you to the developer of Podcast Addict, Xavier Guillemane, for becoming our latest personal supporter. Podcast Addict is the #1 independent podcast app on Android, with a wealth of features and opportunities to market your show. It’s supporters like Xavier who allow Podnews to be free for everyone - and to fight for open podcasting everywhere. You could join him here.

Moves and hires

• In Australia, SCA has made a number of changes to the leadership team of LiSTNR, its proprietary audio app, including promotions for Grant Tothill, Sam Cavanagh and Mike Williams.

Tips and tricks - with Memberful

• Is it worth being a podcast guest? Here’s how to measure your ROI as a podcast guest, according to PodWritten.

• Is it costly to podcast? Rachel Corbett points out some of the hidden costs of podcasting.

Podcast News

In The OrganizedPreneur’s Podcast Launchpad this week’s episode, Aldreama Harper shares a proven approach to turn podcast listeners into valuable business leads using one key strategy: lead magnets. If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond sharing great content to actually growing your business through your podcast, this episode is for you.

You’ll hear the hosts of Ditch the Labcoat challenge medical myths, debate hot-button issues, and bring a healthy dose of skepticism to the world of healthcare. Each week, experts cut through the noise with evidence-based insight and no sugarcoating. It’s where candid conversations meet clinical curiosity, and where healthcare pros (and anyone fascinated by medicine) come to get smarter.

Grit and Growth Business is new today from the Ask Ralph Media Network - a show for small business owners about the struggle, the relentless grind, and the breakthrough moments that make it all worthwhile - and the clear, practical coaching to continue growing.

Mayana Meditations is the first new show from No Mask Media, an independent podcast label founded by Manon van der Knaap-Hartig. Described as “intentional, meaningful audio”, the show embraces silence, authenticity and sensory calm.

The Ecosystem Show is new today - the audio companion to The Allocators, a dealflow newsletter with over 1,000 subscribers, including institutional investors, syndicate leads, and founders across the Crypto and AI space. The show focuses on the strategy behind building scalable, resilient ecosystems in Crypto, AI, and decentralised infrastructure.

That’s Just Wild is new today, with adventurer and naturalist Steve Backshall, wildlife biologist Lizzie Daly, and environmental journalist Sarah Roberts. Each week they’ll share their unrivalled knowledge of the animal kingdom, gathered through their superlative first-hand stories, offering an irresistible sense of wonder. It’s from Fresh Air; today’s first episode features Steve just back from the Arctic.

QUEER GROVE is new from the Cherry Grove Archives Collection - focusing on the rich and creative history of the earliest known haven for LGBTQ+ people and their allies in the United States, in Cherry Grove, Fire Island, NY. The podcast documents the life and times of the Grove, through the voices of those who have helped create the safe haven and those who are keeping it thriving today.

Level the Paying Field is back for a third season, as the Ontario Pay Equity Commission spotlights gender inequality across creative industries: music, film, television, sports, and gaming; from pay disparities to systemic underrepresentation. Today’s episode examines persistent gender gaps in visual arts. Women remain underrepresented in major museum collections, curatorial roles, and leadership positions: and continue to earn just 65 cents for every dollar paid to male artists.

Movement with Meklit Hadero is back with a new season. Hosted by Ethiopian-American singer Meklit Hadero, the podcast uses music to offer a nuanced perspective on migration. Currently, migration and immigration is intensely discussed, often in a negative light in North America. This podcast hopes to change that.

The Binge Cases: Catch Me If You Ken is new from Sony Music and Campside Media. It’s the shocking story of Ken Chew Wen Long, who allegedly scammed people out of millions - charming his way into the lives of regular people only to leave them questioning who they let into their circle.