Podcast merch reaches New Heights

• You’ve heard the show - now buy the shoe. New Heights is working with OluKai to bring “a football-inspired design lens to a premium leather silhouette with all-star appeal” (or, what the Australians call a decent pair of thongs). We’re told that the $160 shoes, called the Mea Ola Nu‘u, continue the company’s tradition, merging premium materials with personality-driven design. And, of course you can buy them on Amazon.

• In Q1/26, 14% of Americans say they have used Netflix to consume a podcast; and 4% said they use Tubi. The data, from Edison Research Podcast Metrics US, will only increase - Tubi announced a slew of new content this week including shows from SiriusXM and Audiochuck, while Netflix’s The Rest is Football is being heavily promoted ahead of the World Cup.

  • The Edison Research Podcast Consumer 2026 was released in a webinar. The data shows that a majority of podcast consumers think that AI is a threat to the credibility, creativity and quality of podcasts; and 75% disapprove of a voice hosted by AI. Using data from Sports Poll by SSRS, we also discover that US podcast consumers are more interested in the World Cup (55%) than the population as a whole (47%).

• Got a great pitch for a sports podcast episode or series? CBC Podcasts is now accepting pitches for a new narrative sports feed - specifically, looking for narrative-driven storytelling, and particularly things around the Olympic Games.

• US mobile operator TextNow has announced that they have added the iHeartRadio app to its “Free Flex” experience. TextNow gives you a free mobile plan with select apps zero-rated, including music and radio from the iHeartRadio app: however, podcasts in the app are not available zero-rated.

• Elis James & John Robins spoke at SXSW London, highlighting how they have built a fiercely loyal community with their podcast - and pointing out the pitfalls that come when adding video.

• 30-60% of new podcasts go quiet within a year, according to a new tool. Hello Engine says it’s a new AI tool to help you get podcasting. The tool includes a free consultation, recommendations for gear and a podcast host, and then help with your content.

• Got a few minutes? AIR’s Community Survey will help them better understand the needs of the audio community and shape their advocacy priorities over the next 12 months. You don’t have to be an AIR member to participate. As a thank you for completing the survey, you’ll receive a promo code that can be used toward selected discounted AIR memberships or renewal.

• The Galicia Podcast Summit is free, in A Coruña, Spain, on June 17. It’s the fourth year for the event; with ten speakers, the event is free on registration.

Tips and tricks

• Want to be #1 in the podcast charts? The first thing to do is to learn how they work.

Podcast News - with Airwave

With Airwave: Mystery of Everything uncovers the mysteries that continue to baffle and captivate us all. Hosted by two scientists with a refreshing blend of skepticism, curiosity, and humor, to shed light on the darkest corners of our collective imagination, and providing a few laughs on the way.

A brand new podcast from Sonoro Podcast Network and LA Times Studios launches today. The De Los Podcast will feature unfiltered conversations with Latino tastemakers across news, music and culture.

Fascinated with Jacqui Felgate is the first new podcast from Tapt Media, Australia’s newest media company. Jacqui Felgate is the drive host at 3AW, a radio station in Melbourne; this show has guests including Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, Brooke Warne, reality TV star and ‘BookTok’ sensation Luke Bateman, and Australian Parkour and Free runner Dominic Di Tommaso. It’s “Available where listeners and viewers press play on their content”.

In Unholy Histories: The Humanist Heritage Podcast from Humanists UK this week, you’ll hear all about the role of religion in British politics. Featuring Lizzie Collins MP, the hosts explore the people working to secularise public life today, the courageous history of those who attempted it before them, and just how strong a hold faith still has on Westminster. They also tease upcoming guests including Adam Rutherford, Alice Roberts, Lord Neil Kinnock and SI Martin.

HABITUAL from Colorado Radio for Justice is a deeply personal investigation of three-strikes law in the U.S., told by someone who survived it. Herbert Alexander - formerly a “habitual offender” in Colorado - takes a sweeping look at his own history as well the impacts of laws like this one, their flaws, and their shocking roots. Today: “Past & Future - Going Back to the Bank” features a return to Herbert’s crime scene, and a new interview diving into the complex territory of victims’ perspectives on habitual offense laws.

Radio producer Himan Brown created over 10,000 programs in his lifetime, with a vigor and intensity that kept him going for a century. His life and prodigious output are celebrated in the podcast series Audio Maverick. Now, we offer rebroadcasts of a select group of Brown’s programs in a new series called If You Please, Himan Brown’s Radio Mystery Theater.

UK TV and radio presenter Owain Wyn Evans is bringing his trademark warmth, wit, and charm to a brand-new weekly podcast: Love What You’ve Done With The Place, a joyful deep-dive into the homes, habits, and interior design quirks of some of the UK’s best-loved personalities.

Steven Spielberg is once again commanding Hollywood’s attention with “Disclosure Day”. Timed to the film’s release, Caloroga Shark Media is expanding its acclaimed “Reloaded” podcast series with Spielberg Reloaded - Steven Spielberg in 12 movies. Across 12 episodes, the series revisits Spielberg’s most celebrated films, unpacking the artistry, innovation, and enduring cultural impact of a filmmaker whose work transformed the moviegoing experience.