How much does a famous podcaster get paid?

• After a former Barstool Sports podcaster, the comedian Grace O’Malley, made claims about her pay, Barstool Sports CEO Dave Portnoy clarified her exact wages in a TikTok video: a base salary of $175,000 a year, and earnings of 70% of ads sold on her personal socials (a further $75,000 last year). “I just don’t like when people make it seem like we scam our creators because we don’t,” he said.

• Goalhanger is to turn The Rest Is History into TV and film formats, according to Bloomberg. The show claims 12.5mn downloads a week (the article suggests This American Life “only” does 11.5mn).

• The Brand Podcast Summit has announced “Extreme Makeover - Podcast Edition”, taking one attendee’s show and giving it a full overhaul from the ground up. The event is part of the Brand Podcast Summit next week, and is free.

• iHeartMedia and NFL have extended their multi-year relationship. The new relationship means more shows, including Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Cassel.

• Google launched Daily Listen, an automated “podcast” giving you a news recap. It’s available in the Google app, if you sign up to Search Labs.

• Spotify appears to have added unskippable midroll podcasts ads in Joe Rogan’s show. Rogan had suggested he’d never do ads mid-conversation.

• Blubrry has partnered with CodeADX, a promo code marketplace, to help monetise shows with commission-based revenue.

• PodcastOne has renewed a number of large shows hosted by Adam Carolla Brendan Schaub and Kaitlyn Bristowe.

• The Association of Independents in Radio (AIR) has partnered with Tape Syncers United (TSU) to integrate TSU’s tape sync rate recommendations into AIR’s comprehensive rate guide. The TSU Rate Guide is here; joining all of AIR’s rate guides.

• At CES, SiriusXM CEO Jennifer Witz appeared on-stage with Ashley Flowers. “We are entertained and informed by audio,” said Witz in her opening comments.

• The guy that is suspected of exploding that Tesla Cybertruck in Las Vegas contacted The Shawn Ryan Show, the FBI confirmed.

• The Business Podcast Consumer is a new piece of research from Sounds Profitable and APM, getting a free webinar reveal on Jan 15.

Thank you to Elevator’s Jenn Leask for becoming our latest personal supporter. Elevator is an audience growth company for podcasters everywhere - Jenn’s support pays for Podnews for everyone to access. You can join great people like Jenn and support us here.

Tips and tricks - with Pod Predictor by Coleman Insights

• RedCircle cover how to get your podcasts distributed for maximum reach.

• Courtney Kocak covers her predictions, trends and tips for 2025.

Podcast News - with Airwave

New on Airwave: Dark Histories - fortnightly narratives on the unsolved and the unexplained, mysteries, historical true crime, touches of the paranormal and cultural peculiarities.

Recently, our Editor, James Cridland, was on Insider Secrets to a Top 100 Podcast with Courtney Elmer - focusing on what’s changing in podcasting and giving some predictions for 2025. The show interviews many podcast experts about how to make a better show.

Pants On Fire With George Santos is new from the former US Senator - and he hopes it’ll do well, because his lawyers are hoping it helps pay his legal fines. Prosecutors suggest that his podcast will have the effect of rewarding him for fraud.

Independent podcast Unemployed & Afraid has joined the House of Common podcast network. The podcast is made for entrepreneurs navigating the highs and lows of building a business; House of Common will manage advertising sales.

Good Moms Bad Choices has joined iHeartMedia and Charlamagne Tha God’s Black Effect Podcast Network. Hosted by Erica and Milah, two uncensored, and unapologetic single moms, this show is here to redefine what modern womanhood truly looks like.

Winner of Best Entertainment Podcast at The Irish Podcast Awards, Fad Camp is back for its sixth and final season. We’re told it’s jam packed with topics ranging from the 2010's insane diet show 'Secret Eaters’ to the disappearance of Plus Size clothing to how the algorithm targets diet ads.

A new season of TennisWorthy, presented by the International Tennis Hall of Fame has launched just in time for the 2025 tennis season’s kickoff in Australia. Patrick McEnroe is the new host; the first episode centers on January’s theme of tenacity, sharing two revealing stories from Hall of Famers Pete Sampras and Hana Mandlíková.