EXCLUSIVE: Spotify threatens podcasting with ad-skipping tool

• Exclusive: Spotify releases its latest earnings report this morning - but they won’t be promoting this. In a significant threat to podcasting, Podnews can reveal today that Spotify is testing an ad-skipping tool for podcasts - a “Skip ahead” button that appears in podcast ads and sponsorship messages.

• Spotify’s new ad-blocker is even blocking ads that Spotify has sold, leading some to wonder whether this is fraudulent behaviour by the company. Ads are still delivered to the user’s device, but a button appears to encourage listeners to skip them.

• Spotify is a major podcast app - delivering the majority of all podcast downloads in many countries. However, not only does its “skip ahead” feature push listeners to bypass ads, it even encourages listeners to skip creators talking about their Patreon-style premium subscriptions.

• Spotify remains the biggest podcast network in the US by reach, suggests new data from Edison Research. SiriusXM is at #2, iHeart is at #3. The data is based on the reach of represented shows for each network. However, given that Spotify is encouraging listeners to skip its own ads, this ranker may not be based on listeners to the actual advertisements.

• Spotify attempted to cache audio when it started incorporating podcasts, and has often been treated by podcasters with suspicion. Launching an ad-skipping tool to encourage listeners to skip past monetisation that pays for the content will be seen by many as a deeply concerning way to treat creators. There are obvious parallels with how the company is accused of treating musicians.

Tips and tricks - with Podcast Movement NYC

• There are many ways to monetize your show. Some of them won’t be skipped by Spotify, maybe? Dave Jackson spoke at Podcast Movement 2025 about different income strategies.

Podcast News - with Airwave

With Airwave: The Conspirators is a show dedicated to the dark and disturbing stories from history your teacher never told you about.

Spotify’s Good Hang with Amy Poehler is doing a live show next Tuesday in New York. The New York Post reports that the lowest seat price is $346; and orchestra seats start at $533. Got to earn the money to develop ad-skipping somehow…

If everyday technology leaves you guessing what changed after an update (what does that new Skip Ahead button do?), Your Tech Makeover is built for you. Host Frank Bravo explains phones, scams, Wi-Fi, passwords, and smart home topics in short episodes with clear steps you can use right away. You will hear calm, plain-language advice aimed at listeners who want practical help without feeling talked down to.

All That We Touch is a new podcast about how technology shapes us, told through documentaries, interviews and live talks. First up - Wikipedia: the fights, biases, and its future. Will the 'last best place on the internet’ survive AI? And for teachers, how can you and your students use Wikipedia better? A six part series hosted by Heather Ford, Richard Cooke and Francesca Sidoti, from the award-winning UTS Impact Studios.

A Day In Beijing with Chen is a weekly podcast about the history, culture, and people in China, told by real people who actually live there. China has opened its doors with visa-free travel, but most “China experts” have never lived there or don’t speak Chinese. This podcast is none of those things. You’ll hear real voices from Beijing, from the inside — the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, and most importantly, the stories beyond the landmarks that no guidebook gives you. Once the landmark series wraps, you’ll hear from the people themselves — a café owner, a calligrapher, an underground rave DJ, a teacher, a street vendor who’s been cooking the same dish for forty years. One voice at a time. It’s 2026. If you want to hear China from China, you can now.

The Torah Broker, where Sanford Burstyn “brokers” Torah as a priceless asset through conversations with respected rabbis and educators, has released season two. The show explores topics such as evidence for G-d’s existence, the Torah’s perspective on Satan, the roots of antisemitism, wealth and success, parenting, and building exceptional character. The podcast aims to make authentic Torah teachings accessible to everyone.