Podcast

Are Podcast Networks becoming Creator Networks? | Greg Wasserman #666

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

New Media Show with Rob Greenlee and guest Greg WassermanIn episode 666 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Greg Wasserman, Head of Relationships at RSS.com and host of Podcast Network Insights, for a deep conversation about one of the biggest questions facing podcasting, video, creator media, and digital networks right now:

Podcast networks were originally built for an audio-first industry, but audiences have already moved the definition of a podcast beyond audio. Today, a podcast can be a YouTube show, a Spotify video, an Apple video podcast, a livestream, a short clip, a newsletter, a community, or part of a larger creator-led media brand.

Greg brings a unique perspective from his work at RSS.com and from interviewing the leaders behind podcast networks, collectives, production companies, and niche media groups on Podcast Network Insights. He explains that podcast networks are no longer one simple model. Some are media-sales businesses. Some are community-driven groups. Some operate more like production companies, collectives, or full creator networks.

Rob and Greg explore how the network model is shifting as video, live streaming, AI, Apple Podcasts, HLS video, YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, FAST channels, private communities, and creator monetization reshape what podcasting can become.

The conversation also asks whether independent podcasters should join networks, what creators need to understand before making that decision, and why the future may depend less on downloads alone and more on trust, audience relationships, collaboration, niche value, and direct monetization.

00:00 Welcome to New Media Show #666

00:32 Are podcast networks becoming creator networks?

01:00 How audiences have already redefined podcasting

02:00 Introducing Greg Wasserman from RSS.com

03:00 Why Greg created Podcast Network Insights

04:00 How different podcast networks define community

05:00 Monetization, growth, and the changing role of networks

06:00 Internal network community vs audience community

07:00 Private communities, subscriptions, and audience relationships

08:00 Nova Podcast Network and media-company network models

09:00 Cross-promotion and collaboration inside networks

10:00 Are creators returning to collaboration?

11:00 Podcast networks as media companies

13:00 Owned-and-operated shows vs independent rev-share shows

15:00 Why ad revenue is not the only network business model

16:00 Marketing Podcast Network and niche value

17:00 Jay Shetty, Netflix, and platform exclusivity

18:00 Is Netflix becoming a podcast network?

19:00 Collectives, media companies, and different network definitions

20:00 What is a podcast network today?

21:00 Production companies and network partnerships

23:00 How creators should decide whether to join a network

24:00 Understanding your “why” before joining a network

25:00 iHeart, ad inventory, and the volume-based network model

26:00 Why sponsor status can distract from real monetization

27:00 Does network branding still matter?

28:00 Pineapple Street, GZM, Disney, and network identity

30:00 MCNs, YouTube networks, and the return of multi-channel networks

31:00 Silicon Valley, new media networks, and digital-native media

34:00 Traditional media adopts podcasting, video, and companion content

35:00 Apple Podcasts HLS video as a future distribution channel

36:00 Why video attracts higher media dollars

37:00 Know, like, and trust as a creator value

38:00 Will Apple Podcasts HLS video matter?

39:00 Free platforms, hidden costs, and creator control

41:00 Future ad dashboards across Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and Twitch

42:00 Platform exclusivity, Jay Shetty, Joe Rogan, and audience loss

44:00 Creator hustle and why networks cannot do all the work

46:00 Subscription fatigue and fragmented media access

47:00 More than 20 ways creators can make money

48:00 Lean creator teams, production help, and content scale

49:00 How podcast networks are using AI

50:00 AI-generated voices, sleep content, and audience behavior

52:00 AI for ads, scripts, show notes, social, and workflows

53:00 AI podcast networks and automated show creation

54:00 Agentic workflows and creator production systems

56:00 AI-generated content, humanity, and audience trust

57:00 Algorithms, AI interfaces, and future discovery

58:00 Platform algorithm changes and creator risk

59:00 Human connection, live events, and AI video podcasts

01:00:00 Why human storytelling still matters

01:01:00 Could creators build AI clones of themselves?

01:02:00 Avatars, HeyGen, Gemini, and disclosure

01:03:00 Human-hosted content labels and AI transparency

01:04:00 Video-first creators and separate audio/video feeds

01:05:00 Why The New Media Show still uses separate audio and video feeds

01:06:00 Audio-first creators, social media, and growth challenges

01:07:00 Different networks play different games

01:08:00 The future of compelling audio experiences

01:09:00 Spatial audio, AI audio, and interactive media

01:10:00 Personalized audience experiences and liquid content

01:11:00 Can audiences be moved from YouTube to Netflix?

01:12:00 Bundling, subscriptions, and platform experiments

01:15:00 Algorithms vs human curation

01:16:00 Netflix, FAST channels, and new distribution models

01:17:00 The technology challenge behind FAST channels

01:23:00 Greg’s Tesla and the future of in-car video podcast listening

01:24:00 RSS.com, Podcasting 2.0, and AI labeling standards

01:25:00 Closing thoughts and where podcasting is heading

Guest and Host Links

Guest: Greg Wasserman

Head of Relationships at RSS.com and host of Podcast Network Insights

Host: Rob Greenlee

About the Host/Author:

Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services.

Personal/AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have made hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position.

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What Is New Media Now vs Podcasting? | Ashley Christenson / @Ashni #665

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

In episode 665 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Ashley Christenson, also known as Ashni, for a deep conversation about one of the most important questions facing podcasting, streaming, creator media, startups, and traditional media right now:

What does “New Media” actually mean today?

The term “New Media” has been around since the late 1990s, but its meaning is shifting again. What once described digital media outside traditional broadcast and print is now being used by creators, VCs, startups, streaming strategists, AI companies, and professional communities to refer to something more specific: creator-led media that builds trust, influence, industry position, and direct audience relationships.

Ashley brings a unique perspective from 13 years in online media, Twitch streaming, YouTube education, startup marketing, community building, and creator strategy. She explains that she sees the creator economy as building an audience as the asset, whereas the emerging version of New Media is more about building status and position within an industry conversation. In her view, the key difference is not simply between consumer and professional audiences, but about what the media operation is designed to build and protect.

Rob brings the longer history of podcasting and digital media into the discussion, asking whether podcasting was one of the first major expressions of New Media and whether it now sits within a much larger creator-led ecosystem. The conversation explores how podcasting, YouTube, streaming video, newsletters, live shows, X, AI-generated content, and Apple Podcasts’ move toward HLS video streaming are all blurring the old lines between podcasting, creator media, and professional media.

A major theme in this episode is whether podcasting is still its own category or has become a powerful format within the broader New Media industry. Rob argues that the word “podcast” is increasingly defined by audiences and platforms, while creators may need to think more broadly as show builders, media operators, and participants in the creator economy.

Ashley and Rob also explore how X is becoming a real-time professional media layer, why founders, investors, executives, and AI builders are returning to the platform, and why companies are experimenting with live streaming, clipping, launch videos, short-form content, and creator-style formats to reach professional audiences.

The episode also moves into AI-generated media, human-hosted content, AI clones, disclosure, and trust. Rob argues that human-created and AI-created content may both need clear labeling, while Ashley points out that long-form podcasts may remain more defensible because listeners often build real relationships with hosts over time.

This conversation lands on a bigger media reality: New Media is no longer just a technology term. It is becoming a business category, a creator category, a trust category, and a professional influence category. Podcasting helped build the foundation, but the next version of New Media is broader, more video-driven, more AI-assisted, more platform-diverse, and more dependent on trust than ever before.

Key Topics:

  • What “New Media” means in 2026
  • Creator economy vs. New Media
  • Audience as an asset vs. status as an asset
  • Why podcasting helped define early New Media
  • Whether podcasters should now think more like creators and show builders
  • Apple Podcasts HLS video and the return of video podcasting
  • YouTube, Spotify, X, and the platform shift around shows
  • Why VCs and startups are using the term New Media
  • X is a professional media and live content platform
  • Traditional media is trying to become more internet-native
  • AI-generated podcasts, AI clones, and synthetic media
  • Human-hosted content, disclosure, and audience trust
  • Why long-form podcasts may remain defensible in the AI era

Chapter Markers:

00:00 Cold Open and Welcome
00:32 What Does New Media Mean
02:08 Podcasting Meets Multi Format
03:14 Meet Rob Greenlee
04:01 Introducing Ashley Christensen
04:53 Ashley’s Creator Economy Journey
08:26 AI Definitions of New Media
12:35 Creator Economy vs New Media
16:29 The Kill Switch Test
21:38 Is VC Rebranding New Media
24:10 Niche Status Media Examples
31:55 Traditional Media Goes Internet Native
34:59 Podcasting Identity and Convergence
41:35 Creator as a Catch-All Term
43:56 Naming New Media
46:11 Podcast Term Debate
51:02 X Shapes Media
55:35 X Video Creator Push
01:00:51 Twitter Podcast Roots
01:04:38 AI Flooding Podcasts
01:07:48 Human Trust Labels
01:11:34 Clones and Disclosure
01:17:49 Trust Factor Wrap
01:18:19 Closing and Where to Follow

Guest and Host Links

Guest: Ashley Christenson / Ashni

Streaming strategist, creator economy, and new media operator

Host: Rob Greenlee

About the Host/Author:
Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services.

Personal/AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have many hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guests’. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position. The original word choice was mine, and so is the clarification.

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How Creators Are Using AI Agents to Work Smarter | Mike Russell #664

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

New Media Show with Rob Greenlee #664AI use with creators is moving beyond simple tools for transcripts, show notes, image generation, and editing.

In this episode 664 of the New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer, talks with Mike Russell, founder of CreatorMagic.ai and longtime audio producer behind Music Radio Creative, about how new media creators, podcasters, and video producers can begin building their own “AI creator employee.”

Mike explains how AI agents are becoming active collaborators capable of controlling studio lighting, camera settings, thumbnails, content workflows, research, WordPress optimization, and production tasks.

The conversation explores the shift from podcasting as an audio-first medium to a broader video-first creator economy, where YouTube, Apple Podcasts HLS video, AI workflows, and agentic automation are reshaping how content is made, distributed, measured, and monetized.

Rob and Mike also dig into the tension between human-created and AI-assisted media, why “taste” still matters, how creators can avoid generic AI slop, and why the next competitive advantage may come from combining human judgment with powerful AI systems.

What happens when AI stops being just a tool and starts acting like a real creative team member?

Rob Greenlee and Mike Russell explore how AI agents, video-first media, and creator workflows are changing podcasting, YouTube, and the future of new media.

Topic Chapters:

00:00, Welcome to New Media Show #664 with Mike Russell
01:00, Why AI is becoming more than a creator tool
02:00, Building your own “AI creator employee.”
03:00, Using AI agents to control studio lighting, cameras, and production settings
05:00, The growing complexity of being a modern creator
07:00, Why video quality is becoming a bigger creator advantage
08:00, YouTube as the new TV and the move toward 4K content
09:00, Podcasting, YouTube, and the digital replacement for broadcast
11:00, Mike Russell’s shift from audio production to video and AI
12:00, Early YouTube lessons and why creators need to be on camera
14:00, Why video matters now for creators
15:00, Audio versus video consumption and the risk of treating audio listeners as secondary
18:00, Apple Podcasts HLS video, deeper metrics, and YouTube analytics envy
20:00, How streaming video could help podcasting catch up on measurement
22:00, Creator Magic, community growth, and helping creators adopt AI
23:00, Mike’s AI-focused YouTube channel and 200,000 subscriber milestone
25:00, From Adobe Audition expert to AI creator educator
26:00, Why human taste still matters in an AI content world
28:00, Using AI as a creative director, not a replacement
30:00, AI agent experiments, crypto wallets, OpenClaw, and automation
32:00, AI tools versus AI agents
33:00, How agents connect tools across transcripts, thumbnails, analytics, and publishing
35:00, Moving from Zapier-style workflows to agentic AI systems
37:00, OpenClaw, Hermes, and self-healing AI workflows
38:00, Keeping the human layer in AI-generated content
39:00, Training AI agents on your own creative style and back catalog
40:00, Studying successful creators without copying them
42:00, Orchestrating AI tools to create output that feels personal
43:00, How AI models are improving creator workflows
45:00, Prompting for better thumbnail style, text, and simplicity
47:00, The tension between human-created and AI-created content
48:00, AI in communication, negotiation, and personal reflection
50:00, Embodied AI, Tesla, robots, and real-world AI systems
51:00, AI moving into cameras, microphones, appliances, and creator devices
53:00, Polished production versus raw human authenticity
54:00, Where shorts, live streaming, and long-form video each fit
55:00, Human clones, AI-generated versions, and trust labeling
57:00, Will AI-generated content become as good as or better than human content?
58:00, First steps for creators moving toward agentic AI
59:00, Claude, Codex, Gemini, and easier entry points for non-technical creators
01:01:00, How Claude Code can connect with WordPress and audit content
01:03:00, CreatorMagic.ai community and YouTube resources
01:04:00, Why AI agents are becoming practical for everyday creators
01:24:00, AI search optimization, answer engines, and formatting content for discovery
01:25:00, Why creators should direct AI instead of rejecting it
01:26:00, The “AI slop” debate and why humans also create low-quality content
01:28:00, Where to find Mike Russell and Creator Magic
01:29:00, Rob’s closing thoughts on the expanded New Media Show mission

Host: Rob Greenlee

Guest: Mike Russell, Founder of Creator Magic AI

About the Host/Author:
Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services.

Personal/AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have many hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guests’. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position. The original word choice was mine, and so is the clarification.

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When AI Content Stops Looking and Sounding Artificial | Jeanine Wright + Robert Scoble #663

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

New Media Show - #663 In episode 663 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Jeanine Wright, CEO of Inception Point AI, and Robert Scoble, known as Scobleizer, Founder of AlignedNews.ai for a deep conversation about one of the biggest and most uncomfortable questions facing podcasting, video, social media, and the creator economy: what happens when AI-generated content stops sounding and looking artificial? 

I apologize for the lower audio quality of this episode, which was affected by recording source errors, and I used the best audio enhancement tools to improve it.

AI-generated media is no longer just an experiment. It is becoming shows, hosts, voices, personalities, clips, channels, avatars, and soon, live interactive media experiences.

Podcasting has always been built around voice, trust, authenticity, and human connection. But that foundation is now being challenged by AI-generated voices, cloned likenesses, synthetic video, autonomous podcasters, and AI systems that can research, write, produce, publish, and personalize content at a scale human creators cannot match.

The conversation explores whether the podcasting/new media industry is reacting too broadly by labeling AI-generated media as “AI slop” while missing the bigger shift beneath the surface.

Some AI content is low quality, deceptive, or spammy. Some AI content is becoming polished, useful, creative, and scalable. Some human-created content is also low quality, misleading, or poorly produced.

The real issue may not be whether content is human-made or AI-made.

The better question may be whether it is transparent, authentically-human, accurate, consent-based, valuable, and trustworthy.

Jeanine joins Rob to discuss what Inception Point AI is building with AI-generated personalities, autonomous creators, synthetic audio, video characters, quality control systems, and AI-native media workflows. She explains why the future may include AI podcasters, AI influencers, AI brand personalities, and AI-generated shows that serve audiences in ways traditional human production cannot easily support.

Robert brings a broader technology lens to the conversation, connecting AI-generated media to agents, real-time news systems, spatial computing, glasses, robots, synthetic people, and the next phase of human-computer interaction. He also discusses his own work using AI systems to read large volumes of AI industry activity and turn that into new forms of media intelligence.

The conversation asks whether “AI slop” is a useful label or is becoming a way to dismiss an entire category before quality, ethics, and trust systems have had time to mature.

Rob, Jeanine, and Robert also dig into the complicated issue of AI disclosure.

  • Should every AI voice be labeled?
  • Should AI-written scripts be disclosed?
  • What about human voices reading AI-written material?
  • What about cloned voices using human-written scripts?
  • And if most media becomes materially assisted by AI, will audiences still care in the same way?

The episode also explores the darker side of synthetic media, including unauthorized voice cloning, fake likenesses, impersonation, fraud, deceptive content, misinformation, platform abuse, and AI bias. The discussion makes a clear distinction between ethical AI-generated media and synthetic media designed to mislead audiences.

This is not a simple pro-AI or anti-AI conversation. It is a discussion about the future of media trust.

The bigger question is whether podcasting and new media should reject AI-generated content outright or help build better standards around disclosure, quality, consent, ownership, monetization, brand safety, platform rules, and audience transparency.

The future may not be human versus AI.

It may be human plus AI, human extended by AI, AI personalities supervised by humans, and audiences deciding what they trust based on usefulness, quality, transparency, and connection.

Key Topics Covered

  • AI-generated podcasts, video, and synthetic media
  • Why the phrase “AI slop” may be too broad
  • How AI-generated voices and video hosts are becoming more realistic
  • The difference between low-quality AI content and responsible AI media
  • Why podcasting is emotionally tied to human voice and trust
  • How AI personalities and autonomous podcasters are being created
  • What Inception Point AI is building with synthetic creators
  • Robert Scoble’s view of AI agents, X, and real-time AI media systems
  • Whether audiences care more about quality than human authorship
  • Why AI-generated content may outperform average human-created content
  • AI disclosure, labeling, and transparency challenges
  • Human voice, cloned voice, AI-written scripts, and hybrid production
  • Fraud, fake voices, synthetic likenesses, and deceptive media
  • AI bias, culture, representation, and training data concerns
  • Platform rules across YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, X, and social platforms
  • The rise of live AI-human-like media experiences
  • Human creators using AI clones and brand extensions
  • Why the future of media may be human plus AI, not human versus AI

Guest: Jeanine Wright, CEO of Inception Point AI 

Guest: Robert Scoble, Scobleizer

Host: Rob Greenlee

About the Author
Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots with its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services.

Personal note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have many hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guests’. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position. The original word choice was mine, and so is the clarification.

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Can Human Critics Improve Podcast Discovery? | Imran Ahmed, Great Pods #662

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

#662-New-Media-Show-300x300-Episode-Imran-GreatPods.coIn episode 662 from May 6th, 2026, of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, he talks with Imran Ahmed, founder of Great Pods, for a deep conversation about one of podcasting’s longest-running controversies: Discovery.

Podcasting has never had a shortage of content. The bigger challenge has always been helping listeners find the right shows and helping quality creators get noticed.

  • Charts often reward scale.
  • Algorithms can miss the human context.
  • Social media attention does not always create trust.
  • But human recommendations, professional reviews, and transparency. editorial signals may still play an important role.

Imran joins Rob to discuss how Great Pods is building a podcast discovery and decision-making platform around critic reviews, ratings, attribution, podcast search, user reviews, badges, and curated discovery.

The conversation explores why reviews differ from basic listener comments, why constructive criticism can help creators, and how professional critics can serve as trusted filters for listeners trying to decide what to hear next.

Rob and Imran also dig into the broader evolution of podcasting, including the role of word-of-mouth discovery, the limits of podcast app charts, the rise of YouTube as a major discovery platform, and the ongoing tension around what defines a podcast in a world of audio, video, RSS feeds, platform exclusives, APIs, Netflix-style talk shows, and AI-generated content.

The episode also connects Great Pods to larger trust and transparency issues in new media. As AI-generated shows, algorithmic recommendations, and platform-controlled discovery continue to grow.

Rob and Imran discuss why human editorial judgment, clear labeling, attribution, and credible review systems may become even more important for listeners, creators, and platforms.

Key Topics Covered

  • Podcast discovery in 2026
  • Why podcast charts and algorithms often fall short
  • The difference between reviews, ratings, and listener comments
  • Why constructive criticism can help creators improve
  • How Great Pods uses professional reviews and attribution
  • Why human critics can become trusted discovery filters
  • The role of word-of-mouth recommendations in podcast growth
  • Why YouTube has become a major podcast discovery platform
  • How video, RSS, APIs, and platform exclusives are changing podcast definitions
  • Why AI-generated content increases the need for labeling and transparency
  • How podcasters can use reviews, badges, backlinks, and SEO to build credibility
  • What creators should do to make their shows more discoverable

Guest and Host Links

Guest: Imran Ahmed, Founder of Great Pods

Host: Rob Greenlee

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Can Indie Podcasters and Media Creators Still Win? | Dave Jackson #661

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

On Episode 661 of The New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame, and longtime new media executive, is joined by Dave Jackson, 2018 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, founder of School of Podcasting, and Head of Podcasting at Podpage.com, for a deep conversation about whether independent podcasters and media creators can still win in today’s rapidly changing creator economy.

This episode centers on a question many creators are quietly asking right now:

Can indie podcasters still grow, monetize, and build trust in a market being reshaped by video, AI, platform control, and professionalized media production?

Rob and Dave discuss the recent combination of Podpage and School of Podcasting, why podcast education matters more than ever, and how websites, email lists, communities, video, RSS, and AI-assisted workflows are becoming essential parts of a creator’s survival strategy. Dave joined Podpage as Head of Podcasting in 2024, and School of Podcasting has been helping creators launch, grow, and monetize podcasts since 2005. 

The conversation also moves into some of the biggest issues facing podcasting and new media in 2026, including AI-generated shows, human voice and video cloning, creator burnout, YouTube’s influence on podcast identity, Apple’s HLS video podcast direction, and why human trust may become the most valuable asset creators have left.

Rob and Dave bring decades of experience to this discussion.

Both have seen podcasting shift through multiple technology waves, from the early RSS era to platform consolidation, video podcasting, AI tools, and the rise of creator-led media. That history makes this episode a practical and honest look at what indie creators need to do now to stay relevant, trusted, and discoverable.

What does this episode cover?

Can independent podcasters still succeed in a noisier, more competitive market?

What does “winning” even mean now: downloads, money, trust, community, authority, or sustainability?

Why the Podpage and School of Podcasting connection matters for podcast education and creator websites

Why podcasters need a home base beyond social platforms and YouTube

How AI is changing show notes, images, writing, research, production, and creator workflows

Why AI-generated content should not all be treated as spam, but fraud and abuse must be addressed

How human storytelling, lived experience, and trust help creators stand apart from AI content

Why video is becoming harder to ignore, but audio-only creators should not panic

How YouTube has changed public perception of what a podcast is

What Apple’s HLS video direction could mean for audio, video, RSS, and creator workflows

Why websites, email lists, communities, and audience ownership still matter

How indie creators can avoid burnout while adapting to new media expectations

Key Takeaways:

Indie podcasters can still win, but the definition of winning has changed.

Creators need more than a microphone and a media host. They need clarity, a trusted point of view, a website, a distribution plan, and a realistic path to audience growth.

AI is not going away. The smartest creators will learn how to use it without losing their human voice.

Video will continue reshaping podcasting, but not every creator has to become a full-scale video studio overnight.

Human-created content still has a powerful advantage when it is rooted in story, experience, transparency, and trust.

Websites are becoming more important again because creators need a stable home base that is not controlled by a single platform.

Podcast education matters because the barrier to starting is low, but the barrier to standing out is much higher.

Guest

Dave Jackson
Founder, School of Podcasting
Head of Podcasting, Podpage.com
2018 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee
Author of Profit From Your Podcast

Dave Jackson has been helping creators launch and improve podcasts since 2005 through the School of Podcasting. He is also Head of Podcasting at Podpage, where he supports podcasters using websites as a central hub for discovery, audience ownership, and long-term growth. (The School of Podcasting)

Guest links:
School of Podcasting: https://www.schoolofpodcasting.com/
Podpage: https://www.podpage.com/
Dave Jackson: https://davidjackson.org/
Podcast Consultant: https://www.podcastconsultant.com/

Host

Rob Greenlee
Host, The New Media Show
Podcast Hall of Fame inductee
Chairperson, Podcast Hall of Fame
Founder, Trust Factor Lab and Adore Network
Co-Founder, Passion Struck Network

Host and show links:
New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com/
Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com/
Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com/
Adore Network: https://adorenetwork.com/
Trust Factor Lab: https://trustfactorlab.com/
Passion Struck Network: https://passionstrucknetwork.com/
Rob on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee/

Bottom Line in this Episode:

This episode answers a major creator economy question for 2026: Can indie podcasters and independent media creators still compete as podcasting becomes more professional, more video-driven, and more influenced by AI?

Rob Greenlee and Dave Jackson explain why the answer is yes, but only if creators evolve. The winning indie creator now needs a clear purpose, a strong human voice, trusted expertise, a discoverable website, owned audience channels, thoughtful use of AI, and a strategy that works across audio, video, search, social, and community.

The episode is especially useful for podcasters, YouTube creators, podcast consultants, media educators, creator economy leaders, podcast hosting companies, AI media startups, and independent showrunners trying to understand the next phase of podcasting and new media.

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Libsyn’s Next Chapter: Podcast Hosting, Video, Monetization, RSS and API | Brendan Monaghan #660

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

“Podcast episode hosting used to be simple. You uploaded an audio file, generated an RSS feed, and distributed your show everywhere. That model still matters, but it is no longer enough for the modern creator economy.”

In this Episode 660 of The Live New Media Show, from April 22nd, 2026, Host Podcast Hall of Famer and Former Libsyn VP Rob Greenlee shares a screen and microphone with Brendan Monaghan, President and CEO of Libsyn, to explore how podcast hosting is changing and what creators should expect from platforms in 2026 and beyond.

This conversation gets to the heart of a major shift happening across podcasting and new media.

Hosting companies are no longer judged only by whether they can deliver a clean RSS feed and reliable file storage. Creators now expect monetization, analytics, video support, workflow efficiency, AI-assisted publishing, broader distribution, and real help with audience growth.

That larger shift frames the entire discussion between Rob and Brendan.

Brendan explains that Libsyn still carries the legacy of being one of podcasting’s earliest and most important hosting platforms, but the company is now operating in a far more complex environment.

Brendan points to Libsyn’s evolution from a technology-led hosting company into a broader creator platform that includes advertising and monetization infrastructure, especially after the company acquired businesses such as AdvertiseCast and Pair Networks. He argues that the modern hosting business must combine publishing, monetization, measurement, and simplicity for creators at every stage of growth.

Rob pushes the conversation further by asking the bigger industry question:

What should a podcast hosting company become now? That leads into a wide-ranging discussion about platform aggregation, creator workflows, newsletters, live events, merchandise, and the growing expectation that creators should be able to manage more of their media business from one place. Brendan makes the case that the future belongs to companies that can keep creators at the center while simplifying the growing complexity around distribution and monetization.

A major part of the episode focuses on AI.

Brendan breaks AI into three areas: how Libsyn uses it internally as a business, how AI can assist creators with production and publishing workflows, and how fully AI-generated content may affect the medium’s future.

Rob adds a deeper perspective by arguing that AI podcasting is already becoming more competitive than many in the industry want to admit. The two discuss whether the market will ultimately decide what AI content succeeds, why “AI slop” may be too broad a label, and why trust and disclosure may become much more important as synthetic media becomes harder to distinguish from human-created work.

The episode also dives into one of the most important strategic tensions in podcasting right now: RSS versus API publishing.

Rob and Brendan both acknowledge that most creators care more about simple distribution than the underlying protocol, but they also recognize that this shift has major implications for openness, platform control, and long-term creator independence.

Their exchange about Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and the shift toward more controlled video delivery models reflects a broader market reality: creators increasingly want to be everywhere, but the mechanics of getting there are becoming more fragmented and platform-specific.

Another strong section of the conversation centers on video.

Brendan says Libsyn intends to be a leader in video, while Rob raises a practical concern many creators are just beginning to feel: a show that works well on YouTube may not automatically translate well to an audio-first experience, and a show built for traditional audio may not fully satisfy video-driven discovery environments. That raises the possibility that creators will need to think more deliberately about format, audience expectations, and whether a single production workflow can truly serve all platforms equally well.

The conversation becomes especially valuable when the two discuss metrics:

Apple’s HLS direction, and what streaming-style delivery might mean for podcast measurement and advertising. They point to a future in which the industry may move closer to actual listening signals rather than relying so heavily on download-based assumptions. If that happens, it could affect CPMs, ad sales, programmatic video advertising, and the broader economics of the medium.

Rob also frames one of the biggest unresolved questions in new media today:

If AI-generated shows become easier, faster, and more polished, what will human creators need to do to remain distinct and trusted?

The answer that emerges from this episode is not panic. It is focus, transparency, stronger format thinking, and a deeper commitment to serving audiences with clarity and value. That makes this episode less about Libsyn alone and more about the future structure of podcasting itself.

Topic Chapters and Timestamps
00:00 Podcast hosting is no longer simple
01:00 What creators now expect from hosting platforms
02:00 Brendan Monaghan introduction and background
03:00 Why Libsyn’s legacy still matters
05:00 Hosting, publishing, monetization, and measurement
07:00 How Libsyn expanded its monetization business
08:00 Why creators should not need to leave Libsyn to scale
09:00 How monetization changed podcasting
10:00 Lowering barriers for creators to earn revenue
12:00 What the future hosting platform should become
13:00 Newsletters, live events, merchandise, and creator tools
15:00 AI and creator workflows
16:00 Brendan’s three-bucket view of AI
18:00 AI-generated content and the “AI slop” debate
20:00 Why the market may decide what AI content wins
23:00 RSS versus API publishing
25:00 Simplicity and multi-platform distribution
26:00 Why RSS matters less to end users now
28:00 Open versus closed ecosystems
29:00 RSS innovation and slow adoption
31:00 Apple HLS and changing audio-video delivery
32:00 Platform control and the walled garden debate
41:00 Measurement, streaming, and actual listening data
43:00 Programmatic video ads and creative formats
45:00 Why video creators may need to think more like audio creators
47:00 Can AI help bridge the gap between formats?
49:00 Audio loyalty versus video momentum
50:00 The growing pressure on creators to win everywhere
51:00 AI Algorithms, the first audience for human content
53:00 Are AI-generated shows driving growth?
55:00 AI clone content and rising competition for humans
56:00 Why AI labeling may become essential
59:00 What Libsyn will focus on over the next 24 months
01:01:00 Audio, video, audience growth, and execution
01:03:00 Staying focused on core creator needs
01:05:00 Closing thoughts

This episode answers key industry questions that creators, executives, and media strategists are increasingly asking:
-What is Libsyn doing next under Brendan Monaghan?
-How is podcast hosting changing in 2026?
-Will video become a required part of podcast distribution?
-What does Apple’s HLS move mean for audio and video podcasting?
-Is RSS still the future, or are APIs taking over?
-How will AI-generated content affect podcasting, trust, and monetization?
-What should creators expect from modern hosting platforms now?
-Those questions are directly addressed in this discussion, making this episode highly relevant to search, social discovery, AI answer engines, and recommendation surfaces.

Guest and Show Links
Brendan Monaghan, CEO of Libsyn
https://Libsyn.com

Host Rob Greenlee and Show Links
New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com/
Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com/
Trust Factor Lab: https://trustfactorlab.com/
Adore Creator Network: https://adorenetwork.com/
Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com/
Rob Greenlee YouTube: https://youtube.com/@robgreenlee
Rob Greenlee LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee
Rob Greenlee Instagram: https://instagram.com/robwgreenlee

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Podcasting’s Multi-Format Future | Sharon Taylor #659

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

Podcasting is entering a new phase, and this episode goes straight into the infrastructure, business models, and platform shifts shaping what comes next.

On episode 659 of The New Media Show, Host and Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee shares the microphone with Sharon Taylor, Chief Revenue Officer at Triton Digital (Spreaker & Omny Studio), for a deep conversation about where the podcasting market is heading right now.

Sharon brings years of experience from Omny Studio, Triton Digital, and Spreaker, making her one of the best people to help unpack what is changing across hosting, monetization, video, AI, advertiser demand, and measurement.

We talk through why podcasting is not simply becoming video-first, even as video becomes a bigger part of how shows are discovered and monetized.

Sharon makes a strong case that audio remains at the center of the medium, but the future is clearly becoming more multi-format. That means creators, publishers, and platforms need to think differently about how they distribute content, measure audience behavior, and build sustainable business models for both audio and video.

A big part of this conversation focuses on Triton Digital’s role in the market today and why its combination of Omny Studio, Spreaker, and broader ad tech infrastructure makes it an important player in podcasting’s next chapter.

Sharon explains the unique roots of Omny Studio as a platform built for large-scale broadcast and enterprise publishing needs, while Spreaker helped pioneer early podcast programmatic monetization for creators. That combination gives Triton a unique perspective on both professional publishing and creator-driven growth.

We also spend time on Apple’s HLS video move and what it may mean for podcasting’s future. Sharon shares how Triton had already been preparing for a broader video environment and why Apple’s support for HLS is such a meaningful shift.

We discuss how HLS could improve flexibility around delivery, ad insertion, and measurement, while still raising important questions about RSS, open distribution, and whether major platforms may slowly pull podcasting into more platform-specific publishing models over time.

Another major topic in this episode is trust.

From programmatic advertising to AI-generated content to labeling and transparency, Sharon and I explore how podcasting can continue to grow without losing the authentic connection that made the medium valuable in the first place.

We both agree that podcasting still has enormous strength as an audio-led medium, but the industry is now balancing openness, innovation, and monetization in ways that will define the next few years.

This is a wide-ranging and important discussion for anyone watching the evolution of podcasting, video, ad tech, platform power, and the future of open media.

Topics covered

– Why Triton Digital matters in podcasting right now
– Sharon Taylor’s path from Omny Studio to Triton CRO
– What Triton is seeing in audio versus video audience behavior
– Why podcasting is becoming multi-format, not simply video-first
– How Omny Studio and Spreaker fit different parts of the publishing market
– What Apple’s HLS video move changes for publishers and hosting platforms
– Why advertiser confidence and better measurement matter more than ever
– The future of RSS, open podcasting, and platform fragmentation
– How AI-generated content is affecting publishing growth and industry trust
– Where Sharon sees the next big opportunities for podcast growth

Guest

Sharon Taylor is the Chief Revenue Officer at Triton Digital. She was appointed to the CRO role in August 2025 after helping lead Triton’s podcast and content delivery efforts. Before joining Triton, Sharon was CEO of Omny Studio and played a key role in building it into one of the leading enterprise podcast platforms before its acquisition by Triton Digital.

Triton Digital: https://www.tritondigital.com/
Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/
Omny Studio: https://omnystudio.com/

Host

Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer, Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame, and leader behind Trust Factor Lab and Trust Creators Community at M3Linked.

New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com/
Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com/
Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com/
Trust Creators Community: https://m3linked.com/

Supporters:

Get a $10 StreamYard Video Recording and Live Streaming tool Discount using this LINK – https://streamyard.com/pal/c/5606177711325184

Podcasting pros use Podpage – Build a podcast or video show website that updates itself and showcases your show beautifully. Start for just $12/month! –>podpage.com?via=adore

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