In 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

• RSS.com: https://rss.com
• Greg Wasserman at RSS.com: https://rss.com/blog/greg-wasserman/
• Podcast Network Insights: https://rss.com/podcasts/podcast-network-insights/
• Greg Wasserman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregwasserman

Host: Rob Greenlee

• New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com
• Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com
• Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com
• Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee
• Rob Greenlee Booking: https://calendly.com/robgreenlee

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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