Creators Become Media | Steve Wilson, Daylight Media and QCODE #676

July 23, 2026July 11, 2026 ~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

In Episode #676 of the New Media Show, host and Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee welcomes Steve Wilson, Chief Strategy Officer at Daylight Media and QCODE, for a wide-ranging conversation about the shift from producing a successful podcast to building a sustainable creator-led media company.

Creators no longer operate in a simple world of publishing one show to ONE place and relying mainly on advertising.

The strongest creators are building direct relationships with audiences across podcasts, video, short-form clips, newsletters, communities, subscriptions, live events, products, and services.

Podcasting remains one of the most effective long-form formats for building trust and repeated audience connection.

It is now one part of a larger media strategy shaped by video distribution, platform algorithms, artificial intelligence, audience ownership, and the growing power of individual personalities.

Steve brings a valuable perspective to this discussion. Before joining QCODE, he spent years working with Apple Podcasts and iTunes. At QCODE, he helped develop and distribute premium scripted audio series featuring talent including Matthew McConaughey, Demi Moore, and Rami Malek. QCODE has since expanded through Daylight Media, which provides distribution, monetization, technology, marketing, and business support for a broader network of creators.

Daylight currently works with roughly 70 creators and shows representing approximately 300 million monthly audio downloads and video views.

Across that network, video now accounts for a significant share of consumption, although the balance between audio and video differs considerably from show to show.

That difference is important.

Some creators have audiences that strongly favor YouTube and Spotify video. Other shows continue to perform primarily through audio.

For some programs, video may be valuable mainly as a discovery and social marketing layer rather than as the central product. Steve argues that creators should evaluate their format, audience, resources, and business goals before committing to a major video expansion.

Rob and Steve discuss Apple’s HLS video support and why it may become an important addition to the podcast distribution ecosystem. HLS can give creators greater flexibility in delivering video while maintaining many of the ownership and control principles associated with RSS.

The larger issue is whether creators retain access to their audience data, revenue information, advertising options, and the ability to move their shows between services.

The conversation also examines what makes a show work in both audio and video.

A strong video presentation may include thoughtful set design, lighting, visual storytelling, archival material, graphics, and physical objects that add context. The underlying audio still needs to stand on its own.

Listeners should not feel as though they are receiving an incomplete version of a show because they cannot see what is happening on screen.

Steve points to television, documentary production, and the work of filmmakers such as Ken Burns as useful references.

A show can begin with excellent audio storytelling and add visuals that deepen the experience without making the audio audience feel secondary.

There are also cases where the audio and video products should remain different. Scripted fiction uses sound to create a theater of the mind, allowing listeners to imagine the world and its characters. Turning that same property into a visual production may require a separate creative and business decision rather than a simple video version of the podcast.

We also explore the potential for long-form content on Instagram, the renewed interest in vertical video, and the growing market for microdramas. They also revisit Quibi and consider whether some earlier media ideas failed because the technology, audience behavior, or distribution environment was not yet ready for them.

The discussion then turns to one of the most important distinctions between podcasting and YouTube.

YouTube can generate large spikes around individual videos, but performance may vary widely from episode to episode.

Traditional RSS-based podcast audiences are often more consistent. That stability can make an audio podcast especially valuable to advertisers because future episode delivery and revenue are easier to forecast.

YouTube is highly effective for discovery. Podcast feeds are often stronger at developing recurring habits around a series. Successful media companies will increasingly need to understand the value of both.

Catalog discovery is another major opportunity. Podcasts and long-form videos can remain useful for years, but most platforms continue to prioritize newly released material. Steve argues that the industry needs better ways to help audiences find relevant episodes from existing catalogs based on subject, location, interest, and current context.

Daylight recently acquired Podcast Review, a long-running editorial publication focused on podcast reviews, interviews, recommendations, and lists. Steve sees independent editorial guidance as an important part of helping audiences find strong shows beyond what algorithms automatically recommend. Podcast Review continues to publish consumer-focused coverage while operating as a Daylight Media property with stated editorial standards and disclosures.

Rob and Steve discuss whether the audience now has more influence over what qualifies as a podcast. Listeners and viewers increasingly use the word to describe a style of recurring, personality-led media rather than a specific technical delivery method.

Steve is less concerned with rigid format definitions. He compares the current debate to earlier questions about whether a streaming series released all at once should still be called television. Distribution formats change. Audience behavior changes. The most useful question is whether the content delivers the experience people expect from the show.

The second half of the episode focuses on creators becoming media companies.

Daylight works with creators at different stages, from established personalities such as Jon Stewart to growing shows entering advertising for the first time. Some partners need only ad sales support. Others are developing subscriptions, merchandise, tours, live events, networks, and additional shows.

Steve describes Daylight as an infrastructure layer that often works behind the scenes. The goal is to help the creator’s brand remain visible while providing the operational systems needed to grow. Daylight was launched as an expansion of QCODE’s creator-support work, with services covering distribution, audience development, marketing, technology, products, and monetization.

Creator-first structure differs from an older media model in which the studio or network brand often controlled the relationship between talent and audience. Steve believes the next era will give creators more leverage, flexibility, and ownership. The companies that support them will need to prove their value without taking over the show’s identity.

Artificial intelligence is already affecting that work, although adoption varies widely. Some creators are using AI for research, transcription, artwork, editing, and production support. Others remain strongly opposed to it.

Steve does not see the choice as a complete acceptance or rejection of AI.

Each use case needs to be evaluated separately. Voice dubbing may help a creator correct a short line without having to re-record an entire session. Transcription can reduce production time. Synthetic performances or undisclosed manipulation may violate the audience’s expectations and trust.

Both agree that growing volumes of synthetic content may also increase the value of live, in-person, and clearly human experiences.

Podcast tours, creator conferences, community gatherings, retreats, and interactive events allow audiences to participate in ways that digital platforms cannot fully reproduce. The opportunity may extend beyond recording a regular episode on stage.

Future creator events could include audience conversations, workshops, performances, shared activities, and experiences built around a particular community or interest.

This episode offers a clear view of where creator media is heading. A show can remain the center of the relationship, but the greater opportunity lies in building a flexible media business around the audience, protecting creator ownership, and selecting formats that serve the content rather than following every platform trend.

Topics Covered in This Episode

– Why successful creators are becoming media companies
– QCODE’s expansion into Daylight Media
– Audio and video consumption across the Daylight network
– Apple HLS video and creator-controlled distribution
– Why every show needs a different audio and video strategy
– Set design and visual storytelling for video shows
– Preserving a complete experience for audio listeners
– Scripted fiction, video adaptations, and intellectual property
– Instagram, vertical video, and microdramas
– YouTube discovery compared with RSS audience stability
– Evergreen content and podcast-catalog discovery
– Apple Podcasts editorial discovery
– Daylight Media’s acquisition of Podcast Review
– Whether audiences now define what a podcast is
– Revenue beyond advertising
– Subscriptions, merchandise, networks, touring, and events
– Daylight as a behind-the-scenes creator infrastructure company
– RSS, APIs, alternate enclosures, and platform control
– Creator access to audience and revenue data
– AI production tools and audience trust
– The growing value of live and human experiences

Chapter Time Stamp Markers:

00:00 Welcome to The New Media Show Episode 676
00:36 Creators are building full media businesses
02:24 Introducing Steve Wilson of Daylight Media and QCODE
03:05 How QCODE expanded into Daylight Media
04:23 From premium audio fiction to a creator network
05:16 Video now drives much of the network’s consumption
05:59 Apple HLS video and creator flexibility
08:27 Why there is no single audio-video strategy
09:03 What makes a show work in video?
10:44 Keeping audio listeners at the center
12:09 Higher production values and video set design
14:34 Theater of the mind and the value of audio
15:37 Short-form video and social-first podcasts
16:00 Could Instagram become a long-form video platform?
17:33 Microdramas, vertical storytelling, and the Quibi lesson
18:27 Audio-first creators and video anxiety
19:24 YouTube volatility compared with RSS stability
21:01 Tentpole episodes, long-form content, and audience habits
22:10 Evergreen catalog discovery
23:26 Apple Podcasts editorial discovery
25:00 Daylight Media acquires Podcast Review
25:46 Is the audience taking control of media definitions?
27:52 Does the technical definition of a podcast still matter?
31:03 Moving from a show to a media company
32:14 Daylight’s creator network and growth spectrum
32:54 Subscriptions, merchandise, tours, and new revenue
33:35 Daylight as a creator infrastructure layer
34:07 Why Daylight works behind the scenes
36:12 The future of video distribution and RSS
37:17 Alternate enclosures and location-based discovery
38:24 Creator ownership beyond RSS purity
39:59 Audio ads, video ads, platforms, and advertiser results
41:07 Independent creators gain more media power
42:07 How creators are using AI
43:02 Where AI can damage audience trust
45:05 AI voice dubbing and practical production uses
45:34 The return of live and human experiences
47:18 Podcast tours, conferences, and creator communities
49:18 Building more interactive creator events
50:51 Final thoughts on Daylight Media and QCODE
51:31 Where to find Daylight and QCODE shows
52:44 End of episode

Guest Links: Steve Wilson, Chief Strategy Officer, Daylight Media and QCODE

Daylight Media: https://daylightmedia.com
QCODE Media: https://qcodemedia.com
Podcast Review: https://podcastreview.org
Steve Wilson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenwilson7
Steve Wilson on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wilsonomics

Steve Wilson is currently Chief Strategy Officer at Daylight Media, with his work continuing across the QCODE and Daylight organizations.

Host, Rob Greenlee and New Media Show Links

New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com
New Media Show on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheNewMediaShow
New Media Show Audio on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-media-show-audio/id392545649
Rob Greenlee Website: https://robgreenlee.com
Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee
Rob Greenlee on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@RobGreenlee
Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com

About Trust Factor Lab

Trust Factor Lab helps creators, media leaders, executives, and brands build stronger audience trust across AI, video, podcasts, and creator-led media. Founded by Rob Greenlee, it focuses on content strategy, authority development, media positioning, AI transparency, audience growth, and business outcomes built through credibility.

AI Disclosure Note:

I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode description and create chapter markers from the episode transcript. The editorial direction, final review, industry perspective, and responsibility for the published content remain mine. The discussion reflects the views expressed by my guest and me during the recorded conversation.

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Video-First Podcasting Has Arrived | Rox Codes, Flightcast #674

July 15, 2026July 10, 2026 ~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

In Episode 674 of the New Media Show, Podcast Hall of Fame Host Rob Greenlee welcomes Rox Codes, CEO and co-founder of Flightcast.com.

For a deep conversation about video-first podcasting, YouTube growth, AI-powered analytics, creator tools, and where podcast publishing is heading next.

Rox Codes has spent years building tools for creators, including YouTube optimization, thumbnail and title creation, A/B testing, and creator growth systems.

Flightcast was co-founded with Steven Bartlett of The Diary of a CEO. Rox is building a platform centered on a core shift in the market: serious shows are no longer just audio-first with a bonus video version.

Many of the fastest-moving creators now think about YouTube first, then audio, clips, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, newsletters, social platforms, and every other surface where the audience may discover the show.

Has video-first podcasting fully arrived, and is it now equal to audio, or is it becoming even more important for growth?

Rox explains that Flightcast came from a very different starting point than traditional podcast hosting. Instead of beginning with RSS, downloads, and audio workflow, the platform was built from a YouTube creator mindset.

YouTube has long been the clearest growth platform for creators because it combines publishing, discovery, audience development, monetization, and measurable performance into a single system. Podcasting, by contrast, has often separated those pieces across hosting platforms, apps, ad systems, analytics dashboards, and RSS-based distribution.

The episode explores why this matters now. A modern show can become a long-form YouTube episode, an audio podcast, Spotify video, Apple video, short-form clips, newsletter content, social posts, community discussion, and brand inventory. Rox describes podcasts as a powerful format because a single strong two-hour conversation can yield many different media assets across multiple platforms.

That creates opportunity, but it also creates complexity.

They discuss Apple’s HLS video support, Spotify video, YouTube, RSS, 4K video, thumbnails in feeds, Netflix, Roku, FAST channels, Prime Video, and the growing need for creators to publish into more places without needing to understand every technical layer underneath.

Rox argues that creators should not have to care about acronyms like HLS, VAST, RSS, or 301 redirects unless the technology directly affects their business. The software should handle the complexity so creators can focus on the show, the audience, and the growth strategy.

A major theme of the episode is that video success is not just about uploading an MP4 file. Rox makes a strong case that the real shift is in mindset. On YouTube, titles, thumbnails, intros, pacing, retention, curiosity gaps, promise, progress, payoff, packaging, and audience behavior all matter. Podcasting has historically treated episode art and titles as secondary. YouTube treats them as the front door to the content.

Rob and Rox spend significant time on thumbnails and titles, including why creators need to understand the psychology behind a click without reducing the work to empty clickbait.

Rox explains that a thumbnail should create a question the viewer wants answered, while the episode itself must deliver enough value to earn attention and retention. The best creators do not copy blindly. They study what works, understand why it works, and apply that structure in their own voice, to their audience, and through their creative point of view.

The conversation also moves into AI.

Rox does not describe Flightcast as an AI-first platform, but AI is an important layer inside the system. He sees major value in AI analytics, back-catalog analysis, clip testing, title suggestions, descriptions, chapters, transcripts, and pattern recognition. His larger ambition is to bake more of the YouTube strategist and producer mindset directly into the software so creators can see what is working, what is not working, and where new growth opportunities may exist.

Rob and Rox also discuss monetization. As video moves deeper into podcast platforms, host-read ads, dynamic ad insertion, video ad formats, brand partnerships, affiliate models, and creator-controlled advertising may begin to converge. Rox explains Flightcast’s ability to support programmatic, dynamic sponsorships and bring-your-own-programmatic monetization, while keeping the platform focused on growth and creator support rather than solely on ad sales.

The episode closes with a look at the future of podcast hosting itself.

Rox argues that basic hosting has become a commodity. The next layer is growth, analytics, experimentation, distribution, monetization support, and creator intelligence. In a world where AI can make software easier to build and copy, the real advantage may come from insight, speed, taste, data interpretation, and the ability to help serious creators make better decisions faster.

For creators, publishers, networks, and podcast platforms, Episode 674 is a clear look at the next stage of podcasting: video-first, data-aware, AI-supported, YouTube-influenced, and increasingly built around shows that can travel everywhere.

Chapter Topic Time Stamp Markers:

00:00 Welcome to The New Media Show Episode 674
00:19 Has video-first podcasting arrived?
01:21 Introducing Rox Codes and Flightcast
02:32 Building tools for YouTubers before podcasting
03:18 Why podcast hosting needed a YouTube-first mindset
04:13 Building the Flightcast playbook around video-first shows
05:31 Bringing the Diary of a CEO playbook into software
06:54 Can a platform support data-driven production?
08:27 AI, automation, and the future of show creation
09:13 LLMs and AI tools in creator workflows
10:23 AI as a podcast data consultant
11:19 Publishing, analytics, and experimentation
13:41 Could Flightcast become a creator operating system?
14:17 Podcasts as long-form source material for every platform
16:39 Is YouTube success the strongest growth signal?
17:19 Growth, retention, and why YouTube has the advantage
19:44 Going from YouTube to audio vs audio to video
20:49 Who Flightcast is built for
21:28 Apple HLS, Spotify video, and platform complexity
22:21 Can Apple or Spotify compete with YouTube video?
23:43 Video as human connection
24:24 Apple Podcasts video and the return of native video distribution
25:51 Netflix, podcasts, and low-cost creator TV
27:22 Why creator video can work across phone, laptop, car, and TV
28:20 Apple TV, 4K, and the quality question
29:16 Why creators should not need to understand HLS or RSS
31:55 The podcast industry still has too much technical friction
33:46 Alternate enclosure, iHeart, HLS, and RSS thumbnails
34:27 Why episode artwork and thumbnails now matter more
35:10 The thumbnail and title are the packaging
37:14 AI thumbnail scoring and creative judgment
38:08 Thumbnail psychology and curiosity gaps
38:52 Retention editing, strong intros, and promise-progress-payoff
40:10 Why better videos can multiply results
41:19 The real workload behind YouTube-quality video
42:37 Legacy media skills vs YouTube creator skills
44:50 Faster testing cycles changed creator media
45:32 Why video can be ten times harder when done right
45:53 How AI can bake strategy into software
47:00 Where Flightcast differs from early-stage creator tools
47:32 YouTube algorithm changes and podcaster anxiety
49:19 HLS, video ads, and creator-controlled ad insertion
50:22 Dynamic ads across YouTube and podcast platforms
51:33 Platform trust and monetization value
52:01 YouTube brand connections and affiliate models
53:18 Right brand, right creator, right price
54:35 360 campaigns, affiliates, and creator investments
57:17 Organic product mentions and brand relationships
58:14 What podcast hosting becomes next
58:46 Hosting as a commodity and growth as the real business
59:37 APIs, AI coding, and software moats
1:00:30 Where is the moat in creator software?
1:01:07 Staying ahead through insight and experimentation
1:03:32 Advanced analytics as the future advantage
1:04:41 Every creator has a different data pattern
1:05:14 MrBeastification, AI, and creator sameness
1:06:10 Outlier analysis and creative inspiration
1:07:15 Why outlier theory works when used correctly
1:08:44 Packaging the topic before recording
1:09:32 Does this conflict with podcasting culture?
1:11:01 Why data-driven formats do not have to kill creativity
1:12:23 Ryan Trahan and creative twists on proven formats
1:14:17 Packaging as the price of audience attention
1:15:04 Craft, creativity, and changing the playbook
1:16:51 Podcasting’s radio roots and YouTube’s different rules
1:17:27 Flightcast demo: stop guessing what content works
1:18:00 Publishing video everywhere with unified analytics
1:18:51 Measurement standards and the 30-second vs 60-second debate
1:20:21 AI analytics, clips, and test channels
1:21:35 YouTube API limits and thumbnail A/B testing
1:22:51 Flightcast monetization and bring-your-own programmatic
1:23:55 Transcripts, AI titles, descriptions, and chapters
1:24:21 Flightcast pricing and plans
1:25:41 HLS across all plans and video storage differences
1:26:32 Future pricing credits for more clips
1:26:48 Closing thoughts and where to find the episode

Guest Links: Rox Codes, CEO and Co-Founder, Flightcast

Flightcast: https://flightcast.com
Rox Codes Website: https://roxcodes.com
Rox Codes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/roxcodes
Rox Codes on X: https://x.com/RoxCodes
Rox Codes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChg53qPBdY1FF8gjOlB9zkg

Rob Greenlee and New Media Show Links

Rob Greenlee Website: https://robgreenlee.com
New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com
New Media Show Audio on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-media-show-audio/id392545649
New Media Show on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@TheNewMediaShow
Rob Greenlee on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@RobGreenlee
Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com

Personal / AI Disclosure Note:

I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode description and generate show notes from the episode transcript. The views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. This article reflects my editorial direction and the substance of the conversation.

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Podcasting Beyond the Download | Casey Adams, Listener.com #673

July 12, 2026July 9, 2026 ~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

In Episode 673 of the New Media Show, host 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee welcomes Casey Adams, founder and CEO of Listener.com and host of The Casey Adams Show, for a timely conversation about how podcasting, video, social content, advertising, and new media measurement are rapidly converging.

For more than 20 years, podcasting has relied heavily on RSS feeds, downloads, and audio-first measurement as the foundation of distribution and advertising value. That still matters, but the media environment around it has changed dramatically.

Shows now are distributed across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, social video, newsletters, clips, livestreams, and direct audience communities. Audiences may call it all a podcast, even as the industry continues to debate its technical definition.

Casey brings a founder, creator, and investor perspective to the discussion. He started podcasting as a teenager, interviewing founders and entrepreneurs, and later built MediaKits.com before moving into podcast analytics with Listener.com. His current work focuses on helping modern publishers understand how a single episode performs across audio, long-form video, short-form clips, newsletters, and social platforms.

Rob and Casey explore why the term “podcast” now means different things to different groups. To many longtime industry professionals, podcasting still points back to RSS-based audio distribution. To many younger listeners and viewers, it means a format: a recurring show, often conversational, often video-enabled, and consumed wherever attention already exists.

The conversation centers on one of the biggest questions facing podcasting and new media right now:

How do you measure the true value of a show when the audience is no longer in one place?

Rob and Casey also discuss why the download can no longer carry the entire weight of podcast measurement.

A single episode may now generate value through an Apple Podcasts listen, a Spotify stream, a full YouTube view, a YouTube Short, a TikTok clip, a LinkedIn post, an X post, a newsletter mention, and a brand integration that travels across all of those surfaces. Each platform counts activity differently. Each platform has its own audience behavior. That makes reporting, sponsorship value, and campaign analysis more complex.

Casey explains Listener.com’s concept of episode clusters: grouping the full set of related content around one episode so publishers and advertisers can see the larger cross-platform reach and performance.

Instead of treating the audio file as the entire campaign, an episode cluster recognizes that one conversation can become long-form video, social clips, newsletter content, and multiple ad touchpoints.

We also discuss the rising influence of creator-led media companies. Examples like TBPN, Jomboy Media, Substack’s media activity, and venture-backed new media brands show how independent shows and creator-driven networks are increasingly competing with legacy media for attention, trust, and advertiser value.

The conversation explores why companies, CEOs, investors, and major brands now seek to control their own narrative through podcasts, owned shows, and trusted media relationships.

We also examine the advertising side of this shift. Brands want better campaign reporting, but they also want context. A host-read placement, a social clip, a full video episode, and a newsletter mention should not all be treated the same.

Modern publishers need tools that let them demonstrate the full value of their media ecosystem without flattening every metric into a single misleading number.

Meaning for creators. Being a podcaster may no longer fully describe the work involved. Modern show builders are becoming media operators. They need to understand production, audience behavior, platform distribution, brand positioning, analytics, content packaging, and trust. The technical meaning of podcasting still matters, but the audience meaning matters just as much now.

For creators, networks, agencies, and brands, Episode 673 offers a clear look at the next stage of podcasting: a media business built around trusted shows, distributed everywhere, measured more intelligently, and no longer limited to downloads.

Topics Covered in This Episode:

00:33 Why podcast measurement is changing
01:00 Moving beyond the download
01:44 RSS, streaming, and modern distribution challenges
02:42 Introducing Casey Adams of Listener.com
03:37 Casey Adams joins the show
04:17 What Listener.com is trying to solve
05:00 AI-powered analytics for modern podcast publishers
05:41 Casey’s podcasting origin story
06:30 Interviewing Larry King and learning from media legends
07:18 Larry King’s warning about rejecting new media trends
08:04 From MediaKits.com to Listener.com
09:15 Rob’s early podcasting and radio background
10:04 Why the industry struggles with change
11:00 Does Casey still consider himself a podcaster?
12:00 Podcasts as a format, not just a technology
13:10 YouTube, Spotify, and the expanded podcast ecosystem
14:34 Why modern shows must meet audiences where they are
15:37 The audience now defines what a podcast means
16:16 RSS audio vs the broader podcast perception
17:16 Apple HLS and the pressure on RSS
18:17 The industry needs to accept broader podcast usage
19:26 Younger audiences and podcast consumption habits
20:39 Larry King’s quote behind Listener.com
21:25 Why RSS is becoming less visible to creators and audiences
23:21 Respecting podcasting’s roots while accepting change
24:00 The Uber analogy for podcasting’s disruption
25:41 Journalists, creators, and independent media companies
27:49 Creator-led media and the rise of new media brands
28:33 Legacy media relevance is being challenged
30:13 TBPN and the new media company model
31:28 Treating a show like a full media ecosystem
32:36 Year-long sponsorships and category exclusivity
33:49 Why serious creators must think like media companies
35:19 How podcast analytics supports advertiser relationships
36:00 Silicon Valley’s renewed interest in “new media”
37:23 The pandemic pushed legacy media into creator workflows
38:16 Casey introduces the Listener.com platform
39:05 Jomboy Media and creator-led sports coverage
40:00 Episode clusters and cross-platform performance
41:00 Tracking long-form video, audio, and short-form clips
42:18 Episode reports for brands and publishers
43:05 Why every platform metric should be valued differently
44:00 How Listener.com supports campaign reporting
45:00 Aggregating metrics from multiple platforms
46:00 Audio, content, commerce, and newsletter integrations
47:00 Using AI to match clips to episodes
48:00 Listener AI and talking to your podcast data
49:23 Making podcast data easier to understand and share
50:00 Where podcast analytics and AI go next
51:28 AI can guide creators, but execution still wins
52:23 Using AI as a thought partner for content strategy
53:24 Why creators must keep improving their shows
54:47 What drives new media inspiration today?
56:01 Why companies want to control their narrative
57:15 CEOs, podcasts, and trusted long-form conversations
58:22 Substack, owned media, and creator platforms
59:21 New podcast metrics standards and platform conflicts
1:00:35 How different platforms count views and plays
1:02:16 Serving publishers while tracking industry standards
1:03:00 Why brands need better cross-platform campaign reports
1:04:28 Toward better host-read campaign reporting
1:05:14 How platform changes flow into Listener.com data
1:06:00 Why publishers should control their own data
1:07:00 Putting a show’s full value forward
1:08:03 Brand, trust, and modern podcast IP
1:09:34 OpenAI, TBPN, and strategic media investment
1:10:32 Why TBPN brought sponsors back
1:11:11 How media brands can help shift company narratives
1:12:15 New media as a strategic communications layer
1:14:00 Lessons from AI-generated podcast network messaging
1:14:46 The risk of platform influence after acquisition
1:16:00 Why the TBPN deal was more than a podcast deal
1:16:39 Will more companies buy or build media brands?
1:17:40 HubSpot, distribution, and trusted voices
1:18:08 Why creators must stay honest with audiences
1:19:40 Authenticity and audience trust in sponsorships
1:20:05 Casey’s closing thoughts on podcasting and new media
1:20:34 Rob’s closing view on podcasting as one lane in new media
1:21:41 How publishers can work with Listener.com
1:22:43 Networks, independent shows, and Listener.com’s go-to-market
1:23:56 Closing remarks and where to find the show

Guest Links: Casey Adams, Founder and CEO, Listener.com

Listener.com: https://listener.com
Casey Adams Show & Website: https://www.caseyadams.com
The Casey Adams Show on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-casey-adams-show/id1328795944
Casey Adams on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-adams-430b3114a/
Casey Adams on X: https://x.com/CaseyAdams
Casey Adams on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casey/

Host: Rob Greenlee and New Media Show Links

Personal / AI Disclosure Note

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Podcasting Is Not Broken. It Is Becoming Something Bigger

May 15, 2026May 15, 2026 ~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

New Media Show with Rob Greenlee - NewMediaShow.com By Rob Greenlee

I do not believe podcasting is broken.

I also do not believe podcasting is outdated.

But I understand why some people are starting to say that. The medium is changing so fast right now that it can feel like the old definitions no longer fit what audiences and creators are actually doing.

That does not mean podcasting is dying. It means podcasting has reached a major inflection point.

For audiences, podcasts have become one of the main media habits in everyday life. People listen while driving, walking, working, exercising, relaxing, and doing all the things that make audio such a powerful companion medium. That part has not gone away. Audio remains deeply personal, flexible, and trusted.

But for many creators, the word “podcaster” no longer fully describes what they are building.

They are making shows.

They are producing conversations, video episodes, clips, livestreams, newsletters, communities, events, and social content. The podcast is still part of the system, but it is no longer always the whole identity.

That is the big shift.

The traditional definition of a podcast as an audio-first, RSS-distributed show remains important. It is the foundation of the medium. It gave podcasting its openness, portability, and independence. But that definition is increasingly becoming one part of a larger video-first creator strategy.

This is where some tension comes in.

Audio-first creators will continue to have large audiences. Many of the most trusted and successful shows will remain primarily audio-driven. There will always be room for audio-first storytelling, interviews, news, education, comedy, and commentary. Audio is not going away.

But audio-first alone may no longer be the path to the largest possible audience.

Discovery has shifted. Audience behavior has shifted. Monetization has shifted. Younger audiences often discover shows through video clips, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other social platforms before they ever subscribe to an RSS feed or follow a show in a traditional podcast app.

For many people, the first experience of a “podcast” is now a video moment.

That does not make it less of a podcast. It means the audience definition has expanded beyond the industry definition.

This is why I keep saying we are moving from “podcasts” into a broader “shows” era.

The show is the core intellectual property. The show is the brand. The show is the relationship with the audience. Audio, video, clips, newsletters, and community are all distribution expressions of that show.

That shift has real consequences for the entire industry.

Hosting companies have to think beyond audio file delivery. Apps have to think beyond audio playback. Ad platforms have to think beyond downloads. Measurement companies have to think beyond separate audio and video reports. Creators have to think beyond a single format and a single feed.

This is especially true as HLS video streaming begins to scale inside podcasting.

The Apple Podcasts shift toward HLS video streaming is a major signal. Video podcasting is no longer just about uploading a large MP4 file or posting a version on YouTube. It is moving toward modern streaming infrastructure, adaptive playback, dynamic ad possibilities, and more seamless switching between listening and viewing.

That means some of what we have historically called audio-only consumption may increasingly be delivered through video-enabled HLS streaming systems. A person may listen to the audio from a video podcast stream. They may start with video, switch to audio, or never look at the screen at all. The content experience becomes more fluid.

That creates a major measurement challenge.

The industry cannot keep treating audio and video metrics as if they live in separate worlds. Creators need to know the show’s total reach and value, not just the performance of a single format in a single app.

Downloads, streams, plays, views, watch time, listen time, completion, retention, subscribers, followers, and engagement all need to be consolidated into a single framework.

Right now, too much of the industry is still measuring yesterday’s format while the audience is already consuming tomorrow’s show.

This is not just a technical issue. It is a business issue.

If a creator has 50,000 audio downloads, 100,000 YouTube views, 25,000 Spotify video plays, 15,000 Apple video streams, and millions of short-form impressions, what is the actual size and value of that show?

The old answer was to separate all of that into different buckets.

The new answer has to be more unified.

Brands and sponsors want to understand total audience impact. Creators want to understand where trust, attention, and revenue are being created. Platforms want to prove value. Hosting companies want to stay relevant. Measurement providers want to remain credible.

That requires merged and consolidated metrics.

Podcasting has always struggled with measurement consistency, even in the audio-only era. Now video makes that challenge more complicated, but also more urgent.

The industry needs a better way to measure shows across formats, not just files across feeds.

This does not mean we abandon RSS. It does not mean we abandon audio. It does not mean every creator has to become a YouTuber or video personality.

It means podcasting has to evolve its infrastructure, language, and business model to align with what audiences are already doing.

The audience does not care whether the industry calls something a podcast, a video podcast, a show, a stream, or creator media.

They ONLY care whether it is useful, entertaining, trustworthy, and available where they already spend time.

That is the part we should pay attention to.

Podcasting is expanding.

It is expanding into video. It is expanding into streaming. It is expanding into social/YouTube discovery. It is expanding into creator-led media brands. It is expanding into AI-assisted and generated production and distribution. It is expanding into a world where the show matters more than the format.

The danger is not that podcasting is outdated.

The danger is that the industry keeps defending an old definition while the audience has already moved into a broader one.

The future of podcasting will still include audio-first shows, RSS feeds, open distribution, and traditional podcast apps. Those pieces still matter. But the growth edge of the medium is moving toward video-enabled, multi-format, cross-platform show experiences.

The inflection point.

– The creators who understand this will not stop being podcasters. They will become stronger show builders.

– The companies that understand this will not abandon podcasting. They will build the infrastructure for the next version.

– And the industry that understands this will stop asking whether podcasting is broken and start asking a better question:

– How do we preserve what made podcasting powerful while building the modern show-based media ecosystem it is clearly becoming?

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 this article and hand-edited it; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine. 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.

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

May 1, 2026May 1, 2026 ~ 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

April 23, 2026April 23, 2026 ~ 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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Apple Video Podcasts, RSS vs API, Rise of Synthetic Creators | Justin Jackson #657

April 7, 2026April 7, 2026 ~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

If you are trying to understand where podcasting is going in 2026 and beyond, this is one of those conversations that clarifies the whole board.

On Episode 657 of The New Media Show, Host Rob Greenlee shares a microphone and a video camera with Justin Jackson, CEO and Co-Founder of Transistor.fm, to unpack two forces reshaping the medium at the same time: Apple’s push back into video podcasts using HLS streaming, and the accelerating rise of synthetic creators and human clones powered by AI.

The real takeaway in this episode is that this is no longer just a podcasting story. It’s a media transformation story, and creators who treat it that way will have the advantage.

Justin brings a rare combination to this topic because he is not just watching the ecosystem from the outside. He is building one of the most respected independent podcast hosting platforms and is deeply involved in coordinating the industry’s progress through the Podcast Standards Project.

One of the most useful parts of this episode is hearing how standards actually get adopted. Podcasting has a coordination problem, and the only way the open ecosystem keeps evolving is when hosting providers, apps, and major platforms agree on what becomes “standard.” Justin explains why this work is slower than people want and why it matters, using real examples such as transcript support and creator-recommendation tooling via Podroll.

From there, we go straight into the big shift: Apple leaning harder into video again, this time through HLS. The practical impact for creators is obvious. Video becomes easier to distribute, monetize, and measure across platforms.

The strategic impact is bigger. Apple’s move creates a cascade effect. As more hosts build HLS workflows, those streams can increasingly appear not only within Apple’s experience but also through open standards like alternate enclosures, especially if apps continue to adopt them. Justin is bullish on RSS-based open podcasting surviving, not because it is nostalgic, but because consumer demand and creator distribution needs keep pulling it forward.

A core theme in this episode is that creators and consumers decide what “a podcast” is, not the industry. Justin puts it plainly: if everyday listeners think podcasts are something they watch on YouTube, that belief drives behavior, and behavior drives platforms. This is why the listen-and-watch switching paradigm matters. Consumers want to start in audio and seamlessly jump into video. That pressure changes production habits over time, because the “audio from the video” becomes the default in many workflows. For some audio-first producers, that feels like a loss. For video-first creators, it is an opportunity to build a more fluid media experience that meets people where they are, whether they are watching closely or listening in the background.

Rob and Justin also dig into a topic most platforms are not talking about enough: demographics and attention. Apple Podcasts remains a valuable audience, often older, higher-income, harder-to-reach, and premium-friendly. But YouTube and short-form feeds have already shaped younger consumer habits.

Justin raises an interesting possibility that a backlash is forming among Gen Z against addictive, brain-rotting feeds. If that continues, there is a real opening for more mindful media experiences, which could benefit audio- and podcast-style consumption and even give Apple an unexpected positioning angle if they choose to lean into it.

Then move into the other major shift: synthetic creators, AI cloning, and AI-generated media at scale. We talk about what is real, what is hype, and what’s already happening in the market. Justin’s perspective is grounded: audiences still choose what they care about, and a lot of AI-generated “slop” is being produced with no real demand. At the same time, I warn that this is the worst the tech will ever be, and that quality is moving fast.

The deeper layer is that AI is already part of the content distribution pipeline, because algorithms decide what gets surfaced and recommended.

As cloning and synthetic production improve, trust and identification become the bigger story. If people cannot tell what is real, standards for disclosure, verification, and labeling become essential to preserve credibility.

This episode ultimately lands on a simple reality: creators do not need to panic, but they do need to adapt. Video is becoming a default entry point. RSS is still resilient, but platform native APIs are expanding. AI will increase volume, forcing platforms to filter more aggressively. The winning creators will be the ones who build trust, produce content people actually want, and package it so it travels across environments without losing the core promise that made the audience show up in the first place.

Quick answers

What does Apple HLS video mean for podcast creators in 2026?
It signals a stronger platform push toward seamless listen-and-watch experiences, better measurement, and future monetization opportunities, and it pressures hosts and apps to support HLS workflows more broadly.

Is RSS dying because platforms want APIs and direct uploads?
RSS remains highly resilient because creators want distribution portability and consumers want access to the shows they already follow. Platforms may add more native workflows, but RSS continues to power the open layer.

Will AI-generated creators replace humans?
AI will dramatically increase content volume, but audience trust and relevance will still determine what survives. The big shift is that trust, verification, and disclosure become more important as synthetic media becomes harder to detect.

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and big shifts

01:13 Meet Justin Jackson

02:50 Why podcast standards matter

06:23 Apple HLS video ripple

10:34 Transistor distribution view

13:24 Video podcasting history

17:09 Why the video faded to audio

22:30 YouTube wins attention

29:33 Apple subscriptions and TV

35:57 Demographics and Gen Z

39:03 Mindful media backlash

43:32 Apple culture and video

45:44 Retro tech resistance

46:50 Apple Ads And Privacy

47:40 HLS Rollout And Ad Load

49:25 Will RSS Survive Platforms

50:25 Why RSS Keeps Winning

54:17 Open Standards Like Email

59:16 Gen Z Video Threat

01:01:01 HLS Video Via RSS

01:04:40 Audio Video Switching Pain

01:07:53 Creators Adapt To Fluid Media

01:19:09 Consumers Define Podcasts

01:24:10 AI Voices Enter Podcasting

01:25:16 Reid Hoffman Digital Twin

01:28:17 AI Video Not Live

01:28:46 Latency And Real Time Avatars

01:29:08 Julia McCoy Avatar Demo

01:32:31 Do Audiences Care

01:33:28 AI Lowers Creation Bar

01:35:41 Real Humans Still Win

01:38:20 Noise Raises The Bar

01:40:53 AI For AI Audiences

01:47:39 Deepfake Hype Check

01:50:32 Trust And Disclosure Standards

01:52:19 Platform Overload From Slop

02:00:00 Pulia Spam Example

02:02:57 Throttling And Verification

02:08:27 Wrap Up And HLS Updates

Links

Guest Justin Jackson Links

Transistor.fm: https://transistor.fm/
Justin Jackson: https://justinjackson.ca/

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Can Apple Make Video Podcasts Matter? | Jay Nachlis #656

March 25, 2026April 3, 2026 ~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

In episode 656 of the New Media Show, Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee is joined by Jay Nachlis, Media Research VP at Coleman Insights.

“It’s a timely and deeper conversation about Apple Podcasts moving more aggressively into HLS video streaming and what that really means for the future of podcasting, audience behavior, platform competition, and creator strategy in 2026.”

This episode goes far beyond the Apple announcement itself. Jay brings a strong audience research and brand strategy perspective to the conversation, and together we dig into the real question behind all of this: will Apple’s push into video actually change listener and viewer behavior, or is this simply Apple trying to catch up to audience habits that are already being shaped by YouTube and Spotify?

“Apple Podcasts still has major brand recognition in podcasting, but may face an uphill battle in the current environment where YouTube has become the default platform for video-based podcast discovery, and Spotify continues to build a more native monetization and creator ecosystem.”

We talk about how audience habits often outweigh platform features, why consumer perception matters as much as technical innovation, and whether Apple can reclaim any meaningful momentum in a category it helped establish years ago.

We also discuss how this shift is creating a more fragmented publishing environment for creators. Audio and video are no longer just different formats. They increasingly represent different user expectations, different discovery paths, and different monetization opportunities.

“We discuss the growing need for creators to think strategically about separate audio and video feeds, platform-native publishing, HLS streaming delivery, audience experience, and the long-term risks of overreliance on closed ecosystems.”

Jay and I also explore the broader competitive chessboard. That includes YouTube’s dominance in video & video podcast consumption, Spotify’s continued attempts to define its role in both audio and video, and even whether players like Netflix could successfully move into podcast-adjacent content formats. This episode is really about where podcasting is headed as a medium, not just one Apple feature update.

If you are a podcaster, creator, media strategist, advertiser, or platform watcher trying to understand where podcasting, video, discovery, and monetization are all heading next, this is an episode you should not miss.

Chapters:

00:00 Apple Video Podcast Push
00:47 Meet the Hosts
01:56 Apple Streaming Update
03:14 Early Podcasting Era
05:19 YouTube Spotify Takeover
07:05 Can Apple Compete
08:25 Research YouTube Wins UX
10:30 Awareness Drives Usage
12:07 Netflix Podcasting Fit
15:58 Discovery Algorithms Habits
18:10 Apple Video Hidden Toggle
19:26 Audio Quality vs Video
22:22 Brand Content Trust Matrix
24:05 Apple Podcasts Brand Gap
24:51 Differentiation Over Video
25:41 RSS and HLS Debate
27:09 Why Listeners Choose Apple
28:03 Zune Era Video Podcasts
30:07 YouTube Parallel History
30:59 Winning Tech Standards
33:16 Reaching Younger Audiences
36:48 Hosting Costs and HLS
39:05 Creator Burden of Video
41:20 Future Screens in Cars
43:23 Marketing and Discovery Fixes
45:35 Alternative Enclosures Path
46:49 Wrap Up and Where to Follow

Guest Jay Nachlis Links
Jay Nachlis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaynachlis/
Coleman Insights: https://colemaninsights.com/
Tuesdays with Coleman: https://colemaninsights.com/blog/

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How to Build a Future Proof Show in 2026 | Anika Jackson #653

March 6, 2026 ~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

If you’re trying to figure out how to build a future-proof show in 2026, the answer is not a new platform or a new gimmick.

Podcasting is changing expectations. Audiences judge creators like brands, platforms reward shows that behave like programs, and AI is raising the baseline quality while making trust and differentiation harder to earn.

On this episode #653 of The New Media Show, Rob Greenlee (Podcast Hall of Fame Chairperson, 2017 inductee), and am joined by Anika Jackson, founder of Your Brand Amplified and faculty at USC Annenberg, where she teaches podcasting and digital media management.

Anika brings a rare educator-operator perspective because she’s building in the real world while shaping how the next generation of creators thinks about content, AI personalities, human clones, business, and audience growth.

Listen and follow: https://newmediashow.com/ and https://robgreenlee.com/
Learn more about Anika: https://yourbrandamplified.com/

A big theme in this conversation is that future-proofing is a systems problem, not a motivation problem.

Creators are pulled toward audio, video, clips, social, newsletters, community, sponsors, and now AI tools. The ones who win in the long term are the ones who turn chaos and complexity into a repeatable content engine. That starts with a clear show promise, a consistent format, and a realistic publishing rhythm you can sustain.

We also dig into AI in podcasting as leverage, not the story. AI can accelerate production tasks, packaging, and distribution, but it cannot replace the point of view. In a world where “good enough” content is easy to generate, the advantage shifts to trust, taste, credibility, and consistency. If you want your show to perform in AI search results and platform recommendations, clarity matters. Tight topic lanes, explicit language that matches what people search for, and a library of episodes that consistently deliver on the promise of your title and description.

We touch the platform battlefield too. YouTube continues to shape expectations around search and discovery, while Apple’s renewed push into advanced video podcast delivery, including HLS workflows, signals more competition and more fragmentation. The takeaway is not that everyone must do video, but that show packaging and distribution can’t be stuck in the past. Audio-first can still win, but the strategy has to match modern consumption.

Anika also shares what she’s seeing with emerging creators, including more students creating in their own languages and leaning into global communities. With AI-driven translation, transcription, and metadata, multilingual growth is becoming more achievable than ever for creators willing to build for it intentionally.

Chapters:
00:00 Welcome and 2026 Theme
01:34 Meet Anika Jackson
04:03 Teaching Podcasting as Business
04:37 Global Languages and AI Skills
06:30 Broadcast to Podcast Shift
10:03 Liquid Content and PESO
12:00 Delphi Clones and Feedback Loops
15:07 AI Influencers and Trust
22:55 Purpose and Human Connection
29:03 IP Copyright and Monetization Models
31:21 LLM Economics and Ethics
34:53 Humans Behind AI Content
35:30 AI Translator Jobs
36:49 Human in the Loop Reality
37:37 AI in Media and Medicine
38:24 YouTube Shifts to Longform
39:34 Creator Teams and Monetization
40:48 Global Access and Digital Divide
42:47 Personal AI Workflows and Search
44:05 Websites SEO and LLM Traffic
46:42 Students Creativity and Careers
51:24 Disclosure and AI Clones
54:28 Labeling Standards and Regulation
59:45 Ads, Agents, and App Ecosystems
01:02:18 Podcast Wrap and Farewell

Host
Rob Greenlee
https://robgreenlee.com
https://www.youtube.com/@RobGreenlee
https://www.youtube.com/@spokenhuman
https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee
https://www.instagram.com/robwgreenlee
https://x.com/robgreenlee
https://AdoreNetwork.com
https://PodcastHall.com

Guest
Anika Jackson:
https://yourbrandamplified.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anikajackson
Your Brand Amplified (Apple Podcasts): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-brand-amplified/id1543221243

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What’s a Podcast Era Is Over – Welcome Liquid Content Era #645

December 18, 2025 ~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

This week (December 17th, 2025) on episode #645 of The New Media Show with Rob Greenlee host is joined by longtime podcasting pioneer and returning guest co-host Cliff Ravenscraft, the Podcast Answer Man, for a wide-ranging and timely conversation about where podcasting has been and where it’s heading next.

The episode opens with a reflection on the long-running industry debate around the definition of a podcast and why that question has resurfaced so often over the last few years. Rob and Cliff explore how audience behavior has quietly moved ahead of industry debates, shifting consumption toward a mix of audio, video, livestreams, and platforms like YouTube, often without waiting for permission or consensus.

Cliff shares the full story behind his return to the Podcast Answer Man brand after stepping away years ago, including why he left, what he focused on during his time away, and what changes in the podcasting and creator landscape made this the right moment to come back. He reflects on two decades in podcasting, helping tens of thousands of creators launch shows, and why many creators today feel overwhelmed by conflicting advice around video, algorithms, and monetization.

Rob introduces the concept of podcasting’s evolving eras, beginning with the often-forgotten “Zero Era” where audio and video podcasting coexisted early on, followed by the MeUndies era, the experimentation and acquisition boom, and the more recent identity-crisis phase defined by the question “What is a podcast?”

Together, Rob and Cliff discuss why the industry may now be entering what’s being called the Liquid Content Era, where shows are no longer confined to a single format and content flows across feeds, platforms, and experiences.

The conversation digs into the tension between creator intent and audience convenience, the role of RSS in a changing ecosystem, and the risks of letting algorithms dictate creative decisions.

Cliff offers a counterbalance to the pressure many creators feel to be everywhere at once, emphasizing that audio-only podcasting can still succeed when aligned with clear goals, sustainable workflows, and meaningful audience relationships.

The episode also explores production quality, evolving audio standards, video integration challenges, international podcast growth, and why podcasting remains a powerful global medium despite constant claims that it’s “over” or “dead.”

This episode is both a reality check and a recalibration, encouraging creators to stop defending definitions, focus on serving audiences, and choose formats intentionally rather than reactively.

Join the conversation in comments, and be part of the discussion about what podcasting really means now and what it can become next.

Rob Greenlee
Rob Greenlee Website
https://RobGreenlee.com
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Adore Creator Community on Skool
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https://PodcastHall.com
https://YouTube.com/@OfficialPodcastHallofFame
The Pro Creator Playbook with Rob Greenlee
Audio podcast
https://www.adorenetwork.com/show/pro-creator-playbook-audio/
Video show
https://www.adorenetwork.com/show/pro-creator-playbook-video/
Spoken Life Show
https://www.adorenetwork.com/show/spoken-life-show/
Spoken Human show on YouTube
https://YouTube.com/@spokenhuman
Rob Greenlee YouTube channel
https://YouTube.com/@RobGreenlee