Sounds Profitable
The pace of change the podcast industry is undergoing is staggering. The implications for podcasters, hosting providers, podcast listening app developers, and advertisers and agencies are enormous. And so is the growth potential. Presented as a companion to the weekly newsletter of the same name, our podcast provides you with direct access to our narrated articles, interviews with industry experts, bleeding-edge research, and can't miss industry news recaps. That Sounds Profitable, right? Assumptions and conventional wisdom will be challenged. Easy answers with no proof of efficacy will be exposed. Because the thinking that got podcast advertising close to a billion...
Measurement Holds Back $1b, Amazon Corporate Downsizing, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Amazon has laid off some Audible corporate staff, brands are paying more for less efficient ads, Spotify brought video to AppleTV, the trend of business folks hosting B2B podcasts, and China now requires influencers be qualified to talk about certain topics authoritatively. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Triton Digital's AdBuilder, Vertical YouTube Outearns Horizontal, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Triton Digital launches AdBuilder AI, YouTube Shorts earn more than longform videos per watch-hour, new report argues top-of-funnel brand awareness influences purchase decisions more than thought, and China now requires influencers be qualified in certain fields before speaking authoritatively on several topics. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Defining "AI" for Advertising, Acast CEO on Video Podcasting, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Amazon has laid off some Audible corporate staff, IAB looking to define AI transparency for ads, Acast's CEO on video podcasting, how AI search is changing brand discovery, and Nielsen's summer data on audio listenership.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Spotify Revamps Apple TV App, Floating Ad Tech Economy, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: ad tech survives on floating cash, Spotify revamps Apple TV app, Oxford Road finds why advertisers are holding back spend, and Netflix's Spotify choices lack comedy.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
C-Suite Podcast Hosts, Ads That Cost More for Less Traffic, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: brands are paying more for ads that do less, the rise of c-suite podcast hosts (and why), creators are seeing brand deals later and later into Q4 than usual, how to harness audio podcast clips well on social media, and YouTube's TV presence might be plateauing. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
NRF Projects High Holiday Spend, Pantheon Media x Spooler, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: content creators are taking over mainstream medai, a blindingly obvious opportunity for podcast revenue growth, how collaboration makes The Hidden Third possible, how Pantheon Media and Spooler came together, and the NRF finds Americans are gearing up to spend a healthy amount this holiday season. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
BBC Sounds' Q3, YouTube Sponsorships are Up, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: YouTube sponsorships are on the rise, BBC Sounds has their Q3 report, Audacy has a new State of Audio, Solar ran ads in a theater chain, and a new report finds e-commerce sites don't see much conversion from ChatGPT referals. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
How YouTube DAI Changes Upfronts, Lessons from SXSW Sydney, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Adam Bowie on the Spotify Netflix deal, how YouTube's dynamic brand insertion tool could change upfronts in 2026, Netflix's Still Watching report, and 11 lessons for podcasting from SXSW Sydney.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
A Blindingly Obvious Opportunity for Podcast Revenue Growth
 
            
            
        Podcasting's reach has grown quite a bit over the years, but several fruitful demographics still remain untapped. 
Written and narrated by Tom Webster
Edited by Bryan Barletta and Gavin Gaddis
Audio editing by Gavin Gaddis
Find the full article here on Sounds Profitable.
IAB Moves Newsfronts, Spooler x Pantheon Media, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Spooler and Pantheon discuss their collaboration, why Netflix should buy Spotify, a look at audio's discussion during Programmatic I/O in New York, what Joining a netowk does (and does not) do for your podcast, and the IAB is moving NewFront 2026 to earlier in the year.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
NRF Projects Healthy Holidays, Research Fueling Creativity, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: the collaboration that goes into making The Hidden Third, using research as your podcast creative partner, legacy media's dismissive attitude towards content creators might be their downfall, media buyers are anxious about setting 2026 budgets given 2025's volatility, and U.S. consumers expect to spend upwards of $900 on average this holiday shopping season.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Spotify's Video Distribution Deals, Students Critique AI Podcasts, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Spotify distributes video podcasts to Netflix and Samsung TV Plus, LiveRead.io and Companion discuss their collaboration, NYU students discuss AI generated podcasts, and how advertisers were advertising to advertisers at Advertising Week New York.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Advertising to Advertisers, The Ringer 🔜 Samsung TVs, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Spotify launches first FAST channel, ICE ads keep appearing on incongruous content in streaming services, advertisers advertise to advertisers at AWNY, an op-ed on South African podcast advertising, and the Signal Awards winners are now live. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
What Makes Armchair Expert a Great Podcast
 
            
            
        A breakdown of the simple psychology behind Dax Shepard’s interview style.
Written and narrated by Tom Webster
Edited by Bryan Barletta and Gavin Gaddis
Audio editing by Gavin Gaddis
Find the full article here on Sounds Profitable.
Measurement's Upfront Moment, $1,600 Netflix Subscribers, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Measurement is having a moment at IAB Upfronts, MrBeast launches clipping company, the divide with content creators and AI, Netflix's $1,600 subscribers, SSRS acquires Edison Research. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Spotify’s Netflix Podcast Partnership, New EU Podcast Law, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Spotify to air video podcasts on Netflix, LiveRead.io and Companion talk collaboration, students discuss AI generated podcasts, new EU law on political advertisements, and YouTube introduces AI powered multimodal measurement.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Recapping Advertising Week NYC, Spotify's in ChatGPT, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: what happened at Advertising Week New York, Tom Webster talks parasocial relationships with podcast AI ads, Spotify is now integrated into ChatGPT queries, and an interview with Greg Glenday. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Amazon DSP x Microsoft, Podcasting Without Borders, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Amazon is taking over Microsoft's DSP, Tom Webster on how AI could be used to leverage existing parasocial relationships, a conversation with Acast CEO Greg Glenday, why Poppies Studios is opening a creator studio near Burbank, and podcasts seem to be a popular lunch activity given listen-time trends. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Creators as Power Brokers, Companies Eye Audioboom, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: how creators are becoming power brokers at events like Advertising Week New York, Spotify talks the power of fandom, Twitch could be video podcasting's training ground, and iHeart might be making a play for Audioboom. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
ChatGPT Integrates Spotify, Alex Cooper Launches Ad Agency, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: ChatGPT debuts Spotify integration, Alex Cooper's new creative agency lands Google as first client, and reflections on what new generative AI video tools mean for content advertising.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Flightcast Launches, 8/10 Spaniards Listen to Podcasts, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Flightcast debuts, ICE ads appearing more places that one wouldn't expect, PodcastOne's fiscal Q2 report is live, 8 out of 10 people in Spain listen to podcasts regularly, and what videos AI search engines seem to flock to. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Spotify on Amazon DSP, Podcast Movement Panels on YouTube, & More
 
            
            
        This week in the business of podcasting: the Podcast Movement Archive is now live, Spotify names co-CEOs as Ek steps down, how to block bad ads, IAB Podcast Upfront developments, rise of the creator conglomerates.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Golden Globes Podcast Eligibility, Podcast Campaigns Bring Reach, & More
 
            
            
        This week in the business of podcasting: Podcast Movement 2025 panels are now live for free on YouTube, the 83rd Golden Globes eligibility only includes the top 25 podcasts for Best Podcast, shifting ad dollars to podcasting increases reach without increasing cost, and Prebid has HTTP GET integration and server requirements up for public comment.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
PRX Acquires Soundrise, Spotify's on Amazon DSP, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: PRX has acquired Soundrise, Spotify has a lot of new news, Rooster Teeth joins the growing community of creator-owned publishers, SoundStack launches HLS streaming capabilities, and coverage of Podcast Upfront influencer discussion.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Creator Executive Collaboration, Ek Steps Down, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Daniel Ek is stepping down from CEO of Spotify, YouTube creator conglomerate executives share intel, a tease of today's Podcast Upfront, what podcasts and milkshakes have in common, and a new podcast category comes to Tribeca Festival. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
IAB Upgrades Podcast Outlook, Pods Promoting Movies, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: tariffs are causing brands to back away from the US (something podcasting could leverage), a defense of journalism in podcasting, how press-shy stars are finding their way to podcasts, the IAB upgrades their podcast ad revenue outlook for podcasting, and Pew Research has new podcast audience data. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Canada's Growing Podcast Scene, Reframing Short-Form Clips, & More
 
            
            
        This week in the business of podcasting: podcasting is maturing and changing landscape, Canada's growing podcast audience (including new Canadians), how short-form clips might be cannibalizing podcast audiences, Amazon signs SiriusXM to AmazonDSP, and YouTube is soon to test out their own version of dynamic ad insertion for video. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Podcasting is Maturing, Canada's Audience Growth, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: podcasting's maturation and what comes next, Canadian podcast listening continues to grow, and Heavyweights is back with a new season from Pushkin.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
YouTube Introduces DAI (Kinda), Ten Years of UK Podcast Growth, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: YouTube is soon to demo their own version of DAI, the top 10% of Americans are doing almost half the spending, and the untapped potential of serial shortform dramas. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Short-Form Podcast Cannibalization, Kenya's Podcasting Scene, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: Amazon's DSP signs with SiriusXM for audio, explaining the SlopAds fraud scheme, and industry execs discuss the communication needs of premium content.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Short-Form Podcast Cannibalization, Kenya's Podcasting Scene, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: social media clips pose potential cannibalization issue, Morrissey on saving the open web, podcasting exempt from UK "less healthy foods" advertising restrictions, marketers are squeamish about Q4, and how Nairobi is a Gen Z hotspot for Kenya's podcasting scene.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Podcasting Mourns Todd Cochrane, Creators Leverage CTV, & More
 
            
            
        This week in the business of podcasting: the industry mourns Todd Cochrane, what's happening at IAB Podcast Upfront, what Amazon's Wondery downscaling means for creative value, and how creatives are using CTV deals to increase sponsorship rates.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Remembering Todd Cochrane, Bridging Creatives and Execs, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of pdocasting: remembering Todd Cochrane, what creatives don't get about executives, Google's court filing suggests open web is in "rapid decline", what Amazon's turn away from narrative podcasting opens for the wider industry, and Locked On grows advertiser partnerships with Magellan AI.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
YouTube's Culture & Trends Report, Sports Media for Gen Z, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: how Gen Z is shaping sports media, a look at YouTube's new culture and trends report, how transparency is influencing influencer sponsor pay, and On Air Fest/Work x Work announce a rebrand. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Remembering Todd Cochrane
 
            
            
        Let's take a moment to reflect.
Written and narrated by Tom Webster
Edited by Bryan Barletta and Gavin Gaddis
Audio editing by Gavin Gaddis
Find the full article here on Sounds Profitable.
Podcast Industry Mourns Passing of Todd Cochrane
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: the industry mourns the loss of Todd Cochrane, IAB announces Podcast Upfront plans, and a reflection on how gen-AI might impact media's profit capabilities. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Creators Leverage CTV, NYT Sunsets Audio App, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: creators are leveraging their CTV channels for higher-value sponsorships, Washington State's new digital ad sales tax isn't fully formed yet, NYT is shutting down their Audio app and moving everything over to News, Brazil's podcasting "sleeping giant" is no longer asleep, and AdImpact's predictions for 2026 midterm election ad spend. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Podcasting's Growth Drivers, YouTube Tops Streaming, & More
 
            
            
        This week in the business of podcasting: The Podcast Landscape 2025 report is here, big-name podcast live events prove lucrative, YouTube is at the top of the streaming pile for Nielsen's July version of the Media Distributor Gauge, and a look at podcasting's presence at Advertising Week NYC.
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
The Podcast Landscape 2025 Report, Hidden Creator Costs, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: a look at podcasting's presence at Advertising Week NYC, The Podcast Landscape 2025 is here, streaming investments are up but buyers drive a hard bagain, and the hidden costs of launching a YouTube presence. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Media Companies Court Podcast Stars, Creator Cashflow, & More
 
            
            
        Today in the business of podcasting: a lot of money is going to into creator marketing but not as much is making it to the creators, mainstream media is hungry for star podcast talent, and key findings from industry conversations at Podcast Movement Dallas. 
Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.