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

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The future may not be human versus AI.

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

Key Topics Covered

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

Guest: Jeanine Wright, CEO of Inception Point AI 

Guest: Robert Scoble, Scobleizer

Host: Rob Greenlee

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

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

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Podcasting Is Not Broken. It Is Becoming Something Bigger

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

New Media Show with Rob Greenlee - NewMediaShow.comBy 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 Human Critics Improve Podcast Discovery? | Imran Ahmed, Great Pods #662

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Key Topics Covered

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

Guest and Host Links

Guest: Imran Ahmed, Founder of Great Pods

Host: Rob Greenlee

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Why “Fringe” Was the Wrong Word and What I Actually Meant About Podcasting 2.0

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

By Rob Greenlee
New Media Show with Rob Greenlee - NewMediaShow.comThis article provides context about my comments on New Media Show episode 660 with Libsyn CEO Brendan Monaghan, where we discussed Podcasting 2.0, RSS tag adoption, and the gap between innovation and mainstream platform implementation.
During my recent interview conversation with the Libsyn CEO, I used the word “fringe” when discussing Podcasting 2.0 RSS extension tag ideas. That comment in an extended audio clip was played and discussed on “Podnews Weekly Review“, and understandably, it raised concerns in parts of the podcasting 2.0 community, including Dave Jones and Adam Curry on the Podcasting 2.0 podcast.  Let me say this clearly. That was not the right word for me to use, and I regret saying it that way. Not because I am backing away from the broader point I was trying to make, but because the word itself does not reflect how I actually view the work happening in the Podcasting 2.0 and open RSS ecosystem.
The comment came out quickly in a live discussion and did not carry the full context I intended.
What I was trying to describe is something I have repeatedly seen said over the past two decades working with large platforms, hosting companies, and media organizations: there is a real difference between something that is not widely adopted yet and something that is not valuable.
Podcasting 2.0 Innovation Has Real Value
Podcasting 2.0 innovations are valuable. RSS namespace expansion, new tags, and experimentation around monetization, identity, transcripts, funding, and distribution all matter. This is where much of the real innovation in podcasting is happening.
At the same time, many of these capabilities have been around for several years, in some cases for close to five years. That historical context matters. My comment was not about the value of the ideas themselves. It was about the pace and pattern of adoption, especially among larger platforms.
When I used the word “fringe,” I was referring to the broader set of emerging and evolving tag ideas within the Podcasting 2.0 initiative.
There are many tags and concepts at different stages of maturity, market fit, timing, and implementation. Not all of them have broad agreement or adoption, even within standards-focused efforts like the Podcast Standards Project. From a product and platform perspective, this creates a spectrum of adoption rather than one unified standard that everyone has fully embraced.
What I Was Trying to Say
What I meant is that market fit and timing play a major role in what gets adopted at scale. Larger podcasting platforms tend to move more deliberately. Their decisions are shaped by user experience, engineering resources, monetization models, product stability, support complexity, and business priorities.
That often means only a subset of new capabilities gets integrated into mainstream products at any given time. That has been the pattern over the past several years. But it is also important to say this pattern is changing.
Momentum Started Very Slow, But Is Building
Over the past year or so, we have started to see real momentum around some Podcasting 2.0 tags and capabilities. More platforms are experimenting. More tools are supporting them. More creators are becoming aware of what is possible and how these features can be used in real workflows.
That has been great to see
I believe we will continue to see more adoption of certain RSS tags as platforms, tools, and creators find clearer ways to integrate them into everyday use.
Some Tags Are Seeing More Adoption
You can already see this progression in parts of the ecosystem.
Tags like transcript, chapters, and person have seen meaningful adoption because they provide immediate and understandable value. The Alternative Enclosure tag is being more widely adopted across platforms, too. They improve accessibility, discovery, context, and creator attribution.  The funding tag has gained traction within parts of the ecosystem, especially among creators and platforms exploring alternative monetization models. The value tag, which supports value-for-value and streaming payment models, has been adopted within specific apps and communities, though it has struggled more recently and has not yet become mainstream across larger platforms. Other tags and ideas are still at an earlier stage. Some are being tested. Some are evolving. Some are still looking for the right use case that will drive broader adoption. That is what I meant by a spectrum of innovation.
Innovation and Adoption Are Not the Same Thing
Podcasting operates across two layers simultaneously. 
There is an innovation layer, where developers, independent platforms, and forward-thinking creators create and test new ideas. Then there is a platform layer, where those ideas are evaluated, prioritized, supported, and integrated into products used by millions of people.  The gap between those two layers is where much of the tension comes from.
I have seen this pattern many times. Podcasting itself began outside the mainstream.
Mobile listening took time to become the default. Video podcasting has gone through multiple cycles before finding its current role. Programmatic advertising in audio took years to mature.  Innovation usually moves faster than adoption. Adoption follows when user demand, product fit, creator benefit, and business alignment come together.
That is where many Podcasting 2.0 capabilities have been.
My View of Podcasting 2.0 and the Podcast Standards Project
I also want to be clear that Podcasting 2.0 and the Podcast Standards Project are not the same thing. They overlap in some areas, but they do not necessarily embrace every tag or idea in the same way.
That is part of the larger point.
When standards-oriented efforts evaluate which capabilities to support, it shows that this is not simply a question of innovation versus resistance. It is about maturity, usefulness, interoperability, timing, and market fit.  That is the context I was trying to convey, though I did not do so well at the time.
I Respect the Podcasting 2.0 Community
So when I used the word “fringe,” I was trying to describe how some organizations have historically perceived ideas that had not yet reached scale or product integration. But I understand how that word sounded dismissive of Podcasting 2.0, and that is not how I really see it.

I respect and appreciate the innovation and work happening through PodcastIndex.org, Podcasting 2.0, and the broader open podcasting community, including the work and advocacy of Adam Curry, Dave Jones, Daniel J. Lewis, and many others.

The opportunity now is to build on the momentum emerging and move the most valuable ideas toward broader adoption. That means making these capabilities easier to use, improving listener experiences, aligning them with sustainable business models, and demonstrating clear value at scale. That is how innovation moves from experimentation into everyday use.
My Role in the Conversation
I do not want to frame this as one side versus another. I am focused on helping connect what is being built with what is actually being adopted and used at scale.
That is the conversation we are having every week on the “New Media Show“. Join us LIVE on Weds, 3 pm PST/6 pm EST, or on demand in all the podcast apps and live on YouTube.com/@robgreenlee, LinkedIn.com, Facebook.com, and X.com
So, yes, I regret the word “Fringe” I used.  But I stand by the broader point that there has been a gap between innovation and adoption in podcasting over the past several years. The good news is that momentum is building, and that gap is starting to close.  That is where the real opportunity is for all of us in this industry.

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

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

Rob and Dave bring decades of experience to this discussion.

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

What does this episode cover?

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

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

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

Why podcasters need a home base beyond social platforms and YouTube

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

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

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

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

How YouTube has changed public perception of what a podcast is

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

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

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

Key Takeaways:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guest

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

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

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

Host

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

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

Bottom Line in this Episode:

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

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

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

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

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A major part of the episode focuses on AI.

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

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

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

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

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

Another strong section of the conversation centers on video.

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

The conversation becomes especially valuable when the two discuss metrics:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~ Rob Greenlee ~ Leave a comment

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Another major topic in this episode is trust.

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

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

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

Topics covered

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

Guest

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

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

Host

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

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

Supporters:

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

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

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

~ 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/

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

~ 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/

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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