2026 in Podcasting: The Year of the Video Podcast
Which podcast trends will shape the industry in 2027? We asked 27 podcast industry experts to share their predictions for the year ahead, from video podcasting, the new realities of podcast advertising, consolidation within the industry, and how AI will change our work. But first, a look at the developments that defined our conversations in 2026, and the questions they leave for creators, publishers, and advertisers.
From my vantage point, video podcasting dominated the conversation this year. Nearly every podcast client call included some version of the same questions: Should we add video to our audio podcast? Where should we distribute our podcast? And how do we turn podcast clips into an audience for the full show?
The conversation around video podcasting has taken over every facet of the podcast industry. Netflix, Tubi, Hulu, and basically every streamer began carrying podcasts. Apple added HLS video, and you can even watch video podcasts on Apple TV. YouTube pushed podcasts further into living rooms by simply including podcasts on the platform. Conversations are brewing all over about how to add your shows to FAST channels. Spotify began including international creators into SPP, their partnership program paying out video creators directly. Even iHeart RADIO added video to their podcast app. The video conversation works backwards as well, as SXM began selling YouTube’s audio inventory.
Even the fact that I’m saying “video podcasts” right now is probably a relic of a former industry.
And this focus on video helped the industry continue its year-over-year growth. And because the economy loves a growth industry, there is more consolidation. The Vox podcast network got a new owner. OpenAI bought TBPN in a splashy acquisition, and we all got to entertain the idea of a SiriusXM and iHeart merger. There were some genuinely interesting talent deals and some huge but predictable ones as well. Unfortunately, we lost Wondery during these reorgs.
We spent 2026 watching ad agencies discuss how the industry needs to better define their metrics to bring in more advertisers. While this is a noble cause, it’s one that rightly terrifies the podcast industry. The most prevalent feeling seems to be that the gap between the podcast haves and have-nots is only going to get bigger. And anyone who wants to make a living in this space is more and more incentivized to create chat shows, which play better on video and for advertisers, as opposed to the narrative stories that we all grew up on.
And finally, this conversation would not be complete without some kind of discussion about AI. While there were still more conversations about AI tools versus AI slop than any of us ever asked for, from my vantage point, podcast creators finally are beginning to embrace AI tools in 2026. That said, the conversation surrounding that usage seems to be happening behind closed doors.
I’m positive that 2027 will surprise us. But in the meantime, we’re going to let 27 of the smartest people in the industry walk you through their own ideas of what’s to come in 2027. And stay tuned to the end of the episode to hear everyone’s favorite podcast from 2026.
The below is excerpted from our Podcast Predictions episode of Podcast Perspectives – make sure to tune in to hear everything our guests have on their minds. If you enjoy this article, please subscribe to the show and our newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn.
Podcast Perspectives is the Signal Award-winning show about the latest news in the podcast industry and the people behind it. We began publishing in 2023, and since then, we’ve had 116 industry leaders on the show—almost all of whom are CEOs or executives of podcast companies. In this special episode, we invited 27 former guests to reflect on this past year and share how they’re feeling as we enter 2027. They also share plenty of helpful advice for creators and new podcasters.
Rox Codes, CEO of Flightcast
Podcast Perspectives episode: Rox Codes on Building YouTube Studio for Podcasts, October 27, 2026
Rox is optimistic about video opening new paths for podcast discovery in 2027: “I love the idea of content being everywhere so that even the people who aren’t on YouTube can find the content. Even the people who are in their car driving can find the content, and even the people who are just on Roku will see all of the things that we are releasing.
Because probably the coolest thing about podcasting is that it can be a two-hour episode, then five 20-minute shorter videos, and then 30 clips. And all of those give us the most opportunity to be everywhere of any form of content in the world. So I’m excited to see more places for that content to be.”
Justin McGoldrick, Founder and Producer at Sound Picture
Podcast Perspectives episode: Sound Picture Founder and Producer Justin McGoldrick on Adapting Podcast IP for Film and TV, January 27, 2026
Justin sees opportunity in the expanding range of formats and platforms available to podcast creators: “It feels like there are more avenues to get things made than ever before and more means to actually do it. And while that means letting go of some of what we’ve loved about the industry over the last 10–15 years, for someone like me, who’s a producer, I am just looking for that tactile feeling of making something with other creatives whose work I admire and reaching audiences by telling those stories with the creatives that I like working with.
So whatever format that ultimately lives in is fine by me, because it means that we get to be telling really incredible stories every day, and they’re finding their audiences through more means than ever before.”
Tom Webster, Partner at Sounds Profitable
Podcast Perspectives episode: Finding Your Audience: Sounds Profitable’s Tom Webster, February 5, 2025
Tom sees connected TV as an opportunity to grow podcast audiences, but worries about who can compete: “What scares me a little bit about that is that it’s going to be harder and harder for all but the very top podcasts to compete on smart TV, simply because of things like production quality and also the gatekeepers of those smart TV apps. But ultimately I’m optimistic about having more avenues to put podcasting in front of people, and I’m also optimistic about how AI can help.
I’m a heavy user of AI myself, and I see AI not as a way to replace the creator, but as a way to help creators level up their quality so that their shows look as good as anybody else’s if they are going to be consumed on smart TV. And I think the tools that the average creator has available to help them do that are better than they have ever been.”
Amber Smith, Director of Content Strategy and Growth at The Dr. Hyman Show
Podcast Perspectives episode: iHeartMedia’s Amber Smith on What is Ruby?, October 18, 2023
Amber sees YouTube discovery driving growth across video and audio: “I think what’s giving me the most optimism is the potential for growth and discovery, particularly with video on YouTube. In my own personal work that I’ve done this year on The Dr. Hyman Show, we’ve had explosive growth just on YouTube and really understanding, learning that algorithm for the show as a whole. And I feel like that’s filtering down to audio platforms as well. So I’m excited about the opportunity to push audience limits with new tools for discovery.”
Fatima Zaidi, Founder & CEO of Quill & CoHost
Podcast Perspectives episode: How to Create a Podcast Interview That Doesn’t Suck, January 1, 2025
Fatima sees video bringing new audiences to podcasting, while emphasizing the value of distinctive storytelling: “The thing that gives me the most optimism is that video has opened the door to a whole new crowd. People who’d never touch a podcast app are now finding shows on YouTube, on their TVs and in their feeds. And the best narrative work out there right now is as good as anything on streaming. And I always say craft still wins.
I think what scares me the most is the flip side of the same coin. Consolidation and layoffs are hollowing out teams that make really ambitious content—the reported series, the deep documentary work—because it’s expensive and slow. And we all know AI makes it cheap to flood the zone with content that sounds like a podcast but doesn’t really have a point of view. So my worry is that we end up with a lot more shows that have a lot less to say. My hope is that listeners will notice the difference, and I really do think they will.”
Libby Absten, Director of Strategic Growth & Podcasts at Podcast Nation
Podcast Perspectives episode: Will Podcasts Survive the YouTube Era? With Emma Sweet, Libby Absten, Carly Baker, and Chris Boniello, April 14, 2026
Libby sees digital creators bringing established communities into podcasting, creating new opportunities for discovery and growth: “What gives me the most optimism going into 2027 is seeing digital creators expand verticals and their IP into podcasting. We’re seeing a lot of creators who have already built engaged audiences in digital bring those communities into audio and video, and I think that creates a lot of opportunity for the industry, for discoverability, for growth.
As the lines continue to blur between podcasts, video shows, and other forms of creator content, we’re going to have to rethink as an industry what podcasts actually are and how our industry can adapt to this shift. I think the opportunity is enormous, but the challenge will be making sure the industry evolves at a sustainable pace alongside the creators and companies that are leading this change.”
Chris Peterson, VP of Business Development at Red Seat Ventures
Podcast Perspectives episode: The Bull Case for Podcasting with DWNLOAD Media’s Chris Peterson, February 21, 2024
Chris sees streaming platforms opening new paths to audience growth and revenue: “I’m still a huge believer in the RSS feed and audio consumption, but over the last several years, we’ve seen YouTube really help grow, sometimes double, triple the size of audience. But now we’re also seeing platforms like Tubi, who we work with very closely, Amazon and all these other streaming platforms start to launch their own video on demand and even FAST channel distribution opportunities for podcasts and shows.
And so what that really does is allow you to go from audio and YouTube to new platforms with new audiences, which, of course, increases monetization opportunities. I’m really excited about that because I feel like right now we’re at a point that all of these platforms are going to lean heavily into creators, and that’s just good for the industry.”
Odile Beniflah, Head of U.S. at Ausha
Podcast Perspectives episode: Bringing SEO to Podcasting with Ausha’s Odile Beniflah, May 29, 2024
Odile sees AI creating new opportunities for listeners to discover podcasts and the expertise behind them: “What’s most exciting about podcasting in 2027 is how AI can be a game changer for podcast discovery. As more people turn to AI for answers and recommendations, podcasts have a huge advantage. They’re full of in-depth conversations, insights, expertise that AI can recognize and surface.
AI can really help people discover your show, but also you as a trusted voice in your field. So, in the age of AEO and GEO, podcasting is becoming one of the most powerful formats for discovery. And I think that’s a huge opportunity for podcasters in our industry.”
Dusty Weis, President of Podcamp Media
Podcast Perspectives episode: Running a Small but Mighty Podcast Operation with Podcamp Media’s Dusty Weis, February 7, 2024
Dusty sees the backlash against AI-generated content as an opportunity for podcast creators to double down on human storytelling: “Yes, there are interesting tools in the podcast space, but they’re just that, tools. And the tech industry has so much capital invested into this new AI hammer that they’ve built, they’re trying to convince us that every pain point is a nail. Some of the new tools are going to stick around. Some of them are awesome, frankly. But some are ultimately going to fail to prove profitable once the venture capital runs out.
And as AI encroaches on listeners’ entertainment and leisure time more and more, the way to get ahead isn’t with more slop. It’s with better, more human stories. That is what’s making me feel optimistic about the podcast industry right now.”
Richard Fawal, Founder and CEO of Voxtopica
Podcast Perspectives episode: Why Organizations Need a Different Podcast Strategy with Richard Fawal and Colin Cole, September 1, 2026
Richard worries that corporate control could narrow podcasting’s creative possibilities and make it harder for independent creators to compete: “The thing that scares me the most is this constant pressure from large companies and corporations to create a wall around podcasting and try to turn podcasting into a fully monetized media source that matches television or commercial radio, where their actions make it harder for independent creators to compete with fully funded, corporate-level content.
I’m particularly concerned that that sort of corporate capture of podcasting as a medium is going to really stifle the creativity that we’ve seen blossom in 20 years in the medium.”
Joseph Cilio, CEO of Forever Dog
Podcast Perspectives episode: A Legacy Comedy Podcast Network Shifts to Video with Forever Dog’s Joe Cilio, March 5, 2025
Joseph worries about the squeeze on podcasting’s middle class, but sees a path forward in adaptation and strong fan communities: “The death of the middle-class podcast creator is what scares me. It’s a trend that’s been happening for years. But now what scares me is that more and more of that money is going to the top 1% of shows, so to speak, top 10% of shows. And I don’t think that that is irrational. I understand why that trend has happened, but I do hope the market reestablishes itself and remembers the power of these mid-tier creators.
We, the middle-class podcast producer and the middle shows, can’t just throw up our hands in the air and get salty at the way the world is. We have to continue to adapt and develop and prove our value, build revenue streams, own fan communities that brands can’t touch without you. And if you have 30,000 of those people, that is amazing business that you built and you should be proud. You should be able to monetize that.”
Laura Mayer, Media Executive and Author
Podcast Perspectives episode: Laura Mayer on the Rise, Fall, and Reinvention of Podcasting, July 21, 2026
Laura sees podcasting’s staying power as a reason for optimism, but questions the economics of its push toward video: “The thing that scares me in podcasting this year and scares me in the future is the inevitable catch-up that will happen between the financial realities around monetizing video and the lower reach of podcasting as video-only products. The math is not matching, and that concerns me for my 401k.
I think that’s what we’re going to see with these licensing deals. The ones that are exclusive to Netflix will live out their 18- to 24-month term, and then they will return, I believe, to a largely RSS-based model. The question is whether people will be there to consume them.”
Bryan Barletta, Partner at Sounds Profitable and President of Podcast Movement
Podcast Perspectives episode: Sounds Profitable’s Bryan Barletta on Building an Audio Industry, November 8, 2023
Bryan sees podcasting becoming part of the broader creator economy, but wants the industry to preserve and champion its audio roots: “What scares me the most is that podcasting feels like the most attractive word to describe influencer and creator today. And I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, because I think that we want people to enjoy our medium, and everything we’re doing is audio-forward. It’s on demand. It has so much opportunity and potential. It can have video, it can have a live event, it can be in all these different formats, but it is owned in some way or released by the creator.
My hope in that fear is that everybody here spends the time to learn and educate so that as we spread out—because I think it’s going to happen, I think we’re going to be diluted into the greater creator economy—we can become ambassadors and the leaders in the audio-forward side of this space.”
Adam McNeil, SVP of Client Services at Adopter Media
Podcast Perspectives episode: Adopter Media SVP of Client Services Adam McNeil on the Math Problem Behind Podcast Ads, June 10, 2025
Adam sees growing demand for expertise in podcast advertising, but believes the industry’s future depends on making successful campaigns accessible to newcomers: “We as an industry can’t depend on expertise to grow and scale. We need to be able to build systems and models in which people with little to no experience can come in and have a successful venture in podcast advertising. It’s important that brands don’t get burned. If the story is that a brand comes into podcast advertising and spends foolishly, they leave and they tell all their brand friends that this isn’t a channel worth advertising on. That’s a net negative for our industry.
I think that we need to loosen our clutch on our pearls of what is the right way to do podcast advertising and pass it on. So if you’re a buyer out there or you’re a brand that wants to chat, I would love to give you as much pro bono information as I possibly can on how to do podcast ads. And I promise I won’t pitch you on working with me.”
Ainsley Rossitto, Head of Podcasts at Beehiiv
Podcast Perspectives episode: Why Beehiiv is Betting on Podcasts with Ainsley Rossitto, September 29, 2026
Ainsley sees direct audience relationships becoming central to sustainable podcast businesses: “What gives me the most optimism is that more podcasters are thinking about their business around their show. They want to figure out ways to build a direct relationship with the people listening. They’re thinking about new ways to keep them coming back, adding things like a newsletter or a subscription, which not only give them ways to deepen that relationship, but also expand their revenue and not be so reliant on apps and platforms to manage that relationship for them.
I think generally we’ll start putting more weight on audience value and retention as key metrics alongside downloads. And so I’m excited about that, and I’m excited about some emerging tools that are going to make it easier for podcasters to connect all those pieces. We know creators already have enough work to do.”
Alexia Bedat, Partner at Klaris Law
Podcast Perspectives episode: Unlocking Podcast Legalities: Klaris Law’s Alexia Bedat, February 19, 2025
Alexia expects more creators and financiers to form companies together, reflecting podcast businesses that extend well beyond the show itself: “I’ve been working on a couple of these already this year, and I think they’re going to pop up more, where a financier and a creator get together. Rather than doing a standard co-production agreement or production services agreement, they actually set up an LLC together, and the financing individual finances the LLC, and they do all of their work together through it.
It’s an interesting vehicle because it avoids having to split different revenue streams and call out everything. And I think that makes sense with trends we’ve been seeing. A podcast deal is a deal between two people where the podcast is one of the things they’re doing, but they’re doing so many other things: live events, merchandise, community, subscription offerings.”
Sharon Taylor, Chief Revenue Officer at Triton Digital
Podcast Perspectives episode: What Do Podcast Hosting Companies Actually Do? with Sharon Taylor, August 9, 2023
Sharon sees strong advertising growth as evidence that podcasting can scale while preserving audience trust: “I think podcasting hasn’t reached full mainstream, but it’s gotten the scale without losing any of the trust that was and is so powerful in podcasting. Record growth in 2026 and knowing that that’s going to grow again in double digits next year is probably the most optimistic point that I could bring.
I do worry a little that sometimes the industry forgets how important the audio element is to podcasting, and the trust and attention that comes with that. That’s the reason that podcasting is so valuable and powerful. My hope is that I’m wrong in being scared about those things and that we step into those new worlds next year in a thoughtful way that retains the magic of podcasting for what it is.”
Cathy Csukas, CEO of AdLarge Media
Podcast Perspectives episode: AdLarge Media CEO Cathy Csukas on Ad Tech and Women in Audio, September 2, 2025
Cathy sees podcasting’s expansion across platforms unlocking broader advertising budgets, but says the industry’s infrastructure needs to catch up: “We’re no longer competing for just podcast advertising dollars. We’re beginning to tap into broader advertising budgets, attract new brands, and open up entirely new revenue streams. The opportunity has never been bigger, but neither has the pressure to evolve.
What concerns me most is whether our industry can keep pace with all this transformation and the growing pains that come with it. We’re expanding into new channels faster than we’re developing the infrastructure to consistently measure, monetize, and demonstrate the collective value of audiences across platforms. That’s a real challenge if we’re going to capture the full potential of this expanding market. And as we navigate all this change, we simply can’t lose the beauty of our medium as well as the authenticity and relationships that have always made podcasting so special.”
Eric Nuzum, Co-Founder of Magnificent Noise
Podcast Perspectives episode: Magnificent Noise’s Eric Nuzum on Covering Audio as an Industry Insider, November 29, 2023
Eric believes podcasting’s next phase will reward creators who find their own routes to success: “I believe that 2027 will be the year that more people realize that there isn’t one path to success in podcasting. For years people have been able to duplicate what others do and figure they would have similar results. And I think podcasting has grown and diversified to the point where that really doesn’t hold.
When I look at people who are surprisingly successful, I see lots of examples where they kind of follow the rules, but then they found their own way to do things that matches them and their project and their audience. And I think that’s the pathway. More and more people are going to embrace that in 2027, because you’re seeing more and more examples of people who are not getting mega deals finding ways to be successful.”
Jerry Kolber, Co-Founder of Atomic Entertainment
Podcast Perspectives episode: Atomic Entertainment Co-Founder Jerry Kolber on Designing Profitable Family Podcasts, April 28, 2026
Jerry finds optimism in podcasting’s enduring ability to connect people through intimate storytelling: “The thing that gives me the most optimism is the part that really hasn’t changed, which is that the best thing about podcasting is that we come here to engage people. We come to tell stories. In our case, our company tends to always want to try to help people see things in a different way, in a more positive way. And that works on any platform. It works especially well in audio because it’s such an intimate medium.
To me, those are the things to be optimistic about: people are listening, people still want to engage, and people still want to connect with other people in a meaningful way. And everything else, to me, is a delivery mechanism.”
Lex Friedman, Founder of Lex Friedman Consulting
Podcast Perspectives episode: Podcast Veteran Lex Friedman on the Podcast Industry’s Evolution, September 30, 2025
Lex finds optimism in listeners’ appetite for audio and creators’ drive to keep experimenting: “Listeners are hungry for ever more cool stuff to listen to, and creators are hungry for ever more cool stories to tell in different formats.
My spirits are very much lifted by the fact that everybody’s looking for more great stuff to listen to, and the creative side has this unquenchable need to keep creating stuff and keep experimenting. I love that. I love that it’s a playground to create and share cool stories.”
Amanda McLoughlin, CEO of Multitude Productions
Podcast Perspectives episode: Podcasting with Purpose: Multitude’s Amanda McLoughlin, April 1, 2025
Amanda sees a sustainable future in preserving podcasting’s strengths while giving creators room to experiment: “I am really optimistic that we will be able to learn a little bit from the folks that have come before us and decide what makes sense for us to be sustainable, to grow strong communities and to hold on to what makes podcasting so special while also being nimble and bringing ourselves into this new era of our medium.
Just like sound design or composition, we get to decide whether video is a tool that makes sense for our individual shows. I make podcasts without video. I make podcasts with video. It suits some shows and not others. And so I want to make sure that we are thinking broadly and holistically about all the colors available to us on the palette and embracing the new artistic challenge of getting to release a podcast with this whole new component, whether or not you decide to use it.”
Eve Troeh, Executive Producer at Masters of Scale
Eve sees audience connection as podcasting’s enduring strength, but worries that the pressure to be everywhere could weaken it: “Optimism for me is knowing who your audience is and knowing what you’re trying to give them. Give them a great experience, whether it’s a hang, whether it’s news and information, whether it’s entertainment. Just give your audience the best show possible and then really focus on that connection with them.
We get so tied up on ‘where are they?’ that we lose the focus of ‘who are they?’ And I think that’s understandable. There’s a lot of pressure to be everywhere all at once, to be on YouTube with full episodes, to be on every social platform. I don’t know exactly how that tension plays out, and I don’t have any great advice for how to manage it, but I do think that can be an existential threat to really great shows. When they’re trying to be everywhere, they can’t really be there for the audience that already knows and loves them so much.”
Eric Barnett, VP of Revenue at Supporting Cast
Podcast Perspectives episode: Monetizing Audio: Ads, Subscriptions, and Audiobooks with Eric Barnett, August 16, 2023
Eric finds optimism in podcasting’s ability to remain diverse and unconventional despite industry consolidation: “I like the fact that podcasting is still kind of weird, to be honest. There’s a lot of consolidation happening in the industry, but I think podcasting has proven to be pretty resilient when it comes to having a diverse and thriving landscape.
It makes me very happy to see that there are new shows continuing to happen all the time. Small shows, big shows, video shows, niche audiences—there are all these different things continuing to come out, and I think that’s very healthy. It makes me optimistic that podcasting has continued to be weird after all these years, and I believe that’ll carry on for a long time.”
Lynn Kestin Sessler, Head of Production & Development at Show & Tell Productions
Podcast Perspectives episode: Creating Podcasts for Kids: Lynn Kestin Sessler, April 15, 2025
Lynn sees families’ demand for quality, screen-free content as a reason for optimism about children’s audio: “I work primarily in the kids and family space, and parents and kids need content. Parents more than ever are looking for good content, quality content. I think parents are looking for screen-free and also good quality stuff for their kids.
They need stuff that’s important for them to have in the car, when they take those long trips to grandma’s house or school. They need some help. And there are so many wonderful options and so many great people now in the kids and audio space that are going to give them those options. That gives me great hope that families are believing in this and wanting this, and we’re going to give it to them.”
Mia Lobel, Executive Producer of Podcasts at Slate
Podcast Perspectives episode: Slate’s Executive Producer of Podcasts Mia Lobel on Sustainability and Innovation in Podcasting, May 26, 2026
Mia finds optimism in the creative energy helping podcast teams adapt to a changing industry: “What gives me the most optimism going into 2027 is the creative energy around making it work in this ever-changing industry. What that looks like is longtime audio producers teaching themselves video editing. It means hosts brushing their hair and putting on their faces to show up on YouTube and learning a whole new way of speaking to audiences.
It means creative partnerships between podcast shops and independent creators and everyone being willing to think differently about what they need to do to make their projects work.”
Bikram Chatterji, CEO of Maximum Fun
Podcast Perspectives episode: Building a Podcasting Cooperative with Maximum Fun CEO Bikram Chatterji, March 20, 2024
Bikram hopes podcasting can move beyond its push for professionalization and refocus on what makes the medium distinctive: “I didn’t get into podcasting to look like everything else. I think that the value of the industry and the value of the medium is that it’s so creator-driven and that it does not require all of the infrastructure that comes with larger entertainment.
My optimism for next year is that we can start to believe that we’ve reached a natural endpoint for this push for professionalization and that the industry as a whole can focus on what is special about us, what do we do that nobody else can do, and we can pay some more attention to that.”
What are your podcast predictions for 2027? And what did you think about the predictions from 2026?
Share your opinions on LinkedIn and tag The Podglomerate and use the hashtag #PodcastPredictions2027. We’ll like and share your thoughts!
This article is excerpted from our Podcast Predictions episode of Podcast Perspectives – make sure to tune in to hear everything our guests have on their minds. If you enjoy this article, please subscribe to the show and our newsletter, and follow us on LinkedIn.
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