How Do You Feel About Podcasting?

Are you pessimistic or optimistic about the future of podcasting? I asked my audience and I think the majority of us share these feelings:

1. Ad load.

We need to ensure the ads are relevant to the audience. While radio has 30% ads, that should not be our benchmark. There is a reason tons of people listen to podcasts over the radio, and too many ads is at the top of the list.

2. AI Slop

It creates bloated directories, rips off advertisers (cause the bots are listening) and tarnishes the reputation of podcasting as whole.

3. Freedom of speech

It's being throttled by governments. (Let's bring back dialogues!)

4. Confusion caused by "letting the audience determine what a podcast is."

This makes reports confusing, which makes determining future steps more difficult.

5. Morally bankrupt creators

They rip off popular shows. Just because it's profitable doesn't mean it's right.

6. Giant companies who don't care about the space.

YouTube and Spotify have a horrendous appeal process and are demonetizing people using poorly prompted AI.

7. Snake Oil sales people

They tell you millions are coming your way, just follow your passion, be consistent, be authentic, they just need your three easy payments $2500.

8. The same greedy bastards

They got the Telecommunications Act of 1996 pushed through (ruining radio in many ways), are now involved in podcasting and will cannibalize the industry with no compassion for the audience, as they are only focused on profits.

And yet we are optimistic. Why?

1. Anyone can start a podcast that reaches a global stage

For the price of a playstation. Local podcasts are springing up filling holes where local news used to be (until big companies bought them, and reduced them to almost nothing).

2. There are still people who need to serve.

Podcasts are often delivered by creators who can't help but talk about their subject. Their need (not want - NEED) to serve their audience is greater than their fear of failure, and they HAVE to press record.

3. Because audio outperforms video

(there are more opportunities to listen than watch). Don't forget that. You can do video, but you don't HAVE to do video. Sure, YouTube will say you need to, but consider the source, right?

4. Nothing Beats Human to Human

Because humans love to connect to humans. I'm from Akron and so is LeBron James. I saw a highlight clip showcasing some of his latest plays (his passes are always amazing). While I love to see the "Kid from Akron" do good, I connect because it's a 41 year old human defying the odds. A robot doesn't understand how cool it is to watch a father play professional sport with his son.

Algorithms can change and wipe out your entire platform. So we are going to have to rely on the audience telling their friends (human to human) about our show. The authentic, niche content is what makes podcasting special.

We've faced challenges in the past (the Patent troll), and we have persevered. With all the noise, it will be harder to grow a show, but in the end my faith in that human to human connection will stand tall when we grow tired of stories written and deliver by hosts that have never experienced emotions, or cried.