The landscape of podcasting has undergone a significant transformation over the past few years, despite the appearance of stability at the top of the podcast charts. While the titles may seem familiar, the currents of popular content in the medium have shifted dramatically. Gone are the days when lavishly produced, narrative-style podcasts dominated the scene. Today, chat shows and crime-of-the-week narratives are leading the charge, and the necessity of being on camera has become undeniable.
According to Steve Goldstein, CEO of Amplifi Media and a podcasting professor at New York University, “There is no question that there’s been a change, and what is working is what’s more affordable or cost-effective.” Notably, the charts reflect this change: podcasts like Theo Von’s This Past Weekend, which has been around for nearly a decade, now consistently ranks in the top 10. The emergence of self-help personalities like Mel Robbins and a group of right-wing pundits, including Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, and Tucker Carlson, demonstrates how these low-fi chat shows have gained significant traction.
Tom Webster, a partner at Sounds Profitable, notes, “The dominant modality for podcast consumption is still audio — and not by a little — but the shows making the biggest noise right now are driven by YouTube.” This shift is underscored by a recent study from Coleman Insights and Amplifi, revealing that YouTube has overtaken Apple as the primary platform for podcast consumption, with Spotify following closely behind. “There is an expectation that all content lives on YouTube,” Goldstein adds. “I was shocked at how much of podcasting is now consumed on big-screen TVs at home.”
However, the rise of YouTube has raised concerns within the podcast industry. James Cridland, editor of Podnews, expresses apprehension that if the podcast industry becomes merely an extension of YouTube, it may lose its unique identity. “What worries me is if the ‘podcast industry’ becomes just an unclear subset of YouTube video-makers, then we don’t have a podcast industry anymore,” he warns.
The ascendance of chat shows coincides with the decline of traditional talk show formats, which have seen their audiences eroded by the rise of podcasts. The recent cancellation of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert serves as a stark reminder of this shift. Chris Balfe, chief at Red Seat Ventures, comments on the changing landscape, noting, “When Conan O’Brien started a podcast in 2021, people thought maybe it was a consolation prize versus a late-night show. Now, the late-night shows are getting canceled, and everyone wants to build what Conan already has.”
Alex Cooper, who has successfully expanded her Call Her Daddy podcast into a network, highlights the disruption podcasts have caused in the talk show domain: “On-demand, long-form podcasting has completely disrupted the talk show space. Podcasts are the new talk shows.” This transformation is further evidenced by live podcast events, such as the Acquired podcast, which sold out 6,000 seats at Radio City Music Hall, featuring notable guests like Jamie Dimon and Barry Diller.
Another trend affecting the podcast landscape is consolidation, with concerns surrounding Amazon’s merger of Wondery into Audible and subsequent staff cuts. Goldstein notes, “I think Audible is fully aware that they need a video strategy and Wondery adds that, but it was tied up in a lot of this longer-form narrative content, which, again, doesn’t scale particularly well.”
As podcasts continue to evolve, they are entering a phase of maturation, which signals increased dominance in the media landscape. However, this evolution may come at the cost of independent voices. The unique charm of grassroots podcasting, where a random civilian with a microphone can gain a following, is increasingly challenged in this competitive environment. “The average person is listening to eight podcast episodes a week,” Goldstein explains. “So getting on the shelf space is really hard. If they’re going to add a podcast, they have to get rid of something.”
In this changing landscape, it’s clear that while established shows may remain on top, the airwaves are increasingly crowded, and the dynamics of podcast consumption continue to evolve. Ultimately, those who manage to adapt will thrive in this vibrant and ever-changing medium.
