Ashley Carman, a Verge reporter specializing in the podcast industry, teams up with Nick Quah, author of the influential Hot Pod newsletter, to dissect the tumultuous launch of Luminary. They explore whether Luminary can become the Netflix of podcasts and navigate its controversial subscription model. The duo highlights the strategic missteps in the podcasting landscape, the stagnation caused by corporate giants, and the innovation sparked by independent podcasters. Together, they offer insights into the future of podcasting amidst the brewing podcast wars.