Sounds Profitable
Bryan Barletta
The pace of change the podcast industry is undergoing is staggering. The implications for podcasters, hosting providers, podcast listening app developers, and advertisers and agencies are enormous. And so is the growth potential. Presented as a companion to the weekly newsletter of the same name, our podcast provides you with direct access to our narrated articles, interviews with industry experts, bleeding-edge research, and can't miss industry news recaps. That Sounds Profitable, right? Assumptions and conventional wisdom will be challenged. Easy answers with no proof of efficacy will be exposed. Because the thinking that got podcast advertising close to a billion dollars annually will need to be drastically overhauled to bring in the tens or hundreds of billions of dollars podcast advertising deserves.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 19, 2025 • 14min
Canada's Growing Podcast Scene, Reframing Short-Form Clips, & More
This week in the business of podcasting: podcasting is maturing and changing landscape, Canada's growing podcast audience (including new Canadians), how short-form clips might be cannibalizing podcast audiences, Amazon signs SiriusXM to AmazonDSP, and YouTube is soon to test out their own version of dynamic ad insertion for video. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Sep 18, 2025 • 6min
Podcasting is Maturing, Canada's Audience Growth, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: podcasting's maturation and what comes next, Canadian podcast listening continues to grow, and Heavyweights is back with a new season from Pushkin.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Sep 17, 2025 • 7min
YouTube Introduces DAI (Kinda), Ten Years of UK Podcast Growth, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: YouTube is soon to demo their own version of DAI, the top 10% of Americans are doing almost half the spending, and the untapped potential of serial shortform dramas. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Sep 16, 2025 • 7min
Short-Form Podcast Cannibalization, Kenya's Podcasting Scene, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: Amazon's DSP signs with SiriusXM for audio, explaining the SlopAds fraud scheme, and industry execs discuss the communication needs of premium content.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Sep 15, 2025 • 9min
Short-Form Podcast Cannibalization, Kenya's Podcasting Scene, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: social media clips pose potential cannibalization issue, Morrissey on saving the open web, podcasting exempt from UK "less healthy foods" advertising restrictions, marketers are squeamish about Q4, and how Nairobi is a Gen Z hotspot for Kenya's podcasting scene.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Sep 12, 2025 • 8min
Podcasting Mourns Todd Cochrane, Creators Leverage CTV, & More
This week in the business of podcasting: the industry mourns Todd Cochrane, what's happening at IAB Podcast Upfront, what Amazon's Wondery downscaling means for creative value, and how creatives are using CTV deals to increase sponsorship rates.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Sep 11, 2025 • 8min
Remembering Todd Cochrane, Bridging Creatives and Execs, & More
Today in the business of pdocasting: remembering Todd Cochrane, what creatives don't get about executives, Google's court filing suggests open web is in "rapid decline", what Amazon's turn away from narrative podcasting opens for the wider industry, and Locked On grows advertiser partnerships with Magellan AI.Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Sep 10, 2025 • 5min
YouTube's Culture & Trends Report, Sports Media for Gen Z, & More
Today in the business of podcasting: how Gen Z is shaping sports media, a look at YouTube's new culture and trends report, how transparency is influencing influencer sponsor pay, and On Air Fest/Work x Work announce a rebrand. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
Sep 10, 2025 • 4min
Remembering Todd Cochrane
Let's take a moment to reflect.Written and narrated by Tom WebsterEdited by Bryan Barletta and Gavin GaddisAudio editing by Gavin GaddisFind the full article here on Sounds Profitable.
Sep 9, 2025 • 4min
Podcast Industry Mourns Passing of Todd Cochrane
Today in the business of podcasting: the industry mourns the loss of Todd Cochrane, IAB announces Podcast Upfront plans, and a reflection on how gen-AI might impact media's profit capabilities. Find links to every article covered by heading to the Download section of SoundsProfitable.com, or by clicking here to go directly to today's installment.
