Podnews Weekly Review

We speak with Stefano Fallaha from Podeo on podcasting in the Arab states, and Gotham Raj Anand from Hubhopper on Indian podcasting after YouTube. Plus, all the latest news from the podcast industry.We use chapters here, so skip through stories if you're a lightweight.Send James & Sam a messageMake It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

Our special guest this week is Maya Prohovnik, VP and Head of Podcast Products at Spotify, who joins James Cridland to share insights on Spotify's latest innovations and what’s next for podcasters on the platform.Meanwhile, industry leaders Dan Granger (Oxford Road) and Dan Misener (Bumper) have advocated for an Open Measurement Protocol for Podcasting—a call for interoperable, privacy-conscious standards and a unified taxonomy across platforms.In response, “friend of the show” John Spurlock joins Sam Sethi to introduce his proposed solution: Standard Podcast Consumption (SPC). This new data exchange format aims to facilitate the sharing of first-party metrics like Follower Count, Total Listener Time, and more between apps and hosting providers.James and I also review the hottest podcast news from this week. You can support this show by streaming SATs. You can give us feedback using the Buzzsprout fan mail link in our show notes, you can send us a Super Comment or become a PwR supporter like the Excellent 18 at weekly.podnews.netSend James & Sam a messageMake It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

Emma shares exciting news about the upcoming Independent Podcast Forum on June 16th at 21 Soho in London—a full-day event designed specifically to combat what she calls "the lonely sport" of podcasting. For solo creators who can't always find understanding from non-podcasting friends and family, this gathering promises expert insights and invaluable peer connections. The forum emerged directly from attendee feedback at previous awards ceremonies, where creators consistently valued being surrounded by others who truly understand their unique challenges.Send James & Sam a messageSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

We chat with Emma Turner from the Independent Podcast Awards; and about the new definition of a podcast from Oxford Road.Send James & Sam a messageMake It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

We chat with Jay Nachlis, Steven Goldstein, Alban Brooke, Daniel J Lewis, Dave Jackson and many others. Plus, the week's news - including the Podnews Report Card.Send James & Sam a messageMake It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

Edison Research Vice President Megan Lazovic joins us to unpack key findings from the Infinite Dial 2025 report and explore the growing phenomenon of podcast fandom.Send James & Sam a messageMake It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

Audio UK is an industry body dedicated to advancing the UK audio sector through innovation, creator support, and driving sustainable growth for podcasts, radio, and audiobooks. We talk with Chloe Straw.Send James & Sam a messageSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

We chat with Megan Lazovick from Edison Research, Chloe Straw from AudioUK, and Podcast Nation - and talk YouTubeSend James & Sam a messageMake It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

A full interview with Matt on the future of Podcasting 2.0, and his view of Tom Webster's recent article.Send James & Sam a messageMake It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net

We speak with Matt Medeiros on Podcasting 3.0, and how to fix Podcasting 2.0. Plus, the Infinite Dial 2025, and more podcast industry news.Send James & Sam a messageMake It Make Sense with Grant Hermes A twice weekly podcast making sense out the chaotic political worldListen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.net Fediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.social Support us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/support Get Podnews: podnews.net