150.jpg">In this podcast episode, hosts Todd Cochrane and Rob Greenlee engage in a conversation revolving around several critical topics in the podcast industry. Starting, Todd addresses his return to show’s return. They transition into discussing the significance of Spotify’s open RSS feeds and the potential challenges with the platform’s RSS feed structure. Rob observes that Spotify has made 2,258 episodes available, which might be problematic for platforms like Apple Podcasts that may not display that many. Todd notes possible slow load times for such a lengthy feed. They then address technical aspects and speculate why Spotify chose its in-house podcasting solution for Joe Rogan’s podcast over using the enterprise platform Megaphone. Todd theorizes that Rogan’s video component is why Spotify for Podcasters was selected. There’s a conversation about Spotify cutting features like in-app recording and editing, with Todd suggesting it may reduce the platform’s appeal. The hosts discuss brand safety models and how keyword-based algorithms can lead complex news stories, such as The New York Times reporting on the Middle East conflict, to face demonetization. The podcast moves on to political advertising in podcasts, with Spotify looking for more inventory due to a predicted increase in political ad spending. Todd and Rob debate the appropriateness of different political ads appearing next to each other and touch upon the concept of a ‘parallel economy’ where brands align with similar ideological media. They acknowledge the importance of local elections and encourage people to become informed about local candidates. A brief discussion ensues about how monetization in podcasting is affected by brand safety and the acceptability of ads, especially for shows like Adam Corolla’s, which have always maintained a direct and uncensored nature. The conversation shifts to industry studies, including Edison Research’s findings that radio still accounts for more than three times the daily audio time compared to podcasts. Todd and Rob conclude this segment by reflecting on the increasing integration of podcasts into car audio systems and how this could continue to alter the media consumption landscape. Rob mentions the Podcast Hall of Fame presentation at the Podfest event, detailing the induction process and the significance of preserving the history and culture of podcasting. They discuss the need for more funding and sponsorships to support these initiatives while acknowledging that Doctor Drew was a fitting, albeit expensive, MC for such an event. Todd introduces the new website, podcasting2.org, which aims to make the podcast namespace features more accessible and understandable. They explore the site, examining the interlinked support across different podcasting apps and hosting providers. Lastly, Todd and Rob share how the Podcast Index aims to preserve podcasting as an open platform before wrapping up the show with Valentine’s Day greetings and plans for next week’s episode. Throughout the discussion, both hosts lend their expertise on each topic and provide insights into the broader podcasting ecosystem and its future direction. Get a Sticker: Send us your show sticker, and we will send you a New Media Show Sticker. Get on our sticker board for the show. New Media Productions 365 N Willowbrook Rd Suite: C Coldwater, Mi, 49036