New Media Show (Audio)

Apple’s New Video Podcast Deep Dive | James Cridland #651

On Weds, February 18th Live Episode #651 of the New Media Show, Rob Greenlee, Host, 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer and CEO of Trust Factor Lab at https://RobGreenlee.com, and James Cridland, Editor, https://Podnews.net and 2026 Podcast Hall of Famer discuss Apple’s announcement of a new and improved video podcast experience in the Apple Podcasts app and what it changes technically and strategically heading into 2026.  They explain how video was previously active in Apple Podcasts but was hidden and poorly presented in the iOS apps, and how this new updated experience makes video playback front and center, with a “turn video off” option that keeps the audio track playing.  The episode breaks down Apple’s preferred move to HLS-based on-demand video delivery (via a separate, proprietary API HLS video streaming pass-through submission from approved hosting partners) while still supporting legacy MP4 video via RSS.  They cover HLS basics (chunked delivery, adaptive quality, reduced bandwidth, and hosting costs), improved seeking/scrubbing versus progressive MP4 playback, and new measurement implications (better insight into drop-off and ad viewing). A major focus is monetization: Apple plans to enable dynamic ad insertion for HLS video and charge a per-impression fee, positioning Apple to take revenue without operating an ad business.  The conversation notes early launch partners (Acast, Art19, Omny Studio, Simplecast), questions about specs and rollout timing (an app update is likely by the end of March; dynamic ad features later in the year), and the risk of platform fragmentation as distribution shifts from open RSS to proprietary APIs.  James and Rob discuss alternate enclosures (Podcasting 2.0) as an open path to wider app support, reference iHeart’s stated support for video via RSS alternate enclosures, and highlight creator concerns about losing separate audio edits when video replaces the audio feed during playback.  They also touch on device support (not initially on Apple TV; CarPlay doesn’t show video; Vision Pro support) and briefly discuss future RSS innovation ideas like comments, payments, transcripts, and location tags, plus a short note on upcoming podcast events (Podcast Show London, Podcast Movement New York, Podcast Movement at SXSW). Chapter Topics: 00:00 Welcome + Why Apple’s Video Podcast Update Matters 01:31 Apple Brings Video Front-and-Center (and Why Now) 06:00 The New Playback Experience: Full-Screen Video & One Feed 10:49 How Apple’s HLS Video Works (and Why It’s Better) 11:36 The Money Shift: Dynamic Video Ads & Apple’s Per-Impression Fee 17:59 Rollout Timeline, Unknown Specs, and Early Partner Shows 23:54 Partners, Two Ingestion Paths, and the RSS vs HLS Debate 34:47 Hands-On Demo: Video Icons, Turn Video Off, and MP4 vs HLS 39:47 Bandwidth, Scrubbing, and What HLS Enables for Measurement 44:16 Quality/Resolution Questions + Missing Apple TV (for Now) 46:26 CarPlay & Vision Pro: Where Apple Podcasts Video Actually Plays 47:09 Will HLS Replace MP3 for Audio? Monetization, Costs, and Reality Check 49:51 Apple vs Spotify: Open Hosting, Dynamic Ads, and Why This Helps Creators 52:30 Audio Isn’t ‘Video Without Pictures’: Why Separate Edits Matter 55:21 Will It Work With Spotify for Creators? Partners, Megaphone, and Pressure 01:00:02 How HLS Interstitials Work: Client-Side Ad Breaks and Spec Unknowns 01:07:48 Keeping RSS Relevant: Alternate Enclosures, Comments, Payments, and New Tags 01:13:48 Local Podcasting & Specialized Apps: Location Tag, TuneIn, and the Future 01:20:20 Wrap-Up: Conferences, Cold Weather, and Final Goodbyes What you will learn in this episode – How Apple’s HLS video differs from RSS MP4 enclosures in real-world creator workflows  – Why HLS segment-based delivery enables adaptive streaming and modern video ad insertion – What Apple’s limited launch partner list means for hosting competition and creator choice  (Podnews) – https://podnews.net/article/video-apple-podcasts-details – How Apple Podcasts Connect API keys work, and what they do and do not grant to hosting providers – https://podcasters.apple.com/support/5593-how-to-publish-video – How creators should decide between RSS video, Apple HLS video, and other platform video strategies in 2026 – https://www.theverge.com/tech/879749/apple-podcasts-video-swap-hls-live-streaming Links for show notes Watch live or On Demand https://newmediashow.com Apple announcement https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/02/apple-introduces-a-new-video-podcast-experience-on-apple-podcasts/ Apple creator documentation https://podcasters.apple.com/video-apple-podcasts  https://podcasters.apple.com/support/5593-how-to-publish-video https://podcasters.apple.com/support/3684-video-podcasts  Podnews analysis https://podnews.net/article/video-apple-podcasts-details  https://podnews.net/update/apple-podcasts-hero  Guest James Cridland, Editor, https://Podnews.net https://james.cridland.net/biography/  Host Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame Inductee https://robgreenlee.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee https://www.youtube.com/@RobGreenlee https://x.com/robgreenlee https://PodcastHall.comThe post Apple’s New Video Podcast Deep Dive | James Cridland #651 first appeared on New Media Show.

How AI-Created Podcasts Impacting Humans? | Jeanine Wright #650

AI-generated podcast hosts and shows are rapidly changing podcasting, video podcasting, and the creator economy across all distribution platforms, including AI LLMs. In this episode of The New Media Show Live #650 from Feb 4th, 2026, Host Rob Greenlee, CEO/Founder of Trust Factor Lab, explores how AI-generated podcasts affect people, trust, and the future of media with Jeanine Wright, Co-Founder and CEO of Inception Point AI. Jeanine Wright will help us better understand what Inception Point AI is building and why AI-generated personalities are different from human-created podcasts and AI-assisted editing tools. This conversation is designed to help podcasters, creators, media executives, and advertisers understand AI-generated podcast content without fear. It will be a clear, accurate discussion about how synthetic hosts work, how audiences respond emotionally, and what the next 12 to 24 months may look like as AI improves. As humans seem to be rejecting AI-generated content, its human consumption is growing and quality is rapidly improving. Key topics covered in this 60-minute conversation -AI-generated podcast hosts and synthetic media explained in plain language -How AI personalities are created using story plus technology -How listeners build trust and emotional attachment with AI voices -Disclosure and transparency for AI-generated content -Authenticity and credibility in AI-created podcasts versus human-created podcasts -Ethics, consent, voice, likeness, and IP issues in synthetic media -Brand safety, advertising readiness, and monetization for AI-hosted shows -Platform discovery and distribution when AI content volume explodes -What human creators should do now to stay differentiated and future-proof? -Practical strategies for building trust and growth in 2026 and beyond Who this episode is for -Podcast creators and video creators -Media companies, podcast networks, and platform teams -Advertisers and brand safety leaders -Listeners curious about AI-generated content and the future of podcasting Watch live at YouTube.com/@RobGreenlee and join the conversation Watch On-Demand/Podcast Audio and Video Versions at https://newmediashow.com  Guest Jeanine Wright, Inception Point AI https://www.inceptionpoint.ai Host Rob Greenlee https://robgreenlee.com https://www.youtube.com/@RobGreenlee https://www.youtube.com/@spokenhuman https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee https://www.instagram.com/robwgreenlee https://x.com/robgreenlee https://AdoreNetwork.com https://PodcastHall.com 00:00 Introduction to the New Media Show 00:55 Guest Introduction: Janine Wright 01:42 Addressing AI Controversies 05:18 AI’s Impact on Jobs and Content Quality 13:36 Exploring AI-Generated Content 14:41 AI Personalities and Content Creation 22:42 Future of AI in Content Creation 31:32 Transparency and Ethical Considerations 43:25 Human Creators in an AI-Driven World 46:40 Exploring Swap Farms and Bot Traffic 47:28 The Evolution of Podcast Quality 50:45 AI in Video Content Creation 52:20 Digital Clones and Ethical Considerations 56:50 AI Personalities and Content Creation 01:04:19 The Future of AI in Podcasting 01:23:09 Advertiser Reactions and Industry Impact 01:25:43 Final Thoughts and Future ConversationsThe post How AI-Created Podcasts Impacting Humans? | Jeanine Wright #650 first appeared on New Media Show.

What Actually Grows a Podcast or Show Now? | Jordan Harbinger #649

This week in episode 649 of the New Media Show, Rob Greenlee is joined by Jordan Harbinger to unpack the question creators ask nonstop in 2026: What actually grows a podcast or show (and what doesn’t)? – Jordan’s core answer is refreshingly “boring,” but real: long-term consistency, and realistic expectations about how long monetization can take—even for shows that eventually become huge. From there, the conversation expands into the bigger shift happening right now: – Audio podcasts increasingly competing (and collaborating) with video ecosystems especially YouTube where the “rules” and algorithmic expectations are fundamentally different from audio distribution. They also dig into platform strategy and brand-fit tension like whether “talk show” style content truly belongs on Netflix, and why creators may face tough tradeoffs when platforms want exclusivity that can limit reach elsewhere. After Jordan wraps and leaves the show, Rob closes with a rapid-fire, ranked set of growth plays emphasizing that none are magic bullets, but together they form a practical menu you can test based on your format and audience: – Short-form clips (done well) to reach different audiences while recognizing shorts viewers don’t always convert to long-form listeners/viewers. – Guest/social amplification that’s genuinely value-add (not generic promo spam). – Niche community, value-first posting built around knowing exactly who your show serves. – Owned audience via email/newsletter + even a WhatsApp group concept. – AI clip volume + testing (alternate cuts, tighter versions, experimentation). – Structured cross-promos / feed drops with comparable shows and fair “impressions”-style thinking. – Video distribution expansion including Spotify video (if Spotify makes changes) as another potential growth surface—and the emerging “start audio, finish video” behavior across devices. Guest: Jordan Harbinger Website: https://www.jordanharbinger.com Podcast: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/podcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JordanHarbinger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanharbinger/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanharbinger X: https://x.com/jordanharbinger Host: Rob Greenlee and New Media Show Links Rob Greenlee Website – https://robgreenlee.com/ New Media Show (Audio & Video) – https://newmediashow.com/ New Media Show Audio (Apple Podcasts) – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-media-show-audio/id392545649 Rob Greenlee on YouTube – https://youtube.com/@RobGreenlee Podfest Expo – https://podfestexpo.com – https://podcasthall.comThe post What Actually Grows a Podcast or Show Now? | Jordan Harbinger #649 first appeared on New Media Show.

Where Audio, Video, and AI Flow Together | Podfest Panel #648

The New Media Show #648 Live On-Stage at Podfest Expo (Jan 16, 2026) Where Audio, Video, and AI Flow Together Recorded live on stage at Podfest Expo in Orlando,  Rob Greenlee is joined by three of the smartest voices shaping where podcasting is headed right now: James Cridland (Podnews), Rox Codes (Flightcast), and Philip Nelson (Nelco Media). This episode tackles the collision of audio RSS, platform-native video, and AI-powered creator workflows and why the podcast conversation in 2026 is less about labels and more about content that works everywhere. What we cover: -Audio podcasting vs video podcasting and what audiences actually want -Why content first matters more than format wars -The roots of video in early podcasting and why it feels full circle again -Fragmented audiences across YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Shorts -Practical creator strategy packaging, titles, thumbnails, retention, and workflow systems that scale Guests and Links: James Cridland Podnews – https://podnews.net/ Podnews Weekly Review – https://weekly.podnews.net/ Rox Codes Flightcast – https://flightcast.com/ Rox Codes – https://rox.codes/ Philip Nelson Nelco Media – https://nelco.media/ Philip Nelson – https://nelco.media/about/ Rob Greenlee and New Media Show Links Rob Greenlee Website – https://robgreenlee.com/ New Media Show (Audio & Video) – https://newmediashow.com/ New Media Show Audio (Apple Podcasts) – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/new-media-show-audio/id392545649 Rob Greenlee on YouTube – https://youtube.com/@RobGreenlee Podfest Expo – https://podfestexpo.com – https://podcasthall.comThe post Where Audio, Video, and AI Flow Together | Podfest Panel #648 first appeared on New Media Show.

Digital Creator 2026 Money Playbook | Ralph Estep Jr. #647

The New Media Show Episode 647 Live on Jan 21st, 20026 at 6pm ET. Show Topic: Digital Creator 2026 Money Playbook Content Creator’s Business and Financial Strategies are moving faster than ever with video, audio podcasting, AI tools, and nonstop platform changes, but many are still running the business side like a hobby. The New Media Show with Rob Greenlee is joined live by Ralph Estep Jr, licensed accountant and host of The Content Creators Accountant, to break down the simple money systems creators need to turn creator chaos into calm financial clarity. If you earn from YouTube AdSense, brand deals and UGC, affiliate income, memberships and subscriptions, courses, coaching, digital products, or PayPal and Stripe payouts, this episode is built for you. Topics we cover: – How to separate business money from personal without overcomplicating it – How to track income across multiple platforms without headaches – How to set aside taxes automatically even in uneven months – How to make smarter gear decisions without wrecking cash flow – How to build simple repeatable financial systems that creators can follow – What to focus on in 2026 to run a real creator business that lasts – 2026 Podcast Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Jan 16th, 2026 Watch Live and Subscribe: New Media Show Website – https://newmediashow.com Rob Greenlee Website – https://robgreenlee.com Rob Greenlee YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@RobGreenlee Podcast Hall of Fame – https://podcasthall.com Adore Creator Network – https://AdoreNetwork.com Passion Struck Network – https://PassionStruckNetwork.com Rob Greenlee LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee Book Rob Greenlee – https://calendly.com/robgreenlee Ralph Estep Jr Links: Content Creators Accountant Website and free resources https://contentcreatorsaccountant.com The Content Creators Accountant Podcast https://contentcreatorsaccountant.com/podcastThe post Digital Creator 2026 Money Playbook | Ralph Estep Jr. #647 first appeared on New Media Show.