It’s great to be back! After a bit of a break, we reflect on why this year’s been a challenging one—most notably the loss of our good friend, Todd Cochran, which really sucked the energy out of both of us. It’s felt strange attending podcast conferences and not seeing Todd. At one recent event, his absence sparked memories and stories among all the old-timers.

Other Losses

We recognized some other major changes and losses in the podcasting community, including Neil Galarte’s passing and the impact of Charlie Kirk’s assassination and martyrdom, which had waves in the podcasting world.

Conferences

Conferences have seen big shifts. Podcast Movement, once growing rapidly, is now feeling smaller and more intimate and seems to be returning to its roots. I shared my thoughts on the move to New York City, which might benefit big name podcasters and networks, but I wonder if it’s pricing out independent podcasters. On the other hand, PodFest feels like it’s holding onto that independent creator vibe.

Evolutions is now co-locating with South by Southwest, which is another smart move for reaching broader media attention, even if affordability remains a concern. We talked about past conferences co-locating with bigger events (like New Media Expo merging with other conventions) and the community getting lost—hoping Podcast Movement avoids those mistakes.

For creators weighing which events to attend, we think Evolutions at South by Southwest could be a more fun opportunity if you can afford it—there’s energy from all kinds of independent creators.

We discussed how post-Covid realities and inflation have changed conference dynamics, from higher travel and hotel costs to more people realizing they don’t need conferences to learn about podcasting. Knowledge is now much more decentralized and accessible through online platforms, AI, Facebook groups, Reddit, and YouTube.

The Tech Side of Things

On the tech side, we shared frustrations over the video-first focus and the pressure to be on YouTube, even for podcasters who love audio. I’m recording video but not finding time or motivation to edit and post it. There might be a resurgence of love for audio-only content as people seek flexibility and less bandwidth consumption.

We also reflected on the rise of audiobooks and Kindle reading, how books are often more focused than podcasts, and how my own listening habits have shifted—I’m now consuming more audiobooks than podcasts.

Show Retirements

Some big podcasters ended their shows, like Marc Maron. As podcasting passes the 20-year mark, retirement and shifting priorities for veteran podcasters are becoming more common. Rob Greenlee isn’t bringing back New Media Show, and Libsyn’s The Feed was quietly shut down, prompting Rob Walsh to revive Podcast 411.

Got Feedback?

We invited listeners to let us know if you’d like this show to take on topics the New Media Show used to discuss, covering more present-day podcast issues, not just future trends.

Streaming Sats...

Streaming Satoshi payments and Podcasting 2.0 have hit bumps, and Adam Curry says mass adoption could take another decade—so our expectations needed realignment. We covered the technical challenges with payment metadata and discussed building future-proof solutions. Daniel suggested payments should be sent after an episode is finished rather than streaming constantly, and Daniel mentioned separating metadata and payment channels for better flexibility.

Podchapters ROCKS!

On the tool front, I praised Daniel’s new tool, PodChapters.com, which uses AI to generate podcast...

Picture this: a shiny new image tag that’s about to shake up the podcasting world. Forget about your basic square images and get ready for some serious upgrades. In this episode, we explain what this new tag means for podcasters trying to get their visual game on point. We’re not just stuck with one dull image anymore; in the future we can throw in multiple formats for all kinds of uses – think banners, hero images, or even circular crops that fit better in certain apps.

We talk about the real-world applications of this new image tag. How are we going to implement this? How will media hosts adapt? It’s all about making the user experience smoother while giving us creative freedom. We share our thoughts on the best practices for using this tag and what we hope to see from the podcasting community as everyone gets their hands on this new tool. With a demo link in the show notes, you can see the magic for yourself and join us in this exciting new era of podcasting.

Takeaways:

• The new image tag is like a breath of fresh air, allowing podcasters to ditch the one-size-fits-all image approach and embrace multiple formats, finally giving us the variety we never knew we needed.
• Podcasting 2.0 is not just about updating old features; it's about revolutionizing how we present our content visually and ensuring we're not stuck in the past with those boring square images.
• Say goodbye to the days of having just one image per podcast! With the new image tag, we can now flaunt a whole gallery of visuals, because who doesn't want more options in life?
• The capability to use animated gifs or even video in podcast imagery is a game-changer, turning our once static feeds into dynamic showcases that can actually grab listeners' attention.
• Expect some chaos as hosting platforms scramble to support this new feature; it's going to be a wild ride figuring out how to integrate all these new image styles and purposes into user-friendly dashboards.
• The potential for creative expression is limitless with the new image tag, but it also raises the question: will we see an explosion of design creativity or a chaotic mess of visual overload?

Links referenced in this episode:

• podcasting2.org Image Tag Information
• Demo Tool https://nathangathright.github.io/podcastimage/

Daniel

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Dave Jackson, host and educator at School of Podcasting™

Daniel J. Lewis, host and educator at The Audacity to Podcast® and creator of Podgagement®

Picture this: a podcast world where HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) isn’t just for your Netflix binges but also for your ear candy. Yeah, we went there. While everyone’s been busy drooling over video streaming, we decided to throw audio into the mix. Because why should video have all the fun, right? We’re talking about HLS and how it’s not just a flashy gimmick for video content, but has some sweet benefits for audio too.

Think about it: seamless switching between quality levels based on your bandwidth, kind of like when you’re trying to watch a video and your Wi-Fi decides to take a nap. You start in glorious HD, and then BAM! It’s 240p because the Internet gods are not smiling upon you today. But with HLS, you could slide right into that audio version without missing a beat, or a word, or the rant about the latest podcasting trends.

We get into the techy stuff, like how HLS breaks media files into bite-sized chunks, making it easier to serve up different quality options. It’s like a buffet, but for your ears. Want low-quality audio because you’re on the go, or do you want to kick it up a notch when you’re back home? HLS has got your back.

And let’s be real, who doesn’t want that? Plus, we also touched on the whole “dynamic content” thing—imagine being able to swap out segments of your podcast without having to re-upload the entire thing. Say goodbye to those embarrassing moments where you realize your co-host’s mic was off for half the episode. With HLS, you could just fix that part and let the rest ride on.

By the end of the episode, we’re practically drooling over the possibilities HLS brings to audio. It might not be here yet, but we’re holding out hope that the podcasting world will eventually get with the times. Who knows? Maybe one day we’ll look back and laugh about the days of static audio files. But for now, we’re just here, dreaming of the future and trying to make sense of the tech that will get us there. So kick back, grab your earbuds, and let’s figure out how to make podcasting better, one HLS chunk at a time!

Takeaways:

• HLS isn't just for video; it has potential benefits for audio podcasting too, which is like, who knew?
• Imagine being able to switch between audio and video seamlessly thanks to HLS; the future of podcasting is wild!
• The idea of dynamic content insertion could revolutionize how we listen to podcasts, but privacy concerns might rain on this parade.
• HLS allows for replacing segments of a podcast without re-uploading the entire file, which is a total game-changer for podcasters.
• With HLS, bandwidth issues can be tackled by switching audio quality on the fly, making it super user-friendly, especially for peeps outside the US.
• The Podcast Standards Project is where the magic is happening for HLS discussions, so if you're into podcasting, keep an eye on that.

Daniel

Podgagement - Boost Your Audience Engagement

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Dave

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Dave Jackson, host and educator at School of Podcasting™

Daniel J. Lewis, host and educator at