If You Can See It with Your Eyes Closed… Granger & Rosin Continue Defining Podcast; $2.4B Ad Surge; Bartlett Says NO; BBC Expands East

The Media Roundtable limited series: “What’s a Podcast? – The Extended Interviews” continues with this crucial debate. This week’s episode is sponsored by Fairing.

Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road) teams up with Larry Rosin (President, Edison Research) for our extensive qualitative and quantitative journey to define what a ‘podcast’ is in 2025. This episode is a culmination of all that work: a debate to finally forge one definition to rule them all.

Together we’re talking: Consumers vs the Industry, the Spirit of Podcasting, Video Inclusion, and more. Let’s dig in.

“ It’s such an American idea, this democratization of voices–this fact that now there is actually representation of interests that were underserved for so long.”

• Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road)

The Pod Stays in the Picture – Going back at least a decade, parts of the industry have grumbled about changing the name ‘podcast.’ (After all, we don’t carry around iPods anymore.) But consumers are fine with the name. And just as important, the biggest industry players (Google, Spotify, Apple, etc.) are happy to keep Podcast’s connection to its roots of origin.

Open Airwaves – To understand what’s needed in a comprehensive podcast definition, Larry and Dan go back to the defining characteristics of the medium from day one. A low barrier to entry, where anyone’s voice can be heard. Plus, the intimacy that comes with an audio-first connection. Though the specifics might change, the open conversations, accessible by all, are part of the very DNA of this medium we all know and love.

The Jeopardy Test – Consumers and our experts agree: Video podcasts are podcasts. But where exactly is the line drawn that cuts out just plain videos? Our rule of thumb: If it works with your eyes closed, it’s a podcast. Larry remembers living in Philadelphia when TV channels were simulcast on FM radio. Jeopardy worked as an audio-only show. Wheel of Fortune didn’t. Video podcasts are enhanced with visuals, but they’re not always needed to make the show work.

For a deep dive to pressure test every single word of a definition with huge implications, tune into the full episode by clicking the link below.

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The Classifieds

Feeling Very Uncomfy

Network: American Public Media / Monthly Downloads: 43k / Current Civility Score: 99, HIGH

Next week marks the 11th season of American Public Media’s premier podcast, This Is Uncomfortable, hosted by Reema Khrais of Marketplace. The show now sets itself apart from its origins by delving into the interpersonal workings of money’s entrapments and ultimate rewards. And this podcast doesn’t shy away from uncomfortable conversations involving race, gender, sexuality and mental health, while also infusing a finely honed brand of empathy. Taking her cues from public radio’s best traditions, the show also makes room for modern America’s mindset. This offering takes on explicit topics, but in the best and most civil manner, ensuring brand safety and messaging alignment. Since the show’s inception, its most devoted advertising partners have been B2Bs with a high contingent of well-educated business owners and decision makers. Step out of your comfort zone and click below for more details.

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The Skeletons are Rattling in Their Closets

Network: Amplitude Media Partners / Monthly Downloads: 10k

Fresh from Amplitude Media Partners’ newest partnership with Multitude Productions comes This Guy Sucked, a history podcast that asks the question, “Did this guy suck?” Historian Claire Aubin is joined by new guests each week to examine truth vs tall tales associated with history’s greatest victors. Whether she’s highlighting the antics of Jerry Lee Lewis or Voltaire, every episode has a general outline, overview and deep dive. Guests are often historians, experts, professors, and authors with a specific background in the subject matter. For lovers of history looking to assess previous research, or those who just want the skinny on things they never learned in school, this is a great listening opportunity. The key demo for this podcast consists of lifelong learners and young professionals who favor literary pursuits. And remember, some guys weren’t just bad, they sucked, and you can learn more about them via the link below.

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In Case You Missed It

IAB Reports Big Growth for Podcasting

Podcast advertising in the U.S. reached $2.4 billion in 2024. This growth is attributed to the expansion of podcast networks, enhanced brand integrations, and improved audience targeting, according to the IAB/PwC Internet Ad Revenue Report. The IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report: Full Year 2024 is available for free download. Even with recent growth, podcasts account for less than 1% of all digital ad spend. There’s still plenty of room to grow, as ad investment continues to lag far behind the time consumers spend listening to podcasts.

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Steven Bartlett Takes a Stand

Steven Bartlett, host of The Diary of A CEO, reveals that he turned down a $100 million offer (from an unnamed source). The deal reportedly would have required platform exclusivity, increased advertising, and performance targets, which Bartlett felt conflicted with his vision of independence and accessibility. With 10.1 million YouTube subscribers and a billion listens/views, his podcast remains a global success. Bartlett plans to expand into the U.S. after signing with Hollywood’s WME talent agency in January. Hear, hear for Steven Bartlett. CAOs, podcasting works best when it remains open and accessible across platforms, and when ad loads stay low.

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The BBC is Eyeing Growth in Asia

BBC Audio has partnered with Audacia Audio to sell podcast ad inventory across seven Asian countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, South Korea, and Vietnam. This move strengthens the BBC’s commercial presence in the region, capitalizing on the growing popularity of podcasts. The deal expands access to popular BBC podcasts like The Global News Podcast, Learning English Conversations, The Documentary, Football Daily, and Business Daily. Reaching Asian audiences through podcasting has historically been a challenge. That’s why this news could be a big deal for marketers looking to expand their podcast campaigns into Asian markets.

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#SaveTheLiveReads

Parlez Vous Français avec Babbel

Corrine Stokoe, host of the Mint Arrow Messages podcast, sets up this week’s #STLR for Babbel, sharing a heartfelt tale of her family history that reveals a deep-rooted connection to the French language. Corrine offers glowing substantiation for the language-learning app, which helped her turn that connection into action. With raw emotion and her soothing delivery, this ad feels more like a genuine recommendation than a pitch, inspiring listeners to embark on their own language learning journeys with Babbel’s concise 10-minute lessons, crafted by over 200 language experts. Offering a generous 60% discount, Stokoe wraps up her compelling Call To Action in a way that makes learning a new language feel both personal and easily doable, with the help of that familiar Babbel sound of affirmation.

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OXFORd In The News

Adam Carolla on “What’s a Podcast?”

Our friends over at Podnews shared our latest podcast mini-series, “What’s a Podcast,” in their ‘new and noteworthy’ section, explicitly calling out our “Charting Podcasting’s Pirate Ship Past” episode with Adam Carolla. If you haven’t listened to the episode yet, it’s the fourth in the series where our own Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road) sits down with the podcasting pioneer to talk about Audio Magic, Betting on Yourself, Podcasting’s Meritocracy, and more. However, our loyal Influencer readers are already aware of this, as we shared it in last week’s edition.😉 Thank you to Podnews for considering our little passion project as new and noteworthy; We agree. Catch up on the entire series here.

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Axios Weighs in on “What’s a Podcast?”

Axios also mentions Oxford Road and Edison Research’s “What’s a Podcast?” report in this week’s Media Trends Newsbrief, as well as in their newsletter. Both articles include a link to our report’s landing page. It’s a groundbreaking move, and if you haven’t read the report yet, now is a good time to check it out.

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