This Week’s Influencer: DOAC’s Steven Bartlett & The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro Take the CAO Stage; Podscribe’s Q3 Benchmark Report; and more…

This week on the Media Roundtable, we’re bringing you inside the opening fireside chat from the 2025 Chief Audio Officer Summit, featuring two of the most influential voices in independent media today: Steven Bartlett (Host of Diary of a CEO, Founder of FLIGHTSTORY) and Ben Shapiro (Host of The Ben Shapiro Show, Co-Founder of The Daily Wire).

In a conversation with Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road), with a stunning oceanfront sunset as their backdrop, our guests get into the real trade-offs of staying independent, especially in the face of nine-figure offers; the discipline behind their respective growth; and how brands can unlock substantial results when they lean into creator-led partnerships.

“Independence, in this moment, is a good marker for a lot of listeners and audiences of authenticity. People want to feel like they’re not just tuning in to an institution.  They want to feel like they’re tuning in to a person.” – Ben Shapiro (Host of The Ben Shapiro Show, Co-Founder of The Daily Wire)

Experimenting for Exponential Growth: Steven Bartlett breaks down how his Head of Failure team (yes, you read that right, that’s a real department at FlightStory) tests 300–400 variables per episode: from punctuation in titles to the CO₂ levels in the recording room. One tweak to the first 10 seconds of an episode drove a 350% subscriber lift—proof that small tests can unlock massive growth.

Striking the Right Ad Load Balance: Both Bartlett and Shapiro (as well as your Oxford Road team) agree: fewer, better ads win. Bartlett flatly rejected a $100M deal that would have stuffed his show with “12 adverts in a podcast,” insisting host reads must be content, and judged by retention and results, rather than just units sold.

Letting Creators Cook: Shapiro’s advice to brands: “Get us really familiar with your product—and then let us cook.” These creators know their audience better than anyone else, and they’re not going to expend their own brand equity on just anything. Give them some freedom and they can deliver endorsements that feel personal, perform stronger, and build brand loyalty that lasts.

For advertisers seeking to connect with enigmatic hosts who understand how to engage their audiences, Bartlett and Shapiro are the gold standard. For the full conversation, check out the full episode below.

The Classifieds

19 Truths and Counting with Jinger and Jeremy

Network: Colture Podcast Network / Impressions: 140k

This week, we’re celebrating the unofficial beginning of the 2026 annual planning by showcasing two new top performers. Our first new testing win comes from the world of reality TV and truly tries to provide a safe space for cozy family values and kinship. Jinger and Jeremy Vuolo, who were heavily featured on the TLC shows 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On, sit down for a weekly podcast where they are given the chance to open up, peel back the layers, and get down to sharing their truth. In many instances, they regale their audience with behind-the-scenes tidbits and context on the production of reality TV. In other episodes, they talk about the topics that mean the most to them: family, love, spirituality, and growth. This has been a top performer for several female-skew advertisers, especially DTC products that target mothers. We’re counting on you to click below, where you will find more information.

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Chuckling ‘Til the World Ends

Network: Headgum / Impressions: 50k

On the less wholesome side of the podcast landscape, we have a comedy opportunity that finds the funny in the bad. Hosted by the eponymous Gianmarco Soresi and comedian Russell Daniels, each episode includes stark, cynical conversations about the world at large. You might assume that no one could make that funny, but Soresi has proven himself to be a quick wit, a clever improviser, and an unhinged personality who is unafraid of even the most dismal subjects. This is a steadily growing opportunity thanks to Soresi’s continued growth on social media and recent appearance on Dropout’s newest season of Game Changer. The twosome is also often joined by guests from the comedy world, such as Alex Edelman, Josh Sharp, and Vir Das. In the cluttered Comedy genre, this offering sets itself apart by working specifically for a left-leaning audience that values diversity, edgy topics, and internet culture. If you want to laugh like the world is ending, get down via the link below.

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In Case You Missed It

Hot Off the Press-Podscribe’s Q3 Benchmark Report is Here

The Q3 2025 Podscribe Performance Benchmarks show that podcast and streaming audio now reach 85% of U.S. listeners. Programmatic and run-of-network buys have surged, while YouTube simulcasts account for the majority of video-driven campaigns. The optimal frequency remains three ads per campaign and five ads per month across all channels. iPhone users convert 30% better than Android users, retail leads all industries in efficiency, and mid-roll placements continue to deliver the strongest results. For CAOs who want to maximize their investments while staying current with the latest trends, these benchmark reports are invaluable, but based on our data, individual results will vary.

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Measurement Stunting Growth of the Creator Economy

The creator economy wants to be seen as a mature media channel, but a lack of consistent measurement is limiting progress. While advertisers have steadily increased spending on creators, Digiday reports that brand leaders still struggle to justify budgets without standardized metrics across platforms. Executives interviewed in the piece describe measurement as the “final hurdle” to unlocking more spend. Thanks to Sounds Profitable for highlighting this story and pointing out that transparent reporting is the table stakes for podcasts delivered via RSS feed. The challenge lies with embedded ads in simulcasted video or video-only podcasts, where measurement still lags. Don’t panic though, because the team at Oxford Road is hard at work to solve this issue so all campaigns can have accurate reporting.

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Apple’s TuneIn to Radio

Apple expanded its radio footprint by partnering with TuneIn to bring six curated radio stations to 75 million monthly active users on TuneIn’s platform. This strategic partnership extends Apple’s reach beyond its current ecosystem at a time when Spotify and YouTube are gaining ground in audio. It also demonstrates Apple’s intent to use free radio access as a funnel into its subscription-based products. This partnership achieves two key objectives: it brings content from Apple Music to an ad-supported environment and helps raise awareness of TuneIn, which can often be overlooked as an option for reaching listeners via streaming audio.

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#SaveTheLiveReads

True Crimes Solved with SelectQuote

Hope you #STLR listeners are eager for a thriller of a read this week because the hosts of Crimehub: True Crime Stories are contemplating the mystery of the perfect life insurance policy from SelectQuote. This show grabs listeners right out of the gate with the wild “Slayer Statutes” hook, because who isn’t going to perk up when life insurance and true crime collide? From there, the host pivots smoothly into why SelectQuote matters, making a serious topic feel approachable and entertaining. The personal trust they place in SelectQuote adds warmth and credibility, while the mention of $700 billion in coverage and same-day policies gives this ad real credibility.

What really makes this pop is the balance: it’s part story, part reassurance, and part practical advice you can actually use, making purchasing insurance less of a crime scene and more of a walk in the park. And with a clear promise of saving more than 50%, the call to action is irresistible and empowering—leaving listeners with a reason to laugh, listen, and an actionable choice to feel a little more secure in their lifetime plans. Don’t be afraid to click on that link below; we promise it’s not scary.

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OXFORd In The News

Show Me the Money! (But First The Data)

According to Insider Radio, Oxford Road’s State of Audio Advertising report shows podcast ad budgets aren’t being capped by money—it’s the lack of performance data that’s holding billions back. Nearly half of buyers say they’d spend more if they could actually measure ROI, while only a third blame budget limits. Additionally, definitions of “podcast” are still fuzzy (audio-only purists, you’re in the minority), but most marketers seem content to move forward anyway. Brand safety? It turns out that political drama worries buyers more than profanity. Podcast ads are booming, but without better data, the industry’s leaving serious money on the table.

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Podcast Ads Are Growing Fast, But Counting’s Slow

According to Radio Online, Oxford Road’s State of Audio Advertising report shows podcasts are printing growth charts, but not without growing pains. Ad spend is soaring, YouTube now accounts for a quarter of podcast listening, and yet marketers are still struggling with measurement and ROI. Oxford Road is rallying the industry with the Alliance for Measurement in Podcasting (“AMP Task Force” for short)—bringing heavy hitters together to finally get on the same page about what a podcast is, how to measure it, and how to prove ROI—because somebody’s gotta bring law and order to the Wild West of audio. The future of podcast ads is big, messy, and totally worth watching.

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