This Week’s Influencer: ORBIT Report Reveals Sports Podcasts That Actually Sell; The Couch Moves to YouTube; Women are Podcast’s Future; and more…

Lost in today’s media landscape? Or are you just curious as to how the industry got here?

You need to go back to Marshall McLuhan, the grandfather of media literacy, and the grandfather of this week’s special guest.

On this week’s Media Roundtable: Special Edition, Dan Granger (CEO & Founder, Oxford Road) and Giles Martin ( EVP,  Strategy, Oxford Road) welcome the legacy media guru Andrew McLuhan (Director & Founder, The McLuhan Institute).

Andrew’s work continues the legacy of his grandfather (Marshall McLuhan) and father (Eric McLuhan). The McLuhan family’s work is enormously relevant to marketers: it’s all about the effect that media and technology have on people. When marketers decide which channels to use and how to craft & place their messages, they would do well to draw on McLuhan’s insights.

Dan, Giles, and Andrew are talking: Early Media Literacy, The Media is The Message, and Hot vs. Cool. Let’s dig in.

“Nobody loves being sold stuff, so you’re already at a disadvantage. But people do love creativity. If that’s not a license to have some fun, I don’t know what is.” – Andrew McLuhan (Director & Founder, The McLuhan Institute)

Early Media Literacy – Over 80 years ago, Marshall McLuhan had a wild idea: take new approaches to understanding literature and apply them to media and technology. That was the birth of ‘media literacy’, and it still has much to teach us about why people behave the way they do. One takeaway: in the post-linear video-electric age, advertisers need to sell a ‘vibe’, not a product.

The Media is still the Message – Marshall McLuhan coined the phrase “The Medium is the Message” in 1958, talking to radio broadcasters worried about TV. It could also apply to audio podcasters worried about video. The truth is, people interact with audio and video differently (more on that below), so each plays a different role. One doesn’t replace the other. Marketers should ask themselves: what effect am I trying to achieve, and which medium is the best for that effect?

So Hot. So Cool – At the risk of having an Annie Hall moment, let’s talk about McLuhan’s theory of hot and cool media. Cool media (like audio podcasts) make you participate more actively in the media experience by mentally filling in gaps in information. The richer the information (adding in video), the hotter the media, and the more passive the audience becomes. When you want someone to act (like most performance advertisers), cool media can mean the audience is more attentive and engaged. This could help explain the audio podcasts’ boost in response.

For insights drawing from early radio dramas to Hollywood goats, you owe it to yourself to check out the full episode below.

Your Monthly ORBIT Report – Feb 2026

Niche Sports Grab the Gold

February is overflowing with sports, with the Olympics and the “Big Game” dominating airwaves. That’s why we used ORBIT (Oxford Road Benchmark Intelligence Tool) to analyze the top-performing sports podcasts and networks. Turns out there are plenty of Moneyball opportunities year-round, including our top shows: #3 F1: Beyond The Grid, #2, 2 Pros And A Cup Of Joe, and #1 Locked On NHL.

And special shoutout to our top networks, who have proven that their phenomenal sports content earns a spot in any roster: #3 The Athletic Media Company, #2 Harris Football, and #1 Good Karma Broadcasting.

Just like managing a salary cap, smart decisions can set your campaign up for a championship run. Here to help you build a performance dynasty is ORBIT. A few key takeaways:

• Niches get Riches. Just fell in love with curling? You’re in good company. 67% of our top shows came from niche sports. And it makes sense. With a general NFL show, listeners spread out across the various teams. For niche shows, the community rallies around a single host, feels a greater affinity, and acts on host recs more often.

• Motorsports are in pole position. Motorsports are over 25% of our Top 15 shows. More importantly, they’re reliable. Unlike the short-lived spikes of the “Big Game” or March Madness, motorsports deliver sustained momentum over an 8-month season. Brands: You can stay top of mind for a deeply loyal fanbase for most of the year. Sounds like a checkered flag to us.

For the complete February ORBIT Rankings and methodology, check out the full report here.

The Classifieds

Podcaster of all Trades, Master of None

Network: Amplitude Media Partners / Monthly Downloads: 100k

Seasonal podcasts are difficult to pitch: They’re often only producer-read, run for a limited amount of time, and there’s often zero previous performance to compare to. That said, countless direct-response advertisers have tested these opportunities with high success rates and often rebook when new seasons launch. Our first such show, produced by The Lever, is available for sale through Amplitude Media Partners.

Investigative journalist and screenwriter David Sirota hosts this historic look at US politics and the factors that now shape our modern world. The narrative flow of the production is rooted in a wry humor that buoys its more unsavory elements. Advertisers who have found success on highly produced documentary-style offerings or in public radio are highly encouraged to test season 2, launching this March. You can request a plan by clicking below for more details.

Get The Deal

The Past Always Has a Way of Finding Us Again

Network: Daylight Media / Monthly Downloads: 50k

Our second opportunity is a well-established podcast that recently began its 10th season and 20th year of production. Nick van der Kolk is the show’s longtime host and frequent interviewer. Our main story revolves around a mythical figure in one of the most dangerous gangs in US history: the Aryan Brotherhood. Leader Michael Thompson is sitting in prison when he decides to change his life, redeem himself, and become an informant.

From the perspective of two anonymous women, the series opens its multi-episode arc, setting the stage for a true story that never stops delivering malevolent twists. This is a highly produced podcast featuring a variety of past direct-response top performers across multiple categories. Those who are looking for self-improvement-minded young professionals are highly recommended to test out the season’s last several episodes. Don’t stay radio silent, turn in your information via the link below.

Get The Deal

In Case You Missed It

From Daytime TV to Anytime Pods

The Kelly Clarkson Show and Sherri cancellations fuel fears that video podcasts are displacing TV talk shows. Cable viewership is down 39% since 2021; podcast listening time is up 355% since 2015 to 773M hours/week. Talk show producers now compete with podcasts for guest bookings. WGA West is urging union organizing around YouTube/podcasts as “the future of television.” Talk shows aren’t dying because the format doesn’t work. They’re going extinct because podcasts and YouTube now do it better, with lower costs and fewer gatekeepers. The audience moved first, as it always does when content is compelling and easy to access. Advertisers now must adapt to this shift in consumer behavior.

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She Listens. She Trusts. She Buys.

A Katz Radio Group survey found that 70% of women 18+ consider podcasts trustworthy, approaching broadcast radio’s 83% trust level, as female podcast listenership reaches near parity with men. Edison data shows that 45% of U.S. women listen monthly (52% when video podcasts are included), totaling roughly 60 million women. Among those who have heard podcast ads, 75% report taking action, and nearly half say podcast advertising improves brand favorability, especially for brands supporting women-hosted shows. With women now at parity in podcast consumption and 75% taking action after hearing ads, they should be a priority in podcast planning. Lean into women-hosted shows in particular, where the trust multiplier is real, and brand alignment carries more weight.

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Radio’s Future Is Here, But It’s Not in Charge Yet

Radio’s digital business continues to expand, now accounting for 24.4% of total industry revenue ($2.3B in 2025) according to RAB/Borrell. Since 2022, digital revenue has grown at an 8.3% CAGR while core broadcast revenue has declined 2.2%. Digital may be where radio’s growth lies, but it’s not the core business yet. Roughly three-quarters of ad dollars and nearly 90% of listening still lives in broadcast. For marketers, terrestrial should remain the foundation of the plan, with digital as the complement.

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#SaveTheLiveReads

Boll & Branch Pampers with Warm Luxury

There are two types of people in winter: those who survive it and those who turn their beds into luxury retreats to escape it, just like Margaret Ables and Amy Wilson on their podcast, What Fresh Hell: Laughing in the Face of Motherhood.  Amy and Margaret are warm, relaxed, and full of those “wait, same” moments that make listeners lean in. Their genuine love for the cozy season shines through as they rave about their buttery soft Boll & Branch sheets. Margaret’s confession about sleeping hotter every year adds that perfectly relatable touch. Instead of listing features, they naturally fold in the benefits like 100% organic cotton, breathable comfort, softer with every wash, so everything is filled with enthusiasm rather than a scripted response.

This live read also smartly ties the product to winter coziness, making it timely and emotionally resonant, while the sensory language helps listeners imagine the upgrade in their own bedrooms. Add in social proof with the 30-night guarantee, and a clear discount offer, and you’ve got a message that builds trust and urgency at the same time. By the time they tell listeners to “get cozy,” it feels less like an ad and more like two friends convincing you to level up your sleep for the rest of the season and all year long.

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