This Week’s Influencer: Why Indie Pods Win; Support Creators Before They Blow Up; Podcast Unionizing; Pod Measurement Gets Local; and more…

Podcasting began with a dream and a mic, but to reach the world, they often benefited from having someone in their corner, like this week’s guest.

On a new Media Roundtable: Special Edition, Dan Granger (CEO & Founder, Oxford Road) hosts indie-creator advocate Brendan Monaghan (CEO, Libsyn, and Founder, Megaphone). Libsyn is also the founding sponsor of our Indie PaC Awards, which is an extension of their 20+ years of support for independent creators.

Join Dan and Brendan as they cover: Indie Wins, Definitions, The Creator’s Voice, and more. Let’s dig in.

“For us, it’s: how do we think about bringing revenue to [creators] and helping them fuel their dreams on the business side?” – Brendan Monaghan (CEO, Libsyn)

Indies Hit Different – Whether brands realize it or not, they have a vested interest in supporting indie creators. Why? 80% of the top shows ranked by ORBIT are independents. Indies consistently punch above their weight in regard to ROI. Marketers, if you have an out-sized indie performer in your campaign, odds are you owe Libsyn a “thank you.” And if Indies aren’t a part of your strategy, you’re leaving performers on the table.

The Definition of Independence – What makes a show independent? In part, it’s what they aren’t: no big network, no outside influence, no celebrity vehicles, no safety net. In other words, indies are creators where your support makes a vital difference. Podcasting is a fragile meritocracy where independent voices can only make an impact if they can distribute and monetize from day one. Then they’ll have a chance to find their audience.

The Voice of the Creators – There’s one play you need to steal from Brendan’s business playbook. No matter the issue, he approaches it from the mindset of his core customer, the creators. Take AI: we have 10% improvement tools for creators (transcriptions), but where’s that improvement going to come from, and can you make that tool first? Marketers, bring the voice of your customers into your most important discussions and give them what they ask for.

For more insights on independent creators and why they’re vital to marketers, check out the full episode below.

The Classifieds

They Make The Rules, So Get In Their Line-up

Network: Audioboom / Monthly Downloads: 100k

Of the 224 scripted series on TV and streaming last year, only 49 of the creators were women, and just 27 were BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color). When Issa Rae created the iconic YouTube series Awkward Black Girl, and became the writer and star of HBO’s Insecure, she instantly cemented herself as a prominent cultural creative with a unique voice.

Now, at the tenth anniversary of the show’s premiere, Rae and showrunner Prentice Penny are sitting down to view the long-term ripple effects that their show has created. Besides earning multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, the show had a stunning influence on the industry at large, and the work itself calls for retrospection and candid critique. This simulcast opportunity premieres on 4/27, and will be produced by Rae’s production company HOORAE Media. If you’re not too insecure, click the link below for more information.

Get The Deal

This Business Baddie Makes Bank

Network: Flight Studio / Monthly Downloads: 40k

Flight Studio has been hard at work expanding its roster of shows, and with that investment comes a fresh new podcast from an intriguing source. Maggie Sellers Reum both invests in brands and has developed a brand of her own. She works as a coveted multi-hyphenate: investor (Allara, De Soi, Sydecar), entrepreneur, writer, influencer, and now, podcast host. This self-improvement and business-focused offering is perfect for those who want to get a little hotter, a little smarter, and a whole lot richer.

Sellers Reum interviews a multitude of guests who can help you achieve those goals, and always frames dreams as attainable and worth the effort. For women looking to become their best selves, this podcast offers many informed opinions on topics ranging from life after divorce to social media beauty trends.  If you’re ready to get advice from one of the newest, brightest stars in the biz, click the link below.

Get The Deal

In Case You Missed It

Small Slice, Big Signal: Podcasts Punch Above Their Spend

Guideline’s latest Digital Audio Market report says digital audio remains under-monetized relative to usage, reaching 58% of U.S. adults while capturing just 2% of media dollars. In the U.S., podcasts drove 77% of digital audio ad revenue growth in 2025 despite accounting for just 31% of media spend. Guideline projects total U.S. digital audio ad spend will grow from $2.6 billion in 2025 to $2.9 billion in 2026, with podcasts rising to 35% of category spend. We know audio is under-invested relative to consumption,  but the bigger news here is podcasting’s growth in a soft market. That tells you marketers are investing in a channel that drives business impact. For brands with limited investment, this is a signal to get more aggressive.

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Lights, Camera, Collective Bargaining: Video Podcasts Enter the Union Era

As video podcasts expand onto streaming platforms, SAG-AFTRA is increasing its efforts to organize the space and define how those projects should be managed. The article points to Netflix’s The Pete Davidson Show signing a SAG-AFTRA podcast agreement, noting that the union already has two podcast contracts in place, and says it expects to expand coverage across more shows as video podcasts increasingly blur the line between podcasts and streaming shows. More structure and standards would be good for marketers. We suspect SAG-AFTRA will have the most influence at the top end of the market, where the biggest names already resemble traditional talent and might even already belong to the union. That likely means established creators get more expensive, while much of the broader creator economy remains too fragmented to organize in the same way.

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Magellan Brings Podcast Measurement to the Locals

Magellan AI has integrated Nielsen DMA data into its platform, giving advertisers a standardized way to measure podcast performance at the local market level. Buyers and sellers will be able to evaluate podcasts’ impact across Nielsen’s 210 markets and compare podcast results more directly with channels like linear TV and radio. Many marketers still see gaps in podcasting’s audience measurement. This partnership will help close part of that gap by giving advertisers visibility into delivery at the DMA level, which is especially valuable for brands that buy nationally but need to understand performance in their most important markets.

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#SaveTheLiveReads

No Need to Prolon(g) Your Health – Listen to Your Friend Tinx

Lifestyle personality and content creator Tinx is this week’s stellar read after recommending Prolon on her show, It’s Me, Tinx. Tinx kicks things off by acknowledging the universal truth that long work weeks and chaotic weekends can leave anyone feeling like a slightly crumpled human, which makes the idea of a five-day reset so appealing. The way she explains Prolon is refreshingly simple: five boxes, five days, no planning, no chaos. Just open the box and trust the process.

What really makes her read fun, though, is her personal storytelling. She’s been on the Prolon train since before her influencer era, which adds a little credibility flex without feeling braggy. Her tone stays light, self-aware, and conversational the whole time, like she’s sharing a wellness tip in a group chat rather than delivering a sales pitch. By the time she gets to the discount and bonus gift, it feels less like an ad and more like a friendly nudge toward a tiny five-day glow-up experiment!

If you want to cleanse your ears with a great read, click on the link below.

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