What Should Creators Disclose When Using AI? | Alberto Betella, RSS.com #670
Episode 670
Sunday, June 28, 2026 • Duration 01:26:57
Should every use of AI in a podcast, video, or creator workflow be disclosed?
A better question is whether AI created the actual substance of what the audience came to hear or watch.
On Episode 670 of the New Media Show, Rob Greenlee is joined by Alberto Betella, co-founder of RSS.com and creator of “Should I Disclose AI?“
Is a timely conversation about AI transparency, synthetic media, voice cloning, human trust, and the future of creator-led media.
AI is now helping creators edit video, create captions, translate episodes, generate clips, improve workflows, personalize advertising, and accelerate production. But AI can also generate entire shows, clone voices, imitate experts, create deceptive media, and overwhelm platforms with low-effort content.
The challenge is not simply whether AI was used.
The challenge is understanding when AI use changes what the audience is actually receiving.
Alberto shares his practical “Substance Test” framework for AI disclosure. The central idea is simple: if AI created the core performance, information, expertise, or experience that brought the audience to the content, creators should disclose it. But using AI as a supporting production tool does not necessarily mean the entire episode should be labeled as AI-generated.
Rob and Alberto explore the difficult gray areas: AI-translated episodes, cloned voices reading human-written scripts, AI-written scripts read by humans, platform auto-labeling, watermarking, creator consent, programmatic advertising, AI search, and the future value of human-made media.
They also discuss why disclosure should not be a punishment or a stigma. Transparency can give audiences more context, help platforms manage risk, and allow creators to use AI responsibly without pretending that every use of AI is deceptive or low quality.
The bigger question is whether creators can use AI to make better work while still protecting the human trust, judgment, originality, and relationships that make media meaningful.
Guest: Alberto Betella: Co-Founder, RSS.com; creator of Should I Disclose AI?
Host: Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, New Media Show host, and Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame
AI Use Note:
This episode includes an AI-assisted opening visual and the show notes based on the transcript. The conversation, editorial direction, and analysis are human-led.
Rough Chapter Break Topics:
00:00 Should creators disclose their use of AI?
03:00 Introducing Should I Disclose AI?
06:00 Human imperfection, authenticity, and audience trust
10:00 The difference between AI tools and AI-created substance
15:00 AI translation, cloned voices, and disclosure nuance
22:00 Detection, watermarking, and platform AI labels
26:00 YouTube auto-labeling and the economics of AI content
31:00 Will “human-made” become a premium signal?
33:00 AI-assisted post-production and human creative direction
38:00 Video-first, audio-first, and platform-native content
43:00 Voice cloning, consent, and personalized advertising
47:00 Quality, creator reinvention, and the AI reset
51:00 When AI can create useful new forms of media
56:00 Disclosure without stigma or punishment
57:00 AI search, one-answer systems, and human curation
01:01:00 Prompt literacy, digital likeness, and the future of AI
About the Host/Author: Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the New Media Show and Spoken Human, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He has held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, Podbean, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame.
Personal / AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this video, episode description, and generate show notes from the episode transcript. The views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting, digital media, and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position and editorial direction.
Can Human Creators Still Win in an AI-Flooded Media World? | Rob Walch #669
Episode 669
Friday, June 26, 2026 • Duration 01:05:01
In episode 669 of the New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee talks with Rob Walch, VP of Podcaster Relations at Captivate and DAX.
Podcast Hall of Famers Rob Walch and Rob Greenlee discuss one of the biggest pressure points facing creators today:Can human creators grow, monetize, and maintain audience trust as platforms fill with AI-generated podcasts, synthetic video, cloned voices, and automated content channels?
I apologize for the rough audio in this episode. The audio was choppy in the virtual recording, and I did the best I could to improve it.
The conversation begins with a bigger question: Where is the line between useful AI tools and low-effort, fully automated content that weakens trust, damages advertising ROI, and makes it harder for original creators to be discovered and rewarded?
AI can help creators research, edit, translate, caption, clip, and distribute their work more efficiently. But the human perspective, real creative judgment, authentic voice, and trusted audience relationship must remain at the center of the content experience.
Rob Walch shares updates on Captivate, DAX, and the evolving podcast monetization landscape before diving into the rise of mass-produced AI content and the growing use of the term “AI slop.”
Rob Greenlee and Rob Walch discuss why not every use of AI belongs in the same category, why transparency and disclosure matter, and how creators can use AI responsibly without losing the human value that makes their work worth following.
They also explore YouTube’s evolving AI-labeling approach, the future of human-generated content, platform responsibility, advertising risks, Apple HLS video, YouTube’s new focus on audio listening, video-versus-audio strategy, and how AI tools may help independent creators manage a rapidly expanding distribution workload.
The larger takeaway is that creators do not need to choose between being human and using AI. The opportunity is to use AI as a creative and operational assistant while keeping human thinking, trust, judgment, relationships, and original perspective at the core of the work.
Is New Media Replacing the Creator Economy? | Ollie Forsyth #668
Episode 668
Thursday, June 18, 2026 • Duration 01:07:30
In episode 668 of the New Media Show, hostRob Greenlee talks with Ollie Forsyth, founder of New Economies and New-Media.co, about the fast-changing meaning of “New Media” and why creator-led media is becoming one of the most important shifts in digital publishing, podcasting, video, newsletters, live streaming, and AI-powered content.
The conversation begins with a bigger question: what does “New Media” mean now?
For years, the term New Media has described digital media outside traditional broadcast, print, and cable. But in 2026, the meaning is changing again. New Media is becoming less about a format and more about who the audience trusts, where attention is moving, and how creators are building direct relationships through podcasts, YouTube channels, newsletters, X, Instagram, live shows, private communities, short-form clips, and emerging AI-generated formats.
Ollie shares how New-Media.co started as a mapping project focused on tech newsletters, podcasts, and creator-led media brands, and quickly became a broader signal that a new category is forming. New Media is no longer just a description of online content. It is becoming a business, creator, and distribution category.
Rob and Ollie explore whether podcasting is still its own category or is becoming one lane within a larger New Media ecosystem. Rob brings the long history of podcasting, RSS, video podcasting, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Netflix, and creator platforms into the discussion, asking whether the word “podcast” is still enough to describe what audiences now consume.
A major theme in this episode is the difference between audience size and audience value. Ollie argues that creators do not always need massive audiences if they have focused, valuable, trusted communities. A show with 5,000 highly relevant listeners or viewers can be more valuable than a much larger audience that does not convert or engage.
Are Podcast Networks becoming Creator Networks? | Greg Wasserman #666
Episode 666
Monday, June 8, 2026 • Duration 01:22:54
In episode 666 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Greg Wasserman, Head of Relationships at RSS.com and host of Podcast Network Insights, for a deep conversation about one of the biggest questions facing podcasting, video, creator media, and digital networks right now:
Podcast networks were originally built for an audio-first industry, but audiences have already moved the definition of a podcast beyond audio. Today, a podcast can be a YouTube show, a Spotify video, an Apple video podcast, a livestream, a short clip, a newsletter, a community, or part of a larger creator-led media brand.
Greg brings a unique perspective from his work at RSS.com and from interviewing the leaders behind podcast networks, collectives, production companies, and niche media groups on Podcast Network Insights. He explains that podcast networks are no longer one simple model. Some are media-sales businesses. Some are community-driven groups. Some operate more like production companies, collectives, or full creator networks.
Rob and Greg explore how the network model is shifting as video, live streaming, AI, Apple Podcasts, HLS video, YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, FAST channels, private communities, and creator monetization reshape what podcasting can become.
The conversation also asks whether independent podcasters should join networks, what creators need to understand before making that decision, and why the future may depend less on downloads alone and more on trust, audience relationships, collaboration, niche value, and direct monetization.
00:00 Welcome to New Media Show #666
00:32 Are podcast networks becoming creator networks?
01:00 How audiences have already redefined podcasting
02:00 Introducing Greg Wasserman from RSS.com
03:00 Why Greg created Podcast Network Insights
04:00 How different podcast networks define community
05:00 Monetization, growth, and the changing role of networks
06:00 Internal network community vs audience community
07:00 Private communities, subscriptions, and audience relationships
08:00 Nova Podcast Network and media-company network models
09:00 Cross-promotion and collaboration inside networks
10:00 Are creators returning to collaboration?
11:00 Podcast networks as media companies
13:00 Owned-and-operated shows vs independent rev-share shows
15:00 Why ad revenue is not the only network business model
16:00 Marketing Podcast Network and niche value
17:00 Jay Shetty, Netflix, and platform exclusivity
18:00 Is Netflix becoming a podcast network?
19:00 Collectives, media companies, and different network definitions
20:00 What is a podcast network today?
21:00 Production companies and network partnerships
23:00 How creators should decide whether to join a network
24:00 Understanding your “why” before joining a network
25:00 iHeart, ad inventory, and the volume-based network model
26:00 Why sponsor status can distract from real monetization
27:00 Does network branding still matter?
28:00 Pineapple Street, GZM, Disney, and network identity
30:00 MCNs, YouTube networks, and the return of multi-channel networks
31:00 Silicon Valley, new media networks, and digital-native media
34:00 Traditional media adopts podcasting, video, and companion content
35:00 Apple Podcasts HLS video as a future distribution channel
36:00 Why video attracts higher media dollars
37:00 Know, like, and trust as a creator value
38:00 Will Apple Podcasts HLS video matter?
39:00 Free platforms, hidden costs, and creator control
41:00 Future ad dashboards across Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and Twitch
42:00 Platform exclusivity, Jay Shetty, Joe Rogan, and audience loss
44:00 Creator hustle and why networks cannot do all the work
46:00 Subscription fatigue and fragmented media access
47:00 More than 20 ways creators can make money
48:00 Lean creator teams, production help, and content scale
49:00 How podcast networks are using AI
50:00 AI-generated voices, sleep content, and audience behavior
52:00 AI for ads, scripts, show notes, social, and workflows
53:00 AI podcast networks and automated show creation
54:00 Agentic workflows and creator production systems
56:00 AI-generated content, humanity, and audience trust
57:00 Algorithms, AI interfaces, and future discovery
58:00 Platform algorithm changes and creator risk
59:00 Human connection, live events, and AI video podcasts
01:00:00 Why human storytelling still matters
01:01:00 Could creators build AI clones of themselves?
01:02:00 Avatars, HeyGen, Gemini, and disclosure
01:03:00 Human-hosted content labels and AI transparency
01:04:00 Video-first creators and separate audio/video feeds
01:05:00 Why The New Media Show still uses separate audio and video feeds
01:06:00 Audio-first creators, social media, and growth challenges
01:07:00 Different networks play different games
01:08:00 The future of compelling audio experiences
01:09:00 Spatial audio, AI audio, and interactive media
01:10:00 Personalized audience experiences and liquid content
01:11:00 Can audiences be moved from YouTube to Netflix?
01:12:00 Bundling, subscriptions, and platform experiments
01:15:00 Algorithms vs human curation
01:16:00 Netflix, FAST channels, and new distribution models
01:17:00 The technology challenge behind FAST channels
01:23:00 Greg’s Tesla and the future of in-car video podcast listening
01:24:00 RSS.com, Podcasting 2.0, and AI labeling standards
01:25:00 Closing thoughts and where podcasting is heading
Guest and Host Links
What Is New Media Now vs Podcasting? | Ashley Christenson / @Ashni #665
Episode 665
Sunday, May 31, 2026 • Duration 01:20:02
In episode 665 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Ashley Christenson, also known as Ashni, for a deep conversation about one of the most important questions facing podcasting, streaming, creator media, startups, and traditional media right now:
What does “New Media” actually mean today?
The term “New Media” has been around since the late 1990s, but its meaning is shifting again. What once described digital media outside traditional broadcast and print is now being used by creators, VCs, startups, streaming strategists, AI companies, and professional communities to refer to something more specific: creator-led media that builds trust, influence, industry position, and direct audience relationships.
Ashley brings a unique perspective from 13 years in online media, Twitch streaming, YouTube education, startup marketing, community building, and creator strategy. She explains that she sees the creator economy as building an audience as the asset, whereas the emerging version of New Media is more about building status and position within an industry conversation. In her view, the key difference is not simply between consumer and professional audiences, but about what the media operation is designed to build and protect.
Rob brings the longer history of podcasting and digital media into the discussion, asking whether podcasting was one of the first major expressions of New Media and whether it now sits within a much larger creator-led ecosystem. The conversation explores how podcasting, YouTube, streaming video, newsletters, live shows, X, AI-generated content, and Apple Podcasts’ move toward HLS video streaming are all blurring the old lines between podcasting, creator media, and professional media.
A major theme in this episode is whether podcasting is still its own category or has become a powerful format within the broader New Media industry. Rob argues that the word “podcast” is increasingly defined by audiences and platforms, while creators may need to think more broadly as show builders, media operators, and participants in the creator economy.
Guest and Host Links
Can Human Critics Improve Podcast Discovery? | Imran Ahmed, Great Pods #662
Episode 662
Thursday, May 7, 2026 • Duration 01:31:39
In episode 662 from May 6th, 2026, of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, he talks with Imran Ahmed, founder of Great Pods, for a deep conversation about one of podcasting’s longest-running controversies:Discovery.
Podcasting has never had a shortage of content. The bigger challenge has always been helping listeners find the right shows and helping quality creators get noticed.
Charts often reward scale.
Algorithms can miss the human context.
Social media attention does not always create trust.
But human recommendations, professional reviews, and transparency. editorial signals may still play an important role.
Imran joins Rob to discuss how Great Pods is building a podcast discovery and decision-making platform around critic reviews, ratings, attribution, podcast search, user reviews, badges, and curated discovery.
The conversation explores why reviews differ from basic listener comments, why constructive criticism can help creators, and how professional critics can serve as trusted filters for listeners trying to decide what to hear next.
Rob and Imran also dig into the broader evolution of podcasting, including the role of word-of-mouth discovery, the limits of podcast app charts, the rise of YouTube as a major discovery platform, and the ongoing tension around what defines a podcast in a world of audio, video, RSS feeds, platform exclusives, APIs, Netflix-style talk shows, and AI-generated content.
The episode also connects Great Pods to larger trust and transparency issues in new media. As AI-generated shows, algorithmic recommendations, and
Can Indie Podcasters and Media Creators Still Win? | Dave Jackson #661
Episode 661
Saturday, May 2, 2026 • Duration 01:46:19
On Episode 661 of The New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame, and longtime new media executive, is joined by Dave Jackson, 2018 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, founder of School of Podcasting, and Head of Podcasting at Podpage.com, for a deep conversation about whether independent podcasters and media creators can still win in today’s rapidly changing creator economy.
This episode centers on a question many creators are quietly asking right now:
Can indie podcasters still grow, monetize, and build trust in a market being reshaped by video, AI, platform control, and professionalized media production?
Rob and Dave discuss the recent combination of Podpage and School of Podcasting, why podcast education matters more than ever, and how websites, email lists, communities, video, RSS, and AI-assisted workflows are becoming essential parts of a creator’s survival strategy. Dave joined Podpage as Head of Podcasting in 2024, and School of Podcasting has been helping creators launch, grow, and monetize podcasts since 2005.
The conversation also moves into some of the biggest issues facing podcasting and new media in 2026, including AI-generated shows, human voice and video cloning, creator burnout, YouTube’s influence on podcast identity, Apple’s HLS video podcast direction, and why human trust may become the most valuable asset creators have left.
Rob and Dave bring decades of experience to this discussion.
Both have seen podcasting shift through multiple technology waves, from the early RSS era to platform consolidation, video podcasting, AI tools, and the rise of creator-led media. That history makes this episode a practical and honest look at what indie creators need to do now to stay relevant, trusted, and discoverable.
What does this episode cover?
Key Takeaways:
Guest
Host
Libsyn’s Next Chapter: Podcast Hosting, Video, Monetization, RSS and API | Brendan Monaghan #660
Episode 660
Thursday, April 23, 2026 • Duration 01:00:39
“Podcast episode hosting used to be simple. You uploaded an audio file, generated an RSS feed, and distributed your show everywhere. That model still matters, but it is no longer enough for the modern creator economy.”
In this Episode 660 of The Live New Media Show, from April 22nd, 2026, HostPodcast Hall of Famer and Former Libsyn VP Rob Greenlee shares a screen and microphone with Brendan Monaghan, President and CEO of Libsyn, to explore how podcast hosting is changing and what creators should expect from platforms in 2026 and beyond.
Thisconversation gets to the heart of a major shift happening across podcasting and new media.
Hosting companies are no longer judged only by whether they can deliver a clean RSS feed and reliable file storage. Creators now expect monetization, analytics, video support, workflow efficiency, AI-assisted publishing, broader distribution, and real help with audience growth.
That larger shift frames the entire discussion between Rob and Brendan.
Brendan explains that Libsyn still carries the legacy of being one of podcasting’s earliest and most important hosting platforms, but the company is now operating in a far more complex environment.
Brendan points to Libsyn’s evolution from a technology-led hosting company into a broader creator platform that includes advertising and monetization infrastructure, especially after the company acquired businesses such as AdvertiseCast and Pair Networks. He argues that the modern hosting business must combine publishing, monetization, measurement, and simplicity for creators at every stage of growth.
Rob pushes the conversation further by asking the bigger industry question:
What should a podcast hosting company become now? That leads into a wide-ranging discussion about platform aggregation, creator workflows, newsletters, live events, merchandise, and the growing expectation that creators should be able to manage more of their media business from one place. Brendan makes the case that the future belongs to companies that can keep creators at the center while simplifying the growing complexity around distribution and monetization.
Podcasting’s Multi-Format Future | Sharon Taylor #659
Episode 659
Thursday, April 16, 2026 • Duration 01:03:11
Podcasting is entering a new phase, and this episode goes straight into the infrastructure, business models, and platform shifts shaping what comes next.
On episode 659 of The New Media Show, Host and Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee shares the microphone with Sharon Taylor, Chief Revenue Officer at Triton Digital (Spreaker & Omny Studio), for a deep conversation about where the podcasting market is heading right now.
Sharon brings years of experience from Omny Studio, Triton Digital, and Spreaker, making her one of the best people to help unpack what is changing across hosting, monetization, video, AI, advertiser demand, and measurement.
We talk through why podcasting is not simply becoming video-first, even as video becomes a bigger part of how shows are discovered and monetized.
Sharon makes a strong case that audio remains at the center of the medium, but the future is clearly becoming more multi-format. That means creators, publishers, and platforms need to think differently about how they distribute content, measure audience behavior, and build sustainable business models for both audio and video.
A big part of this conversation focuses on Triton Digital’s role in the market today and why its combination of Omny Studio, Spreaker, and broader ad tech infrastructure makes it an important player in podcasting’s next chapter.
Sharon explains the unique roots of Omny Studio as a platform built for large-scale broadcast and enterprise publishing needs, while Spreaker helped pioneer early podcast programmatic monetization for creators. That combination gives Triton a unique perspective on both professional publishing and creator-driven growth.
Topics covered
Guest
Host
Local Podcasts in a Growing Video World | David Plotz #658
Episode 658
Saturday, April 11, 2026 • Duration 59:02
If you are trying to understand where podcasting may still have real, untapped opportunities in 2026 and beyond, this is one of those conversations that point to an important answer: Local.
On Episode 658 of The New Media Show, Host Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee shares a microphone and a video camera with guest David Plotz, founder and CEO of CityCast.fm and co-host of the Political Gabfest podcast from Slate, to:
Explore what local podcasts can become in a media environment increasingly shaped by video, platforms, social discovery, and changing audience habits. The conversation starts with local audio, but it quickly opens into something bigger: trust, emotional connection, local relevance, and the question of whether city-based media may be one of the strongest growth areas left in podcasting.
David frames City Cast as a network of daily local podcasts, newsletters, social content, and events, built around helping people feel more connected to the cities they live in.
The real takeaway in this episode is that local podcasting is not simply a smaller version of national podcasting. It operates under a different set of strengths and constraints.
Local Podcasting may never offer the same scale as national audio, but it can offer something more personal and durable: a trusted daily relationship grounded in place. That becomes a powerful differentiator at a time when many creators and media companies are chasing reach but struggling to build loyalty.
David brings a rare combination to this topic because he is not just theorizing about local media from the outside. He has built and led major editorial organizations, co-hosted one of podcasting’s longest-running political shows, and is now running one of the clearest experiments in local podcast-first media.
Related Shows Based on Content Similarities
Discover shows related to New Media Show (Audio), based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
00:00 Welcome to New Media Show #669
01:30 Introducing Rob Walch and His New Role at Captivate
02:30 Captivate Marketplace and Creator Monetization
05:00 What DAX and Global Bring to Podcast Advertising
08:30 What Does “AI Slop” Actually Mean?
11:00 How Mass AI Content Could Hurt Ad ROI and CPMs
13:30 The Scale of AI-Generated Podcast Uploads
16:00 Why AI Use Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
18:00 Bad Human Content vs. Bad AI Content
20:00 Platform Responsibility, Spam, and Fraud
22:00 YouTube AI Labeling and Creator Disclosure
25:00 AI Watermarks, Trust, and Human-Generated Content
28:00 Will Advertisers Prefer Human-Hosted Shows?
30:00 When Creators Should Disclose AI Use
33:00 AI Tools for Research, Editing, Audio Cleanup, and Workflows
36:00 Human Creativity Still Matters
39:00 Platform Discovery, Algorithms, and Audience Signals
44:00 Audio, Video, and YouTube’s Growing Interest in Listening
49:00 Apple HLS Video and the Podcast Monetization Challenge
54:00 Video Production, Baked-In Ads, and Creator Complexity
57:00 Why New Creators Can Still Start Audio-First
01:00:00 AI-Powered Clips, Repurposing, and Distribution
01:03:00 Monetization Risks and Alternatives Beyond Advertising
01:07:00 Podcast Standards, Video Metrics, and IAB Definitions
01:11:00 The Future of Audio, Video, AI, and Trusted Human Creators
01:19:00 Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Rob Walch
About the Host/Author: Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the New Media Show and Spoken Human, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He has held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, Podbean, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame.
Personal / AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode description and generate show notes from the episode transcript. The views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting, digital media, and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position and editorial direction.
The discussion also moves into traditional media and why legacy media companies may struggle to adapt to this new creator-led environment. Ollie says the difference is not just production quality. It is the vibe, the trust, the format, and the feeling that audiences are getting access to something more direct and less institutional.
Rob and Ollie also talk about how X, Instagram, YouTube, newsletters, and short-form clips are becoming the new media distribution stack. YouTube remains central for video and long-form discovery, while X and Instagram are becoming powerful platforms for attention and conversation for creators and media brands.
The final part of the episode turns to AI-generated content, synthetic media, AI micro-dramas, AI-generated podcasts, disclosure, and audience trust. Rob raises the tension around the term “AI slop” and whether the podcast industry is reacting differently to bad AI content than it has historically reacted to bad human-created content.
Ollie argues that AI can help create new forms of content, but it cannot replace the human element, charisma, taste, and trust that make a real show work.
This episode lands on a core New Media Show idea: podcasting helped build the foundation of today’s creator-led media world, but the next era is broader, more video-driven, more AI-assisted, more platform-diverse, and more dependent on human trust than ever before.
Key Topics:
What “New Media” means in 2026
Why creator-led media is gaining cultural and business influence
New Media vs. the creator economy
How New-Media.co maps creators, newsletters, podcasts, and media brands
Why podcasting may now be one lane inside a broader media ecosystem
Audience size vs. audience value
Why niche audiences can be more powerful than mass reach
How creators are building multi-platform distribution systems
YouTube, X, Instagram, Substack, newsletters, and short-form video
The role of clips in modern media growth
Why traditional media struggles to capture the creator-led “vibe”
How legacy media companies could partner with creators
Why “podcast” may be an audience term more than a creator identity
Netflix, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and the shifting meaning of shows
AI-generated podcasts, AI micro-dramas, and synthetic content
Disclosure and transparency around AI-created media
Why human taste, trust, charisma, and curation still matter
The future of podcasting inside the larger New Media category
Chapter Markers:
00:00 Welcome to New Media Show #668
00:30 Why New Media Is Entering a New Era
01:30 Introducing Ollie Forsyth
03:00 What New Media Means Now
04:00 How New-Media.co Started
05:30 Why the New Media Category Is Gaining Attention
06:30 Mapping the New Media Landscape
08:00 How Creators Get Discovered
10:00 Creator Economy vs. New Media
11:30 Why OpenAI and TBPN Became a Signal
13:30 Audience Value vs. Audience Size
16:30 Timely vs. Timeless Content
18:00 Why Distribution Channels Matter
20:00 Are Podcasters Becoming Creators?
21:30 AI Micro-Dramas and New Entertainment Formats
23:00 Short-Form Content and Creator ROI
25:00 Building Multiple Distribution Channels
27:00 Is Podcasting Still the Right Term?
29:00 Apple Podcasts, HLS Video, and YouTube’s Influence
31:30 New Media as a Broader Category
32:30 Why AI Companies Want New Media Shows
33:30 Why Legacy Media Struggles to Adapt
35:00 The Vibe Difference Between Traditional Media and Creator Media
37:00 X, Instagram, and the New Distribution Stack
40:30 YouTube, Video, and Future-Proofing Media Brands
43:00 Planning Content Like a Media Company
45:00 Is Podcasting One Lane on a Bigger Freeway?
48:00 Why Creators Need More Than One Channel
50:00 Does the Audience Care What We Call It?
52:00 Is It Just a Show Now?
53:30 Netflix, YouTube, and Audience Expectations
55:00 Is New Media Here to Stay?
56:30 Taste, Attention, and Human Connection
58:30 AI-Generated Content and Podcasting’s Reaction
01:00:30 AI Disclosure and Transparency
01:02:00 AI Micro-Dramas and Synthetic Media
01:03:30 Can AI Replace the Human Element?
01:05:00 Bad AI Content vs. Bad Human Content
01:07:00 Why YouTube Raises the Production Bar
01:09:00 Why Human Curation Still Matters
01:11:00 Where New Media Goes Next
01:13:00 Closing Thoughts
Guest and Host Links
Guest: Ollie Forsyth Founder, New Economies and New-Media.co
New Media: new-media.co
New Economies: neweconomies.co
About the Host/Author: Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the New Media Show and Spoken Human, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He has held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, Podbean, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame.
Personal / AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode description and generate show notes from the episode transcript. The views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting, digital media, and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position and editorial direction.
Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services.
Personal/AI Disclosure Note:I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have made hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position.
Ashley and Rob also explore how X is becoming a real-time professional media layer, why founders, investors, executives, and AI builders are returning to the platform, and why companies are experimenting with live streaming, clipping, launch videos, short-form content, and creator-style formats to reach professional audiences.
The episode also moves into AI-generated media, human-hosted content, AI clones, disclosure, and trust. Rob argues that human-created and AI-created content may both need clear labeling, while Ashley points out that long-form podcasts may remain more defensible because listeners often build real relationships with hosts over time.
This conversation lands on a bigger media reality: New Media is no longer just a technology term. It is becoming a business category, a creator category, a trust category, and a professional influence category. Podcasting helped build the foundation, but the next version of New Media is broader, more video-driven, more AI-assisted, more platform-diverse, and more dependent on trust than ever before.
Key Topics:
What “New Media” means in 2026
Creator economy vs. New Media
Audience as an asset vs. status as an asset
Why podcasting helped define early New Media
Whether podcasters should now think more like creators and show builders
Apple Podcasts HLS video and the return of video podcasting
YouTube, Spotify, X, and the platform shift around shows
Why VCs and startups are using the term New Media
X is a professional media and live content platform
Traditional media is trying to become more internet-native
AI-generated podcasts, AI clones, and synthetic media
Human-hosted content, disclosure, and audience trust
Why long-form podcasts may remain defensible in the AI era
Chapter Markers:
00:00 Cold Open and Welcome
00:32 What Does New Media Mean
02:08 Podcasting Meets Multi Format
03:14 Meet Rob Greenlee
04:01 Introducing Ashley Christensen
04:53 Ashley’s Creator Economy Journey
08:26 AI Definitions of New Media
12:35 Creator Economy vs New Media
16:29 The Kill Switch Test
21:38 Is VC Rebranding New Media
24:10 Niche Status Media Examples
31:55 Traditional Media Goes Internet Native
34:59 Podcasting Identity and Convergence
41:35 Creator as a Catch-All Term
43:56 Naming New Media
46:11 Podcast Term Debate
51:02 X Shapes Media
55:35 X Video Creator Push
01:00:51 Twitter Podcast Roots
01:04:38 AI Flooding Podcasts
01:07:48 Human Trust Labels
01:11:34 Clones and Disclosure
01:17:49 Trust Factor Wrap
01:18:19 Closing and Where to Follow
Guest: Ashley Christenson / Ashni
Streaming strategist, creator economy, and new media operator
About the Host/Author: Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services.
Personal/AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have many hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guests’. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position. The original word choice was mine, and so is the clarification.
Rob and Imran discuss why human editorial judgment, clear labeling, attribution, and credible review systems may become even more importantfor listeners, creators, and platforms.
Key Topics Covered
Podcast discovery in 2026
Why podcast charts and algorithms often fall short
The difference between reviews, ratings, and listener comments
Why constructive criticism can help creators improve
How Great Pods uses professional reviews and attribution
Why human critics can become trusted discovery filters
The role of word-of-mouth recommendations in podcast growth
Why YouTube has become a major podcast discovery platform
How video, RSS, APIs, and platform exclusives are changing podcast definitions
Why AI-generated content increases the need for labeling and transparency
How podcasters can use reviews, badges, backlinks, and SEO to build credibility
What creators should do to make their shows more discoverable
Can independent podcasters still succeed in a noisier, more competitive market?
What does “winning” even mean now: downloads, money, trust, community, authority, or sustainability?
Why the Podpage and School of Podcasting connection matters for podcast education and creator websites
Why podcasters need a home base beyond social platforms and YouTube
How AI is changing show notes, images, writing, research, production, and creator workflows
Why AI-generated content should not all be treated as spam, but fraud and abuse must be addressed
How human storytelling, lived experience, and trust help creators stand apart from AI content
Why video is becoming harder to ignore, but audio-only creators should not panic
How YouTube has changed public perception of what a podcast is
What Apple’s HLS video direction could mean for audio, video, RSS, and creator workflows
Why websites, email lists, communities, and audience ownership still matter
How indie creators can avoid burnout while adapting to new media expectations
Indie podcasters can still win, but the definition of winning has changed.
Creators need more than a microphone and a media host. They need clarity, a trusted point of view, a website, a distribution plan, and a realistic path to audience growth.
AI is not going away. The smartest creators will learn how to use it without losing their human voice.
Video will continue reshaping podcasting, but not every creator has to become a full-scale video studio overnight.
Human-created content still has a powerful advantage when it is rooted in story, experience, transparency, and trust.
Websites are becoming more important again because creators need a stable home base that is not controlled by a single platform.
Podcast education matters because the barrier to starting is low, but the barrier to standing out is much higher.
Dave Jackson
Founder, School of Podcasting
Head of Podcasting, Podpage.com
2018 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee
Author of Profit From Your Podcast
Dave Jackson has been helping creators launch and improve podcasts since 2005 through the School of Podcasting. He is also Head of Podcasting at Podpage, where he supports podcasters using websites as a central hub for discovery, audience ownership, and long-term growth. (The School of Podcasting)
Rob Greenlee
Host, The New Media Show
Podcast Hall of Fame inductee
Chairperson, Podcast Hall of Fame
Founder, Trust Factor Lab and Adore Network
Co-Founder, Passion Struck Network
This episode answers a major creator economy question for 2026: Can indie podcasters and independent media creators still compete as podcasting becomes more professional, more video-driven, and more influenced by AI?
Rob Greenlee and Dave Jackson explain why the answer is yes, but only if creators evolve. The winning indie creator now needs a clear purpose, a strong human voice, trusted expertise, a discoverable website, owned audience channels, thoughtful use of AI, and a strategy that works across audio, video, search, social, and community.
The episode is especially useful for podcasters, YouTube creators, podcast consultants, media educators, creator economy leaders, podcast hosting companies, AI media startups, and independent showrunners trying to understand the next phase of podcasting and new media.
Brendan breaks AI into three areas: how Libsyn uses it internally as a business, how AI can assist creators with production and publishing workflows, and how fully AI-generated content may affect the medium’s future.
Rob adds a deeper perspective by arguing that AI podcasting is already becoming more competitive than many in the industry want to admit. The two discuss whether the market will ultimately decide what AI content succeeds, why “AI slop” may be too broad a label, and why trust and disclosure may become much more important as synthetic media becomes harder to distinguish from human-created work.
The episode also dives into one of the most important strategic tensions in podcasting right now: RSS versus API publishing.
Rob and Brendan both acknowledge that most creators care more about simple distribution than the underlying protocol, but they also recognize that this shift has major implications for openness, platform control, and long-term creator independence.
Their exchange about Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and the shift toward more controlled video delivery models reflects a broader market reality:creators increasingly want to be everywhere, but the mechanics of getting there are becoming more fragmented and platform-specific.
Another strong section of the conversation centers on video.
Brendan says Libsyn intends to be a leader in video, while Rob raises a practical concern many creators are just beginning to feel: a show that works well on YouTube may not automatically translate well to an audio-first experience, and a show built for traditional audio may not fully satisfy video-driven discovery environments. That raises the possibility that creators will need to think more deliberately about format, audience expectations, and whether a single production workflow can truly serve all platforms equally well.
The conversation becomes especially valuable when the two discuss metrics:
Apple’s HLS direction, and what streaming-style delivery might mean for podcast measurement and advertising. They point to a future in which the industry may move closer to actual listening signals rather than relying so heavily on download-based assumptions. If that happens, it could affect CPMs, ad sales, programmatic video advertising, and the broader economics of the medium.
Rob also frames one of the biggest unresolved questions in new media today:
If AI-generated shows become easier, faster, and more polished, what will human creators need to do to remain distinct and trusted?
The answer that emerges from this episode is not panic. It is focus, transparency, stronger format thinking, and a deeper commitment to serving audiences with clarity and value. That makes this episode less about Libsyn alone and more about the future structure of podcasting itself.
Topic Chapters and Timestamps
00:00 Podcast hosting is no longer simple
01:00 What creators now expect from hosting platforms
02:00 Brendan Monaghan introduction and background
03:00 Why Libsyn’s legacy still matters
05:00 Hosting, publishing, monetization, and measurement
07:00 How Libsyn expanded its monetization business
08:00 Why creators should not need to leave Libsyn to scale
09:00 How monetization changed podcasting
10:00 Lowering barriers for creators to earn revenue
12:00 What the future hosting platform should become
13:00 Newsletters, live events, merchandise, and creator tools
15:00 AI and creator workflows
16:00 Brendan’s three-bucket view of AI
18:00 AI-generated content and the “AI slop” debate
20:00 Why the market may decide what AI content wins
23:00 RSS versus API publishing
25:00 Simplicity and multi-platform distribution
26:00 Why RSS matters less to end users now
28:00 Open versus closed ecosystems
29:00 RSS innovation and slow adoption
31:00 Apple HLS and changing audio-video delivery
32:00 Platform control and the walled garden debate
41:00 Measurement, streaming, and actual listening data
43:00 Programmatic video ads and creative formats
45:00 Why video creators may need to think more like audio creators
47:00 Can AI help bridge the gap between formats?
49:00 Audio loyalty versus video momentum
50:00 The growing pressure on creators to win everywhere
51:00 AI Algorithms, the first audience for human content
53:00 Are AI-generated shows driving growth?
55:00 AI clone content and rising competition for humans
56:00 Why AI labeling may become essential
59:00 What Libsyn will focus on over the next 24 months
01:01:00 Audio, video, audience growth, and execution
01:03:00 Staying focused on core creator needs
01:05:00 Closing thoughts
This episode answers key industry questions that creators, executives, and media strategists are increasingly asking:
-What is Libsyn doing next under Brendan Monaghan?
-How is podcast hosting changing in 2026?
-Will video become a required part of podcast distribution?
-What does Apple’s HLS move mean for audio and video podcasting?
-Is RSS still the future, or are APIs taking over?
-How will AI-generated content affect podcasting, trust, and monetization?
-What should creators expect from modern hosting platforms now?
-Those questions are directly addressed in this discussion, making this episode highly relevant to search, social discovery, AI answer engines, and recommendation surfaces.
We also spend time on Apple’s HLS video move and what it may mean for podcasting’s future. Sharon shares how Triton had already been preparing for a broader video environment and why Apple’s support for HLS is such a meaningful shift.
We discuss how HLS could improve flexibility around delivery, ad insertion, and measurement, while still raising important questions about RSS, open distribution, and whether major platforms may slowly pull podcasting into more platform-specific publishing models over time.
Another major topic in this episode is trust.
From programmatic advertising to AI-generated content to labeling and transparency, Sharon and I explore how podcasting can continue to grow without losing the authentic connection that made the medium valuable in the first place.
We both agree that podcasting still has enormous strength as an audio-led medium, but the industry is now balancing openness, innovation, and monetization in ways that will define the next few years.
This is a wide-ranging and important discussion for anyone watching the evolution of podcasting, video, ad tech, platform power, and the future of open media.
– Why Triton Digital matters in podcasting right now
– Sharon Taylor’s path from Omny Studio to Triton CRO
– What Triton is seeing in audio versus video audience behavior
– Why podcasting is becoming multi-format, not simply video-first
– How Omny Studio and Spreaker fit different parts of the publishing market
– What Apple’s HLS video move changes for publishers and hosting platforms
– Why advertiser confidence and better measurement matter more than ever
– The future of RSS, open podcasting, and platform fragmentation
– How AI-generated content is affecting publishing growth and industry trust
– Where Sharon sees the next big opportunities for podcast growth
Sharon Taylor is the Chief Revenue Officer at Triton Digital. She was appointed to the CRO role in August 2025 after helping lead Triton’s podcast and content delivery efforts. Before joining Triton, Sharon was CEO of Omny Studio and played a key role in building it into one of the leading enterprise podcast platforms before its acquisition by Triton Digital.
Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer, Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame, and leader behind Trust Factor Lab and Trust Creators Community at M3Linked.
Podcasting pros use Podpage – Build a podcast or video show website that updates itself and showcases your show beautifully. Start for just $12/month! –>podpage.com?via=adore
In the episode, he explains that podcasting’s deepest strength is not raw information delivery but feeling, intimacy, and connection. He argues that podcasting works when people are not just informed but emotionally connected to the speakers and the place being discussed. That idea becomes the foundation for how City Cast approaches local media.
One of the most useful parts of this episode is hearing David describe what City Cast is actually trying to replace and what it is not.
He makes clear that City Cast is not primarily a breaking-news operation. Instead, it builds on an existing local news ecosystem and tries to become the smartest, most interesting, and most delightful daily conversation about what matters in a city. That distinction matters. It means City Cast is not trying to be a direct substitute for newspapers or broadcast radio in every function. It is trying to become additive, conversational, and habit-forming in ways that better fit the strengths of podcasting.
From there, the conversation moves into the central tension of the episode: if podcasting is so strong at local trust and emotional connection, why is local podcasting still so hard to scale?
David is candid about the addressable audience being smaller, discovery being difficult, and the economics still being figured out. Those are not minor obstacles. They are the core business problem. City Cast’s challenge is not simply editorial quality. It is proving that local podcast audiences are valuable, engaged, and commercially meaningful enough to support a durable business.
That leads directly into the video. One of the strongest strategic insights in the episode is David’s acknowledgment that City Cast did not lean into social and video early enough. He says plainly that the company is now correcting that. The reason is not that audio has failed. The reason is that discovery increasingly happens elsewhere.
Younger audiences find local information through social media, YouTube, and short-form feeds. Audio may still be the best format for relationships and routines, but video and social are becoming essential for visibility, especially among younger audiences.
A core theme in this episode is that the real opportunity may not be “local podcasts” as a narrow category, but local media brands built around podcasts. City Cast is already moving in that direction through newsletters, events, social distribution, and membership. David’s description of the “Neighbors” membership concept is especially revealing. It shows that the City Cast brand is not just about delivering content. It is about building a sense of mutuality, place, and civic belonging. That is a different ambition than simply growing downloads. It is also where local podcasting may have an edge over broader media.
This episode ultimately lands on a simple reality: local podcasting is real, but it is not easy. Audio still has a unique role to play in building trust and connection, but it is no longer enough to rely on audio alone for growth and discovery.
The winning local media brands may be the ones that understand how to keep audio at the center while surrounding it with the right mix of video, social, newsletters, and community. In that sense, this conversation is not just about local podcasts. It is about where the media gets human again.
Quick Q & A Answers
What is City Cast trying to build? A local media network built around daily city podcasts, newsletters, social content, and events that help people feel more connected to where they live.
Is local podcasting a replacement for local newspapers or radio? Not exactly. David describes it more as additive than as a replacement, with podcasting playing to conversation, feeling, and connection rather than to pure breaking news.
Why is local podcasting hard to build as a business? The audience is geographically limited, discovery is difficult, and the economics are still being worked out. City Cast is trying to prove that highly engaged local audiences can support a durable model.
Does video matter for local podcasts? Yes, increasingly as a discovery-and-growth layer. David says City Cast came to social and video later than it should have and is now correcting that.
What is the deeper advantage of local audio? Its strength is emotional connection, intimacy, daily relevance, and trust. That may matter more as audiences seek media that feels useful and human.
Video Chapters:
00:00 Welcome and local media framing 02:26 David Plotz joins the show 03:00 Slate Political Gabfest history 07:39 Live events and audience connection 11:47 Podcasting as emotion and intimacy 16:27 Why City Cast exists 18:07 How City Cast serves cities 20:12 Why City Cast is additive, not a replacement 25:00 The economics of local podcasting 26:22 Washington DC and local news opportunity 29:12 Local versus diaspora audiences 32:02 Your City Could Be Better 33:14 Local advertising and audience value 35:12 Why local podcasting is harder than it looks 37:02 Social discovery and local media habits 38:07 Video and Apple Podcasts 44:40 City Cast video workflow challenge 47:28 Graham Holdings and Megaphone context 51:12 Which cities work best for City Cast 53:12 Public radio overlap and younger audiences 54:40 Why City Cast missed the video early 57:27 Audio, video, and multimedia future 01:00:11 Neighbors and local trust 01:01:53 Politics, balance, and civic voice 01:05:18 Events and community building 01:06:36 Wrap up
