Sept. 23, 2026

Who Controls the Podcast? Navigating Reach, Video & the Future of the Format

Who Controls the Podcast? Navigating Reach, Video & the Future of the Format

As podcasting expands beyond the traditional RSS feed, creators and publishers have more opportunities than ever to reach audiences, but what are they giving up in exchange?

In this episode of The Podcast Advertising Playbook, Heather Osgood sits down with Andy Slater, Head of Partnerships & Strategy at ART19, to unpack what “control” really means in today’s increasingly distributed podcast ecosystem. They explore the rise of video, the trade-offs between reach and ownership, whether creators risk becoming too dependent on distribution partners, and how publishers should think about choosing the right platforms for their content.

They also tackle a bigger industry question: Has the definition of a podcast fundamentally changed? Andy shares his perspective on a format-agnostic future, what makes podcasting distinct even as its boundaries expand, and what creators and advertisers should be thinking about as audience behavior continues to evolve.

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