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Predictions 2025 and Beyond: Podcasting Identity Crisis

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By Rob Greenlee, Podcast Tips Show, and NewMediaShow.com

The Evolving Meaning of “Podcast(s)” in 2025 and Beyond

Rob Greenlee

As 2025 approaches and arrives, the podcasting industry stands at a crossroads. The definition of what a podcast is—and what it represents—is increasingly under scrutiny. Once synonymous with independent, RSS-fed, downloadable audio content, the term “podcast” now risks becoming a catch-all descriptor for digital media, blurring the lines between audio and video; open platforms are under threat, and growing proprietary ecosystem communities, and human creator-driven versus AI-generated content. However, entirely AI-created content becomes indistinguishable from human-generated content, with AI assistance becoming the norm.

“The word “podcast(s)” once evoked images of niche audio and video shows downloaded via open RSS feeds and played on dedicated podcast consumption apps. For many years, platforms like Spotify, YouTube, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook, and Rumble have been reshaping and expanding the meaning and complexity of being an online media podcaster creator.”

Video and perceived video podcasts dominate YouTube and other video enabled platforms. Spotify’s deals with creators like Joe Rogan signal a shift toward a hosting and redistribution model for the large proprietary consumption platforms, while Spotify was willing to allow Rogan to distribute externally via RSS and be in YouTube. Meanwhile, creators often migrate to platforms prioritizing audience growth and early monetization, and increasing creator desire for paid content and community building reshape expectations. More direct creator and audience relationships expand and enable direct monetization support not controlled by enormous consumption platforms like Spotify and YouTube.

“In this landscape, the word “podcast(s)” risks becoming synonymous with “online content and content creators,” regardless of format. This shift poses an existential question: Does podcasting’s identity remain rooted in open distribution and audio storytelling, or does it evolve into a broader descriptor encompassing video, proprietary content, and even AI-driven creations? The truth is that video has always been part of podcasting and is not new, but it is reshaping the medium in new ways.“

The Rise of the “Creator”

As podcasting grapples with its identity, the term “creator” is rising in prominence and relevance. It’s an inclusive label that captures the multifaceted roles of today’s media producers. Whether crafting audio narratives, filming engaging videos, or leveraging AI tools for content generation, creators are no longer bound by traditional formats, creation processes, and tools.

This shift reflects broader industry trends. Once a secondary consideration, monetization is now the primary “first mover” motivator for many aspiring creators. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have normalized the expectation of early financial rewards, and proprietary podcast platforms are following suit. The entry of well-known personalities from mainstream media further accelerates this trend, bringing polished production, established audiences, and high expectations for monetization.

The Threat to Open Podcasting

Proprietary platforms are reshaping podcasting, but at what cost? Open RSS-based podcasting, which democratized content distribution, is under threat. Platforms like Spotify offer creators tools for growth and monetization, but often at the expense of independence and open distribution with increasing rehosting of content in a move away from podcasters centrally hosting media and having a pass-through process. Drawn to convenience and exclusive content, listeners may unknowingly contribute to the decline of open ecosystems.

This trend mirrors the consolidation seen in other media industries. As large platforms gain control, they shape the rules of engagement, from content discoverability to monetization structures. While these platforms promise greater reach, they also impose greater control, including the potential for algorithmic moderation and censorship.

The Role of AI in Content Creation

AI is both a disruptor and an enabler. On one hand, AI tools make it easier than ever to create, package, and distribute content. They can generate ads, show notes, transcribe episodes, and create derivative content like highlights or social media clips. This represents a significant opportunity for creators to streamline production and expand their reach.

On the other hand, the rise of AI-generated content blurs the line between human creativity and machine efficiency. As platforms embrace AI for content moderation, the risk of censorship increases. Creators may find their work suppressed or altered by AI to meet platform guidelines, raising questions about artistic integrity and freedom of expression.

Monetization and Moderation: The New Battleground

The lure of monetization attracts creators to platforms that promise financial rewards, but it also comes with strings attached depending on the chosen distribution consumption platform. Content moderation is becoming increasingly sophisticated and driven by AI and platform policies. While moderation can protect against harmful content, it can stifle creativity and dissent.

For creators, this dynamic presents a dilemma: accept the trade-offs of platform dependency or navigate the challenges of remaining independent. As monetization becomes the central focus, creators may prioritize content that aligns with platform algorithms, potentially at the expense of originality and authenticity.

Looking Ahead: A Fragmented Future

By 2025 and beyond, the podcasting landscape may be unrecognizable. The term “podcast(s)” could encompass everything from traditional audio shows to video series, AI-generated cloned voice and visual narratives, and beyond. The rise of proprietary platforms, combined with the increasing prominence of AI, suggests a future where content creation is more accessible but also more controlled and global in every language.

The challenge for the podcasting community is to preserve the values that made the medium unique: open distribution, creative freedom, and audience-first storytelling. Whether podcasting retains its identity or evolves into a broader category of online content will depend on the choices made by creators, platforms, and listeners.

The Identity Crisis

Podcasting’s identity crisis reflects broader changes in the media landscape. As platforms consolidate power, creators must decide whether to prioritize reach and monetization or independence and authenticity. The evolution of the term “podcaster” or “podcasting”—and the rise of the “creator” as a defining label—signals a shift in how we think about content creation and consumption.

In navigating this future, the podcasting community must confront hard questions about its values, goals, and identity. The choices made today will shape the medium for years to come, determining whether podcasting thrives as an independent art form or becomes another cog in the machine of digital media.

The Dying Era of Podcast Exclusives

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By Rob Greenlee, Co-Host of NewMediaShow.com and Host of Trust Factor with Rob Greenlee

Rob Greenlee, VP of Content and Partnerships, Libsyn

Many say that we are in a time of change and need to be open to innovation in the podcasting industry. Could some of these new ideas change podcasting in ways that may slow or harm the medium with such strong and consistent growth over the past 19+ years?

There is an explosion of interest in the video at large dominant platforms like YouTube, Spotify Video, Rumble, and all the other short and long-form video-consuming platforms.

Podcasting originated 19+ years ago around the idea of open distribution that gave the potential to reach as many listeners as possible. For most of that period, it has been assumed that to be considered a podcast by strict original definition; one must distribute via an RSS feed to many listening platforms and go to where audio listeners and, back then, video viewers were too.

The idea behind podcasting was to create an eco-system that is open and filled with new innovative ideas from software developers and content creators to do their craft in a way that was not limited by gatekeepers or large companies trying to control the creative process and to a large degree the distribution of the results of that creative process.

Exclusives have been an old media construct to create control and monetization for the platform and have been less about what is best for the creator. In most cases, the listening or viewing platform or network is the only beneficiary of exclusives.

See the quote below.

“I also think it means that broadcasters, or production companies, can probably be too quick to make things exclusive. Hiding them away when they aren’t significantly famous doesn’t probably generate you that much value.”  The quote above from Matt Deegan

This topic of podcast exclusives has been evolving since the very early days of podcasting and is now declining with a challenging economy. Over the years, podcasting is still dominated by the RSS feed but has recently shifted to the model of RSS feeds being optional. That makes one go. Hmm, what is going on?

In a growing number of examples, more recently, these exclusives have meant shutting down the use of RSS feeds, and Spotify’s Anchor podcast hosting platform has made generating an RSS feed an optional ask and not a default function.

See the quote below from Spotify’s Anchor platform head, Michael Mignano, in a post earlier this past spring of 2021. This post explained the reasons for this change are that it gives the content creator more significant control over the distribution of the audio content. Still, this change at Anchor also has the unsaid benefit of getting Spotify exclusive shows on its platform for FREE in exchange for Free hosting, as their automatic ad insertion monetization strategy never reaches scale.

Greater control over which platforms ingest, publish, and monetize creators’ content: “As more and more new audio platforms emerge and look to capitalize on the growing audio space, creators must have control over which platforms are aggregating their content from the web (and in some cases, building their businesses on top of creators’ content without their consent). When a creator launches a new podcast on most podcast creation platforms (including Anchor), the platform automatically generates an RSS feed and publishes it to the open web. This published RSS feed makes it possible for any platform or website to ingest the RSS feed and display and even monetize the content. This can happen without explicit permission from the creator. As part of our distribution update, we will only generate an RSS feed if the creator explicitly wants one (and we’ll present clear options on how to do so at the time of publishing). This will ensure that each creator can explicitly publish their podcast with an RSS feed (enabling any platform to ingest, display, and monetize that content) rather than happening automatically without the creator’s consent.

Suppose you’re already an existing Anchor creator and would like to opt out of your RSS feed being published and available to be ingested by any platform. In that case, you may contact us anytime to request we change your distribution settings to your liking.” Quote from former Spotify’s Anchor platform head Michael Mignano

I do like the message and idea of giving content creators more control. We are emerging into a time when content creators or podcasters need to value their work more, and limiting access to it is one approach as Spotify Anchor is driving here, but doing it through a platform like Spotify may not be the best approach for most podcasters that are looking for growing an audience and potentially monetizing. The history of Anchor and now Spotify for Podcasters is not one with a solid history of generating and consistently publishing podcast shows with a growing audience. Still, it has been a platform full of podfaded shows.

Most shows created on the Anchor platform have exploded the false perception that the podcasting market is flooded with millions of new successful podcasts. Many now feel like it is too late to get into podcasting because it is too crowded, and the truth is it is just not too late.

The Hard To Find Consensus on Truths

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The below post has nothing to do with Podcasting and was originally posted on Facebook. 

Given the reactions I am seeing in the media and on social media to issues around men sexual harassment of women. Why did half of this country look the other away and still elect Trump given his admitted abuse and harassment of women? Seems like a mixed message to me, especially given that he was running against a women for President.

Such a scary time for gender relations. You can just feel the pent up anger coming out all over the place in so many ways these days.

The electronic communications of the internet has unleashed the ability to share facts and falsehoods on an equal playing field. It seems like accusations are the same as truths these days, but accusations can be half truths as grey areas exist in all part of life. Yet the internet does such a great job of only exposing the extremes or black and white in all issues.

I fear we as a society are on a path to ongoing cultural civil wars that spans so many areas of conflict that the battles will harden sides and we many never be able to all live in any form of peace or harmony ever again.

I am worried about the path we are on as it seems rather impossible to bring people together. Please correct me if I am wrong or is this the path to improvement in human interaction?

Rob Greenlee

My goal above was to take a neutral tone in my thoughts and really look at the reality of what is happening in the USA today and provide some thought provoking questions that we all need to consider as we COULD be headed in a very bad direction in this country unless we start to focus on the real truth.

Here is the post on Facebook and you have the option to comment below as well.