Today in the business of podcasting:Spotify has officially integrated five new hosting platforms into its video distribution ecosystem and announced that Spotify-hosted podcasts will gain support for Apple Podcasts' HLS video technology, enabling video distribution to Apple Podcasts without changing existing setups.New research from Sound Insights finds that 79% of U.K. podcast listeners recall an ad heard in the past week, outperforming most media in a country where nearly half of adults cannot recall any brand advertising, with podcast ad recall among 18-to-34-year-olds surpassing broadcast TV.RAJAR Q1 2026 data shows U.K. radio weekly reach growing slightly year over year at 87% of the population, with 27% of adults listening to podcasts each week and 11% of podcast listeners reporting no traditional radio consumption.Streamonomics reports the top eight U.S. streamers posted a combined $9.8 billion in Q1 2026 profits, a 54% increase from 2025, while the Attention 20 index of top global attention economy companies reached $20 trillion in enterprise value.Japan's inaugural PODCAST EXPO 2026 drew 12,713 attendees across two days in Tokyo, bringing together podcast creators, listeners, and industry professionals in what organizers describe as Japan's largest podcast festival to date.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.

Sounds Profitable

Bryan Barletta

Spotify πŸ”œ Apple Podcasts HLS, Podcasts Grab Ad-Avoiders, & More

MAY 14, 20265 MIN
Sounds Profitable

Spotify πŸ”œ Apple Podcasts HLS, Podcasts Grab Ad-Avoiders, & More

MAY 14, 20265 MIN

Description

Today in the business of podcasting:Spotify has officially integrated five new hosting platforms into its video distribution ecosystem and announced that Spotify-hosted podcasts will gain support for Apple Podcasts' HLS video technology, enabling video distribution to Apple Podcasts without changing existing setups.New research from Sound Insights finds that 79% of U.K. podcast listeners recall an ad heard in the past week, outperforming most media in a country where nearly half of adults cannot recall any brand advertising, with podcast ad recall among 18-to-34-year-olds surpassing broadcast TV.RAJAR Q1 2026 data shows U.K. radio weekly reach growing slightly year over year at 87% of the population, with 27% of adults listening to podcasts each week and 11% of podcast listeners reporting no traditional radio consumption.Streamonomics reports the top eight U.S. streamers posted a combined $9.8 billion in Q1 2026 profits, a 54% increase from 2025, while the Attention 20 index of top global attention economy companies reached $20 trillion in enterprise value.Japan's inaugural PODCAST EXPO 2026 drew 12,713 attendees across two days in Tokyo, bringing together podcast creators, listeners, and industry professionals in what organizers describe as Japan's largest podcast festival to date.To find links to these, and every article covered in today's episode, click here. You can also subscribe to The Download's newsletter to receive the full issue straight to your email inbox every day.