More fake shows on the way, as Meta’s Muse gets into podcasting

Sponsored by Gamut Podcast Network. When did your network last call you? Big networks sell their top shows and forget the rest. At Gamut, every show gets a real sales plan. Visit our website or email [email protected] Meta's Muse has only been available since September, but it appears that this new AI assistant is capable of researching content for podcasts, recording podcasts using artificial voices, and hosting podcasts on its own servers. We've found more than 20 shows which are already being hosted on Meta's platform - including one from a man who calls himself Charles Mayfield, who says he runs a podcast network and has even partnered with a university for internships. But is he real? We take a "deep dive" into how Muse hosts podcasts, and discover a rabbit-hole of pretence, dishonesty, "Alex and Jordan", and very strange wording. The UK podcast company Message Heard has gone into voluntary liquidation. Podnews has learnt that fourteen freelancers have not been paid for their work for some time; and staff have been made redundant. In the past four years alone, the company appears to have lost more than the equivalent of US $5.3mn. There's a new, free, place for voices today - as Podeo unveiled a complete platform overhaul at WebSummit. The company has stopped using the word "podcast", focusing instead on "infrastructure for the voice economy", and the new Podeo focuses on "the three things every voice actually does - create, reach and earn". It's free, with unlimited storage. > > > Read more of today’s podcast industry news stories on the Podnews website: and get our free daily newsletter. Classifieds - your job or ad here Podcasting for Business Conference — Why your business needs a podcast. Transform your podcast into a powerful business asset with the top voices in podcasting, November 16-17, 2026. Check out the agenda and join us. It's at no charge! 🚨 Final Chance to Book November Podcast Campaigns — Only 5 days left to lock in self-serve campaigns running 11/16-11/30 on Player FM! Boost downloads, grow your audience, and get your show discovered. Don’t wait! Gold supporters: Buzzsprout, Mowpod, Beehiiv, The $100 MBA, Podbean, Cloud10, The Podglomerate, Audiohook, Scicomm Media, Podscribe, Sounds Profitable, Cohost, Simplecast, Libsyn, The Content Creator's Accountant, Magid, audioBoom, RedCircle, PAVE Studios, PodProtect - podcast identity pr, Jar Podcast Solutions, Awesound, Acast, Podpage websites, We Edit Podcasts Silver supporters: Audacia Audio, Gamut Podcast Network, Bumper, Sounds Debatable, True Native Media, Nomono, Magellan AI, PodAnalyst, Castbox, ARN's iHeartPodcast Network Aust, Podcast Movement, Jonekiri, SoundStack, Tink Media, The Podcast Haven, Locked On Podcast Network, POW PR, Hypecast, Voxtopica, Companion Arts, iono.fm, Podium , Podium, Frequency, Red Seat Ventures, Ausha, Blubrry, Truefans, Compliance Podcast Network, Health Podcast Library, Lemonada Media, Transistor, Jam Street Media, Sonic Influencer Marketing, Double Elvis Productions, Diversion Podcasts, Rhapsody Voices, Rephonic, Headliner, CreatorX, Podcast Partnership, Content10x, Cleanfeed, Lower Street, Podigy, Revolver Podcasts, School of Podcasting, Adopter Media, Signal Hill Insights Our supporters pay for Podnews, so everyone can read it. Join them today. Image: Carson Arias