The obituary provided by his company, Blubrry Podcasting, does not give a cause, and the passing appears to have been peaceful. Todd was returning from a family visit when he passed away.
Todd Cochrane was a podcast trailblazer. In 2005, close to the beginning of podcasting as a media type, he founded RawVoice, giving early podcasters a range of tools, services, and statistics. A year later Cochrane launched hosting and monetization platform Blubrry Podcasting. His dawn-of-industry podcast, Geek News Central, was one of the first ad-supported shows.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of our founder and CEO, Todd Cochrane,” said Blubrry CFO Barry Kantz. “Todd was more than a visionary in podcasting—he was a pioneer, a tireless advocate, and above all, a friend. From launching one of the first podcasts, Geek News Central, to being among the earliest to secure advertising in podcasting, Todd helped shape the modern podcasting industry. He literally wrote the book on podcasting at a time when few even knew what it was. His leadership, passion, and belief in independent creators guided Blubrry from day one. Todd’s impact on our company, our team, and the entire podcasting community is immeasurable. We will miss him dearly but carry forward his mission with the same dedication he showed every single day.”
Blubrry released this statement: “This is a devastating loss for our company, our industry, and all who knew him,” the team shared. “But Todd gave us the talent, the direction, and the heart to continue forward. Together, we will carry on his mission and ensure that Blubrry remains a home for podcasters everywhere.”
Blubrry plans to release information in the coming days about services and other ways to honor Todd’s memory.