Steve Goldstein: The Clip Economy is Eating Everything
In this edition of Steve Goldstein’s column, he examines short-form clips of larger audio pieces, speculating that podcast clips might become the main podcast product. Continue Reading
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Steve Goldstein: AI can make podcasts. But can it make anyone care?
In this edition of Steve Goldstein’s column, he assesses the goods and bads of AI. It can now generate podcasts at industrial scale, he observes. But after hearing what Gen Z thought of AI-generated shows, one thing is clear: making content is easy — making people care is much harder. “AI lowers the cost of making content, but it does nothing by itself to increase the value of that content to a listener or viewer; if anything, it increases the noise.” Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: The Attention Economy Comes for Podcasting
“A download is not a listen” — that’s a key message in Steve Goldstein’s latest guest column. He calls it “the download illusion” — a download is a metric of distribution, not consumption. This is key to the slow shift undertaken by the podcast industry to understand consumption realistically. Big platforms are moving beyond the download, and Steve discusses Spotify, YouTube, Apple, and Netflix. Then Steve extends the principle beyond audio to hotels (Marriott) and restaurants (Starbucks). “Radio knew this all along,” Steve asserts. There is also consideration of loyal fandom compared to large audiences. “You don’t need massive scale to build something valuable.” And more. This is one of the most compressed pieces of wisdom Steve has produced in this column. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Apple Just Moved the Center of Gravity in Podcasting
“The container is fluid. The brand is constant.” In his latest guest column, Steve Goldstein (Founder, Amplifi Media) recognizes the importance of Apple’s recent addition of native video in its podcast listening app — accelerating a transformation already evident elsewhere, notably YouTube and Spotify. Flowing from that new reality, Steve observes that revenue and complexity evolve together, and that strategic clarity evolve together. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Podcasting 2026: The Ups and Downs of Audio in 2025
An even dozen. That’s the number of key developments in audio last year. “In 2025, the story wasn’t just about growth. It was about acceleration, convergence, and mounting pressure on long-standing models, metrics, and assumptions.” We are delighted to run Steve Goldstein’s first guest column of 2026, and look forward to many more. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Podcasting 2026: Welcome to the Era of Liquid Content
Forget about asking “What’s a podcast?” That historical epoch is over, says Steve Goldstein. In this guest column, Steve defines four eras in the history of podcasting. (He brings spaghetti to this analysis.) Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: The Great Content Flood — And Why Mediocre Doesn’t Stand a Chance
Is more better? Not necessarily. Algorithms don’t prioritize volume, Steve Goldstein astutely observes in his latest guest column. And he says the mandate is clear: “Make fewer things. Make better things.” Oh, and his famous Podcast Grid Of Pain graphic. A bracing and essential column. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: An Open Letter to Broadcasters: Stop Leaving Listening on the Table
by Steve Goldstein
In his latest column, Steve frankly addresses broadcasters: “The reality is that radio is still largely behind in the shift from linear to on-demand.” Citing cumes in major markets, the conclusion is that the average listener never hears most of radio’s best moments. Podcasting can rescue that loss. Podcasting isn’t just nice to have, Steve asserts, “It’s the most effective way to recapture the listening you’re already losing and to keep your audience engaged when they’re not in the car or near a radio.” It’s all about retention. A must-read column — rigorous, bracing, and motivating. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein:Wondery Folds Into Audible — What It Signals About Podcasting’s Future
by Steve Goldstein
In his latest column, Steve uses a Q&A format to assess industry shock of Wondery folding into Amazon-owned Audible. “This move appears to be more than a corporate reshuffle,” Steve asserts, “It signals a broader strategic shift.” Good or bad for podcasting? Has Amazon lost interest? How does the future look? Do small and niche shows get left behind? One thing for sure: Podcasting is now unmistakenly a mainstream business, where strategy, structure, and ROI take the lead. A must read. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein:The SEO Collapse: Did Podcasts Replace Late Night?
by Steve Goldstein
In Steve’s latest column, a detailed and interesting analysis of an historical moment. “Stephen Colbert’s exit from The Late Show is more than a changing of the guard. It’s a flashing red signal that the entire late-night ecosystem is being upended. The space late-night TV once owned has changed rapidly, with podcasts playing a central role in that transformation.” “Podcasts aren’t just taking the mic. They’re taking the moment.” Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Podcasts: The Power Behind The Word “Podcast”
The definition of “podcast” is changing, but the opportunity may be bigger than ever. In this edition of Steve Goldstein’s guest column, The Amplifi Media Founder/CEO weighs whether podcasting is more of an experience than a platform. At the same time, the term podcasting still matters, though it might need a redefinition. Continue Reading
Steve Goldstein: Podcasts: It’s Not One Thing Or The Other
A key metric: 85% of podcast consumers say a podcast can be audio or video. That number has been growing for years. In this edition of Steve Goldstein’s guest column, we learn that 77% of podcast listeners alternate between video and audio. “Video is a significant and growing force, especially with younger audiences.” And YouTube dominates podcast discovery. But there is a head-snapping surprise in this piece, and it’s about smart TV consumption. Continue Reading