This Week in Podcasting: October 18, 2026
Podcasting’s business is becoming more complicated as shows expand across platforms and companies look for new ways to reach audiences. This week brought fresh developments in video distribution, advertising and audience trust, alongside a new app built for a specific corner of the listening market.
Here are the stories worth knowing from this week.
1. Audioboom reports record revenue as video grows
Podcast company Audioboom reported third-quarter revenue of $23.8 million on October 14, up 17% year over year. Its average monthly distribution reached 190 million downloads and video views, an increase of 47%. The company’s Showcase advertising marketplace also grew by 20%, according to its Q3 trading update.
The figures point to the growing role video plays in podcast distribution. Audioboom attributed part of its expanded reach to video growth and new partnerships, while its advertising marketplace continued to grow.
For creators, the results offer an indication of where podcast businesses are investing. Audio remains central to podcasting, but video can give shows another way to reach audiences and create opportunities for advertising across different platforms.
That does not mean every podcast needs a video version. Production costs, audience preferences and the resources available to a creator all affect whether the format makes sense. The more useful lesson is that podcast businesses are finding ways to build distribution beyond audio downloads alone.
2. New research examines the trust between podcast hosts and listeners
Research from SmithGeiger, commissioned by Wondery, found that fans trust their favourite creators as much as or more than their own friends. The findings, reported by Podnews on October 15, also suggested that video clips can be almost twice as effective as word of mouth in attracting new viewers to a show.
The research found that 71% of respondents trusted their favourite creator more than social media influencers.
For podcast creators, the findings highlight the value of the relationship they build with their audience. Listeners spend time with hosts, hear their opinions and become familiar with how they approach the subjects they cover. That connection can become an important part of why people return to a show.
It can also matter to advertisers looking for ways to connect with audiences through voices they already trust. However, trust is difficult to build and easy to damage, particularly when sponsorships feel disconnected from a show's content or a host's established point of view.
The findings also give creators a reason to consider video clips as part of their discovery strategy. Short clips can introduce a host's personality and the substance of a conversation to people who have never listened to the full show. They are not a guarantee of new listeners, but they offer another route into a podcast.
3. PAVE Studios takes true-crime video podcasts to Disney+ and Hulu
PAVE Studios' true-crime video podcasts Clues and Mother Knows Murder are heading to Disney+ and Hulu, according to the company's announcement roundup published around October 15–16.
The deal marks the first time PAVE Studios' shows have been picked up by a major streaming platform. It also places the company's video podcasts in an environment traditionally associated with television series and films.
For podcast businesses, distribution on a streaming service could introduce shows to audiences who may not regularly use podcast apps. It also illustrates how video podcasts can sit alongside other forms of on-demand entertainment.
The move does not mean every podcast is ready for a streaming deal. Shows need to fit a platform's audience and programming strategy, and creators would need to consider the commercial terms and rights involved. Still, PAVE's deal offers a clear example of how a podcast can find distribution beyond the services listeners usually associate with the format.
4. StackAdapt introduces more precise podcast ad targeting
Advertising platform StackAdapt introduced new tools on October 15 that allow advertisers to target or exclude specific podcast shows, select content categories and review where their audio ads appeared. Its searchable catalogue includes more than 300,000 podcast shows, according to the company's announcement.
The tools give advertisers more control over where their campaigns run. Instead of relying only on broad categories, they can make decisions at the show level and review placements after ads have been served.
For publishers, this creates both an opportunity and a consideration. More precise targeting could help brands identify shows that suit their campaigns, but it also makes how a podcast is categorised and presented to advertisers more important.
Creators who want to attract sponsors need to understand their audience and communicate what makes the show a good fit for a brand. At the same time, a show's subject matter may limit its suitability for certain advertisers, even when it has an engaged audience.
The announcement reflects a wider effort to give advertisers more visibility into podcast placements. Whether that translates into more revenue for individual creators will depend on how advertisers use the tools and which shows they choose.
5. Castro changes hands as independent podcast apps face pressure
Independent podcast app Castro was acquired by Maple Media, according to Podnews, which reported the development on October 12 based on information in the app's Apple App Store listing.
Maple Media has also acquired podcast apps including Player FM, Podkicker and Breaker. The latest deal raises questions about the position of independent podcast players in a market where major platforms such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts have substantial reach.
For listeners, podcast apps shape how shows are organised, discovered and played. For creators, they are part of the distribution system that connects their work with an audience.
An acquisition does not necessarily mean a service will disappear or that its features will change immediately. But the ownership of independent apps matters because these services can offer different approaches to listening and discovery.
The longer-term question is whether smaller players can maintain a distinct identity and attract enough users to compete with the largest platforms. Castro's acquisition is one development in that ongoing challenge.
6. Bard launches an app built specifically for audio fiction
Bard launched a podcast player designed around audio drama and fiction on October 13. The app offers curated categories, tools for navigating seasons and episodes, and links to creator-support platforms such as Patreon and Ko-fi. It is available on iOS and the web, with Android support planned, according to Podnews.
Unlike general-purpose podcast apps, Bard focuses on scripted stories and other forms of audio fiction. Its categories include different genres, game systems and performance styles, giving listeners more specific ways to find shows.
The launch offers an example of how specialised platforms can serve audiences whose interests may not be well represented by broader discovery systems. Someone searching for a horror serial or a full-cast fantasy drama has different needs from a listener looking for interviews or daily news.
For independent audio fiction creators, a dedicated app could provide another place for listeners to discover their work. Bard also includes links that make it easier for audiences to find ways to support creators, although the launch itself does not establish whether those features will increase creator income.
The challenge will be attracting enough listeners to make the platform useful to both audiences and publishers. A focused experience can help a service stand out, but it still needs to give people a reason to use it alongside the podcast apps they already know.
What this week's developments mean for podcast creators
This week's stories show several parts of the podcast business developing at once. Audioboom's results point to the commercial role of video, while the Wondery-commissioned research highlights the value of audience trust. Advertising platforms are giving brands more control over placements, and distribution deals are taking video podcasts into new environments.
At the same time, the Castro acquisition and Bard's launch show two different paths for podcast apps: consolidation among existing services and the creation of products for more specialised audiences.
Creators do not need to pursue every trend. The useful question is which developments fit the show they are building. Video may help one podcast reach new viewers, while a strong host-listener relationship or a more focused discovery platform may matter more to another.
The opportunity is to understand the audience first, then choose the formats, partnerships and distribution channels that help the show reach them.
