Podcasting Could Use a Good Asteroid
22 days ago
- #content-creation
- #podcasting
- #media-criticism
- There are over 4.5 million podcasts, but only about 10% are active.
- Podcasting has become top-heavy, with established shows dominating while newer ones struggle.
- The influx of 'dumb money' during 2020-2022 led to a surge in low-quality, inactive podcasts.
- AI tools make it easy to produce professional-sounding but uninteresting content.
- YouTube has become the top podcasting platform, shifting focus from deep dives to visual spectacle.
- The sheer volume of podcasts makes it hard for listeners to discover hidden gems.
- The format has become oppressively uniform, often featuring semi-structured rambling sessions.
- The cognitive load of maintaining parasocial relationships with multiple podcasters is too high.
- The author suggests podcasting needs a 'reset' or 'pruning' to improve quality and creativity.
- Before starting a podcast, creators should consider what makes their show unique.