Send James and Sam a message or voicemailWe talk with Spotify’s first Equal Podcast Ambassador, Morgan Absher, about building Two Hot Takes into a video-first community and what real industry support for women creators should look like. Then we dig into Spotify’s financials and a controversial “Skip Ahead” test that could change how podcast ads are heard, measured, and trusted; and learn more about Buzzsprout's enhanced video offering• Spotify Equal expands from music into podcasting with a focus on women creators• Morgan Absher’s accidental start during the pandemic and how Two Hot Takes scales fast• Why video podcasting drives connection for reaction formats and community-led shows• The chart gap for women-led podcasts and the role of confidence and imposter syndrome• Events and awards that increase visibility and help creators get booked and partnered• Spotify Q2 numbers plus the push toward premium revenue per user• Spotify’s “Skip Ahead” button and why it feels different from manual skipping• The download metric problem versus measuring ad plays and completion• Platform control trends across Spotify, YouTube, and Netflix style walled gardens• Video distribution updates across Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and Spotify plus hosting pricing shifts• EU AI Act disclosure rules and why an RSS AI tag alone may not satisfy lawyers• Transcripts becoming mainstream as the SiriusXM case nears settlementSupport the showConnect With Us: Email: weekly@podnews.netFediverse: @james@bne.social and @samsethi@podcastindex.socialSupport us: www.buzzsprout.com/1538779/supportGet Podnews: podnews.net