In episode 668 of the New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee talks with Ollie Forsyth, founder of New Economies and New-Media.co, about the fast-changing meaning of “New Media” and why creator-led media is becoming one of the most important shifts in digital publishing, podcasting, video, newsletters, live streaming, and AI-powered content. The conversation begins with a bigger question: what does “New Media” mean now? For years, the term New Media has described digital media outside traditional broadcast, print, and cable. But in 2026, the meaning is changing again. New Media is becoming less about a format and more about who the audience trusts, where attention is moving, and how creators are building direct relationships through podcasts, YouTube channels, newsletters, X, Instagram, live shows, private communities, short-form clips, and emerging AI-generated formats. Ollie shares how New-Media.co started as a mapping project focused on tech newsletters, podcasts, and creator-led media brands, and quickly became a broader signal that a new category is forming. New Media is no longer just a description of online content. It is becoming a business, creator, and distribution category. Rob and Ollie explore whether podcasting is still its own category or is becoming one lane within a larger New Media ecosystem. Rob brings the long history of podcasting, RSS, video podcasting, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, Netflix, and creator platforms into the discussion, asking whether the word “podcast” is still enough to describe what audiences now consume. A major theme in this episode is the difference between audience size and audience value. Ollie argues that creators do not always need massive

In episode 667 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Shalini Ananda, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Neuron Systems, about how real-time AI is changing live sports media, fan engagement, creator workflows, and the future of interactive content. This episode starts with sports, but it becomes a broader New Media conversation about the next-generation layer of interaction between humans and AI-generated media infrastructure. Neuron Systems is building a multi-agent AI platform for live sports content, including NBA and FIFA World Cup 2026 debates, video clips, quote cards, viral social media scripts, real-time voice commentary, fan-driven questions, and multilingual interaction. Rob and Shalini discuss how custom roles given to AI agents can become part of a new interactive media experience in which fans do more than just watch or listen. They can ask questions, shape debates, co-sign takes, create clips, and interact with AI-powered sports personalities in real time. Shalini also walks through how Neuron Systems works as a creator platform. Fans can join live huddles, talk with AI agents, follow different AI personalities, participate in faction-style engagement, and use higher-level creator tools to build agents, automate content pipelines, and connect content workflows to platforms like YouTube. The conversation also explores what this means beyond sports, including podcasting, live video, audience participation, AI-generated content, labeling, guardrails, trust, and the future of human-AI collaboration. Rob frames the larger question this

In episode 666 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Greg Wasserman, Head of Relationships at RSS.com and host of Podcast Network Insights, for a deep conversation about one of the biggest questions facing podcasting, video, creator media, and digital networks right now: Podcast networks were originally built for an audio-first industry, but audiences have already moved the definition of a podcast beyond audio. Today, a podcast can be a YouTube show, a Spotify video, an Apple video podcast, a livestream, a short clip, a newsletter, a community, or part of a larger creator-led media brand. Greg brings a unique perspective from his work at RSS.com and from interviewing the leaders behind podcast networks, collectives, production companies, and niche media groups on Podcast Network Insights. He explains that podcast networks are no longer one simple model. Some are media-sales businesses. Some are community-driven groups. Some operate more like production companies, collectives, or full creator networks. Rob and Greg explore how the network model is shifting as video, live streaming, AI, Apple Podcasts, HLS video, YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, FAST channels, private communities, and creator monetization reshape what podcasting can become. The conversation also asks whether independent podcasters should join networks, what creators need to understand before making that decision, and why the future may depend less on downloads alone and more on trust, audience relationships, collaboration, niche value, an

AI use with creators is moving beyond simple tools for transcripts, show notes, image generation, and editing. In this episode 664 of the New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer, talks with Mike Russell, founder of CreatorMagic.ai and longtime audio producer behind Music Radio Creative, about how new media creators, podcasters, and video producers can begin building their own “AI creator employee.” Mike explains how AI agents are becoming active collaborators capable of controlling studio lighting, camera settings, thumbnails, content workflows, research, WordPress optimization, and production tasks. The conversation explores the shift from podcasting as an audio-first medium to a broader video-first creator economy, where YouTube, Apple Podcasts HLS video, AI workflows, and agentic automation are reshaping how content is made, distributed, measured, and monetized. Rob and Mike also dig into the tension between human-created and AI-assisted media, why “taste” still matters, how creators can avoid generic AI slop, and why the next competitive advantage may come from combining human judgment with powerful AI systems. What happens when AI stops being just a tool and starts acting like a real creative team member? Rob Greenlee and Mike Russell explore how AI agents, video-first media, and creator workflows are changing podcasting, YouTube, and the future of new media. Topic Chapters: 00:00, Welcome to New Media Show #664 with Mike Russell 01:00, Why

In episode 663 of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, Rob talks with Jeanine Wright, CEO of Inception Point AI, and Robert Scoble, known as Scobleizer, Founder of AlignedNews.ai for a deep conversation about one of the biggest and most uncomfortable questions facing podcasting, video, social media, and the creator economy: what happens when AI-generated content stops sounding and looking artificial?  I apologize for the lower audio quality of this episode, which was affected by recording source errors, and I used the best audio enhancement tools to improve it. AI-generated media is no longer just an experiment. It is becoming shows, hosts, voices, personalities, clips, channels, avatars, and soon, live interactive media experiences. Podcasting has always been built around voice, trust, authenticity, and human connection. But that foundation is now being challenged by AI-generated voices, cloned likenesses, synthetic video, autonomous podcasters, and AI systems that can research, write, produce, publish, and personalize content at a scale human creators cannot match. The conversation explores whether the podcasting/new media industry is reacting too broadly by labeling AI-generated media as “AI slop” while missing the bigger shift beneath the surface. Some AI content is low quality, deceptive, or spammy. Some AI content is becoming polished, useful, creative, and scalable. Some human-created content is also low

In episode 662 from May 6th, 2026, of the New Media Show, hosted by 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee, he talks with Imran Ahmed, founder of Great Pods, for a deep conversation about one of podcasting’s longest-running controversies: Discovery. Podcasting has never had a shortage of content. The bigger challenge has always been helping listeners find the right shows and helping quality creators get noticed. Charts often reward scale. Algorithms can miss the human context. Social media attention does not always create trust. But human recommendations, professional reviews, and transparency. editorial signals may still play an important role. Imran joins Rob to discuss how Great Pods is building a podcast discovery and decision-making platform around critic reviews, ratings, attribution, podcast search, user reviews, badges, and curated discovery. The conversation explores why reviews differ from basic listener comments, why constructive criticism can help creators, and how professional critics can serve as trusted filters for listeners trying to decide what to hear next. Rob and Imran also dig into the broader evolution of podcasting, including the role of word-of-mouth discovery, the limits of podcast app charts, the rise of YouTube as a major discovery platform, and the ongoing tension around what defines a podcast in a world of audio, video, RSS feeds, platform exclusives, APIs, Netflix-style talk shows, and AI-generated content.

On Episode 661 of The New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee, 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame, and longtime new media executive, is joined by Dave Jackson, 2018 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee, founder of School of Podcasting, and Head of Podcasting at Podpage.com, for a deep conversation about whether independent podcasters and media creators can still win in today’s rapidly changing creator economy. This episode centers on a question many creators are quietly asking right now: Can indie podcasters still grow, monetize, and build trust in a market being reshaped by video, AI, platform control, and professionalized media production? Rob and Dave discuss the recent combination of Podpage and School of Podcasting, why podcast education matters more than ever, and how websites, email lists, communities, video, RSS, and AI-assisted workflows are becoming essential parts of a creator’s survival strategy. Dave joined Podpage as Head of Podcasting in 2024, and School of Podcasting has been helping creators launch, grow, and monetize podcasts since 2005.  The conversation also moves into some of the biggest issues facing podcasting and new media in 2026, including AI-generated shows, human voice and video cloning, creator burnout, YouTube’s influence on podcast identity, Apple’s HLS video podcast di

“Podcast episode hosting used to be simple. You uploaded an audio file, generated an RSS feed, and distributed your show everywhere. That model still matters, but it is no longer enough for the modern creator economy.” In this Episode 660 of The Live New Media Show, from April 22nd, 2026, Host Podcast Hall of Famer and Former Libsyn VP Rob Greenlee shares a screen and microphone with Brendan Monaghan, President and CEO of Libsyn, to explore how podcast hosting is changing and what creators should expect from platforms in 2026 and beyond. This conversation gets to the heart of a major shift happening across podcasting and new media. Hosting companies are no longer judged only by whether they can deliver a clean RSS feed and reliable file storage. Creators now expect monetization, analytics, video support, workflow efficiency, AI-assisted publishing, broader distribution, and real help with audience growth. That larger shift frames the entire discussion between Rob and Brendan. Brendan explains that Libsyn still carries the legacy of being one of podcasting’s earliest and most important hosting platforms, but the company is now operating in a far more complex environment. Brendan points to Libsyn’s evolution from a technology-led hosting company into a broader creator platform that includes advertising and monetization infrastructure, especially after the company acquired businesses such as AdvertiseCast and Pair Networks. He argues that the modern hosting business must combine publishing, monetization, measurement, and simplicity for creators at every stage of growth. Rob pushes the conversation further by asking the bigger industry que

Podcasting is entering a new phase, and this episode goes straight into the infrastructure, business models, and platform shifts shaping what comes next. On episode 659 of The New Media Show, Host and Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee shares the microphone with Sharon Taylor, Chief Revenue Officer at Triton Digital (Spreaker & Omny Studio), for a deep conversation about where the podcasting market is heading right now. Sharon brings years of experience from Omny Studio, Triton Digital, and Spreaker, making her one of the best people to help unpack what is changing across hosting, monetization, video, AI, advertiser demand, and measurement. We talk through why podcasting is not simply becoming video-first, even as video becomes a bigger part of how shows are discovered and monetized. Sharon makes a strong case that audio remains at the center of the medium, but the future is clearly becoming more multi-format. That means creators, publishers, and platforms need to think differently about how they distribute content, measure audience behavior, and build sustainable business models for both audio and video. A big part of this conversa

If you are trying to understand where podcasting may still have real, untapped opportunities in 2026 and beyond, this is one of those conversations that point to an important answer: Local. On Episode 658 of The New Media Show, Host Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee shares a microphone and a video camera with guest David Plotz, founder and CEO of CityCast.fm and co-host of the Political Gabfest podcast from Slate, to: Explore what local podcasts can become in a media environment increasingly shaped by video, platforms, social discovery, and changing audience habits. The conversation starts with local audio, but it quickly opens into something bigger: trust, emotional connection, local relevance, and the question of whether city-based media may be one of the strongest growth areas left in podcasting. David frames City Cast as a network of daily local podcasts, newsletters, social content, and events, built around helping people feel more connected to the cities they live in. The real takeaway in this episode is that local podcasting is no

Podcast discovery feels harder in 2026, not because creators stopped trying, but because attention is now split across podcast apps, YouTube, short-form video feeds, newsletters, and search-driven recommendations. On this recorded episode of the New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee shares the screen and a microphone with Arielle Nissenblatt, 2026 Podcast Hall of Famer and Founder of EarBuds Podcast Collective and Head of Community and Content at Pinwheel by Audily, to break down what is actually changing right now and what creators can still do that consistently grows audience and trust. “Arielle brings a listener-first, creator-first perspective that cuts through the noise. Platforms matter, but they are not the whole story. If a show is not clearly positioned, consistently delivered, and genuinely recommendable, the best metadata in the world will not create retention.” This episode focuses on the practical middle ground: respect the power of platforms, but build your growth strategy around behaviors you can control. “A big part of that conversation is Apple’s renewed push into video podcasts and what an HLS-based video experience signals for the direction of distribution.” Rob frames it as part of a broader convergence toward a unified listen-and-watch experience, w

As AI becomes more embedded into content creation, discovery, and distribution, one truth is becoming clearer: the long-term winners in media may not be the fastest or the most automated. They may be the most human. That was the core idea behind this conversation with Erin Diehl of Improve It! and the host of the Workday Playdate Podcast, and New Media Show host and Podcast Hall of Fame Inductee Rob Greenlee on New Media Show Episode 654, where we explored what it really means to build a media business rooted in trust, emotional connection, authenticity, and memorable audience experiences. Erin Diehl, founder of improve it! and host of the Workday Playdate podcast, brings a distinctive perspective to this discussion. Her work sits at the intersection of improv, leadership, communication, and community-building. On her podcast and in her live workshops, she focuses on helping people reconnect with empathy, listening, adaptability, humor, and playfulness as practical tools for stronger communication and leadership. Erin describes those same qualities as the traits of both a great improviser and a great human, and that framing shaped this entire conversation. (itserindiehl.com) What made this episode especially timely is that it did not treat AI as the enemy.

If you’re trying to figure out how to build a future-proof show in 2026, the answer is not a new platform or a new gimmick. Podcasting is changing expectations. Audiences judge creators like brands, platforms reward shows that behave like programs, and AI is raising the baseline quality while making trust and differentiation harder to earn. On this episode #653 of The New Media Show, Rob Greenlee (Podcast Hall of Fame Chairperson, 2017 inductee), and am joined by Anika Jackson, founder of Your Brand Amplified and faculty at USC Annenberg, where she teaches podcasting and digital media management. Anika brings a rare educator-operator perspective because she’s building in the real world while shaping how the next generation of creators thinks about content, AI personalities, human clones, business, and audience growth. Listen and follow: https://newmediashow.com/ and https://robgreenlee.com/ Learn more about Anika: https://yourbrandamplified.com/ A big theme in this conversation is that future-proofing is a systems problem, not a motivation problem. Creators are pulled toward audio, video, clips, social, newsletters, community, sponsors, and now AI tools. The ones who win in the long term are the ones

New Media Show #652 with Rob Greenlee and Lauren Shippen On Episode 652 of the New Media Show, host Rob Greenlee shares a screen with Lauren Shippen, Creative Director at Atypical Artists, to tackle a growing tension in creator media around audio fiction, which is thriving as a storytelling format but is being pressure-tested by the industry’s video-first discovery push. Fiction podcasts did not stop working. What changed is how platforms signal value, how audiences discover new shows, and how creators feel forced to look video-ready to compete. The real question for fiction creators in 2026 is not “How do I force my story into video?” It is “How do I protect the magic of audio storytelling while adding the right discovery layers for today’s platforms?” Lauren shares what fiction creators often misunderstand about sustainability, what typically breaks first when the story stalls, and where video helps, hurts, or becomes unrealistic. Rob lays out a practical framework for separating audio as the product from video as the discovery layer, plus realistic tiers of visual strategy that will not turn your show into a second production company. Qu

On Weds, February 18th Live Episode #651 of the New Media Show, Rob Greenlee, Host, 2017 Podcast Hall of Famer and CEO of Trust Factor Lab at https://RobGreenlee.com, and James Cridland, Editor, https://Podnews.net and 2026 Podcast Hall of Famer discuss Apple’s announcement of a new and improved video podcast experience in the Apple Podcasts app and what it changes technically and strategically heading into 2026.  They explain how video was previously active in Apple Podcasts but was hidden and poorly presented in the iOS apps, and how this new updated experience makes video playback front and center, with a “turn video off” option that keeps the audio track playing.  The episode breaks down Apple’s preferred move to HLS-based on-demand video delivery (via a separate, proprietary API HLS video streaming pass-through submission from approved hosting partners) while still supporting legacy MP4 video via RSS.  They cover HLS basics (chunked delivery, adaptive quality, reduced bandwidth, and hosting costs), improved seeking/scrubbing versus progressive MP4 playback, and new measurement implications (better insight into drop-off and ad viewing). A major focus is monetization: Apple plans to enable dynamic ad insertion for HLS video and charge a per-impression fee, positioning Apple to take

AI-generated podcast hosts and shows are rapidly changing podcasting, video podcasting, and the creator economy across all distribution platforms, including AI LLMs. In this episode of The New Media Show Live #650 from Feb 4th, 2026, Host Rob Greenlee, CEO/Founder of Trust Factor Lab, explores how AI-generated podcasts affect people, trust, and the future of media with Jeanine Wright, Co-Founder and CEO of Inception Point AI. Jeanine Wright will help us better understand what Inception Point AI is building and why AI-generated personalities are different from human-created podcasts and AI-assisted editing tools. This conversation is designed to help podcasters, creators, media executives, and advertisers understand AI-generated podcast content without fear. It will be a clear, accurate discussion about how synthetic hosts work, how audiences respond emotionally, and what the next 12 to 24 months may look like as AI improves. As humans seem to be rejecting AI-generated content, its human consumption is growing and quality is rapidly improvin

This week in episode 649 of the New Media Show, Rob Greenlee is joined by Jordan Harbinger to unpack the question creators ask nonstop in 2026: What actually grows a podcast or show (and what doesn’t)? – Jordan’s core answer is refreshingly “boring,” but real: long-term consistency, and realistic expectations about how long monetization can take—even for shows that eventually become huge. From there, the conversation expands into the bigger shift happening right now: – Audio podcasts increasingly competing (and collaborating) with video ecosystems especially YouTube where the “rules” and algorithmic expectations are fundamentally different from audio distribution. They also dig into platform strategy and brand-fit tension like whether “talk show” style content truly belongs on Netflix, and why creators may face tough tradeoffs when platforms want exclusivity that can limit reach elsewhere. After Jordan wraps and leaves the show, Rob closes with a rapid-fire, ranked set of growth plays emphasizing that none are