Building a More Trusted Podcast Experience for Creators and Listeners
Spotify has expanded on its recent Verified by Spotify badge introduced to verify artist profiles. Podcast shows will also display a green Verified by Spotify checkmark to indicate the official presence of a creator, publisher, or brand. The checkmark shows the podcast has been reviewed against Spotify’s standards for authenticity and trust, based on sustained listener activity, good standing with Spotify’s platform policies, and verified audience authenticity.
The Podnews Report Card 2026 Results by James Cridland
Each year, Podnews solicits feedback from the podcasting community to gather their thoughts on podcast platforms. This year’s report card hit a new high with over 160 podcast creators. In all, respondents provided 779 pieces of qualitative feedback, including 290 mentions of Apple, 251 of Spotify, and 207 of YouTube. Respondents said it is easier to get podcasts listed in major directories than it was several years ago, though U.S.-based respondents noted ID verification as a pain point when setting up a podcast on YouTube. Overall, though, YouTube is framed as a positive force for the industry, even scoring second place in the overall ranking of the top four platforms (above Spotify, below Apple Podcasts).
Study: Most Marketers Struggle To Align Brand Strategy With C-Suite Priorities
WARC has a new report, The Multiplier Playbook, created in partnership with Analytic Partners, BERA.ai, Prophet, and System1. The report is based on a survey of over 200 senior marketers conducted with the Association of National Advertisers between December 2025 and March 2026. 60% of marketers find their C-suite does not fully understand the role of advertising, with only 21% strongly agreeing that advertising objectives are aligned with broader corporate goals. Executives, according to the report, focus more on short-term efficiency metrics and lose the forest of advertising for the trees. This disconnect can lead to advertising being perceived as a ‘cost of sale’ instead of a driver of enterprise value.
The audience-data underpants gnome by Brian Morrissey
Time for a pop culture blast from the past: Brian Morrissey evokes the 27-year-old South Park meme of gnomes whose plan is to steal underpants. Their three-step plan to obtain underpants is undercut because the second step is simply question marks. Recent research from Omeda finds that 70% of surveyed publishers say audience data is critical, yet only 9% say their organizations use it effectively.
YouTube’s deepfake-fighting tech is now open to all creators over 18
YouTube’s likeness detection tech, designed to find AI-generated copies of human faces across the platform, has been limited to certain members of the YouTube Partner Program. Now a YouTube Help page says the feature will roll out to any eligible creator over the age of 18 “in the coming weeks.” Once available, users will be able to set it up with ID verification and a video of their face.
As for the rest of the news…
- Ashley Carman covers new Owl & Co. data on podcast ad revenue and how video adoption has influenced it.
- The Roost has partnered with Magellan AI to bring audio and video campaign measurement to its creator network.
- The International Women’s Podcast Awards now have a new owner in TINK Media. Submissions open today at $50 each and the award ceremony is moving to Toronto.
- Former U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has announced his new podcast Staying Human, produced in partnership with PRX.
- Nine Entertainment has announced a new radio show hosted by Karl Stefanovic and Eddie McGuire will stream on 9Now and Stan thanks to a multi-platform arrangement with ARN Media.
- Libsyn has announced an exclusive partnership with Lance Armstrong’s podcast THEMOVE, providing exclusive advertising and hosting for the podcast’s special coverage of the July 2026 Tour de France.
- Amazon’s Alexa can generate podcast episodes on various topics using AI and licensed content from partnered newsrooms, including the AP, Reuters, and Washington Post.
