Triton’s US Podcast Report, Stools > Couches, & More

Apple Podcasts, Video, And Why Stools Beat Couches by Tom Webster

Any time one of the big three distributors in podcasting makes a big move, such as Apple’s recent beta rollout of video distribution into Apple Podcasts, there’s a temptation to frame it as a zero-sum game. Platforms will chase each other. Webster proposes it’s more of a benefit for the entire field. Data from The Podcast Landscape shows nearly 80% of Apple Podcasts users expect their podcasts to be audio-first. Which makes sense; YouTube started as a video platform, Spotify started with music, and Apple Podcasts started with audio podcasts. The Landscape also shows 42% of Apple video podcast consumers spend more than half their time watching video instead of audio. That’s a sizable baked-in audience of people who already want video. Apple bringing video more into Apple Podcasts isn’t an instance of converting new audiences, it’s connecting the plumbing to serve existing ones. All three major podcast platforms (with their respective different audience compositions) serve as on-ramps for people new to podcasting. Instead of a zero-sum wrestling game between three companies, it’s an overall wider funnel for the medium of podcasting itself.

Triton Digital Releases 2025 U.S. Podcast Report

This year’s U.S. Podcast Report is built from IAB Tech Lab-certified Podcast Metrics, data from leading hosting platforms, and Triton Digital Demos+ surveys of 12,000 monthly podcast consumers. Reach continues to grow across demographics, with the report finding listeners over-index in 18-34-year-olds, college graduates, high-income households, and diverse audiences. Audio-only consumption sits at just under 13% of respondents aged 18+, with video-only sitting 7%. Format consumption preferences do vary by genre, as well. For primary audio consumption, Science (58%), History (56%), Fiction (54%), Arts (51%), and True Crime (50%) make up the top five. Meanwhile, Music (34%), Sports (32%), Kids & Family (31%), Comedy (30%), News (30%) for video-only consumers. Music ranking highly with video podcasting tracks, given the audio podcasting world has long faced licensing issues. Meanwhile, video creators have a little more leeway with music content.

Programmatic’s Next Era: Clarity Is The New Currency by Ray Ostor

illumin VP of Product & Design Ray Ostor has an op-ed discussing 2026 expectations for programmatic marketing. A core selling point of programmatic from the beginning wasn’t just automation, it was accountability. The ability for buyers to see where their money went quickly so they have the ability to adjust campaigns quickly. In practice, Ostor sees organizations aren’t receiving clarity on their investment until after the budget has already been spent. His proposal for a standard proving performance is based on three core concepts: proof must be outcome-linked, timely, and operational (which is to say, inside the workflow where spend decisions actually happen, not in a separate layer).

Partner Highlights – Thomas De Napoli and Roger Nairn

I’ve got two great interviews to end out this week’s round of partner highlights!

First up: Thomas De Napoli, VP Head of Sales & Underwriting APM and MPR. Two weeks ago, Thomas made a post about his experience working alongside colleagues at Minnesota Public Radio, MPR News, and American Public Media to meet demand as the world looked to Minneapolis. In today’s interview, he discusses the process of setting up a business environment where journalists can do their work, and the business side can get those ads filled on time.

And finally: JAR Podcast Solutions co-founder Roger Nairn opens up about his new show Dead Dads. As the title implies, the podcast is built around inherently heavy subject matter, but Roger brings a comedic angle as he seeks to build a place where men can feel comfortable openly processing their grief. Catch the full interview to read Rogers’ expectations for the show, the community he seeks to build with it, and his experiences getting to step in front of the microphone again.

As for the rest of the news…