What’s a Podcast?: The Revolution Redefined

Media Roundtable•art19.com

What’s a Podcast?: The Revolution Redefined is a provocative three-part series that unpacks the identity crisis, evolution, and future of podcasting. Produced by Oxford Road, the leading agency in podcast advertising, and Shaun Colón (Age of Audio), and hosted by industry veteran Allyson Marino, this series goes beyond nostalgia to expose the seismic shifts reshaping the medium.

Once an independent, audio-first frontier, podcasting is now being redefined by the rise of video, platform exclusivity, and the battle for control. Featuring candid insights from over 30 industry pioneers—including Ira Glass, Guy Raz, Adam Carolla, and Leo Laporte—this series takes listeners inside the high-stakes tug-of-war that will determine the fate of the industry.

As platforms like YouTube and Spotify blur the boundaries between podcasts and video content, What’s a Podcast? asks the hard question: if we don’t act now, will podcasting lose the very thing that made it revolutionary?

This isn’t just a podcast. It’s a wake-up call.

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Episodes

Star Trek in the Basement: Why Podcasting Still Needs its Indie Creators with John McDermott

This week, in a podcast studio, somewhere on the final frontier, Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road & Veritone One ) and John McDermott (Co-Founder, Caloroga Shark Media ) boldly go where nobody’s gone before, to discuss how there’s plenty of room in podcasting for celebrities AND friends to talk Star Trek and beyond. This episode of “What’s a Podcast? - The Extended Interviews” is sponsored by Claritas . “I'm not the anti-video guy. I just want to stick up for, hey, there's nothing wrong with he...

Jun 18, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 11

Sounds Definitive - The State of Podcasting with Bryan Barletta

Hope you’re good at math, because podcasting is about to multiply. This week on the Media Roundtable limited series “ What’s a Podcast? - The Extended Interviews,” Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road & Veritone One ) hosts Bryan Barletta (Founder and Partner, Sound Profitable ) to peel back the layers of podcasting. “I want it [the podcast definition] to be a virus… If we let it grow, it's easier to kick out the things that are very clearly not it.” - Bryan Barletta The team is talking: the Popula...

Jun 11, 2025•32 min•Ep. 10

The Podcaster’s Blueprint: How Ira Glass Made Podcasting a Cultural Phenomenon

Hot tip for CAOs: Find a podcaster who believes in 'good promotion' like Ira Glass . Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road & Veritone One ) sits down with Audio Legend and Podcast Pioneer Ira Glass (Host, Executive Producer, This American Life ) in a new episode of “ What’s a Podcast? - The Extended Interviews.” This week’s episode is sponsored by our friends at Fairing . “ You really have to be very thoughtful and show cunning in the way that you deal with advertising and promotion…. that's where y...

Jun 04, 2025•48 min•Ep. 9

Podcasting: Why Have We Been Undervaluing a $7.3B Industry? - with Hernan Lopez

CAOs, there’s a number out there in the world that if you knew it, it’d change your business forever. Our guest on this week’s episode of the Media Roundtable found that number— How’d he do it? Join Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road & Veritone One ) as he hosts Hernan Lopez , (Founder, Wondery & Owl & Co ) in a special double episode to talk about the BIGGEST number in podcasting and why it matters. “ I estimated the global podcast economy to be worth $7.3 billion.” — Hernan Lopez , (Fou...

May 21, 2025•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 8

"Little Masterpieces for Your Ears" - Understanding Podcasting’s Past, Ensuring its Future

Ah, podcasts–those “little masterpieces for your ears.” We’re back with another episode of our limited series, ‘What’s a Podcast? - The Extended Interviews.’ We have an all-star panel of industry insiders to debate what a podcast is — and what it could be. Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road and Veritone One ) hosts: Larry Rosin (President, Edison Research ) Hilary Ross Shafer (VP, Podcast and YouTube Influencer, Veritone One ) James Cridland (Editor, Podnews and Podcast Business Journal ) and Nick Gi...

May 07, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 7

Audio Gold - Charting the Rise of the MeidasTouch Network with the Meiselas Brothers

Three brothers have taken podcasting by storm. And this week, they share the secret to turning everything they touch to podcast gold. In our limited series “ What’s a Podcast? The Extended Interviews,” we sit down with the creators of the fastest-growing independent media network in the world, the MeidasTouch . Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road and Veritone One ) hosts Ben , Brett , and Jordy Meiselas (Co-founders, MeidasTouch Network ) to discuss the tips and tricks the brothers use to build and sc...

Apr 30, 2025•53 min•Ep. 6

Redefining Podcasts: Audio, Video, and the Future of the Channel with Larry Rosin (Edison Research)

The Media Roundtable limited series: “ What’s a Podcast? – The Extended Interviews” continues with this crucial debate. This week's episode is sponsored by Fairing . Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road and Veritone One ) teams up with Larry Rosin (President, Edison Research ) for our extensive qualitative and quantitative journey to define what a ‘podcast’ is in 2025. This episode is a culmination of all that work: a debate to finally forge one definition to rule them all. “ It's such an American idea...

Apr 23, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 5

Charting Podcasting’s Pirate Ship Past with Adam Carolla

Presenting The Media Roundtable Limited Series: “ What’s a Podcast? – The Extended Interviews.” This week we have a guest who’s not only influential in podcasting history but in Oxford Road history too. While conducting interviews for the series, Dan Granger (CEO, Oxford Road and Veritone One ) got a chance to sit down with audio legend Adam Carolla (Host of The Adam Carolla Show ). “ Big picture, the people with the voices and the people with the ideas are gonna win. That's what makes it pure.”...

Apr 16, 2025•38 min•Ep. 4

Episode 3: The Crossroads – Identity Crisis & the Future

So… what is a podcast in 2025? As video takes over and platforms tighten their grip, the medium faces an identity crisis. In our final episode, we examine what’s at stake and where podcasting might go next. You’ll hear from industry leaders like Guy Raz, James Cridland, Dan Franks, and AJ Feliciano as they wrestle with the evolving definition of podcasting, the tension between independence and algorithms, and the future of audio-first storytelling. Because the word “podcast” might be up for deba...

Apr 02, 2025•31 min•Ep. 3

Episode 2: The Explosion – Mainstream & the Pod-demic

After Serial broke the sound barrier, podcasting went from niche to everywhere—fast. In this episode, we follow the industry through its Hollywood makeover, the rise of podcast celebrities, and a pandemic-era boom that flooded the market with new voices. Hear from insiders like Bryan Barletta, Pete Birsinger, and the Meiselas Brothers on how podcasting became a business, a brand builder–for D2C brands and podcasters’ personal brands alike–and a battleground for independence. From million-dollar ...

Apr 02, 2025•29 min•Ep. 2

Episode 1: The Genesis – The Accidental Revolution

Podcasting didn’t start with a business plan—it started with rebels, weirdos, and accidental pioneers tinkering in garages. In Episode 1 of What’s A Podcast?, we trace the medium’s origin story—from the earliest RSS hacks to the moment Steve Jobs brought podcasts to iTunes. Along the way, you’ll hear from Adam Carolla and Leo Laporte on bypassing traditional media, and Ira Glass on how public radio helped shape podcasting’s storytelling DNA. Featuring firsthand interviews with the people who bui...

Apr 02, 2025•32 min•Ep. 1

What’s a Podcast?: The Revolution Redefined Trailer

What’s a Podcast?: The Revolution Redefined is a provocative three-part series that unpacks the identity crisis, evolution, and future of podcasting. Produced by Oxford Road, the leading agency in podcast advertising, and Shaun Colón ( Age of Audio ), and hosted by industry veteran Allyson Marino, this series goes beyond nostalgia to expose the seismic shifts reshaping the medium. Once an independent, audio-first frontier, podcasting is now being redefined by the rise of video, platform exclusiv...

Mar 31, 2025•1 min

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