In Episode 681 of the New Media Show, host Podcast Hall of Famer Rob Greenlee welcomes Alban Brooke, Head of Marketing at Buzzsprout, for a deep conversation about one of the biggest structural changes in podcasting: the evolution of podcast hosting from audio-file distribution to a broader audio-and-video creator infrastructure. For most of podcasting’s history, the hosting model was relatively straightforward. A creator uploaded an audio file, the host generated an RSS feed, and that feed distributed the episode to listening apps worldwide. That podcast hosting model is changing. Video is once again becoming a significant part of podcasting, and podcast hosting platforms are being asked to do much more than store an MP3 and maintain an RSS feed. They increasingly need to manage video encoding, HLS streaming, direct platform connections, YouTube publishing, Spotify video, Apple Podcasts video, transcripts, analytics, AI-assisted publishing tools, and the traditional audio experience simultaneously. Buzzsprout, which launched in 2009 as an audio-only podcast host, has now made a major move into video. Alban explains that the turning point was Apple’s decision to support HLS video streaming into Apple Podcasts. Once Apple committed to HLS, Buzzsprout saw an opportunity to preserve one of podcast hosting’s original promises: “Upload once and let the hosting platform handle the complexity of getting the show everywhere.” Buzzsprout’s current video workflow allows creators to upload video and distribute it to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube while continuing to deliver audio to traditional podcast apps. The technology underneath that process, however, has become much more complicated. A podcast host may now be managing RSS feeds, HLS playlists, multiple video resolutions, platform APIs, direct uploads, audio extraction, transcripts, and the different requirements of Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Amazon, iHeart, and other services. Alban argues that creators should not have to understand most of that. If podcast hosting is doing its job properly, the technical complexity should disappear into the infrastructure. Creators should be able to concentrate on making the show. That leads Rob and Alban into a larger discussion about RSS and what it still represents. RSS itself is not magical, Alban says. What matters is what RSS enables: a direct and portable connection between creators and their audiences. A creator using an open podcast feed can switch from one hosting company to another without rebuilding their audience from scratch. The relationship is not entirely controlled by a recommendation algorithm or a single platform. Alban contrasts this with YouTube and other social platforms, where algorithms ultimately determine how much of a creator’s content reaches subscribers. A creator can build a large audience on a platform and still experience dramatic changes in reach when the algorithm, product strategy, or monetization model changes. Podcasting offers something different. Alban describes media distribution as a spectrum ranging from discovery to delivery. At one end are platforms such as TikTok and YouTube, which are extremely effective at helping users discover content. The platform decides what it believes each person wants to see next. At the other end are systems such as RSS and email, where the user intentionally subscribes and expects to receive what that creator publishes. The opportunity for modern creators may be to use both. YouTube, social video platforms, and algorithmic platforms can enable discovery. RSS can provide reliable delivery and audience portability after that relationship is established. That combination may become one of podcasting’s greatest advantages. HLS, RSS and the Future of more Open Video Podcasting Rob and Alban explore how HLS video could extend those same open-distribution principles into video. Apple’s implementation currently involves a direct API relationship, but the podcast ecosystem is also experimenting with the alternate enclosure tag in RSS, which can place another media format inside the RSS feed. Buzzsprout has already experimented with alternate enclosures on selected shows, although Alban explains that the company is approaching broader implementation carefully because video creates dramatically larger bandwidth demands than audio. A bot downloading thousands of MP3 files is one problem. A bot repeatedly requesting multi-gigabyte video assets is another larger issue. The larger objective, however, remains open distribution. Alban believes HLS has the potential to enable multiple podcast applications to support video without forcing creators to confine their entire video audience to a single closed platform. Can Video Damage the Audio Experience? The conversation then turns to one of the most important creative questions raised by video podcasting. What happens to audio listeners when the video version becomes the source for both experiences? Alban shares an example of watching a video podcast on Netflix where George Clooney and the host repeatedly discussed an object visible on camera without ever explaining what it was. A viewer understood the conversation. An audio listener would have had no idea what they were discussing. That is exactly the kind of problem Alban wants creators to avoid. His recommendation is that podcasts remain audio-first in their communication, even when video is an important part of the production. That does not mean ignoring video. Creators can use cameras, sets, graphics, demonstrations, lighting, and other visual elements. But when something important is happening on screen, the host should provide enough verbal context that the audio listener can still follow the conversation. Rob raises the other side of the issue. There is a real difference between producing a video podcast and producing a highly visual YouTube show. YouTube creators may use graphics, demonstrations, rapid editing, screen captures, text, and visual storytelling that cannot realistically be translated into audio. If every visual element must work perfectly for someone with their eyes closed, video creativity can become constrained. That may eventually create two related but distinct production approaches: shows built as unified audio/video podcasts and shows designed primarily as visual media. Why Platforms Want Video Alban believes the major platforms have obvious reasons for encouraging video. Video keeps audiences looking at the screen. YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms benefit when users remain inside their applications, continually moving from one piece of content to the next. Short-form vertical video takes this even further. Alban says he deliberately limits his own use of platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels because he finds the experience almost too effective at holding attention. Audio works differently. A podcast can accompany the listener while running, driving, traveling, cleaning, mowing the lawn, or simply living life. Alban describes audio as a companion to life, while highly addictive video shorts platforms will increasingly compete to become the dominant activity itself. We should remain strongly optimistic about audio. Why Apple’s Move Changed the Market Rob asks why Apple chose this moment to place renewed emphasis on video, even though video podcasts have technically existed within Apple’s ecosystem for many years. Alban points to several forces coming together. YouTube has aggressively embraced podcasts and repeatedly highlighted the enormous amount of podcast viewing happening across its platform. Spotify has expanded its video strategy. Meanwhile, members of the open podcasting community have spent years exploring HLS as a more practical way of distributing video. Once Apple embraced HLS, Buzzsprout concluded that the technology had enough platform support to justify a major investment. Buzzsprout then built its video product around simplifying distribution across Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and traditional audio apps. Why 1080p Video Matters Buzzsprout also decided to support 1080p video, something Rob sees as increasingly important as podcasts move from phones and laptops onto large television screens. HLS can provide different video streams depending on the device and connection. A mobile device (phone, pad, or glasses) may not need the same resolution as a large television or large-screen laptop or desktop computer. But as Apple Podcasts expands onto Apple TV and YouTube continues to report substantial podcast consumption on television screens, creators need source video that looks good in the living room. Rob and Alban agree that this is another sign that podcast distribution is becoming much broader than that of traditional listening apps. Audio Is Not Going Away Despite Buzzsprout’s investment in video, Alban does not believe every podcast needs cameras. Some content is inherently better as audio. Scripted audio, documentary storytelling, intimate conversations, educational programming, and many other formats can deliver everything the audience needs without video. Alban does not believe audio needs a technological gimmick to survive. Spatial audio, immersive sound, and advanced codecs can create interesting experiences, but the central power of podcasting remains remarkably simple: “The human voice and a compelling story.” Good audio recorded decades ago can still be powerful today because the idea, voice, and storytelling remain meaningful. Video is therefore additive rather than a replacement for audio. Is Podcast Hosting Becoming a Commodity? Rob then challenges Alban with another industry question: Simply storing a media file is no longer difficult. Most hosting platforms can generate RSS feeds, distribute episodes, and provide common pu
