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Are Podcast Networks becoming Creator Networks? | Greg Wasserman #666
Episode 666
Sunday, 7 June, 2026
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, and direct monetization. 00:00 Welcome to New Media Show #666 00:32 Are podcast networks becoming creator networks? 01:00 How audiences have already redefined podcasting 02:00 Introducing Greg Wasserman from RSS.com 03:00 Why Greg created Podcast Network Insights 04:00 How different podcast networks define community 05:00 Monetization, growth, and the changing role of networks 06:00 Internal network community vs audience community 07:00 Private communities, subscriptions, and audience relationships 08:00 Nova Podcast Network and media-company network models 09:00 Cross-promotion and collaboration inside networks 10:00 Are creators returning to collaboration? 11:00 Podcast networks as media companies 13:00 Owned-and-operated shows vs independent rev-share shows 15:00 Why ad revenue is not the only network business model 16:00 Marketing Podcast Network and niche value 17:00 Jay Shetty, Netflix, and platform exclusivity 18:00 Is Netflix becoming a podcast network? 19:00 Collectives, media companies, and different network definitions 20:00 What is a podcast network today? 21:00 Production companies and network partnerships 23:00 How creators should decide whether to join a network 24:00 Understanding your “why” before joining a network 25:00 iHeart, ad inventory, and the volume-based network model 26:00 Why sponsor status can distract from real monetization 27:00 Does network branding still matter? 28:00 Pineapple Street, GZM, Disney, and network identity 30:00 MCNs, YouTube networks, and the return of multi-channel networks 31:00 Silicon Valley, new media networks, and digital-native media 34:00 Traditional media adopts podcasting, video, and companion content 35:00 Apple Podcasts HLS video as a future distribution channel 36:00 Why video attracts higher media dollars 37:00 Know, like, and trust as a creator value 38:00 Will Apple Podcasts HLS video matter? 39:00 Free platforms, hidden costs, and creator control 41:00 Future ad dashboards across Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and Twitch 42:00 Platform exclusivity, Jay Shetty, Joe Rogan, and audience loss 44:00 Creator hustle and why networks cannot do all the work 46:00 Subscription fatigue and fragmented media access 47:00 More than 20 ways creators can make money 48:00 Lean creator teams, production help, and content scale 49:00 How podcast networks are using AI 50:00 AI-generated voices, sleep content, and audience behavior 52:00 AI for ads, scripts, show notes, social, and workflows 53:00 AI podcast networks and automated show creation 54:00 Agentic workflows and creator production systems 56:00 AI-generated content, humanity, and audience trust 57:00 Algorithms, AI interfaces, and future discovery 58:00 Platform algorithm changes and creator risk 59:00 Human connection, live events, and AI video podcasts 01:00:00 Why human storytelling still matters 01:01:00 Could creators build AI clones of themselves? 01:02:00 Avatars, HeyGen, Gemini, and disclosure 01:03:00 Human-hosted content labels and AI transparency 01:04:00 Video-first creators and separate audio/video feeds 01:05:00 Why The New Media Show still uses separate audio and video feeds 01:06:00 Audio-first creators, social media, and growth challenges 01:07:00 Different networks play different games 01:08:00 The future of compelling audio experiences 01:09:00 Spatial audio, AI audio, and interactive media 01:10:00 Personalized audience experiences and liquid content 01:11:00 Can audiences be moved from YouTube to Netflix? 01:12:00 Bundling, subscriptions, and platform experiments 01:15:00 Algorithms vs human curation 01:16:00 Netflix, FAST channels, and new distribution models 01:17:00 The technology challenge behind FAST channels 01:23:00 Greg’s Tesla and the future of in-car video podcast listening 01:24:00 RSS.com, Podcasting 2.0, and AI labeling standards 01:25:00 Closing thoughts and where podcasting is heading Guest and Host Links Guest: Greg Wasserman Head of Relationships at RSS.com and host of Podcast Network Insights RSS.com: https://rss.com Greg Wasserman at RSS.com: https://rss.com/blog/greg-wasserman/ Podcast Network Insights: https://rss.com/podcasts/podcast-network-insights/ Greg Wasserman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregwasserman Host: Rob Greenlee New Media Show: https://newmediashow.com Rob Greenlee: https://robgreenlee.com Podcast Hall of Fame: https://podcasthall.com Rob Greenlee on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robgreenlee Rob Greenlee Booking: https://calendly.com/robgreenlee About the Host/Author: Rob Greenlee is a 2017 Podcast Hall of Fame inductee and Chair, a global new-media leader who bridges podcasting’s human roots and its AI-driven future. As founder of Trust Factor Lab and host of the “New Media Show” and “Spoken Human”, Rob helps creators start, grow, monetize, and future-proof their content. He’s held leadership roles at Microsoft, Spreaker, Libsyn, StreamYard, and PodcastOne, and serves as Chairperson of the Podcast Hall of Fame. Learn more at RobGreenlee.com and join the Trust Factor Lab Creator/Podcast Services. Personal/AI Disclosure Note: I used AI tools to help organize and edit this episode and generate show notes. I have made hand edits; the views, clarifications, responsibility, and industry perspective are mine and my guest’s. I have been working in podcasting and platform adoption for more than two decades, and this article reflects my own position.The post Are Podcast Networks becoming Creator Networks? | Greg Wasserman #666 first appeared on New Media Show.
