Why most podcasters will benefit from the platform wars

Spotify seems to be trying to build out control of advertising and distribution of podcasting. With gatekeeping power over listeners through its streaming service, and gatekeeping power over ad revenue through its advertising network, Spotify will eventually be able to force podcasters to live in its ecosystem. It won’t be impossible to get listene... See more

I do not think it is hyperbole to say the internet is the most important invention of the last 100 years, and very likely might be the most important invention of the next 100 years. It is currently about to be controlled by five companies, and they make all the money and have all the power. I believe we need countervailing technologies that allow ... See more

When a creativity medium is democratized, the volume of available content swells, necessitating a curational layer. We’ve reached this third stage for podcasts.

“The reality is we’ve seen very few examples where this has worked. The exception is with the large platforms – Apple, Google, and to an extent, Facebook.”

This understanding of the importance of both human-led curation and data-driven personalisation is what will help Spotify beat the competition in broader audio.