The Podosphere's daily intelligence brief for podcast industry operators.
Issue #28 · Tuesday, July 21, 2026 · 3 min read
Podcast measurement standards just got their first update in 17 months. If you operate anywhere in the analytics or ad-tech stack, you now have 29 days to weigh in before the spec locks. Four stories worth your attention today.
Today: IAB v2.3 opens for comment · Red Seat Ventures joins Amazon DSP · Video costs 77% more per audience-hour · Goalhanger goes video-first with Getty Images
1. IAB Tech Lab Opens Podcast Measurement v2.3 for Public Comment
The IAB Tech Lab released v2.3 of the Podcast Measurement Guidelines today — the first update since February 2024. Key additions: new guidance around URL prefix measurement and RSS enclosure URL changes. There's also a terminology shift from "listener" to "consumer" — Podnews notes the guidelines don't actually measure either, just a combination of devices and IP addresses. HLS streaming video podcast measurement? That's a 2027 problem. Public comment window is open until August 19.
Why it matters: Every hosting platform and analytics tool is downstream of how downloads get counted. If your product depends on this spec, now is the window to influence it — not after it locks.
2. Red Seat Ventures Joins Amazon DSP
Red Seat Ventures has added its podcast inventory to Amazon DSP — joining Spotify, iHeartMedia, and Triton Digital on the programmatic platform. Red Seat's portfolio includes shows connected to Jimmy Kimmel and other mainstream media names.
Why it matters: Amazon DSP's programmatic reach continues to absorb independent podcast networks. First-party shopping data is becoming the differentiator for podcast ad buyers — and networks without DSP relationships face a widening gap.
3. The Real Cost of Adding Video: 77% More Per Audience-Hour
Resonate Recordings published data on what video actually costs podcast operators: 77% more per hour of audience attention than audio-only, and 3× the post-production time per episode. The post outlines the three questions they ask every client before recommending a format — and what's most likely to go wrong when operators skip the analysis.
Why it matters: The pressure to "add video or fall behind" is real — but this is one of the most concrete cost analyses the industry has published. Run the numbers before you greenlight the camera setup.
→ Resonate Recordings via Podnews
4. Getty Images + Goalhanger: When the Biggest Independent Producer Goes Video-First
Getty Images expanded its visual content partnership with Goalhanger — the world's largest independent podcast producer outside the US — giving the network scalable access to Getty's full editorial, archival, and creative collections. The deal builds on their existing relationship, which already powered near-live FIFA World Cup imagery for Goalhanger's daily Netflix show.
Why it matters: When the biggest independent in the business is building visual content infrastructure, "audio-first" is shifting from a default to a deliberate positioning choice. The producers who treated video as optional are now the ones playing catch-up.
→ Getty / Goalhanger via Podnews
Worth a Click
- IAB Podcast Measurement v2.3 — full public comment period — open until Aug 19, documents visible at IAB Tech Lab from 8:30am ET today
- University of Georgia research on podcast investing shows — stock market podcasts drive more trading activity and improve investor performance
→ Browse all 753+ companies at thepodosphere.com
We read so you don't have to. Primary sources today: Podnews by James Cridland · Sounds Profitable by Bryan Barletta.
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