The Podosphere's daily intelligence brief for podcast industry operators.
Issue #59 · Thursday, November 12, 2026 · 3 min read
iHeart's podcast unit is at the center of two conflicting stories at once: a report it may be for sale, and a stock price that's cratered this week.
Today: iHeart denial, falling stock · Acast unifies analytics · Audio outpaces other channels · AI revivals meet resistance · City Cast names new CEO
1. iHeart denies shopping its podcast unit as shares slide
Bloomberg reported iHeart is exploring a sale of part or all of its podcast business, citing talks with an investment bank, but iHeart says it has no plan to sell. The division reported $174mn in quarterly revenue, up 24.6% year-on-year, and CEO Bob Pittman said iHeart will split podcasting out from its Digital Audio Group as its own reporting segment. Separately, Podcast Business Journal reports iHeart's share price has dropped by two-thirds this week.
Why it matters: Any network watching iHeart's podcast arm for acquisition signals, or competing with it for ad dollars, now has to weigh a growing unit against a shaky parent company stock.
→ bloomberg.com · via Podnews
2. Acast folds audio, video and social into one dashboard
Acast launched a new Analytics dashboard replacing its old Insights tool, combining podcast downloads, Apple Podcasts video views and social follower counts from YouTube, TikTok and Instagram in one view, available in all plans. It separates unique listeners from unique viewers while also showing a combined, deduplicated figure.
Why it matters: Hosting platforms competing on measurement now have to show advertisers and creators a single cross-format view, not separate audio and video numbers.
→ acast.com · via Sounds Profitable
3. Audio is The Trade Desk's fastest-growing channel, even as revenue stalls
The Trade Desk's CFO Nate Olmstead said audio made up about 7% of the business in Q3 and posted stronger year-over-year growth than any other channel, which Inside Audio Marketing estimates at roughly $52 million of the company's $736 million in quarterly revenue, down 0.5% overall. The company didn't break out podcast ad revenue from music and other digital audio, and plans a new open measurement product by year-end aimed at crediting earlier-funnel advertising.
Why it matters: Podcast ad sellers relying on programmatic buying should watch whether The Trade Desk's new measurement product gives audio more credit for building awareness, not just last-click conversions.
→ insideaudiomarketing.com · via Sounds Profitable
4. Firefly fans reject an AI revival even though the demographics say they shouldn't
Tom Webster's Podcast Landscape 2026 study of 5,473 U.S. adults found Firefly was the most-named canceled favorite among 3,590 respondents who named a show, with 81 mentions, more than double Friends. Overall 45% of people who lost a show said they'd likely watch an AI-made revival without the original cast or writers, but only 31% of Firefly fans would, and just 15% of them called AI hosts acceptable.
Why it matters: Networks weighing AI-generated spinoffs or hosts should test attitudes toward AI itself, not just demographics, before betting on a revival or synthetic voice.
→ soundsprofitable.com · via Sounds Profitable
5. City Cast's founder hands the CEO job to his co-founder
City Cast named co-founder Andi McDaniel as CEO, succeeding founder David Plotz, who is departing after six years building the local media network, which now reaches 1.5 million people across 13 cities. The company says it just posted its strongest revenue quarter.
Why it matters: Local podcast networks eyeing expansion can watch whether McDaniel's leadership accelerates revenue growth beyond the audio-plus-newsletter model that got City Cast here.
→ soundsprofitable.com · via Sounds Profitable
Worth a Click
- Raccoon Media takes majority stake in The Rock Fight — UK media group buys into the outdoor industry podcast; host Colin True keeps editorial control.
- Locked On tops 1 billion listens in 2026 — Sports network nearly doubles its 2025 total of 515 million with six weeks left to go.
→ Browse all 711 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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