The Podosphere's daily intelligence brief for podcast industry operators.
Issue #60 · Friday, November 13, 2026 · 3 min read
Megaphone flips the switch on Apple Podcasts video while RAJAR data shows most video "viewers" are half-watching anyway, and a business podcast out of India just passed Rogan.
Today: Megaphone ships Apple video · RAJAR: watching is multitasking · India show tops Rogan · Simmons dumps ChatGPT ads
1. Megaphone turns on HLS video distribution to Apple Podcasts
Megaphone customers can now package video episodes using the HLS streaming standard and push them to Apple Podcasts directly from the platform, after announcing the move was coming back in May. Apple-side streams and downloads count as downloads in Megaphone's analytics, with impressions tracked only when an ad is served.
Why it matters: Hosting platforms now need video pipelines and ad-measurement rules for a second major app, not just Spotify and YouTube.
→ support.megaphone.fm · via Podnews
2. RAJAR: video podcast viewing is mostly background noise
RAJAR's Podcast Tracker research, presented at the ASI audio conference, found 34% of podcast consumers move between audio and video weekly, but only 20% of video viewers mostly watch while 41% are doing chores at the same time. RAJAR also puts weekly UK podcast listening at 105 million hours, with 62% saying they'd be just as happy with audio only.
Why it matters: Ad sellers pricing video inventory at a premium should check how much of that audience is actually looking at the screen.
→ rajar.co.uk · via Sounds Profitable
3. Raj Shamani's show passes Rogan and Bartlett on YouTube subscribers
Figuring Out with Raj Shamani, launched in 2021, has hit 22.1 million YouTube subscribers, ahead of Steven Bartlett's Diary of a CEO at 21.9 million and Joe Rogan Experience at 21.1 million, per Podnews. The show, which has booked guests like Emmanuel Macron and Sam Altman, recently signed with WME.
Why it matters: Networks courting video-first creators should watch non-US markets as a source of scale, not just the usual English-language leaders.
→ podnews.net · via Podnews
4. Bill Simmons pulls his ChatGPT ads after listener pushback
Bloomberg reports Bill Simmons stopped running ChatGPT ads on his show because the segments didn't land with his audience. Ashley Flowers and Mel Robbins have taken similar heat for AI promotion on their shows.
Why it matters: Ad sellers pitching AI sponsors to top hosts should budget for audience backlash as part of the pitch, not an afterthought.
→ bloomberg.com · via Podnews
Worth a Click
- Google patents a podcast built from your browsing history — Filing describes an AI host/guest pair timed to your commute, pulled from tabs and calendar data.
- Webby Awards launches free creator credits registry — 150,000+ Webby-recognized creatives, including podcast contributors, can claim verified profiles.
→ 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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