The paradigm shift in the digital audio industry has deprived the word podcast of its meaning, the traditional definition of which is inadequate given the convergence of formats that dominate the current market.
These days, the line between a television fragment and a leading podcast is virtually indistinguishable on platforms like Spotify, increasing the urgency to re-examine — and even abandon — that nomenclature.
Clear evidence that the word “podcast” is outdated can be seen in the “Podcasts” tab on YouTubewhere late-night talk show interviews, video monologues, culinary reviews and news clips dominate, a far cry from narrative audio journalism and the classic debates that gave rise to the term.
This transformation is so great that, as The Verge’s analysis points out, “the definition of the word ‘podcast’ has become fairly meaningless.”
The weight of this trend is already being felt by creators, companies and viewers. According to Bloomberg reporter Ashley Carman, during the latest edition of The Podcast Show in London, several speakers deliberately avoided the term podcast.
Georgie Holt, CEO of FlightStory, explained that his team prefers to talk about “programs.” a lexical phrase shared by Max CutlerFounder of Pave Studios, during a live interview.
Semantic shift occurs in companies like Vox Media, where “program” is replaced by “podcast” in internal conversations.
In fact, many drivers have adopted expressions typical of YouTube culture: like “like and subscribe”instead of the usual “Find us where you find podcasts,” reinforcing the idea of full integration between audiovisual and sound content.
The phenomenon is evident in spaces like the Adam Friedland Showwhere the host corrects his guests when they refer to the series as a podcast and insists that it is an “interview show.”
In addition, among the available offerings, Hot Ones, Chicken Shop Date or the Criterion Closet series exist indifferently alongside excerpts from programs such as The Tonight Show, which question the relevance of a term anchored in the iPod era.
The reasons for this change are partly commercial. Presenting content as a “program” to advertisers increases its appeal and makes it more diverse, making it easier to engage celebrities and generate higher advertising revenue.
In the words of The Verge, “Podcast makers want Seth Meyers’ money,” alluding to the similarity between these products and the most influential television formats.
Additionally, This convergence impacts listenerswho – as was the case with terms borrowed from marketing such as “influencer” and “creator” – have begun to simply refer to these products as programs.
The distribution concentration is another determining factor. Platforms like YouTube claim that more than a billion people watch podcasts every month, while Bloomberg reports that Netflix will integrate podcasts into its streaming service, create its own shows and partner with major industry players like Spotify, iHeartMedia and Sirius.
In this scenario, the original transparency and decentralization of podcasting is diluted by increasing centralization in the hands of large digital corporations.
Exclusive audio content remains, although it is relegated to precedence over video. According to Edison Research, “most podcasts are listened to at home,” but the future suggests that audio-only will be reserved almost exclusively for independent projects, while major companies prioritize audiovisual formats and banish audio as a byproduct of their video programs.
This marks the end of the cycle of the term “podcast,” a transition that has been compared to the decline of terms like “web series.” Everything indicates that the fundamental question will no longer be: “What is a podcast?” but “What was a podcast?”
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