News/talk radio keeps saying it is paying attention to video podcasting. The problem is that attention has not turned into action. While much of the audio world is sprinting toward video-first strategies, large portions of news/talk radio are still debating whether it really matters.
The rest of the media business has already answered that question. Netflix has reportedly paid tens of millions of dollars in recent weeks to podcast companies for access to video podcasts. CNN has struck a deal with Lemonada to bring several of its most popular shows to the network. These are not experiments. They are commitments backed by real money.
Notice what is missing from those announcements. News/talk radio is barely part of the conversation. Traditional news media figures are not lining up to cash those checks either. That absence should concern every programmer and executive in the format.
It is not because the content is lacking. News/talk radio produces hours of strong, opinionated, and timely programming every day. Many of these shows already function like podcasts in structure and pacing. Hosts talk directly to audiences. They react to breaking news. They build loyal communities. The raw material is there.
Politics is often blamed for the hesitation. Companies worry about aligning with one side of the aisle or the other. That fear is real and understandable. It has existed for decades in advertising and syndication. It is not new, and it is not going away.
There is a more basic problem hiding in plain sight. Many news/talk radio brands are not even streaming video. Some have no YouTube channels. Others have nothing on Rumble. TikTok strategies are nonexistent or abandoned. In some cases, social accounts are dormant for months at a time.
That makes the larger conversation almost academic. You cannot be included in the future of video podcasting if you are not playing the game at all. You cannot complain about being ignored while choosing not to show up.
It raises an uncomfortable question. How can you watch the industry and society change how they consume content and think, “yeah, this is good enough”? Audio alone is no longer the default starting point for younger audiences. Video is where discovery happens.
McDonald’s understood this years ago. The company spent decades marketing to kids because it knew early loyalty often lasts a lifetime. Camel cigarettes did the same thing, though that example comes with obvious baggage. The principle still applies.
News/talk radio leaders love to talk about finding the next generation of talent. Conferences are built around it. Panels dissect it every year. Far less time is spent discussing the next generation of listeners.
That might be the bigger problem. A great host without an audience does not solve anything. If younger consumers never develop the habit of engaging with news/talk brands, the pipeline dries up quickly.
The way people consume content has already changed. It did not ask for permission. If your entire strategy depends on AM/FM distribution, you are shrinking by default. That does not mean radio is dead. It means radio has to evolve.
Video podcasting is not a magic fix. It requires consistency, and patience when early numbers disappoint. It also requires accepting that clips and highlights matter as much as full shows.
The upside is obvious. New audiences are out there. Platforms are hungry for content. Money is flowing toward creators who understand how modern distribution works. News/talk radio can be part of that future.
The window will not stay open forever. Other voices are filling the space right now. If news/talk radio waits too long, the question will not be whether it missed the boat. It will be whether it ever intended to board it at all.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest informed right in your inbox.
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
