What is a podcast in 2026? Is it an on-demand audio file recorded from earlier live broadcast content? Could it be defined as on-demand audio taped and edited for distribution? Is a podcast audio? Video? Or a combination of the two? Can it be downloadable or only streamed? There are so many factors tied to a singular question that doesn’t have a straightforward answer.
That’s why I had to chuckle a bit when I read there’s currently a “secret taskforce” made up of twelve podcasting leaders discussing this very question since July of last year. People who work for Spotify, SiriusXM, YouTube, among others, are meeting to figure out exactly what distribution platforms can agree on when it comes to answering the question: What is a podcast in 2026?
We here at Barrett Media had the same issue. When compiling our Barrett Media rankings nominees late last year, we debated what defines a podcast. Does a program, show, or podcast such as The Mina Kimes Show featuring Lenny belong in the same rankings as The Pat McAfee Show or First Take? We knew many of the shows we placed on the list had a digital-first approach with little to no additional distribution compared to others.
It’s not just a dilemma we faced at Barrett Media. It’s also a controversy in other parts of the sports media landscape. Advertisers allocate budgets for different types of advertising in the digital space, and they require specialized attribution that’s more uniform across platforms.
It’s no different than if my local body shop placed ad dollars with a radio station but received four different types of attribution data: one for over-the-air radio and others for on-demand audio, streaming video, and social media.
Advertisers need clarity, and a lot of advertising dollars are on the line.
Is This Worth The Time?
Hence why I chuckled when I read the report that this “secret taskforce” has debated this issue for almost a year, yet still hasn’t produced an official answer.
Keep in mind, the term podcast is rooted in Apple’s signature “pod” era of the early 2000s. Without personally knowing whether there’s Apple representation in the “secret taskforce,” one has to wonder: if there is, could some politicking over a potential brand change be taking place?
Wouldn’t you love to be a fly on the wall in that room?
The singular hurdle all these companies need to overcome is how to measure success and attribution on their individual platforms. Data is the currency that drives advertising dollars. The more data points, the better. Even more valuable is a clear picture of attribution tied to point of sale, which is huge for securing additional advertising dollars.
Each of these companies invested in dynamic analytics tailored to fit its own business model. On the surface, one company’s metrics don’t match what another company is selling. As a result, advertisers have budgets available but often hesitate to spend because of confusion over which budget bucket the content belongs in. Is it video or audio? Is it creator content or something else entirely?
According to a survey from podcast advertising agency Oxford Road, 76% of brands said they’d increase their podcast ad buys if YouTube attribution were standardized with audio. The on-demand audio space already has its formula. The issue is video never asked for the cliff notes, nor should it have to.
Video metrics are different from audio metrics. Downloads are different from watch time. Time spent listening is different from average percentage viewed.
Advertisers are demanding action. Why? Because a potential additional $1 billion in ad spend is on the line.
Getting Answers Soon?
The best part of the story I read, however, was the following: (via The Hollywood Reporter)
“The chosen definition and metrics are to be determined by a vote of members, who’ve met at least monthly since the group’s inception. But because there were competing interests at play within the task force, as well as proprietary information and advantages companies may want to retain, Oxford Road CEO Dan Granger noted that members who disagree are also allowed to attach a dissent. Proposing standardized metrics and a definition also doesn’t mean it will automatically be adopted across the industry or even by every company in the taskforce.”
So, let me get this straight.
Advertisers are demanding clarity and uniformity from distribution platforms.
Those distribution platforms formed a “secret taskforce” to address those demands.
The “secret taskforce” can propose clarity and uniformity but can also offer dissent, preventing a sweeping ruling on the matter.
Then you’re telling me the proposed metrics and definition of podcasting still might not be adopted universally?
What’s the point of this “secret taskforce” then?
Maybe that’s the real answer to the question of what a podcast is in 2026. A podcast is whatever each platform needs it to be at that particular moment. Audio companies want audio metrics. Video platforms want video metrics. Creators want the widest possible reach. Advertisers want one clean and simple explanation for where their money is going.
Yet every company involved also wants to protect the proprietary data and business advantages they’ve spent years building.
That’s why this “secret taskforce” feels less like a solution and more like a group project where nobody wants to share their notes. Everyone agrees the industry needs clarity, but nobody wants to surrender control of the scoreboard.
So while the “secret taskforce” debates definitions, dissent clauses, and standardized measurements, the rest of the industry keeps moving anyway. Audiences aren’t sitting around wondering whether they’re consuming a podcast, a video show, a digital broadcast, or creator content.
They’re just hitting play.
Ironically, consumers already solved the problem. It’s the companies making money off them that still can’t decide what to call it.
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 information right in your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
