Is the podcast industry healthy? I do not think so, as my needs and expectations are not being met well

I am a devoted listener of podcasts, particularly those focused on Customer Experience, Strategy, and Self-Improvement. However, I find myself increasingly frustrated by the prevalence of lengthy episodes that don’t align with my preferences for shorter, more concise content.

What’s even more aggravating is the surge of celebrity-hosted podcasts that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. It seems like every notable figure was handed a microphone, causing an oversaturation of the podcasting space.

Furthermore, the aggressive presence of marketers and advertisers within the podcasting industry has become intolerable. The fact that 51% of podcast episodes now feature dynamic insertions of advertisements for other podcasts is intrusive and detracts from the overall listening experience.

While I appreciate the ability to fast-forward through ads, it’s far from ideal. As a passionate podcast listener, I am deeply concerned about the industry’s direction. I sincerely hope podcast creators and platforms will prioritize genuine content and audience experience over excessive advertisement placements.

To solidify the point, a while ago I asked Seth Adler why he stopped podcasting. To me, he has a great interviewing style. He said that “everybody is doing it now.” It sucks!